Creativity And The Dance Role Paradigm

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January 24, 2019

Increasing numbers of social dancers are questioning the traditional ideas of dance roles. Yet we still don’t have a consensus about what they should become. I’d like to propose we unpack some of the assumptions that we’ve inherited and explore how we can move toward greater creative freedom.

Traditional Dance Roles

In nearly all partnered dances, the long-accepted understanding of dance roles has gone something like this:

Man = leader = movement initiator = creative director

Woman = follower = movement responder = “the lovely picture in the frame”

In this sort of dance culture, men are in charge of making all the decisions in the dance. They ask a woman to dance, usually with an expectation of acquiescence. They are responsible for planning each move and directing their partner to complete them. This gives them a high degree of creative freedom and control over their dance experiences.

At the same time, it means men carry immense responsibility. Leaders have to dazzle and delight their partners. They are to blame if a dance is dull or if someone gets hurt. If seen as an undesirable partner, they are subject to every possible evasion and excuse.

As for women in this dance culture, they give up agency. They should smile and thank anyone who asks them to dance. There’s no need to plan or decide anything, only keep the connection. In some styles, followers speak of entering a meditative trance, a joyful flow state of movement and music.

Fulfilling this role takes considerable skill, however. Followers aspire to perfectly execute each indicated step, turn, and dip. They practice forms of styling that are certain not to disrupt the leader. Yet the follower role is usually less valued.

There are plenty of historic and cultural reasons that we ended up with this paradigm of dance roles, but nowadays many communities are re-thinking them.

Independent Gender Roles

The most common change so far has been separating gender roles and dance roles. Increasing numbers of dancers believe that everyone should be allowed to choose which role(s) they’d like to learn in class, compete as, and dance for any given song, without consideration for their gender expression or sexuality.

What does that look like? When I attend a class in such a dance culture, teachers talk to “leaders and followers” or instruct “people who want to lead today” or “people who want to follow this round.” When I ask someone to dance socially, I ask if they want to lead or follow. If they decline or if our preferences don’t align in that moment, I ask someone else. If I ask a man to follow me, he isn’t mocked and doesn’t put on a comedic show of femininity. If I ask a woman to dance, it isn’t assumed to be a lesbian overture.

Basically, it’s about being welcoming of people who want to dance either or both roles without asking them to define their gender or sexuality. I think these changes are an important first step in making our communities inclusive of dancers who are trans, intersex, nonbinary (who do not identify as male or female), or anything but heterosexual. But they don’t need to pose a threat to dancers who are comfortable in their “traditional” role. We just open up the full range of possibilities for everyone to try freely. And when we have different kinds of people dancing as leaders and followers, we are sure to see new ideas enter our dancing as well.

All About Leading

Women have had more success in gaining freedom from gendered roles (admittedly not without difficulty); nevertheless, I see us making the same mistake as in twentieth-century feminism. We’ve empowered women to be leaders without valuing the role of following or empowering others to take on that role – much as women have entered business and politics but men are mocked for being caregivers and homemakers.

Fewer men try to learn following, and those who do usually wait until they are well-respected leaders. I think this is both because of the social risk of taking on a “woman’s role” and because we don’t value following very highly.

Switch dancing or “liquid leading” has become popular as more dancers become proficient in both roles. Partners take turns switching between leading and following, trying to make the transitions smooth. I enjoy switch dancing, but I dislike people saying it gives each partner “the opportunity to lead” and “the chance to take a break.” I find it particularly dangerous when people equate leading with speaking and following with listening.

While switch dancing is a fun way to play with role swapping, taking turns leading is not the only way for both partners to have a creative voice in a shared dance. It’s time to re-examine the responsibilities we assign to each role and the respect we give them.

Shared Responsibility And Respect

When we put all the value on the leading role, we also put all the burden on leaders – isn’t that what we mean when we say “It’s always the leader’s fault?” It’s really asking too much, if leaders are meant to plan and initiate every move, make the dance interesting and musical, and protect their partners.

Of course in such a context beginning leaders feel intimidated, starting each dance with an apology for their level. It is only to be expected that followers will seek out the leaders with more experience and skill, who can show them a good time. As a result, high-level leaders can feel so much obligation to serve as entertainers that they stop having fun themselves – resulting eventually in burnout.

From there it follows logically that the following role is less valued. If followers are only trying to be a perfect expression of the leader’s will, then of course they are less important. It makes sense for followers receive little attention in class, being trusted to figure it out when the teacher says: “ladies, just follow.” It’s natural that dancers who feel creatively limited as followers will try leading instead. It’s hardly a surprise that women are often perceived as interchangeable as teachers, hired only as part of a couple or to teach “ladies’ styling.”

We need to move past viewing leading as the only creative or challenging role. Even old-school “pure” following deserves a great deal of appreciation. It’s quite a challenge to be responsive without anticipating and to excel at transforming a direction into just the right amount of speed, rotation, and extension. But there’s lots more room for followers to have a voice in partnered dancing. Followers can also provide the creative energy that fuels a fun, interesting dance.

An Example From Blues

Blues dancing is the style I’ve been learning the longest: for more than ten years now. In that time I’ve seen the scene shift toward encouraging followers to be full dancers and partners. There is still praise for “pure” following, but it has ceased to be the sum total of what followers aspire to.

Our top teachers have been urging followers to take on equal responsibility for listening to the music and bringing creative, interesting movement ideas to the dance. To that end, they’ve been teaching classes that help followers find and express their creative expression while helping leaders learn to listen to and make space for their partners’ voices.

I remember being very intimidated at the prospect of expressing myself creatively as a follower. To be honest, I still sometimes feel that fear about measuring up when it comes time to dance with someone I perceive as an amazing dancer.

At the same time, I deeply appreciate how much more interesting this change has made my dances. For one thing, I don’t need to worry about hunting down the best leaders. I can dance with the newest leader and have a great time. I love seeing them light up as they take inspiration from my movement. I delight in gently surprising them and seeing them take my idea, adapt, and transform it into something new. I find leading much more exciting, too, since I’m not just trying to make my partner do a move correctly. I view my leading as offering a suggestion, and then I wait to see whether my follower will give me a simple execution of the suggestion, do it with their own interpretation of timing or shape, or even create something completely different. It’s playful, collaborative, and non-judgmental.

Co-Creating

When both partners have a creative voice, we often call it conversational dancing. I like that implied metaphor, since it describes an exchange of ideas. Sure, sometimes one partner has more to say or is more excited about a given song or style. Yes, we may interrupt each other, hesitate, or get distracted. What matters is we are both listening to the music and to each other, so we can create a unique dance experience together.

The way that co-creating plays out will be different in every style, of course – in particular the boundaries between inviting a movement and adamantly leading it, or suggesting a movement and back-leading it. At the top levels it’s even possible to be confused about who initiated something, as it’s transformed and adapted and traded back and forth. But that level of sensitivity and creativity requires a lot of time and practice to develop.

I’d like to see this dance role paradigm continue to shift across our social dance communities. We need more classes focused on connection and communication and fewer aimed at getting everyone to successfully complete a choreographed combination. We should challenge leaders not only with new moves but also with learning to listen and adapt to their partners. We should recognize the difficulty of following while giving followers the freedom to be creative dancers in their own right.

We should celebrate sharing the responsibility and delight of creating an enjoyable dance together.

What does co-creating look like in your dance style? Does your scene encourage leaders and followers both to listen and express their creative voices? How have you seen dance roles changing in your scene?

What I Learned From Going Pro

Brielle Friedman

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December 21, 2018

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I was twenty when I stood in a salsa club in a small town in Guatemala and watched in awe as the dancers spun and dipped on the floor in front of me. At that moment I knew I wanted to be a dancer.

Three years later, after I graduated from college and landed a full time job, I moved to San Francisco and took my first salsa class. Within the first six months I had joined a training team, attended my first congress, and competed in my first pro-am competition.

I started spending almost every weekend and every night taking class or practicing by myself in the studio. In 2016, I even moved from San Francisco to New York City so I could pursue dance more seriously.

Still, I felt like I couldn’t call myself a real dancer until I officially competed in a professional dance competition and had a professional dance partnership. When friends and co-workers congratulated me on a show or competition, I thanked them but inside I felt like it didn’t really count. I wasn’t good enough yet. I still wasn’t actually a dancer.

“Going pro” became this huge milestone I had to reach in my dance journey not just before I could call myself a dancer, but also before I could do so many other things related to dance that I really, really wanted to do –– like start a dance and lifestyle blog, create my own choreography with a dance partner, or share advice about how to find the right pair of salsa shoes.

Finally, about a year ago, after countless conversations with my friends, my dance coach, and my therapist (all of whom kept saying to me that if I wanted to write about dance I should) I submitted my first article to this site. Six months later I started a Vitamin B, a dance and lifestyle site.

As I started to lean into the things I had been thinking about and wanting to do for so long, I slowly started to see my relationship with dance shift. For the first time in a long time, I enjoyed dancing again, a feeling I had lost during the first few months after I moved to New York. My performances improved. So did my social dancing. I wrote about what that was like here.

For the most part my dance life was good. Perhaps better than it’s ever been. I loved writing about dance, and on weeks I did I was happier. I felt giddy after I finished an article, the way you feel after a really great night out social dancing or a phenomenal show. I was working on new projects too. I had a new partner. A new routine. I was dancing with a new team and traveling to events every month.

But there were still moments when I cried heavy, pain-filled tears because it felt like my dream of being a professional dancer would never come true. Tons of reasons why it wouldn’t happen for me ran through my head: I had started dancing too late. I couldn’t spend as much time or money on dance as I wanted too. Maybe I just wasn’t good enough.

It didn’t matter how many competitions I won or how many people complimented me on my dancing. I still didn’t feel like a real dancer.

Living in New York was strange too because I became friends with a lot of other people who were professional dancers in the sense that their income came from dance. I felt frustrated talking to them about this feeling. I didn’t think they understood. How could they understand? They had the one thing that I really wanted. I envied them. I resented the way they didn’t understand my pain.

A few months ago, I finally competed in my first professional dance competition. Since then, I’ve taught at various dance schools and socials and been hired for paid gigs. I have a professional dance partnership. I even quit my full-time marketing job back in September.

I am very much living my dreams every single day.

And it feels great.

I don’t mean to say that there aren’t tough days, because there are. Yesterday I broke down in tears at practice. The day before I yelled. We’re gearing up for the World Salsa Summit in a few weeks and I am feeling all of the stress. Big time.

But I’m here.

And I’m damn proud of that.

A lot of people told me I would never get here. Often I felt like I wouldn’t.

But every time I wanted to walk away, every time I almost quit, something deep down in my soul told me to just keep going. I’m so glad I listened to that voice. Or gut. Or intuition. Or stubbornness. Or whatever you want to call it.

Whatever your dreams are, and however impossible they feel, just keep going.

All dreams feel impossible most of the time.

When people tell you “Dream Big” they forget to tell you that dreaming big feels like you’re an insane person most of the time. Because on the road to achieving your dreams there are lots of very low, lows that hurt like hell and make you feel like giving up.

Don’t give up.

Keep training. Keep practicing. Keep learning and growing. Progress is a bitch because when you’re in it, it’s so hard to see the way you’re improving. But if you keep putting in the work, eventually – magically – you get better.

You will get where you want to be.

In the meantime, while you’re on this journey of making your dreams come true, stop waiting to do all of the other things you want to do but feel like you can’t do yet. You can do them now. You’re just scared to start.

I didn’t need to be a professional dancer to write about dance.

I didn’t need to be a professional dancer to be a real dancer either.

I am a dancer because I love music and movement. Because something inside of me compels me to dance. It always has and it always will. Whether I choose to dance every day and make my income off of dance, or whether I choose to dance once every six months won’t change that.

The only person who can make me feel like I’m not a real dancer is myself. The only person who can make me feel like I’m not good enough? That’s me too.

And even though it might not feel like it, you’re the only person who can make yourself feel that way too.

Feature image by LatinParty.com.

Want To Host A Dance Event? Let’s Go Behind-the-Scenes

Georgia Grace

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November 24, 2018

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Want To Host A Dance Event? Let’s Go Behind-the-Scenes

Many people go to dance events week in and week out. Whether it’s a dance night at a bar, a social at a studio or a congress in a hotel, few people think about what goes on behind-the-scenes at a dance event.

Putting on any type of event, whether it’s a dinner party at your house or an international Salsa congress, takes an investment of time, energy and money.

If you’re interested in hosting your own dance event, here are some things to think about as you get started. These tips are for a social or special dance party for 15-150 people and are based on my personal experience of putting on dozens of dance events over the last three-and-a-half years. I’ve had lots of fun and plenty of flops and I wanted to share a little bit of what I’ve learned along the way.

If you’re an attendee and are curious about what goes into putting on the events you go to, check this out. And if you’re an organizer who’s already doing it, a big THANK YOU for your efforts and dedication. Go relax and do something else besides read this post, you’ve been working hard enough already.

Location, Location, Location!

If you already have access to a dance space that has a good floor for social dancing and you can afford to use it, excellent. If you don’t, you have to find a space that will accommodate dancers, has a decent floor and is in your price range. When you’re searching for spaces keep an eye out for other amenities. Does the spot have an amazing dance floor but is located somewhere that has a history of knife fights in the parking lot? Are you expecting 150 people in the middle of summer but the AC has been out for months and the management is in the process of “fixing” it? Is it a hip venue that’s so out-of-the-box it doesn’t show up on Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze?

Once you have the right venue, make sure you are clear about the terms of using the space. Do you have to put down a deposit? Are you paying a flat rental fee that covers set-up time, the event itself and break down time? If not, what’s the rate for set-up and breakdown versus actual event time? Do you have to pay a cleaning fee? Do you need to have your own liability or event insurance? Can you control the temperature? Does the space have a sound system you can use or do you need to bring one? Do you have access to the Wifi? Is there a bar or can you or your of-age attendees bring alcohol?

If you’re doing a door split or profit share, be clear about what percentage you get, who is in charge of taking money, who absorbs credit card processing fees if you take cards and how and when the split will be paid out.

Know Your Costs

Before you set a ticket price for your event, know how much it’s going to run you to put on the event. Make a budget! I know, budget is not a sexy dance buzzword. But unless you are putting on an event out of the goodness of your own heart and your own wallet, you have to cover your costs.

List out everything you will spend money on for this event. Here are some potential costs depending on the type of event: Venue rental, marketing and advertising (more on that in a minute), equipment (rental or purchase), DJ or band, insurance, food and/or drink plus utensils, credit card processing or ticket fees, instructors or performers, lighting, décor, etc.

The more elaborate the event, the more you will probably spend. However, you don’t have to throw oodles of money at an event to make it good. If you’re just starting out, start small.

Whatever the scale of the event though, know how much you will spend on it so that you can work backward from there to price it and figure out how many people you need to make it work.

For example, if you’re renting out a venue for $125 for the night, have a potluck theme and BYOB, are going to DJ it yourself and advertise organically, you could charge a $10 cover and make a goal to have 20 people there so that you can cover your costs to host, pay applicable taxes and make a profit.

Tell People About Your Event

This seems obvious, but nobody is going to come to an event they don’t know about. If you just make a Facebook event and invite all of your friends, you probably will not have a great crowd. People have short attention spans and receive dozens, if not hundreds, of notifications every day so they need to see or hear about your event several times for it to stick.

Make your Facebook event, invite your friends, direct message people (don’t just share the event in a DM, that’s lazy and tacky—if you’re going to message someone, make it personal) and post about your event several times in your local or regional dance groups. If you have social media accounts for your event or business, be consistent with your posting on those.

Run Facebook or Instagram ads if you have the budget for it and list your event in local event calendars if you want to reach a new crowd. Most newspapers, tv stations and city CVBs have public event calendars that accept submissions. If you have an email newsletter, send invites and reminders. Go out social dancing and talk to people there about your event. Even if you’re promoting your event organically (without spending money on advertising), figure out how much time you’re spending to promote your event and factor that into your overall event budget.

Ask other organizers if you can announce your event at their event, pass out fliers or even have a table or booth set up to promote your event. See if you can find a way to make this a mutually beneficial arrangement. Offer to promote their event at your party as well.

Speaking of other organizers…be familiar with your scene and the events. Talk to other organizers if you can and see what they have scheduled so that you can put your event on a different day and not compete. I live in a smaller city and we don’t have enough people to really support multiple events in one night.

Get Help

I have seen people put on an event entirely by themselves, but the better and bigger events are a group effort. Recruit volunteers to help you promote, set up and break down, work the door and to make sure the event is running smoothly. You can’t keep your eyes on everything and everybody the whole night!

It’s helpful to line up your staff in advance and assign shifts or responsibilities so that you don’t have to try to direct everyone in the middle of the event. I find it helpful to write out event itineraries. They cover prep for the days/weeks before the event as well the schedule for the day of the event and let the people working know exactly when and where they are needed.

Have Fun & Be A Gracious Host Or Hostess

The organizer’s vibe sets the tone for the event. If you’re relaxed, excited, warm and welcoming, your attendees will pick up on that energy. If you’ve spent time on the details and prepared well, you get to enjoy the event alongside your guests. For me, there’s no greater feeling than seeing a room full of smiling dancers.

If you like to dance, you like other dancers and you want to create a space for them to hang out, then put on a dance event. Come at hosting from a place of service and problem solving– you’re serving your dance community and creating more opportunities to dance! If you have the right attitude and some business basics to go with it, you can succeed.

Different cities, states and countries have different requirements for liability insurance, event insurance, business licenses, incorporation, alcohol permits, music licenses (i.e. ASCAP, BMI, SESAC), taxes, etc., so I didn’t go too far into that, but I would recommend doing your research on your area’s requirements. I’ve never put on a large scale event like a festival or congress, but if you are interested in hearing more about the behind-the-scenes for those I can interview people who have done it!

Breaking Out Of Gendered Roles At NYC Zouk Festival

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Zouk

Rachel Cassandra

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October 18, 2018

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Breaking Out Of Gendered Roles At NYC Zouk Festival

It’s been 10 days since the last night of NYC Zouk Festival, but I’m still riding high. There was plenty to praise this event for: the teachers gave great workshops, the DJs played a wide range of fun music, the organizers chose venues that were spacious (for New York), and the air-conditioning did its very best.

What I most appreciated was the way the community (cultivated by the organizers and clearly represented in the people attending the festival) not only tolerated but loudly celebrated dancers performing and competing in roles not traditional for their gender. For me it was especially encouraging to see men dancing as followers, since there seems to be greater stigma or social inertia there.

I will limit myself to highlighting one performance and one competition that made this event truly memorable for me…although I could easily go on much longer!

Performing With Pride

One of the first performances on Friday night was a piece I knew nothing about going into. Two men walked out onto the performance area carrying gym bags and towels. They went to opposite sides of the floor, dropped their bags, exchanged glances, and checked their phones before pointing at each other in recognition.

In what was obviously the story of a locker-room hookup, they danced beautifully together. The performance wasn’t coy or comedic. The technique was fantastic. It was much like many other couple dance performances – showcasing incredible technique as well as the sensuality of the dance.

Luiz Varjão danced as the leader in the performance, but to be honest I barely saw him until the video came out the next day. I couldn’t take my eyes off the follower, Felipe Lara. His flawless technique and sense of showmanship would be reason enough, but I have to admit I was shocked (and delighted) to see a male follower in a partnered couple performance. Especially one of such high caliber – absolutely on a level to rival any of the female instructors at the event.

The audience expressed their enthusiasm from the moment the dancers appeared, cheering for each new feat of athleticism, clapping to the rhythm for a good minute in the middle, and exploding with appreciation while the pair proudly took their bows.

I discovered later the piece is called “GRINDR” – just in case there was any doubt as to how the audience should interpret the piece! I was fascinated to learn it was choreographed by the celebrated author and psychologist Pamela Stephenson-Connolly, who worked with Brazilian lambazouk dancer Braz Dos Santos to write and produce the musical Brazouka.

Mixed Bag Competition

I stuck around after the workshops on Sunday to watch the Jack & Jill finals. After both the novice and intermediate rounds were complete, I was surprised to hear another competition announced: the “Mixed-Bag Jack & Jill Competition.”

The term was quickly explained: a competition for people dancing in roles not traditional for their gender. The competitors were randomly paired. Those who ended up in a mixed-gender couple had to have the woman lead and the man follow. Those in a same-sex couple could opt for each partner to choose only one role to dance, or to trade roles (also known as “switching”). The competitors and audience engaged with just as much intensity and joy as those in the previous competitions had. I loved it!

After the competition was over, I approached the MC, Chris van Houten. He agreed to speak with me later that week, so I could get all the details on this intriguing competition.

Chris is a zouk and West Coast Swing instructor based out of Chicago, who is perhaps best known for working at events as an MC. He was quick to give credit to others for the competition.

According to Chris, the Mixed Bag Jack & Jill was conceived by West Coast Swing dancer Doug Rousar. He often had such a competition at events he organized. “It was always my favorite part of those events,” said Chris. “I love to lead and follow, so it’s fun to showcase that.”

When he suggested having the Mixed Bag Jack & Jill at NYC Zouk Festival, the organizers Leslie Evangelista Tietjen and Ry’el Velandia were quick to approve the idea. I wasn’t surprised, since I have often seen Ry’el following (and his partner Jessica leading).

Chris explained: “There were people that came to NYC Zouk Festival who wanted to do the BZDC Jack & Jill, but are currently not allowed to do that under the rules. It was disappointing for them. That inspired me to suggest this additional competition, and Leslie and Ry’el were open to the idea.”

That brought to mind my interview with Larissa Thayane, founding member of the Brazilian Zouk Dance Council. When I asked about the restriction of the roles, she told me: “For now girls follow and guys lead, but we have already been talking about the change of roles. Possibly in the future we will add this option on a separate Jack and Jill division. Our worry is due to Brazilian Zouk having closer embrace, closer dance movements…some dancers won’t feel comfortable dancing with the same sex, which will impact their competition.”

Chris stressed his appreciation for all the work of the Brazilian Zouk Dance Council in bringing Jack & Jill competitions to the world of Brazilian zouk. He was understanding of this gender-role challenge.

“This was a struggle we had in West Coast Swing, and it’s not surprising for Zouk to be dealing with it since the rules from the BZDC were so closely adapted from WCS. For a long time competitions were limited to the traditional gendered role, because it was thought that people might feel uncomfortable dancing with a same-sex partner, or that people might not take the dance seriously. But eventually enough people started pointing out that this didn’t match their idea of the dance or the kind of experience they wanted to have. Enough organizers started saying they were going to do it anyway, so the council [World Swing Dance Council] had to adapt.”

I checked the timeline. The Brazilian Zouk Dance Council had their first competition at Caso do Zouk in July 2014, which meant they created their adaptation of the competition rules sometime prior to that point. The World Swing Dance Council posted about their updated rules a year later, explaining, “Many dancers have developed skills in both roles and requested to be able to compete in either role. Recognizing that competitors are dancers (with whatever skills they have developed), the WSDC’s latest change, as of 2015, has been to allow competitors to dance in either role.”

I wanted to know what the goal of the Mixed Bag Jack & Jill was, since it didn’t follow the normal competition structure or judging method. Competitors were assigned only one partner. Some competitors danced their traditional role some or all of the time. The finalists were determined by judges tapping four pairs in and then choosing the final two couples. Audience applause (or screams) determined the winners: Jerry Lai and Pablo Tommasi.

Chris acknowledged that it might be run differently if it was meant to be a strict competition; probably they would have competitors dance with more than one partner, and they would be restricted to dancing only one role per song. However, “the idea is to let everyone try it… I’m more interested in open expression and celebration of people being able to dance in the other roles.”

Leading And Following

I was eager to hear more about why he encourages people to explore outside their traditional roles. Chris told me, “It’s really important to me to de-gender the roles in social dancing overall. Our whole world has gender roles, and a lot of that is baked into our dance communities, but I think that the way those roles are gendered can be very problematic. For equality overall, it’s important to consider some other possibilities.”

I reached out to winner Jerry Lai, who is also a zouk instructor. He declared: “Learning the opposite role honestly was the most transformative for my primary role. It teaches empathy. You’re literally feeling what the other person might feel when you are leading.”

Of course, some of you are probably wondering how to go about this if your local scene isn’t promoting this idea. What will be the reaction in classes? Who can you dance with at socials?

Chris shared, “I find this [zouk] to be a really open community that embraces that, so it’s culturally equally easy for men or women to get into zouk as a follower, I think. At socials when there are more men than women in the room, I have no problem asking anyone in the room to lead me. Sometimes if I don’t know them I might say, ‘It’s totally fine if you say no.’ But usually there are more women than men at a lot of dance events, so there’s always a piece of me that’s going to feel guilty.”

Jerry had similar concerns about role balance. “Most of the time I feel bad because there are so many followers waiting to dance, and if a guy is leading me, that’s two leaders out of the equation. But when choosing a leader, I generally go for guys that I know also follow, or guys that I see leading other guys.”

Whether you’re interested in dancing both roles or not, I hope we can all support allowing everyone the full range of possibilities in their dance.

What events have you attended that have a similar culture of celebrating people moving outside traditional roles? What made you interested in learning a new role? How do you think competitions can accommodate people dancing in whatever role they choose?

Note: This article was updated to include the color video when it was released. The article originally shared this version in black and white.

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Three Reasons Yami Shoes Work for Me

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Salsa

Georgia Grace

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October 14, 2018

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One day a lady on my Facebook feed asked what were the best shoes for social dancing. A few of the comments mentioned Yami Dance Shoes as the most comfortable and so I decided to buy a pair and give them a try.

To me, anything besides a jazz or ballet flat or sneaker does not feel particularly good to wear for more than two or three hours at a time. I tend to tap out after a few hours of dancing in heels or just skip wearing them altogether. Blisters on the tops of my toes and aching feet just don’t justify looking cute for me anymore.

So I felt skeptical that Yami Shoes would live up to their promise. They’re made with extra cushioning on the heel and under the ball of the foot, as well as an additional padded insole. That all sounded good but would it really feel that much better?

Different styles come in different heel heights and the website says you can have any style fitted with the heel of your choice if you allow three to five weeks for production of a more custom shoe. I knew I didn’t want anything higher than three inches and opted to get the Micaela in plum with a three-inch flare heel. Usually I’m between a 6 and 7.5 (US) in street shoes and between 5.5 and 6.5 in dance shoes so I got a 5.5 in the Micaela and they fit just right.

I purchased the pair in December 2017 and despite my skepticism they did turn into my favorite pair of dance heels. These purple shoes have accompanied me to countless socials, several classes, a handful of congresses and a performance or two in the last 10 months. Here’s why.

They didn’t take long to break in

Yes, they did take time to break in. The first time I wore them, I was not blown away. After about three hours I was done. They didn’t feel much different from other brands except that they didn’t rub or give me blisters because of the soft fabric lining. The balls of my feet still ached and felt tired though. But after maybe two or three more wears, they started feeling better and now they feel great. Sliding them on feels like slipping into my favorite pair of jeans.

I get compliments every time I wear them

The lace up design and triangle cut outs stand out but I think the shoes really start conversations because of their beautiful purple coloring. The shade is deeper than pictured on the website but I like it better. I thought I wouldn’t be able to match the shoes with many outfits but the pairings actually work most of the time. And if they don’t, I figure it’s dark enough on the social dance floor that no one will notice or care.

They really are more comfortable

For me, they’re comfy but still not a magic bullet. After five or six hours of dancing, my whole body, including my feet, start to feel the effects of all that movement. But I do feel like I can wear my Yamis for that whole time and not change into flats halfway through the night. I’m not limping off the dance floor at the end of the night and that feels like a win to me.

Gendered Roles In Brazilian Zouk: An Interview With Bruno Galhardo

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Zouk

Rachel Cassandra

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September 21, 2018

2

Gendered Roles In Brazilian Zouk: An Interview With Bruno Galhardo

Bruno Galhardo is an internationally renowned and beloved Brazilian zouk dance instructor and performer. When I went to my first real zouk event, the 2017 Dutch International Zouk Congress, his classes were all packed full. But it wasn’t until I attended one of his classes at LA Zouk Festival 2018 that the moment came when I knew I would have to interview him.

It came right after the warm-up: “All right, let’s have ladies on this side, guys on the other. No, sorry! Followers behind Shani, leaders behind me.”

Then he actually took a few minutes to state clearly that he believed everyone should be allowed to dance the role(s) of their choice, regardless of gender. Something like: “OK, in the past it needed to be the man as the leader and the woman as the follower. But we are moving forward. We are here to dance and have fun, it doesn’t matter if you are a guy or a girl or neither.”

So, after the class, I asked Bruno if he would be willing to do an interview sometime about the changing gender roles in the zouk dance community. I wasn’t prepared for him to say, “Sure, let’s do it after my private lessons this afternoon.”

I had nothing with me – not my usual laptop, not even a paper and pencil. And I was definitely staying too far away to go get my computer and come back in time.

When I arrived for the interview, Bruno was showing a few people his latest video – on his own laptop. I joined in the appreciative audience.

Luckily for me, Bruno graciously agreed to let me borrow that laptop to type my notes. The document he e-mailed me afterward clearly showed the battle I’d waged against the Portuguese auto-correct, but still captured his sincere and perceptive words on gender norms in his chosen dance scene.

What follows is an adaptation of our interview. My questions are in bold and Bruno’s responses follow in my best reconstruction of his own words. Any errors are my own.

***

When you were first learning to dance zouk in Brazil, how did you come to understand gender expectations? Was it explicitly taught or something you just understood from observation?

As I was developing in the dance, it was clear. I’ve always seen people saying what each side should do, men as leaders, women as followers. Most teachers would say exactly how it should be. They were really demanding with the gender roles. And that is actually something that we would expect in our culture.

Yet even dance is not something so common for the society. Myself, I started dancing because I wanted to feel part of something. When I was a teenager, I didn’t feel like I was part of anything. I wasn’t good at playing sport, so I found something that could make me feel that I am good at something.

But as a teenager, telling my friends that I was dancing was not a good experience. Sure, I cannot say it was all bad: no other man my age would dance with the girls, and girls like to dance at this age. Still, my guy friends made all the jokes you can imagine.

My answer was always trying to calm them down. “I’m doing what Ì want with freedom! There is no classification for that.”

So why did you decide to learn to follow zouk?

At some point when you want to grow more in the dance, you have to learn the other side. Some teachers would tell you to learn the other side also: If you want to be good, you need to know both.”

But you wouldn’t actually see this in their attitude. They gave a nice speech but didn’t put it in effect.

I started to learn both sides because I’m a nerd! I want to find systems and explain everything. So I wanted to experience what I am causing when I am leading.

Plus I was always up to challenges. I really like to challenge myself to do something, and after that choose what I want to continue. Usually what is new comes hard; it’s out of the comfort zone.

Why do you think there is there such resistance to people dancing either role? And why is it that when guys do follow, they so often make it like a joke, with exaggerated femininity?

I know for a lot of people, they come to the dance floor looking for something beyond the dance, maybe something potentially sexual. But I really see social dance as a nonsexual. It is neutral, you decide if you make it sexual. When I’m traveling to different events, guys ask to dance with me and I say yes.

But no matter what sexual orientation a person has, there are so many blocks in our society. People bring preconceptions to the dance. Even if I’m only thinking about dancing, maybe the guy that asked me to dance is overly worried about respect and is therefore not being present – because of these blocks.

Also, when you are in a video, you know that people will judge it. So guys want to do something to show that they are in control, so they make something funny, or they do something to show the sexual side. They are trying to show “this isn’t my normal.”

Kuna doesn’t care about judgment, he was present and not worrying about people.

[This last comment was a reference to the viral video below of Kuna Malik Hamad and Bruno Galhardo dancing together.]

What do you think it will it take for attitudes to change in the zouk scene?

I think learning how to lead or how to follow is not really what’s going to open up the scene. What we need is just people respecting each others’ options.

The thing is, if we stop judging people’s decisions, they will have more freedom to take those decisions – it won’t be something abnormal.

For both sides we need to be more in the moment. Dance, just dance!

For me, I don’t feel as good when I’m following. I learned, but it’s not what gives me joy, so I prefer to lead. But I’m always happy to lead a man.

I would say, don’t go to the social dance floor with the intention of something else, trying to seduce someone or to date them. Just be there and enjoy the moment. If you think about what will happen after, you are not really absorbed in it.

I loved hearing you say in class that for the three minutes the song lasts, your partner is the most important person in the world to you.

Yeah. It kills me when some lady comes and already gives her phone to her friend to video us. I know she doesn’t mean anything bad, but she is not there – she is thinking about how it looks for the camera.

If you want to look nice, you should go to the stage!

Some people say that regardless of your gender, you need to lead with a masculine energy and follow with a feminine energy. What’s your take on that idea?

You can classify the leading energy in your body in many ways. We all have both male and female energy. I don’t think the roles can be summed up like this. I think that’s too shallow. It’s much deeper than this – and it’s relative.

Taking decisions doesn’t mean that you are using your leader energy. In fact, the one that accepts the decisions is the one that is in control – in a way, leading.

Being flexible doesn’t mean that you are passive. The follower for me is the one who leads much more. I can propose many many things to the follower, but I will never cross the limits that he or she is giving to me.

Intention is something where only the person who has it will know what it is. It’s so relative.
When you judge, you see that person’s behavior, but they may have a completely different intention and not know how to express it.

***

I felt like my heart was overflowing by the end of the interview. What a message to carry out into the world of zouk dancing! Let’s be willing to consider the depth and nuance of the roles we take on. Let’s respect everyone’s right to make decisions about what brings them joy in the dance. And above all, let’s focus on our partners and revel in the few minutes we spend together moving to the music.

What are the expectations set by your dance scene? How do you define leading and following? What does it mean to be present when you dance? Share your views in the comments!

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A Brief History Of Zouk – Part 2 Of 2

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Zouk

Roberto Ramirez

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September 10, 2018

0

Are zouk and Brazilian zouk the same thing?

After its arrival in 1979, zouk music evolved very quickly. Very few genres have changed the way zouk has in the past 40 years, and just like the music has changed and evolved, so has the dance. Many of us remember seeing the first zouk workshops at festivals in the US around 2010. However, most of the styles taught at these dance workshops were of Brazilian zouk, and festivals at the time did not differentiate between any type.

Today, the dance community has learned more about the different styles. In part two of this video series we explore the evolution of zouk and how the music has spawned different sub-genres that have helped make it even more popular with dancers worldwide. We also explore the differences between zouk and Brazilian zouk, and why some researchers argue that it can not be called a Brazilian dance.

Also, please take a look at an interview that Rachel Cassandra did with Larissa Thayane, founder of the Brazilian Zouk Dance Council to learn more interesting facts about Brazilian Zouk, including how it has fused with other dances and the influence it has had in the dance world.

A Brief History of Zouk – Part 1

External Resources:

www.brazilianzoukcouncil.com
www.ultradanse.com/v2/biguine-zouk/

Make Your Regular Social Awesome

Rachel Cassandra

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August 24, 2018

2

People come to social dances for all kinds of reasons, but there are some key points that help them stay. You don’t have to be a teacher or an organizer to be a part of making your local weekly, biweekly, or monthly social a success. Check out these eight tips for making your regular social awesome!

1. Attend Regularly

If you want the scene to flourish, try to attend three out of four occasions to dance. It makes such a difference for organizers to be able to plan for at least a core group of attendees. Without reliable attendance, the offerings will remain limited. Most organizers would agree: it’s better to have a regular attendance of 25 people than to have 50 people sometimes and other times only 5. Other people will also tend to return if they know that they can count on dancing with you and the other loyal supporters. That might sometimes mean coming out for a social that isn’t all that exciting. Have some patience and continue showing up – it will pay off!

2. Ask People To Dance

Everyone likes to be asked for a dance! Ask shy people, ask those without a lot of confidence in the dance, ask newcomers, ask teachers, ask the dancers who never leave the floor and might not get to you otherwise… An invitation is an opportunity, and most people will say yes. (And it doesn’t have to be a big deal when they say no.)

In some scenes, who should do the asking is very dependent on gender or dance role. But hey, it only takes one person to start changing that norm! Go ahead and be the one to ask – and even better, ask which role they’d prefer for that song. “Would you like to dance? Cool. Would you like to lead or follow?”

3. Welcome Everyone

A quick smile and “hello” is a good start, but it makes such a difference if you actually talk to people – not just your friends, but also people outside your clique, newcomers or people who haven’t really plugged in yet. Ask people how they found the social, why they started dancing or what they enjoy about the style. Answer beginners’ questions or reassure them on points you struggled with as a new dancer. Introduce newcomers to other dancers in the community. For a larger scene, it’s worth having an actual welcome team who focuses on this kind of thing, so you don’t let people fall through the cracks (attending only once or twice before giving up). There’s no need to wait for the organizer to set it up, though – grab a couple of friends and take turns making people feel welcome.

Of course, you might not be the type who finds speaking with strangers comfortable. That’s okay, you can still help create a welcoming environment. Ask a variety of people to dance: dancers with different skill levels, from different social backgrounds, or of different heights. Be warm, friendly, and positive regardless of gender presentation, ability, or whether they are dressed according to your scene’s current fashions. Smile and thank people after a dance. Showing interest in and appreciation for your fellow dancers goes a long way in creating a positive atmosphere.

4. Dance Considerately

This might seem obvious, but it’s a huge factor in how much people enjoy attending a particular social dance. Have a thought for the people around you! Use good floorcraft: keep an eye out for people near you and keep your steps or movements at an appropriate size. Practice good technique: don’t sacrifice it regardless of your partner’s possible shortcomings. Not only is this better for your body, it also gives the best kind of feedback to your partner (regardless of whether they’re leading or following!) If you do bump into someone, give them more than a fleeting “sorry” – apologize sincerely. Stick around to see if you can provide a supporting shoulder as they adjust their shoe, or if you should maybe grab some ice. Don’t instruct your partner or use the dance floor for teaching, but definitely speak up if someone is hurting you. Find something to appreciate in every partner, irrespective of their level. We could call this the dancer’s golden rule: dance with others as you’d like others to dance with you!

5. Contribute

Show you appreciate what your organizers and teachers work so hard to put on. That can take a variety of forms. The simplest is to attend and pay. If there’s just a jar for money, ask what the suggested contribution is. If you’re going to a free social in a bar or restaurant, be sure to buy at least one drink or dish. Regular income makes a huge difference in the longevity of any social.

You can also volunteer to handle one the many tasks that need doing at a social. Offer to work the door, welcoming people as they come in and taking their entry fee. Empty the trash when you notice it fill up. Refill water pitchers or jugs when they are running low. Pitching in without being asked is incredibly helpful.

If your social is happening in a studio or other private space, you can also contribute items that make it more comfortable. If water isn’t on offer, bring a pitcher or even just a couple of large bottles from home. Place cushions or a rug on the floor for people to sit on and talk while they aren’t dancing. Set up a fan (when have there ever been too many fans at a dance?) Plug in a floor lamp or two so you can switch off the overhead fluorescent lighting. Why not offer a plant, a mirror, or some dance-related art for the walls? We want our dance community to be an enjoyable space, after all, so think about what you might have to give.

6. Support The Music

Music is among the top excuses people have for giving up on their regular social dance. Don’t complain – do something about it! Most local socials can’t afford a professional DJ, but just about anyone can do the work required to put together a good playlist. Research the music associated with your dance style. Follow significant artists and popular DJs. Provide a good basis of tried-and-true songs, but mix in some new hits and obscure tunes to keep things interesting. Attend DJ workshops if possible. Host informal sessions to help others in your scene learn more about the music, and encourage others to try their hand at creating a playlist. There’s bound to be some misses at first, but people learn quickly which songs get people out on the floor and which send them off for a drink. Plus, sharing the job of playing music gives everyone more time to invest in creating their next playlist.

Don’t forget about live music, either. Depending on your dance style, there may be some awesome musicians not too far away. Check out a show, invite other dancers to come dance at their venues, and maybe eventually you can work with your organizers to bring the musicians out to play for your social. Dancing is an art form that depends music and always used to include musicians’ performances. Supporting local artists isn’t just to their benefit – it also encourages creativity and improvisation in your dancing.

7. Grow The Scene

The perennial problem of keeping a dance scene growing can seem daunting; it’s certainly easier just to leave that work to the organizers. However, you can do a lot to make their efforts more effective. Tell your friends (you still have a few that don’t dance, right?) about events that may appeal to them: taster lessons, live music nights, or socials that happen in settings like bars that are also well suited to just hanging out. Share Facebook events on your wall and invite people from other dance styles as well. Go to venues hosting musicians that play your style or similar styles and show off with a friend – then hand out flyers for your social. You’d be amazed how many people love the music but never thought they could learn to dance to it!

Growth should also happen within the scene. Stay committed to improving your dancing and encourage others to do so as well. Attend classes and local workshops. Check out festivals and get a group from your scene to travel together. Visiting larger scenes and seeing more advanced or professional dancers can inspire you all to improve further!

8. Build Community

Beyond our actions at the social, there’s a lot we can do to build connections among dancers. After all, any activity is more fun when you do it with friends. Attending a social should be about more than testing your abilities and looking for the most exciting dances. Get to know people. Live the values you want to see take root in your scene. Invite dancers to do something together away from dancing, which can be as simple as meeting for an ice cream, going for a walk somewhere pretty, or playing board games. When the weather is nice, have an informal dance meetup outside at a park. The best dance socials are spaces of true community, and that requires engagement from all of us.

How To (Nicely) Watch Videos Of Yourself Dancing

Georgia Grace

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August 18, 2018

0

How To (Nicely) Watch Videos Of Yourself Dancing

With the ubiquity of smartphones, people don’t think twice about whipping out their phone and grabbing a video at a class or a social. But let’s remember that it hasn’t always been so easy to record yourself (or others) dancing.

When I was growing up in the ballet world, I only had a chance to see footage of myself dancing a few times a year. My dance company put on two or three productions a season and I only saw the recordings during the group viewing at the cast party or if I bought a copy of the VHS or DVD.

Nobody ever filmed classes or rehearsals, unless preparing an audition video or filming for promotional purposes.

I remember watching the videos of the performances with a sense of relief. Ok, I didn’t fall. Nice! Ok, that didn’t look too bad. Ugh, my arms looked weird there but hopefully nobody noticed.

After an initial viewing or two, I put the videos on a shelf at home and mostly forgot about them, moving on to the next thing.

Fast forward to 2018, where inevitably someone films every class, rehearsal, social and performance, often from multiple angles. Now, you can barely escape seeing videos of yourself dancing.

I have mixed feelings about this.

I remember reading a Beyoncé interview where she said she watched every single one of her shows and found ways to improve herself and her crew, the way football coaches go over plays. With the abundance and ease of taking video, we plebeians can do the same thing. Videos can show you what that the mirror does not.

But watching videos can also unleash a flood of self-criticism that isn’t always the constructive kind.

A week or two ago, my friend and I filmed a combo after class and this is more or less what went through my head when watching the playback:

Ew do my hands really look like that? They’re so stupid and tiny!

What am I doing with my face?

Why are my legs so stumpy?

I look so awkward and flat-footed.

I need to stand up straighter.

Seriously though, are my hands that tiny?

Ugh.

I’m quitting dance.

I had to check myself because this is how I find myself reacting to a lot of videos. It’s too easy to get on my phone, look at a video, and go through this litany. Maybe there’s one or two tangible and constructive notes in the barrage, but it’s mostly intense and mean. I wouldn’t talk like that to anybody else, so why am I talking like that to myself?

The funny thing is that if I watch the same video a few weeks, months or even years later, I don’t see all the tiny imperfections that I did before. Maybe I feel further removed from it or like it’s less personal—even though it’s still me, it’s me in the past and I can forgive the flaws and just feel grateful that I was dancing then and I’m still dancing now.

So now I’m working on watching myself dance on tape with a different attitude. I’m working on watching the video as a whole—if there are other people in it, not just zeroing in on myself, but watching the full effect. Or watching myself as a whole and not just fixating on one small detail or body part.

If I have criticism for myself, it’s something that is tangible and fixable—not just bashing the size of my hands, which alas, will not change.

“Why do my shoulders look so weird?” becomes, “Next time, let me try standing up a little straighter.”

I have to remind myself that videos are also a valuable tool to measure progress. I don’t have many videos from when I first started social dancing, but I can definitely see improvement in social dancing, performing and choreography over the last few years.

I have this pervasive sense that I “peaked” at dancing a long time ago and have been in a perpetual backslide ever since as I get older, but watching videos from over the years assures me that the opposite is true.

I’m also working on expressing more gratitude— gratitude for being able to use video as a tool for improving and remembering steps, gratitude for the opportunity to dance, gratitude that I can capture these moments and relive them whenever I want to and gratitude that I can share what I’m doing with friends and family who might not get to join in person.

And mostly I’m working on accepting imperfection. If we were all flawless dancers, where would the fun in that be? Knowing that I can always improve, that I can always learn something new keeps dance fresh and exciting. Sure, sometimes it’s frustrating or I get in a rut or I can’t stand looking at my tiny hands, but mostly accepting imperfection keeps me moving forward and keeps me curious.

What do you think? Do you go into “mean mode” when you watch a video of yourself dance or am I the only one?

A Brief History of Zouk – Part 1 of 2

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Zouk

Roberto Ramirez

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August 13, 2018

5

Where did Zouk come from?

Zouk has been around for about forty years. It’s a very new dance, however, it has influenced many other dances and it has created many other sub-genres and styles.

In part one of this video series we explore the origins of Zouk, how one music band helped make it popular worldwide, and how Lambada dancers shaped it into a new craze. To learn more interesting facts about Zouk, please read the article “5 Lies You’ve Been Told About Zouk” by Rachel Cassandra.

A Brief History of Zouk: Part 2

External Resources:
www.solum.com.br/aulas/ritmos/zouk
www.brazilianzoukcouncil.com/
www.britannica.com/art/zouk
http://heritageinstitute.com/danceinfo/descriptions/zouk.htm