Two Left Feet Podcast

Why should you spend $ to attend a Dance Congress?

Yes, Yes, I know, I can already here some people say. " But Two Left Feet" I can spend $10/$20 to go to my local dance social on any day of the week, and dance my heart out".

Or "… But Two Left Feet, I can spend $10-$20 and take a dance class locally in my city. Or I can Spend $50 for a private lesson with my local instructor".

All of these are valid reasons, please, just hear me out.

Have you ever been to a legit Dance Congress or Festival ???

Have you felt the energy in the air, as you arrive on that Thursday/Friday Night and the anticipation of this weekend is absolutely overwhelming you.

Do you remember the last day of school before summer break? Do you remember that feeling of riding the bus home, in anticipation of the summer time? Whether you stayed indoors all summer, or played outside with your friends. Summer Break was the greatest time of the year.

And as we get older and become adults, and take on more responsibilities, that sensation of being a Child/Teenager and not having a care in the world is not often replicated / or experienced

In my opinion, Dance Congresses are a way of reliving that childhood feeling of anticipation.

Side Note – Anticipation is why I believe that Friday Nights are the best day of the week. Just think about. It's Friday and its 5pm, You are driving home from work, and you have a free weekend. No major plans, just you and your free time. Your anticipation for the weekend is what gives you that major adrenaline and serotonin rush. Anything is possible, You can do anything over the next few days.

This same feeling is what occurs when you first arrive at a Dance Festival. You are seeing new people, fresh faces, beautiful people, ugly people, weird people. But everyone there, is there for the same reason, We all Love Social Dancing. Humans are social beings with a powerful psychological need to belong.

membership and identification with—some group is critically important for our happiness. We have a need for friends, and a romantic relationship. We join social clubs, fraternities, and sororities; participate in community events. People often wear shirts and Hats proclaiming their associations, which makes us feel accepted, valuable, and important.

The Need to belong is usually found within families, friendships, membership in associations, and within our community.

That is why when you first arrive to the Dance Congress, it's like coming home. You are around your people, You can let your hair down and enjoy it because everyone there is just like you. We all have hopes/dreams/aspirations - we all want to become the best dancers we can be. We all are eager to share our joy and enthusiasm with other like-minded people.

There is something about taking a road trip to a foreign city, booking a hotel, and then taking some amazing dance workshops during the day and attending dance socials in the evenings.

It is legit one of my favorite things to do, and I implore you, if you have never gone, please please go!

#Salsa

#Bachata

#Kizomba

#Podcast

#BrazilianZouk

#Rueda

#Tarraxinha

#Zouk

#Passada

#Ginga

#Forro

#LambaZouk

#Afro

#Latin

#African

#Socialdance

#Socialdancing

#Partnerdance

#Partnerdancing

#Pachanga

#Lambada

#Dance

#Dancers

2LF Links

_______________________________________________

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tw0LeftFeet

Instagram: tw0_left_feet

Website: https://2leftfeet.blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171874589599779/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoLeftFeetPodcast/

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-left-feet-podcast/id1454425997

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bQSnwKDmHbDQdgnZ0OrC3

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Twoleftfeet

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR109vJ4Pbl146Ok1u5vSuA

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/twoleftfeetpodcast

Recently I uploaded a video about how Social Dancing is a Second Form of Practice.

For anyone who may be a beginner to Partner Dancing this is a very important step to the learning process. Now you may ask yourself Why is that?

In the classroom, you are learning in a controlled environment. Both the lead and follow understand what is being taught, and what is expected of each person.

This can lead to a false sense of competency and understanding, due to the fact that your partner knows what to expect and what to do. This leads directly into the possibility of back leading or even Leader Expectancy Syndrome – LES for short.

Backleading can be defined as the act or the habit of some followers to lead themselves through dance moves the leader has nothing to do with. An Example would be a partner following what the teacher is doing, and NOT following what their dance partner is leading.

Leader Expectancy Syndrome can be defined as a leader expecting a follower to understand and anticipate their signals. A key factor in LES is mixed or confusing signals from the Lead. An Example could be a leader failing to properly signal a turn for the follower, and becoming upset.

LES is more often experienced during socials, while backleading is more often experienced during

Dance class.

This leads us back to the original question – How can a Dance Social be a second form of practice? As a leader, when you dance with someone, this is the ultimate test of your leading ability. You can increase the difficulty level by dancing with a complete stranger or You can lower the difficulty by dancing with someone from your dance class. I encourage you to do both. Dancing with a stranger will force you to lead with clear and precise signals. As a leader not having clear signals leads to confusion, which leads to hesitancy, which can lead to doubt, which ultimately can lead to a bad dancing experience. The dance will never exceed the skill level of the lead. Always remember that It is always the leads fault. This mindset will take you far, because you always hold yourself accountable, and you always wonder how can you do something better.

For my followers, it is the almost the same. You can increase the difficulty level by dancing with a complete stranger. You can lower the difficulty by dancing with someone from your dance class. As a follower during a social, you will not have the luxury of anticipating what your partner wants to lead, so you truly have to be in the moment and listen/feel for the leaders cues. And if you do find yourself trying to anticipate what the leader is going to do, you will quickly find that this can ultimately kill a dance. As in life, so on the dance floor, you cannot have two leaders. A follower who anticipates or does not follow signals, is not a good follow. A leader who cannot lead clearly and safely, is not a good lead.

Social Dancing is trial by fire and one that every dancer will have to overcome. It is also the most fun you will have. Dance Classes are fun, but they limit creativity. Dance Socials are where you can truly open your mind as to what is possible. Especially by witnessing what other dancers are capable of accomplishing. Drawing inspiration and motivation from those around you.

The only way you will become a great dancer is by social dancing.

#Salsa

#Bachata

#Kizomba

#Podcast

#BrazilianZouk

#Rueda

#Tarraxinha

#Zouk

#Passada

#Ginga

#Forro

#LambaZouk

#Afro

#Latin

#African

#Socialdance

#Socialdancing

#Partnerdance

#Partnerdancing

#Pachanga

#Lambada

#Dance

#Dancers

How to improve Posture while dancing?

You have to constantly be mindful of it until it becomes a habit.

So when you're dancing or practicing, keep posture in mind and correct yourself when you notice a slip. Do this over the next few weeks and it should resolve itself. posture practice is about awareness of the different elements of how we organize our bodies while we dance, and then monitoring those doing movement practice. Good movements flow from good posture, and the best time to start learning and practicing good posture is right now - every minute you spend dancing with poor posture is time you spend training yourself to dance with poor posture.

Stop looking down, at your feet or your partners feet. Be mindful that where the eyes/head goes the body goes. Keep your head/eyes high. Especially for leads as you need to be cognizant of the surrounding dance floor and those around you.

Looking down at your partner's feet:

• bends the neck, causing a natural bend in the back and hunched over look.
• It REDUCES space between you and your partner because your head fills the space that should actually be clear
• Makes you look less confident and ruins the image
• Teaches the bad habit of focusing on unimportant details (if you've lead it, assume they've done it or watch where their BODY goes, not where their feet go.

If you want to improve your posture, start going to the gym. Good posture is a key for body leading, things like sensual bachata. But try not to be stiff, there is a good middle ground.

Outside of dance something I always like to keep in mind when walking around, is to think about Superman walking with is cape on.

In practice focus on not leaning forward at the waist, aim for leveling hips and minimize pelvic tilt. And shoulders rounded forward affects your balance. A good dance teacher can help you with exercises and drills that will help you take your Dancing to the next level.

#Salsa

#Bachata

#Kizomba

#Podcast

#BrazilianZouk

#Rueda

#Tarraxinha

#Zouk

#Passada

#Ginga

#Forro

#LambaZouk

#Afro

#Latin

#African

#Socialdance

#Socialdancing

#Partnerdance

#Partnerdancing

#Pachanga

#Lambada

#Dance

#Dancers

2LF Links

_______________________________________________

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tw0LeftFeet

Instagram: tw0_left_feet

Website: https://2leftfeet.blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171874589599779/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoLeftFeetPodcast/

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-left-feet-podcast/id1454425997

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bQSnwKDmHbDQdgnZ0OrC3

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Twoleftfeet

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR109vJ4Pbl146Ok1u5vSuA

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/twoleftfeetpodcast

When to do shines?

• You can break apart for a shine whenever, but paying attention to the music - shows your musicality skills and that's one mark of becoming a better dance
• Usually a good time to do shines is when the lyrics/vocals stop during the bridge of the song. This can be indicated by particularly interesting instrumentation or solos where you can really hear drums doing something unusual, for example.
• Sometimes you can shadow your partner and mimic the shine they are doing, or you can do your own thing. A shine is an opportunity for you to show off on the dance floor, Leads or follows. The best part of dancing is when the dancers play off each other. You add your own little flavor into a technique/lead, or a body movement or expression. Your follow does some nice styling, or adds some spice of their own.

For my leads: There are some follows that are a bit dangerous to dance with - they turn themselves randomly, they're forcefully offbeat, they hold onto your hand tightly, and many other examples. In these rare instances, you can throw in some extra shines, and just smile for large portions of the song with them.

As a final Note / A word of Caution: You must tailor your shines to the level of your partner.

Some follows LOVE to shine, so give them more shine time than others. Some follows will look absolutely terrified and just repeat their basic step if you leave them alone for too long. In that case do partnerwork with them instead.

#Salsa

#Bachata

#Kizomba

#Podcast

#BrazilianZouk

#Rueda

#Tarraxinha

#Zouk

#Passada

#Ginga

#Forro

#LambaZouk

#Afro

#Latin

#African

#Socialdance

#Socialdancing

#Partnerdance

#Partnerdancing

#Pachanga

#Lambada

#Dance

#Dancers

2LF Links

_______________________________________________

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tw0LeftFeet

Instagram: tw0_left_feet

Website: https://2leftfeet.blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171874589599779/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoLeftFeetPodcast/

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-left-feet-podcast/id1454425997

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bQSnwKDmHbDQdgnZ0OrC3

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Twoleftfeet

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR109vJ4Pbl146Ok1u5vSuA

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/twoleftfeetpodcast

How do you politely but firmly decline dancing with someone?

What's the best way to politely decline when they ask? And if they keep asking after that, how do you make it clear that you're not interested?

It is very Simple: Just say: no, thank you. If they ask again say the same and repeat the process until they get tired of asking.

If they ask for an explanation just say you don't want to dance with them and that's it. No further explanation necessary.

if they are persistent go make small-talk with anyone nearby, or at least stand next to someone else. The person is more likely to be embarrassed and leave if you're with someone else when you repeatedly say no.

#Salsa

#Bachata

#Kizomba

#Podcast

#BrazilianZouk

#Rueda

#Tarraxinha

#Zouk

#Passada

#Ginga

#Forro

#LambaZouk

#Afro

#Latin

#African

#Socialdance

#Socialdancing

#Partnerdance

#Partnerdancing

#Pachanga

#Lambada

#Dance

#Dancers

2LF Links

_______________________________________________

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tw0LeftFeet

Instagram: tw0_left_feet

Website: https://2leftfeet.blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171874589599779/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoLeftFeetPodcast/

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-left-feet-podcast/id1454425997

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bQSnwKDmHbDQdgnZ0OrC3

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Twoleftfeet

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR109vJ4Pbl146Ok1u5vSuA

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/twoleftfeetpodcast

Social dancing with social anxiety.

I will say this, in my youth, I would definitely take a shot or two before a class and also before a dance social. And I would also take another shot maybe midway through the night. I would keep a bottle of warm liquor In my trunk at all times. Say/Think what you will.

If you dance class has a social after the class, if you are not comfortable with socializing you can just dance. You don't HAVE to socialize if you don't feel up to that. You can keep it simple as "Do you want to Dance?" And "thank you!" after the dance is done.

If you hate small talk, dancing gives you a way to socialize without forcing you into conversations with people.

You can also talk to people during the classes themselves. Introduce yourself and ask how they are doing, nothing else is necessary. Do that with everyone you dance with, and you will start to become more comfortable with everyone. Your ultimate goal is to build a friendship with your dance classmates.

You can make every social event a game: Make it a goal to ask x number of people to dance per night. And at least 1 new person every social. This challenges you to meet a stranger, while also challenging you to dance with somebody new. This is a win/win because you level up your social skills and dancing skills.

Also keep in mind, that you are not forced to dance. You can just hang around and watch people dance. Just being in the atmosphere can be a learning environment. You start to pick up on social cues, see new patterns, see whos the experienced dancer's vs beginners. Watch the Dancers who you like and look at their timing and styling you'll be surprised how much you can pick up.

Understand that if you are a lead you are expected to ask followers to dance. But that does not mean, followers cannot ask leads. I have never seen a lead tell a follower no. Try to think of it like this, You are not approaching a stranger, you are approaching someone who came to a dance social because they want to dance. That's the whole point. They are there because they want to be asked to dance. Remember you do not have to be Mr. Sauvé or give your life story. Just give simple eye contact and say, would you like to dance?

I have been dancing for close to 9-10 years, and I still get anxious nervous asking someone to dance. More so the first time. The first time asking someone to dance that night, is the most nerve wrecking, but after that it becomes easier.

When in doubt, ask the teacher to dance, they should always be in a good mood and eager to dance with their students.

Also ask the Instructor about other dance events throughout the week. The more you go to dance events, the better you become and the more comfortable you become.

Social dancing is a skill like any other. You're going to have to push through the awkward experiences in order to build a proper skill set.

#Salsa

#Bachata

#Kizomba

#Podcast

#BrazilianZouk

#Rueda

#Tarraxinha

#Zouk

#Passada

#Ginga

#Forro

#LambaZouk

#Afro

#Latin

#African

#Socialdance

#Socialdancing

#Partnerdance

#Partnerdancing

#Pachanga

#Lambada

#Dance

#Dancers

2LF Links

_______________________________________________

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tw0LeftFeet

Instagram: tw0_left_feet

Website: https://2leftfeet.blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171874589599779/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoLeftFeetPodcast/

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-left-feet-podcast/id1454425997

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bQSnwKDmHbDQdgnZ0OrC3

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Twoleftfeet

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR109vJ4Pbl146Ok1u5vSuA

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/twoleftfeetpodcast

What can you do as a lead when the follow continues to have super wide steps?

don't let her lead, you are the lead if you were the lead at the beginning. if you two are in standard orientation position, then the space between you two should be approximately constant throughout the dance. the only time that space will contract or expand is when one of you take a step/stride that's not the same length as the other.

• Doing very small steps in regular basic.
• Doing very small side basic.
• Using a closed hold in addition to small steps to limit with frame.
• Using just right hand on the back with small steps and seeing if they notice that they are losing contact because they step out.
• Leading a cross body that moves a lot and fast (wide steps are impossible).
• quitting the floor is always an option

If my partner is not respecting me, or the floor, or other people on the floor; I quit the floor as quietly and as gracefully as I can for all parties. It's not my job to make up the difference, I'm trying to have a good time too, and I don't have to contribute to a situation that ruins so many people's evening.

#Salsa

#Bachata

#Kizomba

#Podcast

#BrazilianZouk

#Rueda

#Tarraxinha

#Zouk

#Passada

#Ginga

#Forro

#LambaZouk

#Afro

#Latin

#African

#Socialdance

#Socialdancing

#Partnerdance

#Partnerdancing

#Pachanga

#Lambada

#Dance

#Dancers

2LF Links

_______________________________________________

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tw0LeftFeet

Instagram: tw0_left_feet

Website: https://2leftfeet.blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171874589599779/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoLeftFeetPodcast/

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-left-feet-podcast/id1454425997

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bQSnwKDmHbDQdgnZ0OrC3

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Twoleftfeet

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR109vJ4Pbl146Ok1u5vSuA

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/twoleftfeetpodcast

Advice and Tips for Going to a Dance Congress/Festival.

Before you even go – look at the schedule of events and circle the workshops you want to do, and figure out where the rooms are.

Make sure to bring enough clothes, you'll be sweating a lot. Also, make sure your shoes are up to the task, dance heels might be good for a 2-hour party, but not necessarily for a 3-day weekend festival. So bring maybe 2-3 different dance shoes.

If this is your first congress - don't go 100% on the first day, or you may feel burned out by the end of it, Choose your classes wisely, you are not going to have full energy for every single class so if there's a very intense class you want to be able to keep up then consider either taking more relaxed classes prior or skipping a few. Keep in mind that Footwork classes are more intense / more of a workout than partner work classes.

Try to be at the front of classes no matter your level. The important thing is to be able to see.

Lastly, don't forget to stretch and take some ibuprofen with you because your legs and possibly knees will suffer. If you do get sore, Try to spend lots of time in the hotel hot tub, or bring some Epsom salts or a bath bomb for the bath to give your feet and legs some relief. This is best done right before any nap times. I always bring earplugs and an eye mask just in case your roommates or the neighbors are loud. If you are in a new city and you have free time go out and explore the city. Also, dance with people you don't know, is a great opportunity to meet new people, and experience new leads and follows.

Miscellaneous items: mints, water bottle, a few cans of soda water, drinks with electrolytes, a travel-sized perfume, bring snacks, fruits, etc. to sustain your energy level, small towels, hand sanitizer,

More clothes than you think you'll need - If you're in the Congress hotel, you can always run up and change or grab something, If you are afraid of oversleeping - Don't rely on your alarm, get the front desk to give you a wakeup call,

#Salsa #Bachata #Kizomba #Podcast #BrazilianZouk #Rueda #Tarraxinha #Zouk #Passada #Ginga #Forro #LambaZouk #Afro #Latin #African #Socialdance #Socialdancing #Partnerdance #Partnerdancing #Pachanga #Lambada #Dance #Dancers

2LF Links

_______________________________________________

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tw0LeftFeet Instagram: tw0_left_feet Website: https://2leftfeet.blog/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171874589599779/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoLeftFeetPodcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-left-feet-podcast/id1454425997 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bQSnwKDmHbDQdgnZ0OrC3 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Twoleftfeet Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR109vJ4Pbl146Ok1u5vSuA Anchor: https://anchor.fm/twoleftfeetpodcast

Difficulty remembering Dance patterns. #socialdancing

How can I better remember the moves I learn as a lead in Salsa?

This person was having difficulty remembering the more complicated patterns from class.

___________________________________________________

I think we all encounter this at some point as a lead. When you are in dance class learning a new pattern, instead of trying to learn the pattern in a specific order and detail. Your goal should be to understand the building blocks and how they can be connected. I would suggest thinking of it like a math problem. X+Y= Z but we can also say Z-Y=X. What I mean is, find the parts of the pattern you like / or you are able to execute and find ways to put those into what you already know. If the teacher is teaching a hammerlock pattern, think about the patterns you already know, and contemplate where you can throw a hammerlock into it.

And if you are dead set on learning a full/complete pattern from beginning to end, here is what you can do. Break the pattern down into blocks/segments. Maybe (2-3) 8 counts. The next time you go out dancing or have a practice partner, memorize that one segment and practice it the whole time. Yes, it's going to be boring and repetitive but by focusing on that one you are going to anchor it in your memory If you practice one new block per week that's a lot of progress. If you can manage that consistently, you will know a lot of blocks in no time.

Next up, you should already know this answer – You need to practice more! You want to create some muscle memory where you always have a glimpse of an idea of what you can lead in a certain position.

On the subject of being scared to try something new and making mistakes. Do not be so hard on yourself, and stop holding yourself to such high standards. We all make mistakes, your ultimate goal as a leader is to just make sure you do not hurt your partner. Everybody makes mistakes on the dance floor. How you react to them is what matters--you just got to move on and keep dancing and having fun. It's ok to only execute patterns that you are confident in, but it's also ok to try and experiment, and see what works. The key is repetition and understanding of how blocks fit together.

Visualization is a great technique that works well for social dancing as well. Watch videos of classes to refresh your memory, and then when you are driving, walking, washing dishes, whatever mindless task - play salsa and imagine doing the sequences in time with the music, try imagining mixing it with other combos you know and adding musicality. Visualize what you are trying to accomplish and the body will remember.

#Salsa #Bachata #Kizomba #Podcast #BrazilianZouk #Tarraxinha #Zouk #Passada #Ginga #Forro #LambaZouk #Afro #Latin #African #Socialdance #Socialdancing #Partnerdance #Partnerdancing #Pachanga #Lambada #Dance #Dancers

2LF Links

_______________________________________________

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tw0LeftFeet Instagram: tw0_left_feet Website: https://2leftfeet.blog/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171874589599779/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoLeftFeetPodcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-left-feet-podcast/id1454425997 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bQSnwKDmHbDQdgnZ0OrC3 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Twoleftfeet Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR109vJ4Pbl146Ok1u5vSuA Anchor: https://anchor.fm/twoleftfeetpodcast

Cheating Scandals #bachata #salsa #kizomba #zouk

#Salsa #Bachata #Kizomba #Podcast #BrazilianZouk #Rueda #Tarraxinha #Zouk #Passada #Ginga #Forro #LambaZouk #Afro #Latin #African #Socialdance #Socialdancing #Partnerdance #Partnerdancing #Pachanga #Lambada #Dance #Dancers

2LF Links

_______________________________________________

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tw0LeftFeet Instagram: tw0_left_feet Website: https://2leftfeet.blog/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2171874589599779/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoLeftFeetPodcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-left-feet-podcast/id1454425997 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bQSnwKDmHbDQdgnZ0OrC3 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Twoleftfeet Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR109vJ4Pbl146Ok1u5vSuA Anchor: https://anchor.fm/twoleftfeetpodcast