Register for SFC Dance Sessions Now, Texas Swing, Argentine Tango

Published: Fri, 01/09/15

Gainesville Ocala Swing and Social Dance Newsletter 2015-01-09

Register for SFC Dance Sessions Now, Texas Swing, Argentine Tango

Hello and Gainesville Ocala Social Dancers,

Time to register for winter dance sessions offered via Santa Fe College Comumunity Education. Ray and Eileen are teaching two sessions on Ballroom Dance for Couples. I will be teaching Argentine Tango, Salsa, Square Dancing and Line Dancing, the first two in Gainesville and the last two in Hawthorne. For more details and to register now call Jennifer 352-395-5193 or visit www.sfcollege.edu/cied/communityed.

There is a new swing dance in town, Texas Swing with Robert Whitehead, a smooth style similar in ways to West Coast Swing. Classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Wilhelmina Johnson Resource Center, 321 NW 10 Street. Free

UF Swing Club is back in action this Friday night with a free lesson and social, starting at 8 pm. Free

Argentine Tango Milonga El Abrazo is Saturday night at the Movement. Ray and Eileen are holding their Ballroom Dance also on Saturday night at By Ear Musician. If you do not know these dances, stop by and watch for free.

Join my tiny group on Monday for Israeli Dancing at 7 pm, Israeli Partner Dances at 8 pm. B'nai Israel, 3830 NW 16 Blvd. We will be in the social hall around the left side, or around the right side in the back. $5

We have a small group meeting for semi-private sessions in West Coast Swing and other dances, some Salsa, Hustle and Argentine Tango. Contact me if you would like to participate.

Saw some followers helping, or worse, arguing, with leaders recently in a few different places. This always happens in my new beginner classes. Thought I would share a little from my book How to Dance with a Partner on this subject.

"Anyone who knows anything about partner dancing knows, what makes a woman a good dancer is she follows the man's lead, no matter how good or bad he is," ~ Mona, hustle dance instructor

Why does the woman follow the man?

You learned the technical reason of why to follow, which is so you can dance as one with your partner. While you may suppose this is the only reason, the more important reason you follow is the emotional reason.

Whenever you engage with another person, you are going to have times when you disagree, sometimes over important issues. You have already learned that dancing happens too fast for negotiation, so only one person's will can prevail. That has to be the leader's, because of the leader's responsibilities. The leader is responsible for the couple as a whole.

You have one responsiblity, follow the leader. You must acquiesce to the leader on all points that do not have to do with safety, courtesy or comfort. Otherwise you are going to have a fight and there is no fighting in social dancing.

... The man has a difficult job. He is under pressure to lead a dance for about three minutes. When he asks you to do something, he asks you because this is what he feels he needs you to do for you both to have a better experience. You should do it.

... While the man has all the responsibility he can handle, your only job is to follow. This is hard enough without taking on the leader's responsibilites too.

You cannot and should not try to help the leader. The leader can only do what he can do. He may already be at his limit, even if he does not seem that way. You do not know which of the many things the leader is focusing on. When you try to assist the leader, you overload him, stressing him out and making him want to quit. When I dance the follower's role, I do not help the leader, even when I am the teacher.

... Why did we spend so much time telling followers to follow? Because followers do not follow! If you do not follow, there is no point to moving on to learning how to communicate unambiguously, because you will not be able to do it.

I help out in Kay's novice ballroom class at the fitness center. Kay always says the followers must follow, yet two seconds later, half the wives are telling their husbands what to do.

Every book on and every teacher of partner dancing says followers must follow. Yet they do not, and I am not talking just about novices. ... Not following is common at every level, all the way up to the top. I was dancing West Coast swing with a professional and I was having a difficult time. She was gracious and a beautiful dancer, but she was so used to dancing with her regular partner, she was unaware that she was not following. She was turning her hand over and back, like some guys do, but not me, and she anticipated certain moves even though I led others.

Even those that do not know how to dance can get decent results if they follow. At my first Round dance, Doree said to me, "That was amazing, how did you pick up the dances so fast?"

"Lucky for me, Soojin does not know how to dance, so she had to follow me," I replied. "And every time she looked at another couple, I said to her, 'Don't look at anyone else, follow me.'."

"We are supposed to follow too," said Doree. "No one does, but we should."

If every teacher says followers are to follow, whose fault is it when followers do not follow and what can we do about it? The fault lies with the teachers. You cannot just say once or twice or ten times, that followers must follow. You must say it all the time. You must prioritize following. You must relentlessly drill following into followers. You must not tolerate not following. At any indication of not following, you must stop and make an example in front of the class.

When I hear a woman telling a man what to do, even if he asked her, I stop the class and I tell the women, your job is to follow, not help the man. The man is the captain of the ship. Your job is not to keep the ship from sinking. Your job is to go down with the ship.

Happy Dancing,
Andy

publish@gainesvilledance.com
352-327-3672

Gainesville and Ocala Dance Calendar

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Dance Quotes

Life is full of surprises and serendipity. Being open to unexpected turns in the road is an important part of success. If you try to plan every step, you may miss those wonderful twists and turns. Just find your next adventure - do it well, enjoy it - and then, not now, think about what comes next. ~ Condoleeza Rice, 1954-present

Dance Schedule

Confirm all programs before going

  1. Monday 1/05 - Israeli Dancing with Andy
  2. Tuesday 1/06 - Ballroom with Ray and Eileen
  3. Tuesday 1/06 - East Coast Swing with Richard
  4. Tuesday 1/06 - Salsa LA Style
  5. Wednesday 01/07 - West Coast Swing with Judi - Beginning West Coast Swing
  6. Thursday 1/08 - Ballroom with Ray and Eileen - Argentine Tango
  7. Thursday 1/08 - Salsa LA Style
  8. Saturday 1/10 - Argentine Tango Milonga El Abrazo with Live Music
  9. Saturday 1/10 - Ballroom Dance with Ray and Eileen
  10. Friday 1/16 - West Coast Swing Dance Social with Josh
  11. Saturday 1/17 - Contra Dance
  12. Sunday 1/18 - Vintage Waltz Brunch
  13. Thursday 1/22 - Line Dancing with Andy at the Senior Center 1 of 6
  14. Thursday 1/22 - Beginning Argentine Tango with Andy 1 of 6
  15. Thursday 1/22 - Beginning Salsa Dancing with Andy 1 of 6
  16. Saturday 1/24 - Tango Y Te with David and Thuy
  17. Sunday 02/01 - Contra Dance
  18. Tuesday 2/03 - Line Dancing with Andy in Hawthorne 1 of 4
  19. Tuesday 2/03 - Square Dancing with Andy in Hawthorne 1 of 4
  20. Friday 02/06 - Argentine Tango Milonga Papirusa
  21. Saturday 02/07 - West Coast Swing Dance with Agnes and Sheven

Ongoing Dancing

Classes with Andy

To sign up for classes offered via Santa Fe College Community Education (SFC) call Jennifer 352-395-5193 or visit www.sfcollege.edu/cied/communityed

  1. Israeli Dancing at 7 pm, Israeli Partner Dancing at 8 pm, on Mondays at B'nai Israel, 3830 NW 16 Blvd, only $5, drop in, no sign up required, ongoing.
  2. Line Dancing on Tuesdays at 6 pm at Hawthorne High School, sign up via SFC. Next series starts February 3, 2015
  3. Square Dancing on Tuesdays at 7 pm at Hawthorne High School, sign up via SFC. Next series starts February 3, 2015
  4. Line Dancing on Thursdays at noon at the Senior Center, sign up via SFC, ongoing. Next series starts January 22, 2015
  5. Beginning Argentine Tango Dancing on Thursdays at 6 pm at Gainesville High School, sign up via SFC, ongoing. Next series starts January 22, 2015
  6. Beginning Salsa Dancing on Thursdays at 6 pm at Gainesville High School, sign up via SFC, ongoing. Next series starts January 22, 2015
  7. Private Lessons, classes for Novice Dancers, Wedding Dances, also for Argentine Tango, Contra, Hustle, Lindy, Line, West Coast Swing, Vintage Waltz contact Andy

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Andrew Weitzen, publish@gainesvilledance.com, 352-327-3672, Gainesville, FL