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…

Just another party at Desert Stomp
Credit: Andrew Miller

I was lucky enough to be at the first ever Lindy Hop festival that took place in the middle of a desert – Desert Stomp, and it was right here in Israel!

A 3 hour drive through towns that turned into hills of sand spotted with tin-roofed shacks, goats and camels led us to an eco-village by the name of Adama. It was a spacious venue with plenty of chill out spots and a laid back vibe.

The majority of the attendees were Israelis from our local scene, but it was different seeing everyone in this setting. It was a festive ambiance and it felt like we were somewhere abroad and just happened to run into each other. Click to continue reading…

Me and the divas
Credit: Julia Sorin

Last week was Valentine’s day and we had a Valentine’s swing ball at Holy Lindy Land. Having always disliked how single people are excluded on this day whether I'm part of a couple or not, I wanted us to have something especially for our unattached attendees.

The first thing that popped into my mind was Beyoncé. Single Ladies is still awesome 5 years after it came out and it’s the ultimate “I’m single and I’m proud” anthem. Then I remembered the Saturday Night Live skit she did with Justin Timberlake in a black leotard. This inspired me to beg HLL’s most eligible bachelors to perform the routine, but only 2 of them were free to take on the project. They had to twist my arm a bit, but I agreed to be a part of it as well. And by “a bit” I mean not at all.

We only had a week to prepare for the show, and you wouldn’t believe how much work goes into breaking down and learning a 2:30 minute choreography. Barak, Ilya and I met whenever the three of us had time and worked our booties off, much to the amusement of my roommates and  innocent visitors of Dizengoff center.

In order to give the guys a grand entrance, we added a short intro where I started with Sharon Davis’s routine “Got Nobody to Love”. I added a bit of my own choreography too, inspired by miss Davis. This dramatic and melancholy piece served as a contrast to what followed. Click to continue reading…