DANCE WITH ME --  by Bert Anderson

“Nobody ever asks me to dance.”  She complained.  “I come to this club week after week and sit; just watching others dancing and having a good time.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”  He replied.  “The good dancers seem to ignore us and dance with each other.”

If you haven’t overheard this complaint before, it must be your first day at a dance club.  However, rest assured, you’ll almost certainly hear it before you leave. And, unfortunately, for the two individuals quoted above – it’s true.

Much has been made of the responsibility of experienced dancers to aid and assist “newby’s,” beginners, and novices.  Most experienced dancers cheerfully accept this responsibility to pass on what they’ve learned; it’s the best form of investment in future dance partners.  However, responsibility is a two-way street.  The “newby” is expected to put forth some effort to improve.  Every dance club has one or more individuals who insist on dancing without ever making the slightest effort to develop basic skills.  This is the individual who corners a dancer, declaring their extraordinary abilities as a practitioner of “east coast swing.”  Upon hearing this, the seasoned dancer properly decodes “east coast swing” as “Hasn’t a clue.”  Naturally, the band or DJ plays the longest number of the evening as the more experienced dancer attempts to muddle through, while the “east coast swinger” flops about the floor like a landed barracuda. 

Apologies here to practitioners of real-deal East Coast Swing; a lively and crowd-pleasing urban-ballet, when properly performed by dancers equal to the demands of this specialty.  

Being a good anything requires determination and practice; probably the most important element is dedication.  West Coast Swing isn’t easy.  For the beginner, it’s like loading frogs in a wheelbarrow.  But, here’s something you can take to the bank: the experienced dancers are aware of your predicament.  They are sympathetic and stand ready to assist and dance with you – if you are serious about your dancing. 

The fundamentals cannot be overemphasized.  But, the beginner rushing to get to the “good stuff” usually blows this oh-so-important foundation away.  Listen carefully now: without a good foundation in basics – there’ll never be any “good stuff!”   

Recently, the DSDC has brought in nationally recognized instructors for the Sunday classes.  The focus has been on intermediate level patterns and technique, and the results have been positive.  Many of our members’ skills have been elevated, making our dances so much more pleasurable

We are witnessing a significant increase in new members who are in need of basic instruction, and probably some older members who would welcome a review.  For those members: you are strongly advised to attend the Free Beginners Workshop. The next one is scheduled for February 11th.  This workshop will break down and detail the vital basics so necessary for proper execution of West Coast Swing.  Local instructors Phyllis Bloom, Ken Bahr, Elvia Gomez, and Gary Dubbs will each take a turn breaking down a basic pattern and presenting it in its simplicity.

Well, there you are.  The assistance and the expertise are available.  What are you waiting for?  Apply yourself and soon you’ll hear those magic words: “May I have this dance?”

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