I knew there was something blocked inside of me when I went to my beloved dance class and all I could think of the whole class was that I wanted the class to be over. The time dragged on as I just wanted to go home.
I took a peak inside that block and found overwhelming amount of sadness, more that I was ever able to imagine. How easy it is to fool yourself to believe that everything is okay? Regardless of the sadness I found, I'll need to dance through that block and everything else that comes with it and, little by little, I won't have to fool myself anymore. Now I just have to let go, and that is the hardest part.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Why Partner Dancing Ruins Your Dance Life.
There has been quite a lot of writing about the health benefits of partner dancing: they say that it is good for both your mind and body and that it even makes you smarter. Yet another reason to start partner dancing! But I must warn those who are not yet part of us addicts: it ruins the rest of your dancing life!
What, why?! To put it simply: after you get into partner dancing, it is the only way to get the most dance pleasure out of. Suddenly, dancing alone gets boring. Are you one of those who loves dancing in the clubs? After starting partner dancing, you dance one song and start glancing around in hopes of finding another partner dancer to dance with. Maybe you're one of those who loves going to solo dancing classes? Well, we partner dancers go to those classes too, but just to improve or add something to our partner dancing.
I can dance the whole night through - seriously, from evening until the very morning - if it is partner dancing. The only thing that can stop me going is either the end of the party or unbearable pain in my feet after dancing so much. It is impossible to get bored, provided that you have many great dancers to share the dances with. I see it this way: every dance is an adventure. It might be amazing, it might be horrible, but the point is that you never know what is going to happen. It is out of your control. Even if you wanted or planned it to be something, it can turn out to be something totally different. You might feel tired and lazy but after the dance feel super energetic and very alive. Or you might be very excited about the dance and end up disappointed. Or anything in between, over or under. But that is the beauty of it. You never know, you just have to dance it through and take what you get.
Now when I dance alone, there is no such a big adventure. Everything is in my control and I can make the dance just the way I want to. No surprises, no secrets to be revealed. No way I can dance the whole night, I hardly manage couple of songs before I find myself bored! That is because I know there is something better, or to put it another way, that there is something essential missing.
Let me reveal you something: the secret ingredient of the whole adventure is a dance connection with your partner. I'm not talking about the technical dance connection that they teach in classes but something that goes deeper: a physical, energetic, spiritual and emotional connection with another human being in that very moment. That is the one that is never the same, even if the dance steps were. The connection can be deeper, lighter, stronger or weaker, and it is always different even with the same person. Nevertheless, is is always there, developing and changing constantly. And that is not all: by connecting to your dance partner, you connect to yourself in a way that can't be done alone. If you open yourself, there is a world of millions of discoveries waiting for you, just by getting into the dance floor with someone.
I truly admire talented solo dancers. Every dancer is a solo dancer: it is you who have to make the work to grow your skills, develop your technique and connect with the music. But since I've experienced the better, I regard solo dancing is missing the secret ingredient that makes dancing the big adventure I want it to be.
Here is the final warning: it is the knowledge of the secret ingredient that ruins the rest of your dance life. But that is the very same ingredient that makes you the most addicted to partner dancing. So, it is up to you: do you have the courage to give it a try?
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Snow Coast Swing 2014.
The last couple of months I have been learning to take big dance steps because in Zouk leaving enough space between your feet gives so much better balance especially in the movements where you tilt your body in some angle. So this weekend I had to keep on repeating myself constantly: small steps, small steps. You see, I had my first WCS weekend for the year, Snow Coast Swing in Tampere.
I haven't been doing anything for my WCS this year: no classes, no practices, no parties, no youtubing, nothing. Some of the WCS dancers have been organizing regular parties in Helsinki so actually I would have had a chance to at least go there. But the whole dance somehow took a back seat in my dance life and I slowly started to forget why the dance got me hooked in the first place. I had forgotten it so badly that I wasn't really that excited about the weekend beforehand, but the weekend was the best reminder I could have gotten at this point. Good classes, nice socials, new and old friends and couple of those great dances in the dance floor that just makes your weekend worth the lack of sleep. It is always nice to see own improvement in a short period of time and I feel that I went at least a bit forward with my basic technique.
It is not nice to jump from more advanced dancer to the beginner level, and the fact that I still can't do WCS's basic step even in an unremarkable way, drives me nuts. I try and try, think and think, but no. But to be honest, and I don't mean to be cruel, I'm not the only one here in Finland. It is really awesome that there are a lot of people in the events like these, but the truth is that most of us are still quite lost. Lost in a sense that when you look the general view it looks so messy. However, it is great that we have opportunities like these to learn also from dancers outside Finland. It is not that I would say that I'm better than others but I've been in a scene with good WCS dancers in Brisbane and we're oh still so far from that. Anyway, easy does it.
I learned couple of good things to keep in mind when dancing WCS, most importantly that less is more. In our Zouk classes we have been learning to make big movements, use the whole body to those. Sorry, doesn't work in WCS. Better to keep everything calm and simple. Move only one part of the body at a time. I need to clam down my hands, calm down my body and hips. Maybe for the first time I had a object for the evening's dance party. I decided that I would try not to do any crazy movements, just concentrate on keeping the movement like a tranquil sea. Setting one goal like this is, by the way, a good way to get something into your basic dancing if you keep the goal in your mind the whole party.
The addictive part of these kind of events is that they make you want more. So, anyone willing to register with me to the FinnFest West Coast Swing Festival in June?!
I haven't been doing anything for my WCS this year: no classes, no practices, no parties, no youtubing, nothing. Some of the WCS dancers have been organizing regular parties in Helsinki so actually I would have had a chance to at least go there. But the whole dance somehow took a back seat in my dance life and I slowly started to forget why the dance got me hooked in the first place. I had forgotten it so badly that I wasn't really that excited about the weekend beforehand, but the weekend was the best reminder I could have gotten at this point. Good classes, nice socials, new and old friends and couple of those great dances in the dance floor that just makes your weekend worth the lack of sleep. It is always nice to see own improvement in a short period of time and I feel that I went at least a bit forward with my basic technique.
It is not nice to jump from more advanced dancer to the beginner level, and the fact that I still can't do WCS's basic step even in an unremarkable way, drives me nuts. I try and try, think and think, but no. But to be honest, and I don't mean to be cruel, I'm not the only one here in Finland. It is really awesome that there are a lot of people in the events like these, but the truth is that most of us are still quite lost. Lost in a sense that when you look the general view it looks so messy. However, it is great that we have opportunities like these to learn also from dancers outside Finland. It is not that I would say that I'm better than others but I've been in a scene with good WCS dancers in Brisbane and we're oh still so far from that. Anyway, easy does it.
I learned couple of good things to keep in mind when dancing WCS, most importantly that less is more. In our Zouk classes we have been learning to make big movements, use the whole body to those. Sorry, doesn't work in WCS. Better to keep everything calm and simple. Move only one part of the body at a time. I need to clam down my hands, calm down my body and hips. Maybe for the first time I had a object for the evening's dance party. I decided that I would try not to do any crazy movements, just concentrate on keeping the movement like a tranquil sea. Setting one goal like this is, by the way, a good way to get something into your basic dancing if you keep the goal in your mind the whole party.
The addictive part of these kind of events is that they make you want more. So, anyone willing to register with me to the FinnFest West Coast Swing Festival in June?!
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Are You Committed to Dancing?
Life is about priorities. How you choose to spend your time, money and energy tells about your priorities. However, committing yourself to something tells about your priorities even more. How about committing to dancing – do your acts show that it is part of your priorities?
We had a great conversation about commitment in our choreography group the other day. Firstly, about committing to the group itself and secondly about committing to dancing in a broader sense. Of course the conversation was between us and therefore I will not share it here, so note that the thoughts here reflect just my own views and might not have any connection to our discussions. However, the discussion gave me something to think and write about.
I learned a big lesson about group commitment while I was living in Japan and that period of time dramatically changed my way of thinking away from the western individualism-emphasized viewpoint. To exaggerate a bit, being an individual is nothing in Japan unless you’re part of some group. Being a part of a group is not a matter of course, but you have to earn your place in the group. Earning your place doesn’t mean that you have something special as an individual to give to the group, but that you show your commitment and give your contribution to the group. When decisions are made, they are made inside the group and no one will dictate or drive their own advantages at the group’s expense – it is the group’s interests that come first.
A good example about earning a place in a group was when I joined a taekwondo group in my Japanese university. We had three-hour practices twice every week and even if you were sick, you were expected to come and watch. Even if I did do that, it took me around three months before others started to believe that I actually wanted to be part of the group and that I was ready to show some commitment. After those three months I was finally asked to join some evening socials and other group events.
I feel like a big honor to be a part of our choreography group. Yes, I got in partly because of my dance merits but also because I had shown commitment to dancing. Now that I’m in, it is the group’s interest that comes first to me. Even if I’m not going to our performance to Prague, it is self-evident that I’ll participate all the group practices and rehearsals. I'd do that even I had a terrible day behind me and the last thing I wanted to do was to go through yet again the same moves. It is self-evident that I’ll borrow my dress, or anything else that someone else in the group might need, or contribute in any other way that is possible for me. I wouldn’t really have time to this many dance practices weekly the moment when I should be giving my evenings to my thesis, and I would really need to get home earlier in weekdays to get enough sleep, but this is what I have chosen to prioritize. When I’m in, I’m in for the team. Not because I expect others to give something back to me but because I think that is what you should do when you decide to be part of a group.
When it comes to committing to dancing, I guess it is clear to everyone that dancing is not just a hobby for me. It is not either just a way to have my exercise, to spend my time or to meet new people. It is a way more than that. I plan my whole life according to dancing. All my holidays, trips, even my student exchange, are chosen according to dancing. Every time I go shopping I think whether the cloth is danceable. The first thing I did when I got my first paycheck this year and finally had money to spend was to pay my dance classes. All my friends have slowly changed to dancers; even my boyfriend is a dancer (even though I once swore not to date a dancer). All my weeks are planned according to dancing, all the parties I choose to go to are dance parties, all my other hobbies are chosen to support my dancing... The list could go on forever. If someone claims after all this that dancing is just a hobby for me, he must be out of his mind.
In partner dancing, committing to dancing is not only committing to your personal growth as a dancer; it is also committing yourself to your dance scene. You can’t expect to have a lively and vivid environment for your partner dancing hobby if you don’t give your part to the scene. There is no point to complain that there are not enough dancers, not enough parties, not enough teachers if you don’t make any effort to contribute in some way. As I see it, dancing alone can be fun, but dancing with someone can be magical. If you want to dance with someone, you need also to give to be able to get. The least you can do is to go to the parties, go to the classes, spread the word and support the people who make things happen. It is not just about you, it is about the dance community as a whole.
I choose dancing, how about you?
We had a great conversation about commitment in our choreography group the other day. Firstly, about committing to the group itself and secondly about committing to dancing in a broader sense. Of course the conversation was between us and therefore I will not share it here, so note that the thoughts here reflect just my own views and might not have any connection to our discussions. However, the discussion gave me something to think and write about.
I learned a big lesson about group commitment while I was living in Japan and that period of time dramatically changed my way of thinking away from the western individualism-emphasized viewpoint. To exaggerate a bit, being an individual is nothing in Japan unless you’re part of some group. Being a part of a group is not a matter of course, but you have to earn your place in the group. Earning your place doesn’t mean that you have something special as an individual to give to the group, but that you show your commitment and give your contribution to the group. When decisions are made, they are made inside the group and no one will dictate or drive their own advantages at the group’s expense – it is the group’s interests that come first.
A good example about earning a place in a group was when I joined a taekwondo group in my Japanese university. We had three-hour practices twice every week and even if you were sick, you were expected to come and watch. Even if I did do that, it took me around three months before others started to believe that I actually wanted to be part of the group and that I was ready to show some commitment. After those three months I was finally asked to join some evening socials and other group events.
I feel like a big honor to be a part of our choreography group. Yes, I got in partly because of my dance merits but also because I had shown commitment to dancing. Now that I’m in, it is the group’s interest that comes first to me. Even if I’m not going to our performance to Prague, it is self-evident that I’ll participate all the group practices and rehearsals. I'd do that even I had a terrible day behind me and the last thing I wanted to do was to go through yet again the same moves. It is self-evident that I’ll borrow my dress, or anything else that someone else in the group might need, or contribute in any other way that is possible for me. I wouldn’t really have time to this many dance practices weekly the moment when I should be giving my evenings to my thesis, and I would really need to get home earlier in weekdays to get enough sleep, but this is what I have chosen to prioritize. When I’m in, I’m in for the team. Not because I expect others to give something back to me but because I think that is what you should do when you decide to be part of a group.
When it comes to committing to dancing, I guess it is clear to everyone that dancing is not just a hobby for me. It is not either just a way to have my exercise, to spend my time or to meet new people. It is a way more than that. I plan my whole life according to dancing. All my holidays, trips, even my student exchange, are chosen according to dancing. Every time I go shopping I think whether the cloth is danceable. The first thing I did when I got my first paycheck this year and finally had money to spend was to pay my dance classes. All my friends have slowly changed to dancers; even my boyfriend is a dancer (even though I once swore not to date a dancer). All my weeks are planned according to dancing, all the parties I choose to go to are dance parties, all my other hobbies are chosen to support my dancing... The list could go on forever. If someone claims after all this that dancing is just a hobby for me, he must be out of his mind.
In partner dancing, committing to dancing is not only committing to your personal growth as a dancer; it is also committing yourself to your dance scene. You can’t expect to have a lively and vivid environment for your partner dancing hobby if you don’t give your part to the scene. There is no point to complain that there are not enough dancers, not enough parties, not enough teachers if you don’t make any effort to contribute in some way. As I see it, dancing alone can be fun, but dancing with someone can be magical. If you want to dance with someone, you need also to give to be able to get. The least you can do is to go to the parties, go to the classes, spread the word and support the people who make things happen. It is not just about you, it is about the dance community as a whole.
Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose - and commit myself to - what is best for me.” – Paulo Coelho
I choose dancing, how about you?
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Dance World Problems.
Can you believe it is March already? I guess it is time to post some statistics of my dance month:
Dance practices: 6
Dance parties: 4
Dance practicas: 3
Dance classes: 6
It has been a great month dance-wise. I feel like I have been learning so much new in my Zouk classes! I love it that I'm able to concentrate on the small things that can make the difference. The only thing that I’m missing there, though, is more leaders. I have been thinking of taking the leader role in the beginner classes, but then again I might miss the many details in the follower part that I have been getting, and I’m not ready to lead in the intermediate classes. And you can’t really practice the moves by yourself while waiting for your turn. Nevertheless, I’m really satisfied with the content of the classes.
March is going to have a zouk-full start: next week I’ll have Zouk practices every day from Tuesday on. Our choreo group will be performing in Prague Zouk Congress and even though I’m not able to go there, I’ll be in the rehearsals so that I’ll learn the modified version for three couples. Since the congress is coming soon, we must use all the available times we can to make it work, which means at least two practices per week. What is also happening next week, for which I’m super excited about, is that Alisson & Audrey are coming to Helsinki all the way from Perth, Australia to give weekend workshops for us! Yes yes yes!! Their classes are so fun and energetic and I really enjoy dancing with Alisson. Plus I only met them once during my stay in Australia so I’m happy to have the opportunity to see them again this soon. Let’s see how much they make me miss Australia, probably quite a lot! One thing though: why, oh why, the workshop is at the same weekend as João & Giedre's Kizomba workshops? Now I'm facing a serious question: which party to go on Saturday, Zouk or Kizomba?! Arg so frustrating, why can't I have both?! A true dance world problem.
Oh oh oh, I have to tell you about this amazing Argentinean Tango performance I saw last Monday in Aleksanteri Theatre. What drama and emotions that dance can include! And the music! I haven’t been a big fan of tango music but the orchestra was simply breathtaking. One day I need to learn some more of this dance. Maybe that will work out with one partner I have been in contact with lately. Let’s see. But last Monday... ah, so magical, so captivating.
Oh oh oh, another thing! I just got my fullpass+ to Afro Latin Flow, a Kizomba/Zouk/Bachata dance festival in Helsinki on May. What amazing teachers they are having there this year! And there I will be able to attend both Zouk and Kizomba parties, ha!
Geez, more exciting things just keep coming to my mind. Tomorrow I'm going to Helsinki Yoga Festival to do yoga all day long. Nice! Talking about yoga, I started this morning with partner yoga with N Girl and I simply loved it. What a great way to connect to the partner; quite a different way what I'm used to in dancing. Thanks beautiful for the shared laughs and smiles!
But now I'm off to get my beauty sleep before tomorrow's yoga marathon. Have a great beginning of March!
Dance practices: 6
Dance parties: 4
Dance practicas: 3
Dance classes: 6
It has been a great month dance-wise. I feel like I have been learning so much new in my Zouk classes! I love it that I'm able to concentrate on the small things that can make the difference. The only thing that I’m missing there, though, is more leaders. I have been thinking of taking the leader role in the beginner classes, but then again I might miss the many details in the follower part that I have been getting, and I’m not ready to lead in the intermediate classes. And you can’t really practice the moves by yourself while waiting for your turn. Nevertheless, I’m really satisfied with the content of the classes.
March is going to have a zouk-full start: next week I’ll have Zouk practices every day from Tuesday on. Our choreo group will be performing in Prague Zouk Congress and even though I’m not able to go there, I’ll be in the rehearsals so that I’ll learn the modified version for three couples. Since the congress is coming soon, we must use all the available times we can to make it work, which means at least two practices per week. What is also happening next week, for which I’m super excited about, is that Alisson & Audrey are coming to Helsinki all the way from Perth, Australia to give weekend workshops for us! Yes yes yes!! Their classes are so fun and energetic and I really enjoy dancing with Alisson. Plus I only met them once during my stay in Australia so I’m happy to have the opportunity to see them again this soon. Let’s see how much they make me miss Australia, probably quite a lot! One thing though: why, oh why, the workshop is at the same weekend as João & Giedre's Kizomba workshops? Now I'm facing a serious question: which party to go on Saturday, Zouk or Kizomba?! Arg so frustrating, why can't I have both?! A true dance world problem.
Oh oh oh, I have to tell you about this amazing Argentinean Tango performance I saw last Monday in Aleksanteri Theatre. What drama and emotions that dance can include! And the music! I haven’t been a big fan of tango music but the orchestra was simply breathtaking. One day I need to learn some more of this dance. Maybe that will work out with one partner I have been in contact with lately. Let’s see. But last Monday... ah, so magical, so captivating.
Oh oh oh, another thing! I just got my fullpass+ to Afro Latin Flow, a Kizomba/Zouk/Bachata dance festival in Helsinki on May. What amazing teachers they are having there this year! And there I will be able to attend both Zouk and Kizomba parties, ha!
Geez, more exciting things just keep coming to my mind. Tomorrow I'm going to Helsinki Yoga Festival to do yoga all day long. Nice! Talking about yoga, I started this morning with partner yoga with N Girl and I simply loved it. What a great way to connect to the partner; quite a different way what I'm used to in dancing. Thanks beautiful for the shared laughs and smiles!
 |
| Today I heard that my favorite yoga studio, Pranama, is going to close down. I'm so sad, where I'm supposed to get my weekly yoga fix from now on? |
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
When Friends Become Enemies.
Fellow girls, you must know the feeling in a dance party when there are simply too many ladies waiting for their turn to dance with the few guys. You wish most of those bit**s would just go home leaving you more chances to have fun in the dance floor, right? It is cruel but true that the party is simply better when there is a shortage of good followers, making you feel like the most desired dance partner of the night.
It is exactly as my girl friend said the other day: "I'm sorry to say but I was glad you and the other good followers weren't in last weekend's party. It meant lots of good dancing for me." Yeah, I know. It's sad, because I would love to see all my friends in dance parties. It is just frustrating if there is some kind of fight of who gets to dance next. It does no good between the ladies plus in the worst case it exhausts the guys and leaves them with no freedom of choice. Dead end.
In a broader sense, one of the weaknesses, if you could say so, of partner dancing is that you need a good dance scene to enjoy it. There is no use of learning a dance that you cannot do in practice. I'm not the only one who must be thinking that why am I spending all my money and time to learn this dance so few dances in Finland? Does it make any sense that I have to travel somewhere else to use the skills I've learned?
In any case, what cannot happen is friends fighting with each other. A great dance scene needs great followers and a great dance party needs lots of good, beautiful and talented ladies. While waiting the guys to catch us up, we ladies just have to make sure we remain friends and not turn into enemies.
By the way, if you want to see another Zouk demonstration by me and Freddy from Oslo, you can find it in here: http://youtu.be/MXQ0x8KiAbU. You can maybe see that I'm more relaxed in this one and therefore it worked out better than the first one.
There is one thing though: these bit**s are also your friends. Who would like their friends to get out of the great party?
The problem with a small dance scene is that there usually is just a handful of good leaders, but the amount of good followers is a double of that, at least. There can be many reasons behind this phenomenon, like that it is more challenging to be a good leader or that men generally don't start dancing as much as women do, but the problem remains. This is exactly what the Finnish Zouk scene is going through now. It is excellent that we have increasingly more great followers, but unfortunately the ratio between leaders and followers is getting more and more unbalanced. I like watching others having fun in the dance floor, but in the end I go to dance parties to dance, not to watch.
You could imagine that a surplus of ladies would draw more guys into the scene, but oddly that doesn't seem to be the case. Even if it successfully worked this way, no leader can become a great Zouk leader in a short period of time. Beginner guys don't take me wrong: it is fun to dance with you, but sometimes a lady just needs couple of awesome dances, a leader who makes her feel like the best dancer in the world. Zouk is not the easiest partner dance and naturally it takes time not just to understand the rules but to make those rules work in the dance floor.
You could imagine that a surplus of ladies would draw more guys into the scene, but oddly that doesn't seem to be the case. Even if it successfully worked this way, no leader can become a great Zouk leader in a short period of time. Beginner guys don't take me wrong: it is fun to dance with you, but sometimes a lady just needs couple of awesome dances, a leader who makes her feel like the best dancer in the world. Zouk is not the easiest partner dance and naturally it takes time not just to understand the rules but to make those rules work in the dance floor.
It is exactly as my girl friend said the other day: "I'm sorry to say but I was glad you and the other good followers weren't in last weekend's party. It meant lots of good dancing for me." Yeah, I know. It's sad, because I would love to see all my friends in dance parties. It is just frustrating if there is some kind of fight of who gets to dance next. It does no good between the ladies plus in the worst case it exhausts the guys and leaves them with no freedom of choice. Dead end.
In a broader sense, one of the weaknesses, if you could say so, of partner dancing is that you need a good dance scene to enjoy it. There is no use of learning a dance that you cannot do in practice. I'm not the only one who must be thinking that why am I spending all my money and time to learn this dance so few dances in Finland? Does it make any sense that I have to travel somewhere else to use the skills I've learned?
In any case, what cannot happen is friends fighting with each other. A great dance scene needs great followers and a great dance party needs lots of good, beautiful and talented ladies. While waiting the guys to catch us up, we ladies just have to make sure we remain friends and not turn into enemies.
By the way, if you want to see another Zouk demonstration by me and Freddy from Oslo, you can find it in here: http://youtu.be/MXQ0x8KiAbU. You can maybe see that I'm more relaxed in this one and therefore it worked out better than the first one.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Dance Numbers.
In the end of last year I saw some dancers posting their dance numbers on Facebook: how many dance parties, how many dance trips, how many dance practices etc. they had that year. I thought it would be cool to keep up such a list myself. I'll give it a try. So from January my score would be something like this:
Dance parties: 4 (2x Zouk, 2x Kizomba/Zouk)
Dance weekends: 1 (Oslo!!!)
Dance practices: 2x WCS, 2x Ballroom, 5x Zouk
Dance practicas/socials: 4
Dance classes: 5 (as a teacher, still 0 as a student)
Hmh, in some areas quite a slow start (though my trip to Oslo gives some extra points!). A lot of time has been spent on my yoga mat instead. However, this week will change the figures, because I’m finally, after a long long break, going back to F&A’s Zouk classes. I’m so, super, hyper, excited. From now on, my Tuesday and Thursday nights will be spent first in a beginner and then in an intermediate class. Yeah!!
Some might wonder why to take beginner classes. The answer is simple: if you master the basic things everything else will be so much easier. Beginners are usually so impatient to go forward and to learn more difficult figures that they forget this. Therefore it is usually the basic things that need improvement. I know that my basics, at least, still need a lot of polishing. Also, it is mostly about your attitude in the dance class if you are going to learn something or not. If you think that I know this already, you won't learn anything. Every movement can be done better or in different way. When I started Zouk I most definitely got different things out of the beginner classes than what I’m going to now. Now that I already have some knowledge in my head and technique in my body, I can focus on smaller details and nuances, and the way of implementing everything to my own way of dancing. It is the details that I want to learn, because that is exactly what dancing is made of. Even a slight change in the position of your finger can make a difference. Actually, Tuesday's beginner class was one of the most useful Zouk classes I've had for a while!
Also, I’m happy to announce that I have found a new practice partner and it seems that this has a potential to develop into a longer-term practice partnership. At least we both have been offering each other some new challenges and have been having heaps of fun in our practices. And our dancing goes well together, that’s one of the most important things! We were having a practice the other day and some dancers came to ask how long we had been dancing together. They were amazed to hear that it was our second practice! I’m eager to see where this will lead – hopefully into something good.
Talking about practice partners – and dance partners – this was something that I noticed missing about Finland when I was away. Here it is common to have your private practices and it is pretty easy to ask someone to have a practice with. In addition to improving my dancing, I also find it a great way to get to know to other dancers better. Maybe the biggest challenge on finding a more regular practice partner, though, is that both must be able to give the other something from the practices in a longer term. I don't mind having a practice with a beginner, giving tips and advice – it can be fun and useful. Maybe this sounds cruel, but I still rather have regular practices with someone who can challenge me in some way, let it be in some other dance style, technique or way of moving. A dance partner, then again, is something more than a practice partner, at least for me it is. It is not just random practices every now and then, but there is something more, some kind of commitment to your improvement as a dance couple. So far I've had many practice partners, even quite regular ones, but I would count only two of them as dance partners. Hm, maybe I should write down more thoughts on this later on.
This weekend is special in a way that we have three Zouk events in Helsinki: Kizomba/Zouk party on Friday, Zouk party on Saturday and Zouk social on Sunday. This might be the first time since I came back to Helsinki that we have this much going on in one weekend! I highly appreciate the dancers who have the enthusiasm to organize events and parties; I know it takes a lot of time and effort. Frankly speaking, I'm not an organizer kind of person. I used to work in a charity organization for so many years that I got enough of organizing events. Hopefully these dancers won't and we'll have more weekends like this.
Dance parties: 4 (2x Zouk, 2x Kizomba/Zouk)
Dance weekends: 1 (Oslo!!!)
Dance practices: 2x WCS, 2x Ballroom, 5x Zouk
Dance practicas/socials: 4
Dance classes: 5 (as a teacher, still 0 as a student)
Hmh, in some areas quite a slow start (though my trip to Oslo gives some extra points!). A lot of time has been spent on my yoga mat instead. However, this week will change the figures, because I’m finally, after a long long break, going back to F&A’s Zouk classes. I’m so, super, hyper, excited. From now on, my Tuesday and Thursday nights will be spent first in a beginner and then in an intermediate class. Yeah!!
Some might wonder why to take beginner classes. The answer is simple: if you master the basic things everything else will be so much easier. Beginners are usually so impatient to go forward and to learn more difficult figures that they forget this. Therefore it is usually the basic things that need improvement. I know that my basics, at least, still need a lot of polishing. Also, it is mostly about your attitude in the dance class if you are going to learn something or not. If you think that I know this already, you won't learn anything. Every movement can be done better or in different way. When I started Zouk I most definitely got different things out of the beginner classes than what I’m going to now. Now that I already have some knowledge in my head and technique in my body, I can focus on smaller details and nuances, and the way of implementing everything to my own way of dancing. It is the details that I want to learn, because that is exactly what dancing is made of. Even a slight change in the position of your finger can make a difference. Actually, Tuesday's beginner class was one of the most useful Zouk classes I've had for a while!
Also, I’m happy to announce that I have found a new practice partner and it seems that this has a potential to develop into a longer-term practice partnership. At least we both have been offering each other some new challenges and have been having heaps of fun in our practices. And our dancing goes well together, that’s one of the most important things! We were having a practice the other day and some dancers came to ask how long we had been dancing together. They were amazed to hear that it was our second practice! I’m eager to see where this will lead – hopefully into something good.
Talking about practice partners – and dance partners – this was something that I noticed missing about Finland when I was away. Here it is common to have your private practices and it is pretty easy to ask someone to have a practice with. In addition to improving my dancing, I also find it a great way to get to know to other dancers better. Maybe the biggest challenge on finding a more regular practice partner, though, is that both must be able to give the other something from the practices in a longer term. I don't mind having a practice with a beginner, giving tips and advice – it can be fun and useful. Maybe this sounds cruel, but I still rather have regular practices with someone who can challenge me in some way, let it be in some other dance style, technique or way of moving. A dance partner, then again, is something more than a practice partner, at least for me it is. It is not just random practices every now and then, but there is something more, some kind of commitment to your improvement as a dance couple. So far I've had many practice partners, even quite regular ones, but I would count only two of them as dance partners. Hm, maybe I should write down more thoughts on this later on.
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| Me dancing in Helsinki Zouk Festival 2013. Photo by Berg Chabot. |
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Zouk Workshops in Oslo.
Dancing has taken me many places I never been before. Last time it took me to Oslo.
This was not an ordinary dance trip however. I was offered an exciting chance to assist Zouk workshops there with my Zouk teacher and, of course, this was something that I couldn't say no to. I’m so happy that I was given this chance to have this kind of experience and see what it is like to be in a workshop weekend not as a participant, as I have been many times, but as a teacher.
When I was offered this chance, I first couldn't believe that it was me who he was asking this. This kind of chance was not something that would happen often – actually I don't know if students have ever been assisting F&A in their classes. Secondly, since there are many good Zouk students in Helsinki, I would have thought that this chance would have been given to someone else of them: I feel like I haven't really been going anywhere but backwards with my Zouk lately. So, you can imagine my surprised and super excited expression when I got the message!
The second thought after the overwhelming excitement was that would I be ready for this? Am I going to perform so good that I won’t be a disappointment to anyone? Am I just good enough yet? What if I’m going to be a total mess? You know, it is not an easy task to replace a professional dance teacher! Well, surely these kind of thoughts are not going to help anyone to perform confidently nor to enjoy the moment when it comes. So, to get rid of these annoying thoughts I said to myself, every day before the weekend, that I can do it and I will do it as well as I can. In the end, I wouldn’t have been asked to go there if I didn’t have the needed potential. When the actual weekend came, the thoughts were not there anymore. One good thing that F pointed out to me before our classes was that he wants me to be myself and dance my own way. If I try to be someone else or imitate my teacher, I’m going to be no-one.
So, how did everything go? Well, I simply loved it! The classes went really well and I felt like I actually had something to give to the participants. Of course, since I was assisting the classes, I had a smaller part to play, but nevertheless it was me who was showing the example, who the participants looked up to. I never had the feeling that they were disapponted of having me there as a replacement - no, everybody were really happy to have me there. And well, I must admit that I liked the feeling of being in the middle of attention. Some people don't like it but it gives me something.
However, maybe it was me who learned the most during the weekend. Observing others, answering specific questions and trying to figure out what could be the most useful tip for the group made me learn a lot. Also, being in front of everyone made me focus more on my lines, my posture, my steps, how I should place my hands, how to hold myself. I also learned a lot about F during our long and hearty discussions after the classes and parties. I appreciate the way he made me feel like equal and the way he gave me more of a teacher rather than a student role in the classes. This is one of the things that makes a great teacher to stand out.
Maybe the most exciting part of the workshops was to give improvised dance demos with F. I knew these were going to go to spread everywhere in Facebook - not the best time to mess something up. Now that I look at the videos I can spot the points where I could have done better, but hey, this is how I will learn more and more. And I don't want to underestimate the parts I do really well, because there is nothing wrong to say that I did.
There is one highlight I have to tell you about the trip. I was hoping to see one specific leader there who I knew was from Oslo. I met him two years ago in Helsinki Zouk Festival and I had just amazing dance connection with him, definitely the best dances of the festival. I was quite disappointed not to see him in Friday's party or Saturday's classes, but when I came to Saturday's party, I immediately recognized him. Apparently he didn't, so I asked him for a dance. Then he realized: we have been dancing before, haven't we? Yes we had. And for a couple of songs, we were back.
This was not an ordinary dance trip however. I was offered an exciting chance to assist Zouk workshops there with my Zouk teacher and, of course, this was something that I couldn't say no to. I’m so happy that I was given this chance to have this kind of experience and see what it is like to be in a workshop weekend not as a participant, as I have been many times, but as a teacher.
When I was offered this chance, I first couldn't believe that it was me who he was asking this. This kind of chance was not something that would happen often – actually I don't know if students have ever been assisting F&A in their classes. Secondly, since there are many good Zouk students in Helsinki, I would have thought that this chance would have been given to someone else of them: I feel like I haven't really been going anywhere but backwards with my Zouk lately. So, you can imagine my surprised and super excited expression when I got the message!
The second thought after the overwhelming excitement was that would I be ready for this? Am I going to perform so good that I won’t be a disappointment to anyone? Am I just good enough yet? What if I’m going to be a total mess? You know, it is not an easy task to replace a professional dance teacher! Well, surely these kind of thoughts are not going to help anyone to perform confidently nor to enjoy the moment when it comes. So, to get rid of these annoying thoughts I said to myself, every day before the weekend, that I can do it and I will do it as well as I can. In the end, I wouldn’t have been asked to go there if I didn’t have the needed potential. When the actual weekend came, the thoughts were not there anymore. One good thing that F pointed out to me before our classes was that he wants me to be myself and dance my own way. If I try to be someone else or imitate my teacher, I’m going to be no-one.
So, how did everything go? Well, I simply loved it! The classes went really well and I felt like I actually had something to give to the participants. Of course, since I was assisting the classes, I had a smaller part to play, but nevertheless it was me who was showing the example, who the participants looked up to. I never had the feeling that they were disapponted of having me there as a replacement - no, everybody were really happy to have me there. And well, I must admit that I liked the feeling of being in the middle of attention. Some people don't like it but it gives me something.
However, maybe it was me who learned the most during the weekend. Observing others, answering specific questions and trying to figure out what could be the most useful tip for the group made me learn a lot. Also, being in front of everyone made me focus more on my lines, my posture, my steps, how I should place my hands, how to hold myself. I also learned a lot about F during our long and hearty discussions after the classes and parties. I appreciate the way he made me feel like equal and the way he gave me more of a teacher rather than a student role in the classes. This is one of the things that makes a great teacher to stand out.
Maybe the most exciting part of the workshops was to give improvised dance demos with F. I knew these were going to go to spread everywhere in Facebook - not the best time to mess something up. Now that I look at the videos I can spot the points where I could have done better, but hey, this is how I will learn more and more. And I don't want to underestimate the parts I do really well, because there is nothing wrong to say that I did.
There is one highlight I have to tell you about the trip. I was hoping to see one specific leader there who I knew was from Oslo. I met him two years ago in Helsinki Zouk Festival and I had just amazing dance connection with him, definitely the best dances of the festival. I was quite disappointed not to see him in Friday's party or Saturday's classes, but when I came to Saturday's party, I immediately recognized him. Apparently he didn't, so I asked him for a dance. Then he realized: we have been dancing before, haven't we? Yes we had. And for a couple of songs, we were back.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
New Years Thoughts.
For many New Year is time to think about the past year and everything that has been happening in their lives. For me, the end of the year was more than just going trough the past year; the last couple of months have been making me think more deeply about myself, my life, my values, who I really am and what I want to become. There has been a lot of ups and downs during the past year, but those have taught me a lot and life has given me heaps of exciting adventures. For me, this New Year is also a start to a new phase in my every day life: I started a new job, which means less freedom to choose when to do what I want to do, but also new and exciting challenges.
I haven't been writing much about my dance autumn. It wasn't as exciting as my dance life in Australia, to be honest, but it had its highlights. The most obvious one is the Helsinki Zouk Festival that gave me the much needed Zouk trances I was so eagerly waiting for, not even mentioning the performance of our group choreography in front of demanding but wildly cheering audience. Weekend full of inspiration and pure enjoyment! In this stage when I have been dancing Zouk for a quite some time, I don't feel like a burst of improvement after Zouk festivals, but rather those give me a huge amount of motivation to start working on my technique and interpretation of music. I love watching the artists mastering their movements and giving the audience the chills with their presence. And what amazing artists did we have in the festival: Freddy & Andressa, Renata & Jorge, Leonardo & Becky, Bruno & Eglantine, Daniel & Leticia and Mafie Zouker. This is what I wrote right after the festival:
I feel like my dance autumn was pretty quiet, but actually I did quite a lot: average three classes per week (Argentine Tango, Voguing and WCS) and a lot of choreo practices before the festival. I also did another Zouk choreo with Michaelo, but unfortunately we never ended up performing it. The autumn also included some irregular dance practices with different dance partners every now and then, and giving dance classes once a month. However, I feel like I wasn't going to any specific direction with my dancing, just going here and there without a clear course. Sure enough, much of my concentration was somewhere else than dancing. As much as I would like just to dance, I also have to graduate some day soon!
I always make three New Year promises to myself, and the most important I made this time was to think more positively of everything. This goes also for dancing: I don't want to find myself in the situation where I would put myself down because I don't improve, because I'm not as good as I wanted to be or because sometimes my body just doesn't behave the way I wanted to. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't want to improve or be better, oh no. On the contrary, I'm really excited to go back to F&A's regular classes after a huge break and finally being able to polish up the small details and mistakes. I would also love to take some other partner dance classes (my secret daydream is to learn how to dance competition rumba!), but for now it seems that it is going to be just Zouk.
One challenge with partner dancing is that I can't really do it alone. I'm super lazy going in front of the mirror alone and trying to practice styling, balance, spinning or some other dance techniques. I almost never get myself to do that. It is simply boring. So, if there are no dance parties or no practice partners available, I'm lost. During the couple of years partner dancing has become almost my only hobby and sometimes I get frustrated that it is so dependent on other dancers (sure, that's the beauty of it also). Well, slowly I have found another way than dance trancing of getting myself into this euphoric state of mind where dancing can take me: yoga. I have to admit: I'm addicted. Yoga has not only taught me a lot about my body but also about my mind, about myself. And I can do it whenever, where ever, at any time of the day (or night!), alone or in a big group. It just makes me feel so good about myself - physically and spiritually. Try it and you'll fall in love with yourself.
To finish off, for those who didn't yet see our group choreo performance on YouTube, here it is:
I haven't been writing much about my dance autumn. It wasn't as exciting as my dance life in Australia, to be honest, but it had its highlights. The most obvious one is the Helsinki Zouk Festival that gave me the much needed Zouk trances I was so eagerly waiting for, not even mentioning the performance of our group choreography in front of demanding but wildly cheering audience. Weekend full of inspiration and pure enjoyment! In this stage when I have been dancing Zouk for a quite some time, I don't feel like a burst of improvement after Zouk festivals, but rather those give me a huge amount of motivation to start working on my technique and interpretation of music. I love watching the artists mastering their movements and giving the audience the chills with their presence. And what amazing artists did we have in the festival: Freddy & Andressa, Renata & Jorge, Leonardo & Becky, Bruno & Eglantine, Daniel & Leticia and Mafie Zouker. This is what I wrote right after the festival:
Dance weekends are one of the best reminders to the question why I dance. Even though there has been a lot of dancing in my autumn, I have been missing this feeling I had last weekend. A feeling that starting dancing Zouk was one of the best decision I have made in my life. A huge burst of motivation to keep on improving and developing my technique, following, styling, balance, flexibility, musicality, connection. If I ever was unsure to keep on zouking, those doubts are gone. This weekend was what I truly needed.Another special dance event was the West Coast Swing cruise that took over 160 dancers to a big cruise ship for 23 hours. New dance connections, good atmosphere, packed lessons, good party, friends, ah! West Coast Swing has been the dance I have been trying to improve during the autumn, but to tell the truth, I'm not fully happy with my progress. Every time I feel good dancing it, I videotape myself and find out the awful truth: it feels good but it sure doesn't look good! Nevertheless, I'll keep on working on it, but maybe I'll settle for average-looking (but good-feeling) dancing.
I feel like my dance autumn was pretty quiet, but actually I did quite a lot: average three classes per week (Argentine Tango, Voguing and WCS) and a lot of choreo practices before the festival. I also did another Zouk choreo with Michaelo, but unfortunately we never ended up performing it. The autumn also included some irregular dance practices with different dance partners every now and then, and giving dance classes once a month. However, I feel like I wasn't going to any specific direction with my dancing, just going here and there without a clear course. Sure enough, much of my concentration was somewhere else than dancing. As much as I would like just to dance, I also have to graduate some day soon!
I always make three New Year promises to myself, and the most important I made this time was to think more positively of everything. This goes also for dancing: I don't want to find myself in the situation where I would put myself down because I don't improve, because I'm not as good as I wanted to be or because sometimes my body just doesn't behave the way I wanted to. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't want to improve or be better, oh no. On the contrary, I'm really excited to go back to F&A's regular classes after a huge break and finally being able to polish up the small details and mistakes. I would also love to take some other partner dance classes (my secret daydream is to learn how to dance competition rumba!), but for now it seems that it is going to be just Zouk.
One challenge with partner dancing is that I can't really do it alone. I'm super lazy going in front of the mirror alone and trying to practice styling, balance, spinning or some other dance techniques. I almost never get myself to do that. It is simply boring. So, if there are no dance parties or no practice partners available, I'm lost. During the couple of years partner dancing has become almost my only hobby and sometimes I get frustrated that it is so dependent on other dancers (sure, that's the beauty of it also). Well, slowly I have found another way than dance trancing of getting myself into this euphoric state of mind where dancing can take me: yoga. I have to admit: I'm addicted. Yoga has not only taught me a lot about my body but also about my mind, about myself. And I can do it whenever, where ever, at any time of the day (or night!), alone or in a big group. It just makes me feel so good about myself - physically and spiritually. Try it and you'll fall in love with yourself.
To finish off, for those who didn't yet see our group choreo performance on YouTube, here it is:
P.S. There is one super exciting dance thing happening in couple of weeks, but I'll let you know later!
Monday, October 21, 2013
Dancing Updates.
Apologies for my low profile lately. I haven't really had much inspiration to start writing anything deep. I have kept on dancing and my dancing hours seem to be in a slight uptrend, but I feel like updates about my normal dance practices are not something much interesting. If someone disagrees, sure, I can share my thoughts, but without any objections I'll rather wait until some inspiration hits me.
I have been doing heaps of cool dancing things though. For example, my friend from Northern Finland came to visit Helsinki and we had many great WCS practices. It did really good for me since my technique still sucks. Its way too zouky: I'm too light, can't keep my frame and I dance above the floor. I got some of those 'oh now I think I got it' realizations and now I have many ideas how to improve my technique and styling. If only I had a regular practice partner like him *dreamy sighs*.
Also, I finally went and tried some contact improvisation. I have been having some practices with one of my dancer friends before, but couple of weeks ago I got encouraged and went to my first class and CI jam. Hm, how would I describe it... A good experience definitely; I got good new ideas and had some great moments. I now feel more confident with lifts, giving and receiving weight, and working with the floor. Maybe the biggest obstacle for me, however, is the lack of music. Dancing has always been so music-related thing for me so dancing without music feels strange. I want to live the beat, dance through the melody and interpret the lyrics. In CI the focus is not in the music, but in the contact. For me it even feels somehow strange that everybody call it dancing, but maybe it just takes some time to get used to.
I have been doing heaps of cool dancing things though. For example, my friend from Northern Finland came to visit Helsinki and we had many great WCS practices. It did really good for me since my technique still sucks. Its way too zouky: I'm too light, can't keep my frame and I dance above the floor. I got some of those 'oh now I think I got it' realizations and now I have many ideas how to improve my technique and styling. If only I had a regular practice partner like him *dreamy sighs*.
Also, I finally went and tried some contact improvisation. I have been having some practices with one of my dancer friends before, but couple of weeks ago I got encouraged and went to my first class and CI jam. Hm, how would I describe it... A good experience definitely; I got good new ideas and had some great moments. I now feel more confident with lifts, giving and receiving weight, and working with the floor. Maybe the biggest obstacle for me, however, is the lack of music. Dancing has always been so music-related thing for me so dancing without music feels strange. I want to live the beat, dance through the melody and interpret the lyrics. In CI the focus is not in the music, but in the contact. For me it even feels somehow strange that everybody call it dancing, but maybe it just takes some time to get used to.
One thing that has been taking a lot of time is the Zouk group choreography that we're doing for the Helsinki Zouk Festival. We have finally got all the pieces together, but it still requires so much work and polishing before we could even dream of climbing to the stage with it. I'm quite afraid that we're going to run out of time soon and I'm not the only one with my concerns. It was as recently as today when I watched my performance from video and realized how much more I need to give. Further, it is not just me who needs to nail it, but there are four couples that need to get all the timings right and synchronized. But we'll get there! Just practice, practice, practice!
Something that has been giving me the needed balance to the dance practices has been Kizomba. Actually its the only dance style I have been social dancing lately; no Zouk nor WCS socials in Helsinki, a fact that I'm not pleased with at all. Don't tell me I need to start dancing Salsa to be able to go to dance parties! Right, there has been some Finnish ballroom dancing parties but, I don't know, somehow I haven't been able to get any dance mood in those. Sucks. One more reason to be waiting eagerly the Zouk festival. Now that we're in the not-so-cool-things-topic, I could go on and complain about my Achilles tendon that has been teasing me for too long time now; some days it is even hard to dance without high heels because of the unpleasant tight and sore feeling. Maybe I need to admit that it is somehow infected and go to physio. Double-sucks.
For not ending the post with nagging, I'll tell you one more thing that has been pretty cool this month: giving dance classes. Last week I gave ladies styling tips in HOT's advanced class and got lots of great feedback from my teaching. I have also been teaching dance technique and body movement to gymnastics groups. And six months ago I thought teaching wasn't for me! Never say never.
So, until the inspiration hits.
Something that has been giving me the needed balance to the dance practices has been Kizomba. Actually its the only dance style I have been social dancing lately; no Zouk nor WCS socials in Helsinki, a fact that I'm not pleased with at all. Don't tell me I need to start dancing Salsa to be able to go to dance parties! Right, there has been some Finnish ballroom dancing parties but, I don't know, somehow I haven't been able to get any dance mood in those. Sucks. One more reason to be waiting eagerly the Zouk festival. Now that we're in the not-so-cool-things-topic, I could go on and complain about my Achilles tendon that has been teasing me for too long time now; some days it is even hard to dance without high heels because of the unpleasant tight and sore feeling. Maybe I need to admit that it is somehow infected and go to physio. Double-sucks.
For not ending the post with nagging, I'll tell you one more thing that has been pretty cool this month: giving dance classes. Last week I gave ladies styling tips in HOT's advanced class and got lots of great feedback from my teaching. I have also been teaching dance technique and body movement to gymnastics groups. And six months ago I thought teaching wasn't for me! Never say never.
So, until the inspiration hits.
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