As Dlliba says, the designation "open" means that the feet end in an apart position rather than together (or "closed"). An open natural turn means a...
Yep. I'm going to start teaching the foxtrot routine in two weeks and hope to have the video for that in about a month. Not sure if I'm going to do...
Awhile back someone posted about creating choreography for silver smooth. I noticed at that point that nowhere on the entire internet had anyone put...
I agree; that was my point. I'm not trying to be trite here, but I really believe the first step for anyone's "successful" dancing is to figure...
The manuals and DVDs are very good as a supplement to qualified instruction, but not so much as a replacement. Check my blog for a few articles on...
Define what "successful dancing" means to you. Is it a feeling of competence? Getting asked to dance a lot? Having a lot of people say yes when...
Any idea on the dates for Fall Frolic?
Oh sure. The figure I teach sway using the bronze smooth foxtrot figure the sway step (sway step in DVIDA, swing step in USISTD. The one that...
I think of sway as a reaction rather than a deliberate action, akin to a race car turning on a banked corner.
Beginner, intermediate, and advanced are all completely relative. In the ballroom dance world I'm an advanced west coast swing dancer: certified...
Cunard ships include at least some focus on ballroom dancing in their design; the Queen Mary 2 has the biggest dance floor at sea. They are renowned...
That I can't answer but I suspect it doesn't matter. Most judges I've talked to have said they don't really see the choreography; there's not enough...
The notes can be viewed here. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ApBJwtTbcj75dDgyb1ZUWWRPeEdqdDduX01jUEVramc&usp=sharing
Okay, I have some silver smooth waltz and foxtrot routines created. They utilize all DVIDA figures, and while they don't appear exactly as in the...
Smooth gives a lot more freedom because the figures are presented very different than standard. In standard a figure is a single element that needs...
I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you asking how to choose steps that are permitted at silver? How to choose steps that are competitive? How to...
The floatee is a beautiful lift that's actually surprisingly safe and achievable by even beginner dancers - one of my favorite "first lifts" to...
It's easier to get people excited about smooth. A beginner dancer can look at smooth and see not only how it's different from standard but what's...
I sympathize with the poster. As a leader it's exceptionally difficult to get out on the floor for a dance one is untrained in or still a raw...
In person or e-mail. I prefer in person but I understand why people would use e-mail. Be honest and direct. If you're talking about another...
Separate names with a comma.
