JajaLala

Life's busy etc BUT I've been getting back into various forms of dancing recently. I did a proper East Coast/Lindy Hop swing dance class or two in the last year or so (once as a follow, then as a lead), but I've made a vow this year to actually go out to a social dance at least once a month, and so far these past three months I've been successful!

West Coast Swing Dance
( West Coast Swing Dance )

TL;DR: I tried some West Coast, it didn't click, but may try again in the future.


Lindy Hop
( Lindy Hop )

TL;DR: I'm vibing, getting back into it, and trying to get stronger at leading!

Burlesque
( Burlesque )

TL;DR: Wahoo sexy dance! Reconnecting with my inner theater kid.

I went to a line dancing event at a bar!

From what I can tell, line dancing is pretty accessible in terms of the moves. A lot of it is focused on the legs, usually just shifting weight, stomping, turning or the like. They put a bunch of moves together, and then you repeat that combination of moves a bunch of times during a song. My girlfriend said it's a dance that's "designed to be possible while holding a drink" ahaha. The hard part is putting it all together and remembering it! Especially since most the dances seemed to rotate around, so like you would start the dance facing one wall, and then when you finish the moves cycle you end up facing 90 degrees left, and start the dance over again facing that direction. I kind of liked that doing that provided a little challenge--I spent most of the night trying to follow other people, so since I was on the outskirts I would have a great view of the other dancers for 1-2 cycles, then I'd spend 1-2 cycles doing my best to attempt it myself XD (Badly).

The format at this place included some beginner's lessons, but a bunch of dances they just played the music and people came onto the dancefloor somehow knowing all the moves. Each song seems to have a unique series of moves, so I'm impressed by people who could remember so many! I did okay at the beginner's lessons (with some mistakes still lol), and abysmally when I attempted to learn on the spot during the un-taught dances XD (it seemed acceptable for people to try to follow on the sides). I think the hardest part for me was the way the dances would "spin" around, especially if some of the moves involves some degree of spinning as well... I found it hard to anchor what direction I was supposed to be facing and where the cycles of the dance began/ended. There were a few that had REALLY clear anchors (like a huge double-foot stomp where everyone would pause for a few counts to shake their hips) and that helped a lot to orient me and get me back onto track, but some dances were so busy that I couldn't get anything straight.

Still, was overall fun! I only stayed for an hour, but I can see how it would be super fun if I went more regularly and got more used to the specific moves and began to memorize particular dances. This location was a little trip away from me, so I don't think I'll be a regular at all, but I would do it again with an excuse for sure.

Now I miss my swing-dancing, though. A few of the songs were "partnered" dances, and idk if there's specific choreography for partnered line dancing, but most the people looked like they were just kinda doing their own thing, but they were doing it great! Line dancing was mostly individual which was great in its own way, but I wanna have a fun sexy time spinning my girlfriend around XD. Both of us weren't confident enough to join the partner dances at line dancing, though.

Fortunately: I finally got into a Lindy Hop swing dancing class! There's one I've had my eye on for awhile, but spots fill up so fast I kept missing sign ups. I finally caught it during an open enrollment period and signed up. I'm signed up to learn just follow for now. I'd like to learn lead so when I take people out dancing I can dance better with them and teach them fun moves, but it's probably good to start with building foundations in follow, and then I can take the class again as a lead in the future (hopefully, if I can catch the sign ups)

So I'll have that class every week for a month or two, hopefully it's helpful! As always, going out dancing has confirmed that dancing is my favorite form of exercise.

I was very brave and went to swing dancing again! I meant to go last week, but I chickened out bc I couldn't persuade any of my friends to go with me... but I regretted not going, and I've been there alone before and still had a great time, so I gained courage this week and went.

The reason I chickened out at first I think is because I knew I wanted to learn lead (as per my previously established goal)... but I'm scared of trying to lead strangers! I knew I was going to be clumsy, and I wanted to be able to practice with someone I knew and who would still be happy to dance with me even if I was awkward. So the thought of going alone made me sad, because either (A) I fail at my previously stated goal and just do following again or (B) I do the scary thing of learning a new dance part that might inconvenience my partner due to my failings, and all my partners are strangers I don't want to inconvenience.

But I was so so brave this time and went even without friends! And in the end, it was good and fun and I learned to lead a bit and now I have more versatility! So yay doing scary things, there are great dividends!

( More specific musings )

I think it might be good to declare a particular future night "Leading only!" for myself to force more practice and compare less to my follow... maybe I'll wear pants (so far I always wear dresses bc they're fun to spin and breathable when sweaty) and tell everyone who asks me to dance follow that I'm ONLY dancing lead tonight for practice sake. Maybe after another few beginner lessons where I focus on lead. I'd like to get a little more fluent before I subject myself to a night of it, but I definitely need to practice more.

I hope to go again soon!... but we'll see how my schedule is like during the holidays.