Where is the beef?
Lets take a mental field trip out side of dancing and think about thrill rides for a moment. Why do more people ride roller coasters than ferris wheels? Both rides go up and down but only one takes the rider right to the edge of out of control without going over. Except for high school kids heavy petting at the apex of the ride, the ferris wheel does not pack much of a punch for the thrill seeker. Roller coasters are the big draw, at the amusement park, because the are fast, intense, an
When John Festa learned how to swing, the music was the draw. Dancing faster, holding your slot, and discovering new footwork variations drove dancers right to the edge without going over. They danced with speed, power, and needed tremendous control in their connection to keep the dancers on their feet and in time with the music. Pushing the envelope meant faster and more intense music. It meant giving more of your self to the partnership. It meant you could no longer do it alone. You needed your partner as much as they needed you and the only communication was good connection. Even if the song was the same, with the same partner, no two dances where ever the same and the scene exploded with dance junky thrill seekers.
Five swing dance generations later (the turn over rate is about 5 years per generation) the music has gone the way of the ferris wheel and dancers have taken to high schooler heavy petting over speed, power, and control. As the song slows down your reliance on connection dissipates. You can begin using visual clues and body language to lead and follow. There is less risk, more time to fix mistakes, and in my opinion way less skill involved. You see, when you learn how to dance fast and choose to dance slow, you bring your connection skills with you. When your skill set is based in slow and you try to ramp it up you find your self behind and frustrated.
If you are tired of feeling like you just don’t “get it”or that you have been riding the wrong kind of ride, its time to experience the real thrill that is West Coast Swing.
This is how I have asked John Festa to approach to this Friday’s workshop. You will leave having felt what “On the Edge” feels like. He opened my eyes almost a decade ago and he will open yours this Friday. If you signed up for the Ramiro Workshop you are already signed up for this one unless you tell me otherwise. If you have put off signing up their are five spots left for our intimate class this Friday.
Leadership is the manipulation of energy.
Following is the embodiment of energy.
Connection is the tie that binds the two together.
This Friday Night
$30 pp (max of 30 leaders and followers)
7-9pm Workshops
Pizza, water, and the dance
The dance afterward is $10 if you want to dance but not take the lesson
This Sunday I am teaching West Coast Swing at Longfellows instead of Two-Step
Lesson 6:30-7:30pm
Sunday nights
$10
Longfellow Club
524 Boston Post Rd
Wayland, Ma
November 16th, 2012
$30 pp
Workshop is 7-9pm
Dancing is 9-10:30pm
John Festa will be bringing some of his music as well so we are in for a double treat!
The dance afterward is $10 if you want to dance but not take the lesson