Feeling of Dancing.

Last night was a thrill. Kadu and Larissa organized an Ilha do Zouk warm up party at Rio Rhythmics and they had a small Zouk improvisation competition there, which I took part with Michaelo. And can you believe that we won! Unbelievable, my third competition in a row that I came first. Funnily, we got a six week Zouk course as a prize, but we both are leaving before it even starts. Hopefully we'll be able to change that for couple of privates. Anyway, here is short video from the finals:

It is not about winning competitions though. I don't feel like being any better dancer because of those, nor do I take part to win. It is the feeling when I share my dance not only with my partner but also with the cheering audience. My blood fills with adrenaline and I can feel it going all the way to my toes and fingertips. It tingles. My steps become shaky and I have to fight to keep my movements calm. My attention seems to be naturally drawn into that physical reaction, but that is not what I want. I want to feel my partner's reactions, hear the cheers, listen what emotions the music raises in me, and not let that adrenaline boost ruin my whole dance technique. It seems that it is with Michaelo when I get my biggest boosts. Our feelings and emotions give strength to each other, they are strongly connected.

Having Michaelo here has meant lots of discussions about dancing. What is my motivation to dance? How do I want to grow as a dancer? What do I want to do with dancing? Is my desire to perform? To teach some day maybe? To compete? All I can say that I don't know what I will want from dancing in the future; I might want something else what I want now. At the moment the most important thing is to enjoy dancing with my whole heart. I do want to improve and by practicing remove any obstacles that limit my abilities to dance and get those magical dancing moments. I realize that removing the obstacles is a never-ending journey, but it is a journey of joy. I don't dance to show-off or to impress, nor would I like to teach dancing to boost my dance ego. It all comes down to enjoyment, happiness and overwhelming feelings.

Everyone knows the saying: dance like no one is watching. Even though I believe that dancing isn't something to hide and that sharing and showing the passion to everyone else gives so much more than keeping it to oneself, there is some wisdom behind the saying. When observed outside, dancing is very visual form of expression. Most of the times dance practices or classes concentrate on how you look when dancing and how you should change your movement, posture, hand positions, technique, patterns and so on, to look better. Sometimes the practices center around dance connection, but it is only rarely when the concentration is on how you feel. For many dancers it would many times be good to dance like no one was watching to change the concentration from looks into feelings.

For me dancing is all about feelings. It is not that I wouldn't want to look good when I dance - especially when dancing in front of an audience I most definitely want to look good - but it is more that I don't want my body to be an obstacle of making the dance beautiful and graceful, or maybe ugly if that is what the music is telling. But if looking good becomes my main reason to dance, I'm going into a wrong direction. If someone tells me she or he likes the way I look in the dance floor, I am delighted, but a comment that someone loves to watch me in the dance floor because it shows how much I enjoy and love dancing really makes my day.

The biggest connection between you and your dance partner can be between your hearts. If there are no feelings, what is left?