Wouldn’t it be nice to spend more time working on dancing? Rather than surfing the internet until you’re brain dead, trying to find a few morsels of nourishment to feed your dance addiction.

If only you had the top lindy hop web resources at your fingertips… Hey wait! You do!

These resources have been hand-picked by yours truly. These best-of-the-best websites will consistently feed your learning, listening, and networking needs.

Blogs

Wandering and Pondering – Jerry Almonte’s posts make you think deep thoughts about swing dancing. Jerry fearlessly gives his opinion on topics like fusion dancing, and for that I love him. Also follow his Facebook fan page, where you’ll get a daily selection of the best dance videos and blog posts.

Swungover – Being a top lindy hopper gives Bobby White a unique position as a blogger. He writes loads of in-depth articles on topics like history, the art of judging, and fitness. If you want to kill a few hours, check out this amazing list of classic swing dance clips. Also beware his excellent sense of humor.

Lindy Shopper – Laura Windley is dedicated to the art of vintage lindy hop fashion. For us energetic swing dancers, it’s not as easy as throwing on any old vintage-looking outfit. That’s just asking for a wardrobe malfunction on the dance floor. Laura will help you figure out which brands perform best. Lucky for us, she finds the best deals online, too!

Music

Hey Mr. Jesse – Since 2006, Jess Miner and Manu Smith have hosted this monthly podcast all about swing jazz. They talk new music, old music, music news, and more.

SwingDJs.com – For nearly a decade, this forum has been the place for deejays to get together and talk about swing music. Have you ever wondered what music you should pick for practice? Here you can find out what deejays are actually playing at swing dances (and where to get it). A wealth of information is available. Try the “search” function if you’re looking for something particular.

DJ Chrisbe’s Song of the Week – If one new song per week sounds like your style of music discovery, check out Christian Bossert’s blog. For the past 2 years, DJ Chrisbe has explored each weekly song in an approachable and digestible way. He profiles both well-known and more obscure songs.

Jazz-on-line.com – Nothing beats Jazz-on-line.com when it comes to sheer volume of downloadable old jazz music. Oh, did I mention it’s all free? The owner, Michel, consistently adds to the collection, which now tops 35,000 songs. Don’t believe me? Look for yourself. Organized by artist or by randomized playlists.

Pandora – I highly recommend Pandora for two reasons. One, to listen to lots of jazz for hours on end, which will help you train your musical ear. And two, as a song and artist discovery tool. Hear a new song you like? Go get it. But where to start? Type in an artist you like, or browse their genres. I suggest building a station off of Fats Waller. Free with a number of great features.

Videos

Youtube – The first place most people go when looking for free dance videos. Youtube is indispensable. 48 hours of video are uploaded by users every minute. It can be overwhelming! Two tips: (1) Add the best videos to your favorites list, and (2) subscribe to users you like so you’re updated when they upload new videos. You can start with my lindy hop channel.

Video-Alerts.com – Automate your feverish searches for new dance videos! Go to Video-Alerts.com. Pick a Youtube search term. Get updates by email whenever that search pulls more results. I have an alert for “lindy hop” that returns 50+ videos at the end of the week. Imagine how little I get accomplished on that day.

RhythmJuice – For the last 3 years, Dax Hock has been developing a project I’m especially excited about. RhythmJuice is an online learning environment focused on connecting and inspiring serious dancers. With hundreds of members, an awesome staff of teachers, and both free and premium options, RJ is worth watching.

iDance.net – iDance.net is a treasure trove of inexpensive, downloadable dance lessons in many different styles (lindy, blues, balboa, salsa, and hip hop to name a few). The lindy hop instructors are top-notch and teach to every level. They also have a good number of free lessons available to their community members.

Free Swing Dance Lessons – Over the years, Dan Newsome (fellow Seattleite) has created a massive quantity of short educational and class review clips. Most videos feature him and his partner Gaby Cook. They have very crisp and clean movements which make learning more painless. To navigate most easily, I suggest using the search function.

Building the Swing Dance Community – Natasha Ouimet and Patrick Szmidt have put monumental effort into filming both educational clips and videos from major dance events. Often they’ll post event competition videos overnight, a happy surprise for those of us greedily waiting for the goods.

LindyHopMoves.com – A trio of European dancers (Ali, Eiki, and Claudio) brings you a great collection of educational dance clips. These videos are thoughtfully selected from Youtube and are arranged by dance level, total newbie to advanced. Tons of teachers, over 500 videos, totally easy to navigate. They also have an active Facebook page you’ll want to check out.

Discussion & Networking

Bug’s Question of the Day (Facebook page) – Every day, Bug Brockway posts a dance-related question for fans to answer.  Lindy hop and blues are especially well represented on her page, spurring many fabulous discussions with different viewpoints. Generally they’re kept quite civil since it’s on Facebook and decidedly not anonymous. Plus Bug takes question suggestions!

Yehoodi – Yehoodi is one of the last major lindy hop discussion forums. (Though there used to be many local lindy hop discussion boards, Facebook now fills that niche for most of us.) Yehoodi has been around forever, so there’s a ton of archived discussions which are basically gold. Yehoodi also has podcasts, Yehoodi Radio, a lindy hop event calendar, and featured articles.

Facebook – Think of Facebook as a massive, decentralized forum/network for swing dancers. Once you start friending dancers, you’ll hear about dance events, see cool dance photos and videos, become a fan of your favorite pages… And sometimes, there are still great discussions about dancing.

LindyCalendar.com – The most comprehensive online calendar of worldwide lindy hop events. The search function lets you either specify a date range or search on a particular term (like “Montreal” or “blues”). Or, say you have a free weekend and want to do some spontaneous dance travel? LindyCalendar.com will tell you where in the world to go.

Tumblr – Tumblr is a microblogging platform. Huh? You get an account, make short blog posts, connect with other peeps, share stuff you like, etc. You can be anonymous, or you can be your bold and awesome self. There’s a lotta lindy hop on Tumblr. It’s totally the trendy new thing. Check out this one and this one.

Bonus Links

For those who are still not satiated.

• Spotify - Online radio site that’s quickly getting popular. I see it mentioned all over Facebook.
• Rdio - More online radio.
• Rabbits & Toasters - Lindy hop blog discovery tool.
• Introduction to Lindy Hop History – A comprehensive survey of our history, 1800s to present.
• #lindychat – A new Tweet Chat for lindy hoppers.
• Westie Discussion of the Day (facebook) - Like Bug’s Question of the Day for west coast swing.

Know of another great online dance resource? Tell us in the comments below.

P.S. Here’s another freebie from me to you. Cheers!

All the solo moves in the Lindy Hop Steps Made Easy series in one routine!

Is it slow enough for a beginner? Absolutely.

Does the slow tempo make it hard for intermediate dancers to perfect? Muah ha ha, why don’t you find out?

The song is Wallingford Wiggles on the “Harlem Mad” album by Glen Crytzer and his Syncopators. Get the song here.

Watch the Video:

Step-by-Step Instructions:

0:10 – Demo
1:51 – #1 List of All Moves
2:03 – #2 Choreography Learning Strategy: memory & transitions
2:31 – #3 Shorty George to Apple Jacks
3:24 – #4 Apple Jacks to Boogie Drops
3:51 – #5 Boogie Drops to Suzie Q left
4:31 – #6 Suzie Q left to Suzie Q right
4:57 – #7 Suzie Q right to Lock Turn
5:53 – #8 New Move OMG!
6:50 – #9 New Move to Swivels forward
8:02 – #10 Swivels forward to scooting back

Tips:

• Many (but not all) these steps start on 8. Practice your counting, and watch the demo to make sure you’ve got it.
• Memorize the order of the moves. Practice them over and over in your head.
• Practice each transition separately.
• Don’t rush. You’re gonna want to, but resist. The slow tempo leaves “empty spaces” for you to fill out with juicy movement.
• We purposely did not demo this routine showing the back view. That doesn’t train your memory. I’m serious about learning, not giving you a crutch. It may be frustrating, but think of it as tough love. Heavier on the love than the toughness.
• Practice, practice, practice. This is the PERFECT sort of routine to work on these moves I’ve been teaching.
• Have fun! But you already knew that.

Written Choreography

(Begins 30 seconds into song; 3 phrases long or about 1 min.)

8- Shorty George forward
8- Apple Jacks backward (or stay in place)
8- Shorty George forward
8- Apple Jacks backward (or stay in place)

8- Boogie drops L, Boogie Drops R
8- Suzie Q to L (small steps if possible)
8- Suzie Q to R (small steps if possible)
8- Lock turn (double kick 1, 2; rock step 3, 4; lock on 5, turn 6, 7, 8 )

8- New Move to R
8- New Move to L
8- Swivels forward (or stay in place) starting on R
8- Scoot back 1-4, bounce 5- 8

What did you think of the routine? What was the hardest transition? Let me know in the comments!

P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s a freebie for you.

Wallingford Wiggles
by Glenn Crytzer
Copyright ©2010 All Rights Reserved
Recorded 2011 by Glenn Crytzer and his Syncopators on “Harlem Mad” www.syncopators.net

Learn the boogie drop this week! And you’ll get a surprise next week (wink, wink).

It’s an easy solo lindy hop step, so take your time and get it right. Yes, you can half-ass it. Show me you’re better than that. Boogie drop it like it’s hot.

Here’s the Video:

Step-by-Step Instructions:

0:21 – Demonstration
0:28 – #1 Bouncing leg off the floor. DO NOT isolate the leg movement. Use your body’s up and down pulse to generate the bounce.
1:31 – #2 Lunge. I demonstrate a very low lunge. Use your body sense to work within your ability. NOTE: Bend both knees. Don’t keep the back leg straight. It doesn’t look so good.
2:42 – #3 Putting it together with counts: Bounce bounce drop, bounce bounce drop. 1 2 3, 5 6 7. Can start with either leg. Move a little with each bounce and drop.
3:30 – #4 Adding upper body coolness.
4:12 – Surprise for next week!

Tips:

• However deep you lunge, don’t let your front knee come out too far in front of your toe. Of course you’re smart and already knew that.
• If you do try a low lunge, make sure to push out of it quickly rather than getting stuck there. If you’re getting stuck and missing the timing, don’t drop so low.
• As I transition from one side to the other, notice how my foot pivots rather than staying glued to the floor. If the foot gets stuck instead of pivoting, you’ll do a squat instead of a lunge.
• How do you pivot when you’re on a sticky floor? Use the “up” part of the up and down pulse your body is making. That’s when you have less friction on the floor. Great for pivoting.
• Practicing this move might tire you out more than others. That’s okay! It’s dancing. That means it’s considerably more challenging than walking.

Lastly, make sure to review all the steps from past videos to get ready for the routine next week!

Do you like free stuff? Hell yes! Click here for more.

Warning: This week’s lindy hop step is not for people who give up easily! Today you’re learning the lock turn.

Turns require more determination to learn. Practice lots! There’s no shortcut to learning the balance and control you’ll need to nail the turn every time.

HANDY TIP: Make sure to practice in both directions to keep from getting too dizzy. That will also give you better control.

Here’s the Video:

Step-by-step Instructions:

0:19 – Demo & Basic Concept.
0:45 – #1 Practice the “lock” position. Bend knees and turn legs out a little at the hips. Face your body slightly to the left. Cross right leg over left. The front of the right knee should be touching the back of the left knee.
1:42 – #2 Jumping into the “lock” position.
2:14 – #3 Turning. Transfer weight to back foot and bring the other foot to it. Push out of floor and use your “wound up” body position to turn. Your upper body will unwind first, and your legs will follow.
3:03 – #4 Counts 5-8! Jump and land in “lock” position on 5. Turn 6, 7, 8.
3:30 – #5 Counts 1-4**. Kick across with the right leg on 1, 2. Rock step (right, left) on 3, 4. Lock on 5, etc.
4:10 – #6 Putting it together in 8 counts! Back view.

**Can be changed up depending on the choreography. Or how you’re feeling that day.

More Handy Tips!

• Make sure your weight is evenly split between both feet in the “lock” position, just before you turn. You may find it helpful to lift your left heel (back heel) a bit.
• Remember to transfer weight to the back foot near the beginning of your turn.
• Both knees bent, yo.
• Practice slowly at first, then build up speed.
• If you need to take a step to regain balance after you turn, practice by slowing it down and using more control.
• Oh, and as always, pulse up and down through counts 1-4.

Didja get it by the end? Is there anything that’s still difficult for you? Leave a comment and share what you learned!

Yup, I have even more free goodies for you.

This is a guest post by the fabulous Mead McLean.

Are you a dancer living in the middle of nowhere? Perhaps your scene is so small, you may as well live in the mountains. Welcome to the club.

Here’s a picture of my dance reality:

I live and dance in Boone, NC, Lindy Hop population 1. The existence of our dance scene is tenuous. Once there was a lively group with beginning Lindy Hoppers who were gung-ho about travel, but they’ve left. Except for me.

Over the years, I figured out how to improve my dance skills while having little opportunity to social dance.

Here are my secrets:

1.) Listen, listen, listen. The more old-school, the better. The “Ultimate Jazz Archive” set is an overwhelmingly great place to start.

Do several types of listening:

• Listen for fun. Keep it in the background.
• Count of the 8′s. Figure out the structure, when the breaks happen. See if you can anticipate what’s coming next.
• Listen emotionally. Try to hear the attitude of the song. Dance in your imagination. Visualize the movement you’d want to do based on the mood of the tune.
• When you find a song you like, dig up a few more versions of it and compare. Hear the nuances, the different tempos or instruments. Listen for new ideas the band has added to the song.

2.) Re-watch videos and break stuff down. Hit up YouTube and search out your favorite dancers and events.

You can get great ideas from videos of people social dancing. The simplest ideas are often the best ones to implement. Maybe you haven’t tagged suzy-q’s onto a side-pass before, but it seems easy. Give it a shot with an imaginary follow a couple of times, then try it next time you dance.

You can learn all of these directly from video:

• Big Apple
• Various versions of the Shim-Sham
• Tranky Doo
• The California Routine

3.) Keep a dance notebook. Write down your favorite dance moments from each event or dance night you go to. Look back on them when you’re feeling bummed about dancing.

When you go to a workshop weekend, write down 2 or 3 things you learned when the weekend is over. If you write down everything from every class, you’ll never return to it. Spend your time right after class repeating the material so it’s in your body for good.

4.) Do all the solo jazz you know over and over and over, get really bored with it, then keep doing it.

Learn solo choreography from videos. Take one move, say the Suzie Q, and try out every possible variation to it. Try these:

• Start on down-beats, start on up-beats.
• Invent new rhythms (syncopation).
• Change the level of your body. Bend down low and stand up straight.
• Make sure you can do it equally well in both directions.
• Figure out what to do with your arms, your head, your expression.

Do all this while listening to music at different tempos. This will make sure you’re on beat and give you new musical ideas.

5.) Cross-train. Personally, I jump rope and do body-weight exercises I found on YouTube videos. Jumping rope is cheap. It keeps your calves and heart in shape, burns loads of calories, and can be done at home with little space.

Whatever you do, keep in shape. Even after dancing over 5 years, I still get excited and dance most of the songs at weekend workshops.

6.) Dance all the time at home. If you’re cooking, listen to some jazz and start dancing. Dance a phrase, stir pasta, dance a phrase, make some green beans. I mean, who doesn’t like dancing in the kitchen?

7.) Learn an instrument. The kazoo is a great one. Pick it up and start humming. Watch the Washboard Serenaders for some kazoo-filled inspiration. If the kazoo’s not your thing, try anything else—the washboard, drums, spoons, any jazz instrument. Play along with recorded music.

8.) Redefine your definition of “nearby”, and go visit some local dance scenes.

Two hours used to be a long drive for me, but now it’s almost nothing. Find someone to car-pool with. If you’re within driving distance of a few local scenes, change it up. It’ll feel like you’re going to mini-exchanges.

9.) Pick one thing to work on when you hit a local dance. Focus on that for a few songs, then just have fun.

Sometimes, I even work on having fun, or making the right eye contact, or focusing on my partner. Other times, I focus on one move I want to refine, or the way I’m phrasing a dance.

10.) Travel. It’s essential (but you knew that). Catch a private lesson every time you go to a dance weekend, if you can. I pick events that will have different classes than usual, or that will have plenty of people I’ve never danced with.

Sometimes, I’ll go to an event and do a private lesson instead of classes. Focusing on a few things in a private gets me really far and takes months to perfect.

Ready? Let’s go!

It can be painful not to dance. Staying involved like this will make it bearable and keep you from feeling rusty.

If you’ve got more to add, let me know. I’m always willing to try out new ideas!

P.S. It’s Rebecca’s birthday! And here’s a free gift for you.

This week’s lindy hop step is swivels! With an exclamation mark. I’ve got lots of tips for this one, since it’s an integral part of lindy hop as a partnered dance, too.

Have you been procrastinating on learning how to swivel? This video is totally step-by-step. Practice at home, by yourself. You’ll build up muscle memory and increase your confidence. Soon you’ll be able to rock it!

Fun Fact for Men
I relearned how to swivel several years ago at a Nick Williams workshop in Raleigh. Yes, a MAN helped me re-create a foundational lindy hop movement normally associated with women. Men, no excuses! This week’s video was made for you, too. Manly swivels are HOT.

Here’s the video:

Step-By-Step Instructions:

0:42 - Swivel demo
0:56 - #1 Pivoting. Stand on one foot, weight on your forefoot. Pivot your heel back and forth, keeping your knee bent. Practice both legs.
1:42 - Note: We’re using the inside pivot for swivels. That’s when your toe goes from pointing away from your body to pointing in toward your body.
1:53 - #2 Changing weight between legs.
2:47 - #3 Moving the feet wider apart when stepping.
3:10 - Tip 1: Rotation (see more in Tips below)
3:51 - Tip 2: Pulse (see more in Tips below)
4:13 - Tip 3: What the non-standing leg is doing (see more in Tips below)
4:45 - #4 Putting it all together and speeding up.

Lots of Tips:

• Keep the knees bent at all times for your basic swivel. Don’t straighten the leg that is pushing off. Don’t straighten the other leg and reach for your next step. Yes, this will mean you need to develop your leg strength. That will come.
• Keep the ankles soft, not locked into position. For my basic swivel, my forefoot takes the impact of the step, and my ankle flexes so that my heel nearly touches the floor.
• Which means that you don’t want to swivel on your tippy-toes all the time. It can be a very pretty variation, though.
• Pulse. Uber important. Imagine your legs are juicy pogo sticks.
• Use the leg muscles to push out of the ground from step to step. Don’t fall, don’t reach. Push.
• Use the abdominal muscles to create rotation in the torso between steps.
• Rotation begins in the mid back (where your vertebrae have the most rotational flexibility, as opposed to the low back, which has very poor rotation).
• The hips (eg pelvis), at the bottom of the spine, get quite a lot of rotation relative to the head, at the top of the spine. The legs and feet may have slightly more rotation, provided the rest of your technique is solid.
• Even when your feet are really wide for swivels, keep your torso somewhere in the middle. You don’t need to move your center of gravity ALL the way over each foot when you step.
• OMG arms!! Keep ‘em steady-ish, out away from your torso rather than glued to your sides.
• Practice lots. Increase your speed slowly so your movements don’t get sloppy.

Lastly, look on Youtube for inspiration on adding your own flava’. There are as many swivel variations as there are people who swivel!

Whose swivels do you like? Tell us, or share a video in the comments!

P.S. More free stuff for you!

As requested, the Suzie Q! It’s a solo lindy hop step that some of my Facebook fans said they find confusing.

When learning any solo jazz step, always remember to go back and work on the things you find difficult. Successful dancers spend the most time working on things that are frustrating for them. You can do it too!

The Video:

Here are the steps:

0:21 – Demonstration of Suzie Q
0:29 – #1 Direction of Suzie Q. Usually to your left; can go either way.
0:45 – #2 Foundation layer. Sideways step, right foot goes in front of left. Torso stays pointed forward. Bend the knees!
1:09 – #3 Right leg layer (front leg). Weight on your heel, rotating the leg in and out (more outward than inward). Bend the knee!
1:42 – #4 Right leg layer with sideways step. Rotate out as you step onto your left foot. Bend the knees!
2:27 – #5 Left leg layer (back leg). Weight on ball of foot, rotating leg in and out (more outward than inward). Bend the knee!
3:02 – #5 Left leg layer with sideways step. Rotate in as you step onto your right foot. Bend your knees!
3:41 – #6 Putting it all together.
4:16 – #7 THE COUNTS! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Right, left, right, left, right, left, right, left.

Tips:

• The deeper your knees bend, the cooler it looks. Be prepared for tired legs.
• You might notice the legs coordinate nicely. Both rotate out at the same time, then back in at the same time. Try to make those rotations symmetrical. (See 3:21 for a discussion of how far the legs rotate inward.)
• What about the arms? You can see I have mine on my hips in the video. I do that so as not to distract from the legs. You can do whatever feels natural.
• Be crisp with your movements for the Suzie Q. As always, go back and practice each step multiple times.

Here’s that free stuff I mentioned.

Thanks for watching. Leave questions if you got ‘em!

P.S. I think it’s pretty funny that my “nice deep knee bend” at 3:56 is actually pretty weak. If you think I need to get in better shape, you can egg me on at the Dance World Takeover Facebook page.

In this video, you’ll learn the lindy hop step called “Apple Jacks.” Like in last week’s video, I’m teaching you another solo jazz dance move. You don’t need a partner to learn how to move like a lindy hopper.

You’ll learn by layering up, starting with a simple movement, and progressively getting faster and more complex.

Here’s the video:

Here are the main steps:

0:08- Demonstration of Apple Jacks
0:40- #1 Balancing on one foot
0:49- #2 Pivoting. Stand on one foot, put your weight on your heel, keep your forefoot touching the ground, and pivot back and forth. The other foot should be off the ground, next to your ankle. Practice going back and forth on each foot independently.
1:29- #3 Distinguish between an ‘outward’ pivot and an ‘inward’ pivot! We’re only using the outward pivot for Apple Jacks.
2:06- #4 Switching feet. Pivot outward on one foot, switch, pivot outward on the other foot. Do it slow and precise – this is where things start getting confusing!
2:49- #5 “Sweep-ball-change.” Aka kick-ball-change. It’s the lead-in to Apple Jacks, and it happens on 8&1.
3:48- #6 Putting it together. 8-and-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Sweep-ball-change, step, step, step, step, step, step. Right-right-left, right, left, right, left, right, left. PLANT your left foot on 7 before you sweep your right leg up on 8.

Tips:

• Keep your feet approximately parallel. Don’t go too pigeon toed or point your toes apart.
• See how the knee of my leg that I’m NOT standing on is a little in front? It not only looks nice, it’s an easy and obvious position to put your leg in when you’re pivoting on the other foot.
• Use your core! Keep your head and shoulders pointed mostly forward, and let the spine and pelvis twist a little back and forth with your feet.
• Balance, balance, balance.

That’s all for today. Remember to take it slow and develop impeccable movement before you try to make it super fast. You’ll be glad you did when people are admiring your Apple Jacks.

Thanks for watching!

P.S. Go get that free stuff I mentioned.

Most things beginner dancers do are completely forgivable. Not knowing the steps, losing count with the music, being shy, fumbling dance etiquette. Advanced dancers have ALL been there.

In fact, many of us have even been to the places we’re about to go in this article. The serious problems. The things newbies do that annoy everyone around them, and for very good reason.

These are the things that more experienced dancers get upset about. And we can’t just walk up and to you and tell you fix it. How would you respond if someone stopped you on the road and instructed you on how dangerous it is to speed? Enough people speed that it would be a huge burden on the “good drivers” to police the bad drivers. That’s why we have police.

And that’s why you have a dance instructor. Generally it’s their job to keep you out of trouble. But some newbies don’t get the memo. Hell, some advanced and intermediate dancers fall through the cracks on these.

Take heart if you see yourself here. All of these problems can be fixed. The first step is knowing about it.

Problem 1: Kicking and stepping on people

Also known as bad floor craft. This is the absolute worst problem on the list.

Getting kicked multiple times in a night has been known to make dancers irate. The pain that’s associated with getting your Achilles tendon trampled makes it remarkably difficult to stay calm. Especially when the offender continues dancing without noticing your convulsions, cries of pain, and spew of expletives.

The best way to keep from hurting others is to look before you move. Yes, that means you will be constantly looking around you on a crowded floor, possibly enjoying your dance slightly less. That’s a small price to pay for keeping your feet out of other people’s flesh.

Problem 2: The Pretzel

For the people lucky enough to not know this move, it involves a lot of twisting your arms and bodies into awkward shapes as quickly as possible, most likely causing mild rotator cuff injuries.

Never, ever do the Pretzel. Never. Ever. It is not a cool move. It is horrible to follow and confusing to lead.

Problem 3: Entitlement complex combined with inferiority complex

I can handle people thinking they’re entitled to dance with everyone. I can handle people thinking they’re inferior. Both of those kinda suck. But they’re quite understandable, given our culture and given how hard it is to learn to dance.

But I can’t tolerate the attitude, “Good dancers should ask me to dance because I’m inferior.” That just blows my mind.

You ARE good enough to ask whoever you want to dance. If someone turns you down, it is not reflective of how good you are. Think of every dance is a gift shared with a friend, not something you are entitled to.

Problem 4: Throwing yourself around

Related to and sometimes a cause of kicking people.

Flailing around communicates that a dancer lacks concern for other people. In reality, dancers who flail haven’t realized that their balance and momentum are their responsibility. They see other people throw themselves around and think that’s how it’s done. And it’s fun! If you only do it once a month…

Once you get addicted and start dancing a lot, you’ll learn that throwing yourself around is tiring and painful.

Until then, I’m staying away from you.

Problem 5: Asking for advice at awkward times

It’s awesome that you are humble enough to ask for advice.

What you need to learn is how to ask so that you’ll more likely get a useful answer.

It’s bad timing to dance with a great dancer and ask afterwards, “What can I do to improve my dancing?” While you were focused on getting everything ‘right’, your dance partner was thinking, “This is fun! Cool move! This is some sweet music!” Or some such. The point is that they’re not dancing with you to analyze your connection or movement issues. They are dancing with you to have fun. Many people, especially instructors, feel put on the spot when asked this question.

If you really want to get some free advice, choose someone you’re close to. Don’t ask in the context of a dance you’ve just had, are having, or are about to have. And remember, specific questions (eg “How can I make this move better?” or “How does my balance feel here?”) are more likely to get useful answers.

Lastly, don’t be too put out if the person seems reluctant to switch from social dance mode to instructor mode. Instructors especially value their time off the clock.

Problem 6: Quitting dancing

I love sitting at the Century Ballroom, watching the newer dancers and wondering, “Which ones are going to get addicted? Which ones are going to get really good? Who will I be able to share that unique, indescribable bond with?”

I find it really hard to invest my time getting to know new dancers who quit after a year. Because it’s emotionally draining, I’ve found I can’t be the welcome wagon for every newbie (especially not in a scene the size of Seattle). I did that for a couple years in North Carolina. Honestly, it was a bit heart wrenching to lose new friends over and over.

It takes years to get tight with long-time dancers. Stick with us.

Cheer up. You are a beautiful snowflake.

Some of the words in this article may sting. Some of them may be uplifting (“At least I’m not doing that!“).

Know this: none of these are unforgivable sins. Fix what needs to be fixed, and keep having fun. We’ll still love you.

Happy New Year! My gift to you: more free content!

In 2012, I’m questing to make dancing simpler for  beginners of the “two left feet” variety. As part of that project, I’m creating a slew of good, short dance lessons on video.

Lindy hop steps don’t have to be frustrating. In this video, I’ll teach you the “Shorty George.” You’ll start with simple movements and layer up from there. If you get stuck, go back to the step before and practice until you feel comfortable.

If you have any questions about the move, leave me a comment and I’ll help you out.

Here are some extra tips:

• Make sure your feet stay parallel and relatively flat on the ground. A lot of beginner dancers forget this when they start ‘getting’ the move.
• Allow the arms to coordinate with the movement of your torso. It’s like walking; you don’t have to try very hard to not suck at swinging your arms.
• If anything feel horribly awkward, try breathing and relaxing.
• And if that doesn’t work, try forcing it (gently).

What counts? 8&1 2 3 4 5 6 7
What steps? kick ball change, step, step, step, step, step, step
What feet? right right left, right, left, right, left, right, left

A smart and/or famous person once said, “You can’t be a good dancer unless you’re a good dancer.”

Dancing and partner dancing aren’t separate things. If you’re bad at solo dancing, you ain’t so great at partner dancing, either.

Some beginners don’t learn solo lindy hop steps because they seem hard and expose our weaknesses. I feel ya. I practice solo steps alone in my living room, away from anyone who might watch me screw up.

Thanks for watching. I promise next week’s video won’t have a black box around it.

P.S. For more free dance stuff, click here.