I have a memory of my parents bringing back Mardi Gras beads from a trip when I was a kid, and I've had this inexplicable pull to New Orleans ever since. I didn't know anything about the place, but it always sounded magical to me. The closest I've ever gotten till recently was Disney Land's French Quarter.

Since I've started swing dancing, I've had even more reason to go. Being the birth place of jazz music, it continues to attract flocks of musicians who you can hear playing in bars any given day of the week. I found a reason to visit for the Fleur de Lindy exchange. I was so excited to go that I was emailing the organizers months before, asking about registration and housing.

The French Market stage at the French Quarter Festival
Photo by Derek Bridges

The exchange takes place alongside the French Quarter Festival, a 4 day long free music festival in New Orleans' historical French quarter. With over 20 stages, it was dizzying trying to decide what to see. I have to say, it hardly mattered. You might plan on seeing a certain band but be pulled aside by the sounds of another on the way. Click to continue reading…

I hope I never stop appreciating how awesome it is that as social dancers, we can go to some random country and spend a whole weekend studying dance, partying, taking part in international competitions and meeting new friends from all over the world. I mean, who's going to top that answer to "how was your weekend?" at the office?

It’s been a few months since I was at such an event, so I was looking forward to the Tel Aviv based Feelin’ Blues festival.  I couldn't wait for those few days and nights that would leave me with aching muscles and blistered feet.

Saturday Night Party
Photo by Andrew Miller

When a solo blues track was offered, I knew straight away that I wanted to try it. One of the reasons was that for the past year or so I’ve been taking different types of non-partnered dance classes and I’ve noticed how they’ve  influenced my partnered dancing. Click to continue reading…

I’ve been wanting to publish this post for a couple of weeks, but I got caught up in the rest of my life since I got back from a visit to the U.S. I was there to visit family, but managed to pencil in quite a bit of dancing along the way.

Getting to dance with and meet a whole lot of new people was just what I needed on the way out of a major dance slump. In fact, one of my favorite things to do is to dance in new scenes when I travel.  It doesn’t even have to be at an event, social dancing with new people is the important part. I always feel an effect it leaves on my dancing. It could be a styling I pick up, a new variation, a new fashion, even a new way to ask someone to dance. It’s usually a subconscious effect that I don’t even notice till I go back to my scene. I love having these little influences from all over the world that join together to become something that’s my own. Click to continue reading…

New York's Jazz Age Lawn Party – vintage swimsuit show
Credit: Jane Kratochvil – www.janekratochvil.com

Several months ago, I was asked to speak at a WOW talks event about being a swing dancer. This event is an evening where speakers each have 9 minutes to share their personal story about doing what they love, as a way to inspire others to pursue their passions as well.

Incidentally, I happened to stumble upon the video of my talk the same day I published a post about taking a break from dancing after feeling that I’ve lost the passion that I used to have for it. It’s interesting how something can go from hot to cold in the space between May and August.

I sat back to watch the video with a bit of cynicism and braced myself for major cringing (is there anyone that enjoys watching themselves on video?).  Click to Continue reading…

Photo credit: @Doug88888 on Flickr – creative commons

For quite some time now, dancing hasn't been as fun as it used to be. I seem to have misplaced the passion that I used to have for it and I've been having trouble understanding why it's been happening.

If you’re a dedicated dancer and you keep at it for long enough, a dance slump will happen to you too. You might feel stuck in your progress, you might feel frustrated with your dancing, you might feel bored with your scene. There are many ways for it to manifest.

I've had slumps before, but they always passed fairly easily. This time feels different. I've never before gotten to a point where I questioned whether I even wanted to keep dancing. Click to continue reading…