Song: Let’s Get Together

Artist: Duke Ellington

This is a great song and one of Frankie’s Favourites. It’s a bit peppy, has great swing and fun musical sections that echo and play off of one another.

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Last week I had a very irritating interview with a reporter from the National Post and the article came out today.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05/06/taking-the-lead-so-you-think-you-can-challenge-gender-roles-in-dance/

Presumably, we set up the interview to speak about “Jive” dancing but as soon as the questions began I could see that the aim was to create a controversial issue out of gender roles within dancing. It wasn’t hard to tell what direction the article was heading and I cringed my way through the rest of the questions.

We spoke for quite a long time and I did my best to recount all of the extremely non-sexist opportunities that there are for people to explore either the leader or follower role in dance. I really tried to explain about the open and welcoming nature of the swing dance community though ultimately the aim of the article had been set and there was no steering the conversation. The story was intent on creating an issue.

Despite my urging, the article also declines to mention the very awesome and diplomatic Swingin’ Out group, Canada’s first queer (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) swing dance club. In fact, I provided numerous examples, situations and stories about gender equality in dancing. It figures that the only example used in the article – our role reversal class – points out that it’s not a beginner class while ignoring the reasoning behind it and the rest of examples we discussed.

I don’t doubt that there are gender restrictions within the ballroom community, and that’s extremely unfortunate, but I also find the article unfair. This sort of journalism so irritating. It’s so sad that if there isn’t some sort of negativity and controversy, the media just isn’t interested in the story.

I had the same reaction in one of the documentaries about Frankie Manning which was otherwise really excellent but insisted on including a racial slant to the story that Frankie himself never focused on. Heaven forbid that they might write a story just for the sake of the joy and positive aspects of the dance! In fact, I urged her to take some interest in 92 year old living dance legend, Norma Miller, coming to Toronto at the end of this month for the Frankie Manning Tribute Weekend. Now that’s a story worth talking about.

To Andrea Seto, the woman in the article who was kicked out of her Jive class in Toronto, forget Jive! The Lindy Hop community welcomes you!

UPDATE: I’ve received a nice letter from Andrea Seto from the article and has already taken steps to join the swing community which is very heartening. I’m very happy that we can offer a much more inclusive environment, and I love that an old fashioned dance like Lindy Hop is so progressive about gender roles.

Mandi Gould

Mandi Gould is Director & Head Dance Instructor for Bees’ Knees Dance in Toronto and St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

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May 5th marked our first ever Intermediate Follower Intensive.

I can honestly say that it was one of the most enlightening and gratifying classes that I’ve ever taught. To have the chance to spend that much time on such minute and essential follower technique is very close to my heart. All of the participants worked really hard and the results were FABULOUS!

Followers at the 1.5/2 level had a chance to focus completely on follower technique for 2 hours while dancing with very experienced and established leaders as their partners. We had the extreme pleasure of working on nothing but the swingout for 75 minutes before breaking into some slightly different material for the last part of the workshop.

A VERY HUGE THANK YOU TO THE LEADERS WHO WERE EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND ENCOURAGING OF THE FOLLOWERS WITH VERY USEFUL FEEDBACK AND ADVICE. I found the advanced leaders to be supportive and attentive, giving followers exactly the type of nurturing feedback that they needed. The nature of the workshop created a safe space for participants to feel comfortable receiving that type of guidance.

All of the participants should be really proud of what you accomplished during that session. With that said, it’s not realistic for all of the adjustments to immediately take hold and become permanent muscle memory and reaction. It does take a lot of work and thought to practice until perfect so I thought I’d give a very brief synopsis of the most important key ideas.

Practice makes perfect and the points may seem basic, but they’re subtle and require consistent attention:

1. Corpse arm; completely dropping the weight of your arm except for the light hook in your 3rd & 4th fingers to prevent from slipping out. Don’t forget to lock your shoulder blades back to engage your frame. Periodically check your arm and make sure it’s truly dropped, not just in open position but also during your face off.
2. Stretch on 1 & 2; stretching away from your leader for both counts with firm use of the floor during your twist
3. Using the first 2 points to enable the snap/release that helps you to travel as far in and past the leader as you can possibly go during 3, then taking a very stable and squared off face off with your leader during 3&4 with your back truly filling in his hand
4. Check the position of your hand on the leaders shoulder blade.
5. Allowing the leader to set your direction into 5. It’s the leader, not you, who controls the direction of your hips and if the swingout is straight or round. Keep half an eye spying on the leader during straight swingouts too.
6. Your basic posture and body position can best be achieved by hopping away from your leader with a firm landing position; your feet are pointed out to your left, the caboose and your feet underneath should be the furthest points from your partner, your upper body and head should be slightly closer to your leader, your shoulder blades are back and you can feel the strange stretchy tension in your arm.

Thank you again to everyone who helped to make this first workshop a huge success!

We also head a very successful Beginner Follower Crash Course which was also excellent. But that’s the subject of another Blog Post.

Mandi Gould is Director & Head Dance Instructor for Bees’ Knees Dance in Toronto and St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

Song: Fever

Artist: Peggy Lee

Maybe doing my taxes this week gave me some sort of a fever but this is the first song I thought of this week. A classic and an important part of any collection.

Congratulations to Bees’ Knees star student and now Youth Instructor, Kevin Miller, for winning one of the two Toronto dance scholarships for the Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden this summer! Very well deserved!

Congratulations also to the other scholarship recipient, Nancy Hitzig, who has also been a guest instructor of ours.

See you in Sweden!

Song: A Fine Romance

Artist: Oscar Peterson

How about a little Canadian love for one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time? Oscar Peterson definitely adds a contemporary twist to a swinging tune, but in the best possible way. His piano playing is brilliant. This is just one example of it. Though I love dancing to old original swinging jazz, there’s just something so fun and playful about dancing to a tune like this now and again. Enjoy!

Song: I’m In the Groove Tonight

Artist: Effie Smith

I didn’t even realize that I had this song in my collection. I stumbled upon it when it came up on my iPod last week at the studio while Kevin and I were dancing and we loved it! What a fun, super mellow, playful and groovy little song. Check it out!

Leaders, this is your chance to learn exactly how to please a woman… a Lindy Hop follower, that is!

But seriously. We’re setting up a special kind of new workshop where all of the focus will be on level 1.5 leaders. What’s more, you’ll be dancing with Advanced followers during the workshop. So not only will you have the instruction of the teacher, you’ll also have experienced dancers as partners who can help you to master the subtleties of Lindy Hop technique.

This will be a terrific boost to your dancing! It might be just what you’ve been waiting for. 

Become one of the most popular leaders on the dance floor!

For Leaders at the 1.5 level who really want to push their dancing and master their social dance technique, this is the chance for you!

Dates:

• Saturday, June 2nd – 4pm to 6pm – Leader Intensive – $40 in advance/$43 at the door*
• More dates coming soon!

Space is limited for these exclusive sessions. Register now!

*It’s very unlikely that there will be space at the door for this workshop. Payment should be made in advance. Thanks!

With special guest, Dr. Krister Shalm!

“I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.” ~Marilyn Monroe

Followers, how would you like a workshop completely dedicated to YOU?

We’re setting up a special kind of new workshop where all of the focus will be on the followers. What’s more, you’ll be dancing with high level leaders during the workshop. So not only will you have the instruction of the teacher, you’ll also have experienced dancers as partners who can help you to master the subtleties of Lindy Hop technique.

These workshops will be offered at 2 levels:

Beginner Fast Track

For new followers to learn the Beginner level curriculum in 2 hours rather than 2 months!

Intermediate Intensive

For followers at the Intermediate or high 1.5 level to really master their following technique.

Dates:

• Saturday, June 23rd, 4pm to 6pm – Beginner Fast Track – $40*
• Saturday, June 23rd, 6:15pm to 8:15pm – Intermediate Follower Intensive – $40* WAITING LIST

* Advance payment only. You must be paid in full in order to fully reserve your spot. Space is limited and highly in demand for these exclusive sessions.

Register now!

Hello Advanced Followers!

You may have noticed the recently posted Leaders Opportunity. Well have no fear, we’re setting something similar up to help out leaders.

Now the thing about leaders is that their needs are very different. Early on in their dancing, they have a slower learning curve than followers and there are some things that they have to learn with time, practice and lots of social dancing time. Once they’ve reached the 1.5 level though, with the right motivation and hard work, we can really help them to sky rocket.

In setting up this opportunity for Advanced followers, our goal is to:

• Encourage and motivate “young” leaders
• Nurture their abilities to help them move up in experience level
• Teach them to properly care for their followers
• Motivate more leaders to keep dancing once they’ve started

Advanced followers: GET PAID TO LINDY HOP!

We want to offer a special LEADER INTENSIVE WORKSHOP. It will be a 2 hour workshop that will cover 1.5 level material for leaders and the students will be dancing with ADVANCED followers. That means YOU. The workshop will cost double what workshops usually cost – $40 for 2 hours instead of $20. Why the extra price tag? We are going to HIRE EXPERIENCED FOLLOWERS TO DANCE WITH “YOUNG” LEADERS.

That’s right, make $20 for every 2 hour workshop in which you lend your expertise!

This is a great opportunity for the leaders because they’ll be able to learn more quickly, and it’s also a great incentive for them to work hard on their dancing.

So not only will you make a little pocket money, but you’ll be encouraging the wonderful leaders who are new to our dance community. How great is that?

***This opportunity will also be open to men who are advanced level followers; your sex does not matter.

HOW TO APPLY:

Before I put out any advertising and pick a day for the actual workshop I’d like to have interested followers confirm their availabilty for following dates. Please respond by sending me a message that includes a copy of all of these dates with your name beside your available dates.

• Sunday, April 29th – 3pm to 5pm
• Saturday, May 5th – 2pm to 4pm
• Sunday, May 6th – 3pm to 5pm
• Saturday, May 19th – 4pm to 6pm (Victoria Day weekend)
• Saturday, June 2nd – 4pm to 6pm
• Sunday, June 3rd – 3pm to 5pm
• Saturday, June 23rd – 4pm to 6pm

Please note – these dates are NOT actually scheduled yet. I will schedule dates which will be confirmed with you based on the response and availability. 

Thank you for your participating in this trial workshop. Feel free to spread the word and *Advanced* followers may apply for the opportunity.  *Preference for participation will of course be given to regular Bees’ Knees dancers first.