The Home of Modern Blues Dance | Trying to make a difference | Dance Tuition and Events

Hadrian's Wall Charity Walk

Fri, 31 May 2024 16:26:42 GMT

...and my biggest thanks has to go to Debs.

So after watching a movie about setting new challenges, I took it upon myself to volunteer Debs to walk Hadrians Wall with me to try and raise some money for The Kindness Group that Sara White’s Blues has been supporting for some years now.

They are trying to raise money to buy a second hand minibus to help support their efforts in the community with the elderly, homeless and others in need. Something which will make a huge difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

Debs, bless her, was kinda fine with the thought of an 84 mile walk – until I told her we only had a window of 5 days in which to complete it. And it would need to be sandwiched in between a dance weekender in Scarborough and a workshop the following weekend in Huddersfield.

Obviously you need to be fully prepared when you are doing something like this, so we both went about organising ourselves in our own ways.

Debs is very much a ‘Girl Scout’ kind of organiser.

She likes to be sure she is ready for every eventuality.

Her packing list looked something like this:

Waterproof rucksack
Every type of pain killer on the market.
Plasters – in every shape and size
First aid kit
Fluids for hydration
Good quality boots
A selection of socks – pop, ankle, double-layered, thick, thin and spare
3 types of jacket – thick, thin and rain
Hideous jumper
Spare everything, etc etc.

I’m a bit more of a ‘It’ll be Fine’ person…

So my packing was this:

Little Purple Rucksack
Red Lucozade
Water for the pup
Cashews
Wellie Boots
And Honey Jack!

And off we went.

Day One – Monday

We left Scarborough after the dance weekend at about 6:30am. Not the easiest thing to do after 3 days of teaching, dancing and DJing. A maybe drinking a glass of wine or two.

We reached the start point on our walk, Segedunum, ready to go at 10am.

The day was mainly spent walking along the river in Newcastle. Nice weather, plenty of bridges and points of interest, a fantastic meal in a little Italian restaurant for lunch and we made it out to greener areas by mid afternoon.

We’d made up our minds that we were going to get as many steps in as we could on Day One, to make it a little easier on ourselves for the rest of the week – and we managed over 50,000 steps. A first for both of us.

Paul was meeting us at the point we thought we’d finish, but we were 800 steps short of the 50,000 at that point – so we made him track us in the car as pushed on. There is no way we were not achieving that big number by that stage – and that kind of set the tone for the rest of the week really.

Day Two – Tuesday

After picking up the essential coffee and biscuits, we were back at our finish point, which was of course, now our starting point at about 9am.

We walked a full 10 hour day on Day Two, aside from a short break for food. The terrain was much more up and down, we spent nearly the whole time away from the road and there were A LOT of stiles to get over.

Diwha Dog was a super-hero! He managed all the ladder stiles, all the stone wall stiles, and one of the two thin wooden stiles we encountered. We had to physically hoist him over the other one – and he is not a small dog!

Debs volunteered for the back end. I’m not sure if that was wise or not – but at least she didn’t get scratched like I did when he suddenly decided he needed to cuddle into him mama!

We made it all the way to Housesteads on Day Two. Over 47000 steps. But there was no way I was gonna convince Debs to round them up so I quit while we were ahead.

The views were incredible. There were lots of hills and at times we felt that not only were we on top of the world, but that we were the only ones out there in that part of the world. We could see for miles. From where we had come from and how far we still had left to go. We saw our first parts of the wall itself and got a real feeling for the enormity of what it must have been like to build it.

I would like it known that I did ‘running’ on Day Two. I ran like the wind, down from the top of a hill. I was graceful and swift. Sure footed and confident. And so so fast!

Unfortunately Debs videoed me running and looking at it, I am convinced she had her camera set to ‘slo-mo’. Somehow she made me look like a giant telly tubby wearing a skirt and waddling like a duck.

I won’t be doing running again.

If the two young guys, that had the bad timing to be coming towards us in the other direction at that time, happen to read this – I’m sorry! You should not have had to witness that!

Wisely, I had booked us into a farmhouse with a hot tub for Tuesday night. My goodness that was a treat! Outside, on a little balcony, overlooking the rolling hillside, fully immersed in nice hot bubbles – with glasses of bubbles too!

After a few glasses of fizz, Debs and I became aware of a cow that appeared to be stuck in stream in the field next to us. The baby calf seemed to be getting quite distressed and the mum didn’t seem able to free herself.

Rather than trying to find out who the farmer was, we decided to send Paul on a recce mission…. (We obviously couldn’t go – we were bubbling)

Paul took this responsibility very seriously, and in his white converse trainers, climbed the gate and headed into the field. Unfortunately, because of the angle of the stream, he wasn’t quite able to see if the cow was actually stuck from that field, so he headed back, down the lane, over another gate and into the field behind.

We, in the hot-tub, on the balcony, were obviously watching with great interest.

There was a wall in the field and we could see Paul walking along the edge of it. And then we couldn’t see him walking along the edge of it.

He’d disappeared.

Downwards.

Panic not! For in a matter of seconds his head popped up and he was back on his feet. The look in our direction didn’t seem to be his most friendly, but hey ho…

At the end of the wall was the stream.

“Leap! Like a gazelle!” we shouted encouragingly from our hot-tub on the balcony.

After assessing the situation, Paul decided that his best course of action was to roll up the legs of his jeans and wade through the very muddy stream.

In his white converse trainers.

It turned out to be a little bit deeper than it looked.

He managed to make it to the cow. And obviously not wanting to distress her further thought he’d try and encourage her out by putting his hands on his knees – and calling her. He hasn’t confessed to what he actually said, but it looked like ‘Here cow cow cow, here cow!” from where we were sitting. In the hot-tub. On the balcony.

I mean, we were a few glasses in by this point and at severe risk of death by laughter-induced drowning but we soldiered on!

After a while, Paul clearly decided he was going to need some help for this job so headed back. Through the muddy, smelly stream. Along the wall, complete with big slippery patch, over the gate with bare legs and wet trainers and back along the lane.

Which is when the cow got out of the stream and wandered off with her calf…

Day Three – Wednesday

The day the heavens opened – and never closed again!

This was always going to be the toughest day. The day with the steepest climbs, trickiest descents and hardest going to get in the number of steps needed to keep on track. And then the rains came…

Luckily we had Guardian Angels on our side – in the form of Morris & Judith.

For some reason Morris & Judith were a little sceptical about my ability to be fully prepared for this adventure, so late on Tuesday they got in touch to ask if there was anything we would need to help us through the awful weather coming in.

And they turned up at our Wednesday starting put with a van FULL of stuff!

Obviously the first thing that happened is that I got told off by Morris for doing the walk in wellie boots – but at least my feet stayed dry!

Fully prepared now with waterproof socks, trousers (I’d forgotten mine!) better jackets, gloves and actual walking companions! Morris & Judith were waterproofed up and joining us on this section of the walk!

So on the toughest day, in driving rain, sideways rain, heavy rain, rain that splashed upwards, with slippery descents, steep climbs mud and more rain – we were joined by the best walking buddies ever.

Morris shared a wealth of information about the wall and the area and walking in general. Judith complimented me on the elegance of my landing when I slipped and fell. They were relentlessly jolly, hugely supportive and they even went above and beyond by treating us to a delicious lunch.

Debs and I both agree that the temptation to give up was never greater than that day – but having these fabulous people with us got us through it and despite taking a few wrong turns, we definitely walked further than we would otherwise have done. Which kept us on track to achieve it all in the 5 days planned.

And when they met us at the finish of that days’ walk with a big glass of wine and boot bananas to help dry out Debs boots for the next day – we were well chuffed! Thanks guys!

Onwards then to the accommodation we had booked for the next two nights – only to find that the relentless rain had caused a giant waterfall on the INSIDE of the kitchen. Of course, by the time we realised we had already emptied all of our luggage out of the car and the thought of trying to find somewhere else so late, when we were so tired was more than a little tough.

Thankfully, we found somewhere. It was lovely. And it had a big deep bath and a full tank of hot water. Perfect!

Day 4 – Thursday

Still raining, but not relentlessly. We wanted a nice early start, but the petrol station where we stopped to pick up our coffee was completely flooded. It took us an age to get out of there but at least we had coffee.

The effect of all that rain meant MUD. Lots and lots of mud, mud, mud.

Not just your regular type of mud. Knee-deep, cow-poop filled, squelchy, gloopy, all encompassing MUD.

That feeling when cold, smelly mud flows over the top of your boots and you know you have a whole day of squelching ahead of you is really something else.

But that wasn’t the only highlight of Day 4.

Day 4 was when we came across the cows. Or more specifically, the baby bullocks. The frisky baby bullocks that had been kept inside all winter and were more than a little excited to be let out into the green fields. And super-interested in everything. Including us!

It has to be said, Debs is not a fan of cows. She is even less a fan of baby bulls.

I had already had a previous encounter with a grumpy bullock last year when one decided to give me a headbutt on my hip during a walk in the Peak District – so I’m not overly keen on having them block my route either.

Which is exactly what they did on Day 4.

A whole bunch of them stood, very determinedly, between us and the gate we needed to get through. There was no other way around. We had a tight schedule and we were definitely getting tired at this stage.

We asked ourselves “What would Morris do in this situation?”

I said that he’d probably sacrifice Debs for the greater good of the mission – and suggested she go ahead and distract them…

She wasn’t hugely impressed with suggestion A.

Suggestion B then.

After my previous headbutt encounter, a young girl had been practising her cartwheels next to the bullocks – and one fell over!

So, suggestion B was for Debs to do a cartwheel, cause one or two to fall over – then while the others were trying to work out what was going on, we’d make a dash for the gate.

It turns out that Debs isn’t a fan of doing cartwheels either.

By this stage the herd was getting curious. Coming straight towards us while at the same time blocking our way to the exit.

There was only one thing for it.

My Teacher Voice!

And that’s when I found myself standing knee deep in mud, with Debs bravely standing hidden behind me, telling cows in my firmest Teacher Voice, “No! You go that way! I said, THAT way! That’s it. All of you. That’s it. Thank you. Now play nicely and have a good day!”

And we made it to the exit!!

By now there were less hills and we were starting to make some good progress.

The lack of pubs and toilet facilities on this part of our route were starting to cause a few anxieties but we soldiered on. Right up until the point we found ourself stranded, in the middle of a flooded field with absolutely no way forward.

There was nothing else to do but to double back and find another way around.

Which turned out to be a long way back and a horrible way forward – along the side of a major A-road with no pathway. That late in the day, with still so far to walk, on a road that felt more than a little dangerous at times – that was a tough bit.

Eventually we found civilisation – and a pub! With a toilet and a glass of prosecco.

Debs ordered the drinks, I headed straight to the loo.

Where I slipped on the tiled floor due to the damn wellie boots.

Thankfully I saved myself before I fell.

But wearing full waterproofs and feeling oh so tired – I couldn’t get my vest tucked in right, so I cried! What a weirdo!

A glass of prosecco later, a chat with my youngest and her massively supportive friends on the phone, a hug with Debs and I was good to go again. Bless those girls serving in the pub – they thought we were totally crazy but wished us the best of luck in finishing our challenge.

Another 47000 step day achieved.

Day 5 – Friday – our last day!

We started the day knowing that this was it. The day we’d get to the finish line. We were upbeat, positive, but really quite tired.

Because of the rain and the flooding we’d lost track of where we could rejoin the path. So we started at Eden Bridge where we’d finished the night before and decided that our first priority was to give the pupster a chance for a pee and poop. And that’s when we accidentally stumbled across the acorn sign we had been following for the entirety of our walk – boom!

This section of the walk took us away from town, along the bank of the river.

There was still so much flooding, so more sections of our walk were blocked and we had to find ways around. Mainly through more mud and over a main road or two but we kept to the line of the walk. The pupster was more than happy to have a little wallow in the flood water. Debs was less than happy when he wanted to cuddle up to her after. The smell of wet dog added a little ‘je ne sais quoi’ to our combined smell of cow-poop, mud, old wet boots and physical exertion for sure!

There is a certain excitement about knowing you are going to achieve the challenge you have set for yourself.

But boy did this section of the walk bash that out of us!

We both agreed that if we had started the walk from this end there is no way that we would have achieved.

It was relentless.

Totally, utterly, boringly, straight, gravel road, dull relentlessness!

We did get dragged into a beautiful little church on the way which was a lovely little interlude. (and the only time I have ever used toilet facilities with a stained glass window) But standing still while learning the history of the area and the church definitely made our sore feet a good bit sorer.

This day was hard, with very little to report.

But we made it to the finish!

Only to find that two people, who hadn’t done the walk, but had only strolled down from the carpark – refused to move out of the way for us to take a decent picture of our big finish!

I would have thought that the sight of Debs in THAT jumper would have been enough to scare them off, but no… they are in all of our finish pics. Hey ho!

After that it was cheesey chips and garlic bread in the local pub, a celebratory glass of prosecco and the long drive onwards to our next overnight stay.

It felt like a massive achievement, but also, quite an anti-climax in a way.

But then we saw the donations!

Not only had we achieved the target we had set for ourselves – we had more than doubled it.

What an incredibly generous, supportive and kind bunch of dancers we are lucky to know.

Everytime the phone pinged, letting us know there was another donation, we both found ourselves with a bit more of a spring in our step and a smile on our faces. Those donations made all the difference to us.

But more importantly – they are going to make all the difference to the community that the Kindness Group are supporting.

The more money we manage to raise, the bigger the difference we can make. Together.

So thank you! For everything…

Paul and Diwha Dog as ‘support crew’ were wonderful. There is no way we could have coped with the driving and the doubling back to move cars etc, and it was such a big deal knowing that there was help along the way if we needed it.

Biggest thanks of all has to go to Debs.

The best friend, walking buddy, partner in crime, up for anything, good, kind soul it is possible to have with you. On this quest. And in life.

Thanks Debs…

What shall we do next?

Do you remember the Caramel Bunny?

Thu, 30 May 2024 14:32:12 GMT

That deliciously sexy creature who had a way of captivating the fastest, bounciest, most urgent of critters and convincing them that life was about taking it easy...

With her smooth sexy voice, dreamy half-closed eyes, laid-back attitude and curvy little body, busy beavers, stressed out storks and even an army of soldier ants were enticed to the chilled, mellow side of life.

I'm convinced that Blues is the Caramel Bunny of the dance world. Sultry, smooth, laid-back, dreamy and mellow with more than a hint of excitement and sexiness. The music grabs you by the sensitive parts and just won't let you go. “

I find myself continually coming back to this thought. I make no apology for that. My thoughts evolve and change yet my love of all things dance and chocolate related remains.

This time I find myself wanting to put the music to one side for a while and to focus upon the feeling of the dance itself. With special consideration given to the art of the perfect Blues follow.

When I follow, I know that I am capable of far more than merely moving my feet across the floor in time to music. I can follow moves. I can follow movement. I can follow changes in time, tempo, direction, motion, energy and musical influences. I aim to adapt instantaneously to follow changes in the lead I am given.

At any given time I may be using my arms, my feet, my body, weight transfer, hip movement, core engagement, a mixture of personal and conjoined balance, hesitation and initiative in any and every combination and I may at times drift from following to leading and back again.

When I lead, with my limited repertoire and ability, my best dances are with those follows who put me in mind of the caramel bunny. Where there is a laid-back, easy kind of laziness that is in absolutely no way lazy. I can feel the engagement of her core,

I can elicit immediate and appropriate responses from her and I can dance with any and every part of her. From her innermost thoughts to the tips of her toes.

I can feel lag with just the right amount of resistance.

I can feel a workable tension and responsiveness that is matched to my own.

Our breathing is in tune with each other and the music.

My partner not only complements my movements but completes them with harmonious accentuation.

Between us we create a confidence in both stillness and movement and can incorporate each into our dance.

We integrate both passive and proactive following techniques into our choreography.

We can create a synchonicity of movement that is lead/follow at its finest. Where the lead and the follow are so finely tuned that it is impossible to discern where the lead finishes and the follow begins.

There is a heightened responsiveness that resists anticipation.

And there is trust. Trust that I can and I will lead. Trust that my lead will be, to the best of my limited ability, movement of symbiosis with music.

So many factors contribute to this state of dance being…

Patience and positivity. Balance and poise. Trust and intuition. Confidence. All alongside the myriad of dance/follow techniques which collectively contribute to our dance-ability.

Yet beyond all of these much can still be learned from the Caramel Bunny. ‘Take it easy…’ is her advice for life.

‘Take it easy would be a big part of my advice for dance. Don’t be lazy. Don’t be late. Don’t be greedy or selfish in the time that you take as your own. But do take it easy… Match the energy you respond with to the lead you are given and the music you are spontaneously choreographing your movements to. Think less, feel more.

The caramel bunny makes it very clear that there is more than one way to get a job done… Let us utilise as many skills as we can acquire in our following, at the appropriate time, in appropriately delivered measures and with due care and attention to both our partner and the music.

Caramel bunny oozes sultry, smooth, laid-back, dreamy and mellow with more than a hint of excitement and sexiness.

I try to bring a bit of that caramel ‘bunny-ness’ to my dance. And my best dances when I lead are with those ladies who seem to do that, in their own unique and special way, too.

Aunty

Thu, 30 May 2024 14:26:13 GMT

Did you know....

The term ‘Aunty’ to Maoris in New Zealand has more than one meaning. Yes, it is the way you address the female sibling of your parents, but it is also used as a term of respectful endearment for those older than you.

A way of honouring the fact that in some not too distant past all Polynesians descended from the same ancestors – and are therefore family.

Hawaiians, Fijians, Tongans are considered to be cousins.

I overheard conversations where the younger person addressed the lady as ‘Aunty’ lots of times during our visit. Each time it made me smile, but I couldn’t quite catch hold of why.

Recently, while out and about with a friend, we came across a couple of young ladies who had been let down badly by a holiday company they had been dealing with. They now found themselves stranded in a foreign country, hungry, broke and without the means to resolve the situation.

For hours they had been trying to sort things out, and the hotel staff were immovable. The monies had not been paid, nothing they could do.

These young ladies were tired, very hungry and very, very worried. What should have been a fabulously exciting time for them was turning into their worst nightmare.

My friend quietly laid her credit card on the counter and resolved the situation. When the girls are in a position to deal with the holiday company there is a good chance she will be reimbursed.

My friend – Aunty.

Another instance. While spending some time on a beach recently we because aware of a young man who seemed to have slept all morning without moving. The sun was very hot, and he hadn’t had a drink all day.

We watched as a stranger to him gently roused him from his deep sleep, held a bottle of water to his lips until he had drunk enough to feel well enough to move. We watched as she washed the sand from his face and hair. And then she carefully ascertained that he was OK to make his way back to his hotel.

Stranger – Aunty

My grandmother was a ‘clippy’ (a bus conductress) in London in the early ‘70’s. If somebody was taken poorly, or needed help on her bus, she wouldn’t just ask if they were OK, she’d get her Hopkin (my grandfather, her driver) to drive that bus right up to the person’s door and see them safe inside. And likely go back again the next day just to check on them.

Grandmother – Aunty

My daughter works with young adults with learning disabilities helping them to make the transition from college life to working life. When students in the rest of the college were offered the chance of taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme – do you think there was any chance her students were going to miss out on that opportunity?

In her lunch breaks and evenings she encouraged, supported and helped each one of them to do all the things necessary to achieve success. Even going out on the expeditions with them, despite it not being her role.

And when it came to it – not only did all of her students complete the award, they were the ONLY students to complete it. And the first to EVER complete it at the college.

Daughter – Aunty

These are just a few from a huge long list of examples I could quote.

And so I realise now why this term of respect and endearment makes me smile.

It is the recognition that we are all Aunty. Or Uncle. That we can all make a difference simply by doing for others what you would readily do for your own.

When some young lads found themselves caught up in a fracas in Bournemouth earlier this year, through absolutely no fault of their own. It would have been easy to turn away and hope for the best.

But if those boys were MY boys, I’d want someone to step in and calm the situation, guide them, make sure they were safe.

We are all Aunty. We are all Uncle.

These might not be OUR children, but they are all somebody’s children.

In the days when it was believed that a village raised a child, not merely the closest relatives, we all had so many more Aunties and Uncles.

Aunty… We need more of those.

6 things that will help to make you a better partner dance follow…

Thu, 30 May 2024 14:18:37 GMT

Can you add more to the list?

In our Ladies Styling workshops we focus not only on how to add embellishments to our dance, but also when and why... but the most important thing we focus on is the art of following. The technique, the ethos and joy of that artform.

Here are a few things that we think about…

Maybe you can add to the list?

1 - To truly follow, one must choose to surrender completely to the lead.

That does not mean that the lead is superior, more important or better in any way to the follow. But the two skills are massively different and both are essential in the quest to achieve the perfect dance.

2 - To follow well, one must give to the dance but not at the expense of the dance.

Styling and flourishes can really make a difference to the dance. But these should be music driven and not opportunistic seizures.

3 - You are uniquely you.

When we start adding styling to the dance, it is inevitable that we begin by copying, or by adding learned movements. These are fabulous ways of gaining confidence and learning skills that will enhance your abilities. Eventually the YOU in you will start to shine through – embrace this.

4 - Some things are fundamental.

Posture, poise and precision of movement are all things we should be focusing on. Pre-empting the lead is a no-no. Being secure, yet prepared within stillness for impending movement is your aim.

5 - Connection is your responsibility.

Whether in close-hold or at extension, creating and maintaining connection will ensure a better dance. Stopping short and not reaching the completion of a movement, rebounding as a habit, not giving or maintaining a good frame and not committing fully or correctly in hold are all ways that you could be sabotaging your physical dance connection.

Connection is more than just physical however. Both partners in the dance also have a responsibility to connect with the music. If dancing is considered to be movement to music, then if we are just going to go through the motions and complete a series of moves, irrespective of what the music might be suggesting – can we truly call this dancing?

6 - Give good dance .

This should be your mantra. Too many times we get hung up on whether we are getting a good dance, forgetting our responsibility towards making that happen. Giving good dance is about making each dance the best that we can.

It is not about ‘out-dancing’ your partner, and highlighting their lack of experience or ability. It is not all about you, you, you. Over-styling and over-flourishing without regard to the music or your partner can be demoralising.

Giving good dance should be a fundamental. For in the process of the giving, we usually find that what we get back is an awful lot better. .

My Review of 2023

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 16:31:50 GMT

Looking back at 2023...

As we step into 2024, with so many exciting things to look forward to, I thought it would be nice to take a look back over 2023 and see what we all got up to!

As we fast approach our 18th anniversary, it is quite something to think that we have been running weekly Modern Blues classes for all that time! (With the exception of the Covid break- obviously).

As far as I am aware, we are the only dance event provider who has managed to do that – and we are still going strong!

In 2023 we taught 45 weekly classes at Buckden.

We held 41 freestyles over the course of the year:

11 x Blues Emotion
11 x Collaboration
6 x Worcester Blues
11 x monthly Freestyles in Buckden
1 x Freestyle in St Neots
1 x Boxing Day Blues
1 x New Year’s Eve event

We ran 12 workshops under the Blues Nites banner, and taught a fair few for other event organisers too:

6 in Worcester
5 at Blues Emotion events in Dry Drayton
1 in Buckden
Some in Nantwich and Manchester too

In addition we ran 2 Blues BootCamps and a New-2-Blues course.

There were 3 UK weekenders in 2023:

1 with our friends at Pulse Dance in Scarborough
And 2 x Blues Retreats in Bournemouth
We also got back to see our friends in Sweden for a fabulous Fox/Blues weekender

And of course we had the absolute highlight of our year – the Crystal Blues Challenge!

Add to that between 5 and 8 private lessons every fortnight – and we have been kept mighty busy!

Along the way, and with your incredibly kind support, we have tried to do our best to help others too. Collectively we have raised In excess of £4500 – plus physical donations of food for the food bank, coats and clothing, toys and household items for those escaping domestic violence, sleeping bags, coats, rucksacks with gloves, hats, toiletries, Greggs vouchers, hand warmers etc for those who are living on the streets, hot water bottles for elderly people struggling with the cold, Christmas dinner boxes for those who would be going without at Christmas, and much, much more.

That all feels like something to be proud of so we’ll be going in to 2024 with the aim of doing it all over again in 2024

And as we are not ones to rest on our laurels – we’re going to set ourselves the challenge of doing even more.

With the opening of another new venue this month, and starting a new and exciting style of freestyle – we’re off to a good start.

I think 2024 is looking like a fabulous year for Blues dancers!

So let me take this opportunity to thank all of you:

For your support
For your kindness
For your enthusiasm
And for being a part of this fabulous Blues Dancing world that means so much to us all!

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and dance-filled 2024!

I live to do this work I love. And I work hard to live this way.

5 things I have learned since becoming an adult partner dance teacher…

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 08:37:29 GMT

Just like children, adults learn in a variety of ways.

Some are visual learners – they need to see something being done, usually a few times, in order to make it their own.

Some are aural learners – needing clear explanation, and memorable description.

Some are kinaesthetic learners – who need to ‘just do it’ to get it.

Some are blockers – the ‘yeah, but…’ people who will find every reason why something can’t work, can’t be done, can’t happen before making it work, doing it and making it happen.

Some are sponges – the ‘give me more, more, more…’ people who may or may not ‘get’ what they have already been given, but still thirst and hunger for more. They absorb and absorb until saturation point.

Some have a natural affinity to learning – with open minds, open hearts and a quest for improvement on all levels, they continually strive to learn and grow.

Some have to work hard at it – and despite the fact that it doesn’t come easy, they plough onwards at whatever pace suits them towards their final goal.

Most of us are a combination of the above and more. So many factors hinder and assist learning. Personal, professional and environmental influences make us more or less able to absorb at any given time.

Some have to be ‘stealth-taught’ – key points delivered in such a way that even though it ‘doesn’t apply to them’, they pick up on it anyway.

I have learned that In order to effectively teach all styles of learners then I need to clearly demonstrate, effectively break-down the intricacies of music and movement, create moments of humour and deliver ‘hooks’ on which to hang key points.

Above all, I have learned that teaching dance is not about teaching individual moves – but about inspiring people to become the dancer they want to be.

Dance is a personal journey.

Not everyone wants to be the ‘best’. Most people consider their dance to be a social experience, and being good enough is enough.

This was a difficult lesson for me to learn.

As a teacher, my eye is ever set on ‘the next step’, the way to improvement and progression.

But most people just want to dance. Simples.

The trick is in acceptance. Even though I can see ways of making small changes to gain big improvements – doesn’t mean that change is necessary for your dance enjoyment.

But if you are looking for improvement, I am ready, willing and able to help you make those changes.

Teaching dance isn’t just about teaching dance.

The lucky ones amongst us find ourselves learning to dance as adults as the fruition of a period of longing. It’s something we’ve been meaning to do, maybe on a Bucket List, and we finally get round to it.

But for many of us, learning to dance is something we find ourselves doing at a time of great change in our lives. Borne from a need or necessity. Perhaps after divorce, loss, drift or at a time of self-discovery we challenge ourselves to try something new in an attempt to build and grow our social lives.

Which means there are many vulnerable and nervous people who come to class.

The lost, the lonely, the angry and the sad, all mixed in with the vibrant, the dynamic, the happy and the joyous.

The rich, the clever, the bright and the gifted, all mixed in with the unusual, the different, the left-of-centres and the alternate thinkers.

A social dance night can be the friendliest place on the planet. But it also has the potential to be the loneliest and the scariest.

To be a truly successful social event, an ethos of inclusivity and acceptance is fundamental. It’s OK to be a little different. It’s OK to be a little weird. It’s even OK to be a little normal – whatever that is.

Beneath the surface of a dance class is a lot more than movement and music.

Teaching is a tiny part of the job.

Looking back now, I realise how naïve I was when I first started running events 10 years ago.

I came to the table with a teaching degree and my years of experience of school teaching and thought then that actually teaching dance was the main part of the job.

WRONG!

In the last ten years I have had to acquire a whole new set of skills and learn to wear a huge variety of different hats.

Including:

Website design , updating and technical wizardry.
Marketing – the good, the bad and the hideously ugly.
Venue sourcing and the art of dealing with those in charge of them.
Venue management and the ability to cope with any and every incident.

We’ve had the leaky roof that caused the sprung floor to bow upwards, creating a hill in the middle of the room.

The condensation issue that created a permanent puddle in the middle of the floor.

The less than well thought through booking situation that had a dance class and bell ringers trying to co-exist.

The classes that occur after playgroup, so we have to allow an extra 30 minutes of set up time so we can clear up the sand, trodden in jam sandwiches, play dough, glue and sprinkles reminders of artistic creativity at its finest.

The sessions straight after dog shows that require creative air-freshening.

The workshops that happen on a wet afternoon and the footballers have forgotten to take their boots off before coming through to the bar.

Not to mention other peoples events that over-run, or when the caretaker forgets to let us in, or when the hall has been double-booked. Improvise, Adapt and Overcome is our mantra.

Book-keeping , accounting and the art of borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. Teaching is rewarding in many ways. Financially, not so much…
Innovation and diversity . To exist we must evolve. To evolve we must innovate. To innovate we must create. Constantly.
DJing – oh those days when I thought DJing was just about playing my favourite tunes. Little did I know then about the hours of sourcing, stressing and obsessing!
Team management – back in the day I didn’t realise I needed a team. These days I don’t know how I’d cope without the amazing people I am lucky enough to call my team. My management technique consists of allowing and encouraging each of us to do what we enjoy and be the best we can be at it.
Event muscle – setting up, packing away, lifting and shifting of amps, speakers, sound and lighting equipment.
Floor layer – we’ve been lucky enough to be given access to some amazing flooring that allows us to create events in places where the existing flooring wouldn’t be suitable. I am now expert in the art of floor stomping jigsaws. And the late night floor lift shift.
Counsellor – as I said, teaching dance isn’t just about teaching dance. It is about reading between the lines, hearing what is not said, seeing what isn’t mentioned and being emotionally, physically and virtually available. I care passionately about dance. I care passionately about teaching dance. I care passionately about those to whom I am privileged enough to teach dance. I care. Passionately.

The live to work/work to live rules don’t apply.

Few of us are able to take something we enjoy passionately and make it our living. I am one of the lucky ones.

There have been many adjustments and compromises I have made along the way to enable that to be the case.

My 13 year-old fourth-hand car gets me where I need to be – usually.

I don’t have a TV – but I have beauty all around me.

I’ll never be in a position to own my own home – but I have the freedom to up and move at will.

I don’t have savings – but I can usually just about pay my bills.

What I do have is the joy of working at a job of my creation that fuels my creativity and my passion, with people who are a constant source of joy and inspiration.

I have the same grr’s and frustrations that everyone else has when things are not going well, but I have learned that I have the spirit and tenacity to deal with the downs as well as the ups.

Sometimes people take a shallow view, and see the few hours spent at a class night and take those few hours to be the sum total of my job.

Sometimes people take the view that dance teaching should done ‘for the love of dance’ and that it is somehow wrong to make a living from it.

And sometimes, when my feet are bleeding, my body is broken and everything in me has been spent and given…

From the countless hours spent on the go, on the floor, on the decks, on the move, on the fly, on demand…

From way before the start til way beyond the finish…

Often on the nights when it has cost me a lot more to run an event than the event has made…

I smile.

Because I am a dancer, a teacher, an event organiser.

I live to do this work I love. And I work hard to live this way.

Some things the other dancers WANT YOU TO KNOW

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 14:57:27 GMT

I recently read an interesting and enlightening article aimed at Tango leads and was both pleased and dismayed to see that a lot of the issues that are faced by follows in Blues dancing are actually faced by follows in all partner dancing.

Pleased – because it is clear that these are issues that are non-specific to Modern Blues dancing, which means we can blame the dancer and not the dance.

Dismayed – because it seems such a shame that we even need to mention half of these things. And also because the people that we would hope to take these thoughts on board are most likely to be the people who won’t read them or apply them.

So I’m going to tell you what other dancers tell me:

UNSOLICITED DANCE ADVICE

No-one wants it!

Whether this is in the class, on the social dance floor or at the side of the floor.

People go to class to learn from the teacher. They turn up on time, pay good money, listen carefully and try their best to implement everything that is being asked of them by the teacher. So they do NOT want YOU teaching them. Ever.

Don’t do it. It is confusing. Everybody is unique. What feels perfect to one will feel odd to another. If something isn’t working and your follow isn’t doing what you expect – change your lead! Improve YOUR dancing – let your follow (or lead) focus on improving theirs.

And you know what really works..? Always assuming that anything that goes wrong is at least 50% your fault and then going all out to improve your side of things. That works!

WARM WELCOME

It isn’t easy going somewhere new, particularly by yourself. And we all want to be part of a warm and welcoming club. But there is a big difference in making people welcome and making people uneasy.

Asking a new person to dance is good. Asking a new person for their phone number, to go out with you or to give up their life story to you is not. Neither should you feel the need to share your life story with them. They are there to dance – so let them!

Having a dance or two during the evening with a new person is great. Monopolising that person and making them feel uncomfortable is not.

Do you know that the same social boundaries apply IN dance as they do outside of it? If you’re doing or saying things that you wouldn’t want said or done to your wife/daughter/mother/girlfriend/boyfriend/son/husband/father by someone else – then don’t do it.

And these things apply to everyone – not just new people…

Also, don’t assume that every ‘new’ person that comes to the venue is new to dance. There are a lot of people in the dance world – many of them will have been dancing a lot longer than you!

Try to get the balance right. If you’ve asked someone to dance two or three times in the evening, maybe let them ask you for the next one. We can’t be everyone’s favourite dancer – but we don’t want to be their worst stalker.

RESPECT PEOPLE’S PERSONAL SPACE

Modern Blues is a dance that focuses on close hold. This is not an excuse for inappropriate contact – from either partner…

It means we have to take extra care to avoid inappropriate contact and overstepping the personal boundaries of those we dance with. Ours is a dance of style, of elegance, of joy – so let’s make it our aim to avoid anything that might give it – or you – accusations of being sleazy.

These are a few of the things that people have asked me to comment on recently…

It’s not a lead vs follow thing. It’s not a guys vs girls thing. These things and more apply across the board. Mostly everything works out OK, but now and then these things just need a mention…

And just as a reminder – if something happens at our events that IS bothering you, please let us know. We can deal with most things given the opportunity… Blues Nites do already have a safety policy on the web site (https://bluesnites.co.uk/your-safety) – we’re going to be giving that some thought over the next couple of weeks so we can make dancing at Blues Nites an even more safe, respectful and enjoyable experience for all.

These are all part of our one goal as leads and as follows

Give good dance!

5 things that will help to make you a better partner dance follow…

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 13:16:21 GMT

5 things that will help to make you a better partner dance follow…

To truly follow, one must choose to surrender completely to the lead.

This does not mean that the lead is superior, more important or better in any way to the follow. But the two skills are massively different and both are essential in the quest to achieve the perfect dance.

To follow well, one must give to the dance but not at the expense of the dance.

Styling and flourishes can really make a difference to the dance. But these should be music driven and not opportunistic seizures.

Eventually the YOU in you will start to shine through – embrace this.

Some things are fundamental.

Posture, poise and precision of movement are all things we should be focusing on.Pre-empting the lead is a no-no.

Being secure, yet prepared within stillness for impending movement is your aim.

Connection is your responsibility.

Whether in close-hold or at extension, creating and maintaining connection will ensure a better dance.

Stopping short and not reaching the completion of a movement, rebounding as a habit, not giving or maintaining a good frame and not committing fully or correctly in hold are all ways that you could be sabotaging your physical dance connection.

Connection is more than just physical however.

Both partners in the dance also have a responsibility to connect with the music.

If dancing is considered to be movement to music, then if we are just going to go through the motions and complete a series of moves, irrespective of what the music might be suggesting – can we truly call this dancing?

Give Good Dance.

This should be your mantra.

Too many times we get hung up on whether we are getting a good dance, forgetting our responsibility towards making that happen.

Giving good dance is about making each dance the best that we can.

It is not about ‘out-dancing’ your partner, and highlighting their lack of experience or ability.

It is not all about you, you, you. Over-styling and over-flourishing without regard to the music or your partner can be hugely demoralising.

Giving good dance should be a fundamental. For in the process of the giving, we usually find that what we get back is an awful lot better.