Florida No-Fault

I've noticed that new dancers are often intensely concerned about making mistakes on the social dance floor. My advice? Don't be.

Surely, we all approach the dance floor with the intent to put our best foot forward. But how do you respond to that inevitable miscommunication, bump into someone's toe, or memory lapse? Simply put, but harder to execute: Move on, Move on, Move on!

Clearly, if the same "mishap" becomes a recurring theme, it probably needs to be addressed - if something in the system isn't working right, let's flush it out and correct it. But those aren't the mishaps I'm really talking about.

I'm speaking of all those imagined horror stories that people dream up in their heads, which often prevent them from getting out there and giving it a whirl. What if I forget the steps I learned? What if I turn the wrong way? What if lead a slow turn and she buzzes around in a spin? What if I lose my rhythm? What if I step on her toe / bump his knee / elbow him in the chest / the floor opens up and I fall into a craggy, lava-encrusted nightmare?

Really. This is social dancing, not search-and-rescue on a volcanic island. The stakes aren't really as high as you're making them out to be. And don't worry. I get the embarrassment factor. As a shy introvert by nature, I am the last person who wants to make a fool of myself on the very public dance floor. But when I was a newbie, I probably let my own hyper-critical self stand in the way of a lot of fun - not to mention learning opportunities - on the dance floor.

Keep in mind that a huge factor in social dancing is how you and your partner pull off everything you've learned while caught in the tempest of a floor of swirling, flailing other couples. There really is no other experience, other than that very experience, to prepare you for that and make you confident with it.

See the logic but still not convinced? Then make it easier on yourself. Wherever you are, do your homework and find out which dance crowds in your area are most welcoming to new dancers. Of course, in my silly little universe, any dancer worth anything at all is patient and kind with other dancers, es-pe-cially new ones. But maybe that's the teacher in me talking. Anyway, it's not far-fetched that occasionally, one of you out there will run into a social dance partner who isn't the most forgiving of your newness. I think that's sad, and encourage you not to take it personally. Finish the dance and find a nicer partner. Hopefully it's even rarer that you find a whole social dance group or club that way - I call them dance cliques, and I don't have the time or patience to try to break in to their little circle. Take me as I am or I'll cheerfully go somewhere else!

But I digress. Back to the point: if you're new, and have new-ness concerns, ask around. Talk to other dancers. It shouldn't take long to pinpoint the nightclub(s), studio(s), or organization(s) that offer a friendly, supportive atmosphere to all dancers of all levels of accomplishment. Attend those dances first. Build your confidence. Build your library of dance floor skills. And then, if you're still interested in dancing at the other places, you'll have the experience you need to feel like you can hold your own with any partner. How fun that'll be! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and dance!

Announcing VIP Women's Dance

Meet my new friends at VIP Women's Dance in Jacksonville Beach! VIP Women's Dance is a place for women to get fit, feel sexy, and dance!

We are very excited to announce the addition of Zumba Fitness classes with No Frills Dance starting in December!

VIP offers a complimentary introductory class on Mondays at 8pm and Saturdays at 1pm for any women curious about the variety of classes they offer. Lynn Maxey and Leigh Ann Zagray will make women of all ages and all skill levels feel welcome, safe, and successful.

Specializing in pole fitness, chair dance, and belly dance for women only, VIP can also book a party for your next ladies night out with the girls. Celebrate your bachelorette party or special event with VIP and create a memorable fun experience you will never forget!

To RSVP for the introductory class, book a party, or ask questions, call Lynn or Leigh Ann at (904) 415-7590.

Watch the No Frills Dance news feeds for the official December start date of Zumba Fitness at VIP.

Get Moving!

Movement begets movement. Joint issues such as arthritis prevent a lot of people from doing the things they want to do. My best advice: early on, develop a lifestyle that will keep ailments at bay. (And forget about age. I've known 20-somethings with back issues, so please don't assume this article is about aging.)

Not being a doctor, I can't advise a particular course for all y'all out there. But I can share my own experience. Two years ago, I had started waking up in the morning with joints going snap-crackle-etc. That was a new thing, and it didn't sound good. I had just started teaching Zumba Fitness, and when we got going in class, my joints added their own weird soundtrack for my ears alone.

When I noticed that my morning spring-out-of-bed routine had turned into more of a grunt-and-roll, I started questioning. And being stubborn, and not willing to buy into that aging thing, I saw no reason to let things continue in that direction.

My solution for my body? Simple. Fish oil. Move more. My massage therapist had been recommending fish oil for months, and until my bones started singing, I smiled and nodded at her respectfully. I've never been real consistent about taking supplements, but the symphony of snapping in my knees, wrists, ankles, etc was pretty motivating. I finally listened to my massage therapist and started taking one capsule of fish oil each morning.

Concurrently, my Zumba Fitness class load built to a consistent three classes per week. It meant that I was moving those happy little joints a lot more, a lot more often, and with regularity. Within a couple of months, the creaking and cracking was gone.

Since then, I have taken one fish oil capsule per day religiously, with no need to up that dosage. My activity level in Zumba Fitness alone, never mind teaching Ballroom and Latin, has remained steady at a minimum of 3 hour-long classes per week.

The result? Within the first couple months of fish oil + activity, my joints quit creaking and snapping in the morning. The warm-up sequence during my classes no longer had an extra, personal soundtrack. Moving in general felt, and continues to feel, easier and more fluid.

No. I probably couldn't do ultra-demanding activities like climbing Mt. Everest. But that's not on my list of what, how, and why I need to be able to move. I can do my everyday activites, all the dancing and non-dancing things I desire to do, and probably a little more if necessary, with comfort and ease.

So my ultimate advice? Find an activity you love and do it. Start small and slow if you're already grappling with body issues. Consult a physician, personal trainer, or some other well-being professional. But commit to yourself and your future that you will do one vitally important thing: MOVE.

Local Competition This Weekend

If you haven't been to a live ballroom dance competition, and I don't necessarily mean to compete yourself, you're in for a treat.

Each year, Jacksonville's own Kaluby's Dance Club hosts a good-sized dance competition right here on the First Coast. Fittingly, it's called the First Coast Classic (go figure), and it's held at the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort.

The action starts Thursday, October 1st, and continues through Saturday, October 3rd. You'll see pro-am dancing (in which one partner is a professional and one partner is an amateur) at every level, from newcomers up through experienced competitors, all day/evening Thursday, and during the days Friday and Saturday. Hopefully, there will also be some amateur couples (in which both partners are amateurs). Most of the professional heats (in which both partners are professionals) are held Friday and Saturday nights.

This is probably a "duh," but by the way --

"Amateur" means that the dancer pursues his dancing as a hobby (or a serious hobby) (or an intensely serious hobby) instead of as a career. It does not indicate that his dancing is amateurish or lacking in merit. (Remember when all the athletes we sent to the Olympics were considered amateurs? But there was nothing amateurish about their feats!)

"Professional" indicates a dancer who dances for a career.

Anyway, spectator tickets are available for the First Coast Classic this weekend, and it's a comp that tends to draw some good couples. Plus, you may recognize some of the competitors. John Glessner and some of our friends from Avondale Dance Directions will be representin.' For a change of pace this weekend, go check it out!

Bridal Season Begins

I was at Dillard's The Avenues' "I Thee Wed" bridal show today, where I was able to present my little PowerPoint with a bunch of great new photos, thanks to all you August dance models out there. I realize you've been wondering how the photo shoot came out, so I'm making it my mission this afternoon to get some of them up on the web so you can ooooh and aaaah over them.

I am really happy to have so many kind, generous, light-hearted students - I am proud of you all - Mary & Pete, Gerri & Patrick, Troy, Jila, Victor, Darlene, Cindy, Susi & Hernan, and Michael - for who you are and for the dancers you are becoming.

And a special shout-out to Cindy Coates, who not only photographed us, but also spent hours putting together a DVD presentation for me. So check out all of our galleries - here, on the website, on Facebook, and on Ning - I've scattered gems about all over for you to find - like a treasure hunt! Have fun!

Why So Many Waltzes?

It's like asking why there are so many kinds of music. Music connects with us on a very personal level, and we all react differently to different styles of music. Dance is a physical expression of what the music makes us feel. With so many styles of music, it's only natural that there will be a variety of styles of dance. Let's look at the Waltz styles we've been discussing.

International Style Waltz - If your first dance steps were anywhere outside of the United States, this is probably the style of dance you learned. International Style is the standard for partner dancing - whether social or competitive - around the world. I love International Waltz because it teaches precision of technique and impeccable partnering - it is truly where two people appear to dance as one, as the partners never separate from each other once the dance has begun. It is elegant, timeless, and truly beautiful to watch.

American Style Waltz - If the first thing you ever learned about Waltz was a box step, then you probably learned American Style Waltz, which, surprise, surprise, is the style of Waltz taught and danced in the United States. (International style is of course taught here as well, but typically as a competitive style - if you're going out social dancing in the U.S., you'll see American Style most often.) In American Style, the partners are allowed to separate as often as they (i.e. the leaders) wish during the dance. This makes it a very expressive form of Waltz. That box step may seem pretty sedate, but as you learn to 'dance outside the box,' you'll find that American Waltz is at its best when the partners are not only turning and traveling, but also dancing into and out of each others' arms, as in underarm turns and dynamic side-by-side moves. I love American Waltz because its open movement and picture-story lines make me feel like the ballerina that I'm not.

Country / Western Waltz - Not surprisingly, a C/W Waltz is danced to a C/W song written in Waltz timing. Its style is in keeping with the spirit of the other Waltzes (turning and traveling dance, characterized by rise and fall), with a couple of differences. One is the music - a C/W song and a Ballroom song are bound to sound different. Also, C/W Waltzes are typically faster in tempo than an American or International Waltz, but not as fast as a Viennese Waltz. And, on the social dance floor, it is highly progressive, meaning that it is moving strongly down the line of dance, turning or not, pretty much all the time. There is a sense of movement to C/W Waltz that is hard to beat.

Viennese Waltz - Very likely the oldest of the Waltzes, it is also the fastest. Reminiscent of stately ballrooms in the courts of kings, Viennese Waltz combines the speed of a roller coaster with the rotation of the big swing at the fair - only Viennese Waltz spins in both directions. Oh yeah, and it's traveling all the while. This is an advanced Waltz, and typically reserved for dancers who have already cut their teeth on the regular American or International Waltz. Viennese Waltz is not for the faint of heart nor the sloppy of technique. It takes a lot of hard work - both in training, and during the dance itself - to pull this one off. But boy, is it ever fun!

So that's my two cents - now go try a Waltz!

Types of Waltz

So, how many types of Waltz did you come up with?

Depending on how you count, I got 4-6. The first two are easy: Country/Western Waltz and Viennese Waltz. Although all Waltz forms share things common to the genre, each version has its own "spin" on the dance. Country/Western Waltz has very progressive movement and is probably the next-to-fastest Waltz. The fastest? That's Viennese Waltz, which is simultaneously fast, progressive, and dizzifyingly rotational.

The other Waltzes, and the ones most commonly found in the social setting, American Waltz and International Waltz, are the ones that count as 2 or 4 styles, depending on how you look at it.

Why? At the beginning through Bronze levels of achievement, both American Waltz and International Waltz use closed footwork, like in the box step and progressives (or links) most of us know. But once you start learning the Silver level and above, both dances use what is known as continuity styling, in which your feet pass each other.

Some people look at a Bronze Waltz and a Silver Waltz and see two completely different dances. They're really not, but the advanced footwork used in Silver-and-above Waltz does make the dance look and feel very different from its Bronze predecessor.

Chew on that for a while, and I'll be back to tell you why I think each style is a valuable contribution to the Waltz genre.