Are You In?

Weekly WCS Notes: Private News List

Are you in?

Or are you out?

Starting this week, I will begin releasing brand new "Weekly WCS Notes" to my private email list. I currently have about 5,000 readers across the globe.

Are you one of them?

If not, I suggest you sign up immediately. Why? Because the topics for the next six weeks are going to be, in a word, HUGE.

You do not want to miss one word.

So.

Are you IN?

Or are you OUT?

Sign up. Now. 

Katherine

Click here to sign up for my Weekly WCS Notes.

Information is private and never shared.

To Be a Dance Teacher ©

The Minimum Requirements Before Handing Out Your Card

I was recently asked to write about the standards a "prospective teacher" should achieve and meet. It struck a cord with me. As a studio owner, an education graduate and a teacher to thousands of students (from nearly every age and demographic), I had most certainly learned the in's and out's of teaching all of the partner dances. So whether you are a student who is looking to start their own business as a dance instructor, or if you are a studio owner who is interested in training new and prospective teachers for you studio, this article is for you. Plus, it is an EXCELLENT indicator for students looking to hire someone that is worth their time and money. 

Partner dancing is a complicated art. No matter what form of it you are doing, you are essentially bringing two separate people, with their own physical, mental and emotional strengths, gifts and weaknesses... together. And so, as in marriage, partner dancing can bring out the best and the worst in us. As all that we are unfolds in the arms of another on the dance floor, so must the teacher be aware of this delicate situation. And that’s just the start.

When it comes to teaching partner dancing, in this case West Coast Swing – What makes someone eligible to teach? In an ever increasing self-promoting society, where people will hand you "their card” within a month of learning the dance, it’s becoming more and more important to know what the requirements are for prospective instructors. What makes them worth investing your money and your time with? Just because someone says they are a teacher, or starts a class, doesn’t mean they should be teaching or should be gathering students to them.

It is now in the hands of students, clubs and organizational leaderships to evaluate and determine who is truly worthy of the title “Dance Instructor.” The following are the minimum standards that I believe every teacher who is worth an hour of anyone’s time must meet:

1. An instructor should be able to chart and phrase music.

Well trained aerobic instructors are required to understand the music they are playing for their classes. It is a well known and accepted practice. Since partner dancing generally requires a much more diverse library of music, it makes charting the necessity of this skill for any dance teachers’ training even more important. Dance teachers must be able to chart and phrase both 3⁄4 music as well at 4/4 music, and must understand the “dancers count” instead of the “measures” that musicians use. They must understand the difference between the 1 and the 5 in 4/4 music and they must understand that the mini-phrase in 3⁄4 music is not 3 beats long, but 6 beats long, etc. They must know the difference between the mini-phrase and the major phrase, and must understand how to chart bridges, etc. I have seen numerous ways to chart music, and though I love my current method, I have never seen the other methods steer anyone wrong. A teacher should choose their method wisely, and then learn it well.

This ability to "chart" music is essential for every teacher who is in charge of bringing the music to light for students who are in the position of leading or following. Even if they don’t train the students in phrasing themselves, the mere knowledge of it lends to better instruction... from waiting for the intro of a song to pass before starting the call of a pattern, to ensuring they “finish” the complete phrasing of a pattern, instead of leaving the students half-way through a step, as so many do in say, Rumba, and ensuring the students are “off-time” as a result. And if an instructor ever intends to choreograph, then it is simply impossible to do so correctly without charting out the music. I am consistently stunned at the errors current "choreographers" have made because they did not chart the music, leading their students into utter chaos, confusion and failure.

No matter what, this knowledge is a must.

2. An instructor must know the "full versions" of the basic patterns of the dance.

Too often basic patterns are only taught or shared in the context of footwork. For some students and classes this might be enough, such as group lessons for entertainment at weddings, or perhaps a free introduction course. But a trained instructor, who is expecting to teach such things as weekly classes or private lessons, should most certainly know more than just the general footwork.

First let me say that it is essential that any teacher should at least know the basics for both the leader and the follower, no matter what gender the teacher is. They don't have to know their counterparts' patterns and techniques as well as they do their own, but they should definitely know all of the following when it comes to their counterparts' basics.

A trained and worthwhile instructor should not only know the footwork of the leader and follower during all basic patterns, but also their accommodating center movements, frame and hand positions. For example, all teachers should know where the hands go, where the center faces and where the feet go during each beat of every basic pattern. Obviously such positions can be delved into with great detail when it comes to higher levels of training, but for most teachers, a basic understanding of where the hands should meet (in the hold of Waltz vs. the hold of WCS, etc), where the bodies should face, etc should be enough for most classes and students.

Of course, the higher the level of the student, the higher the quality of the instructor should be. Advanced instructors should definitely have a much deeper knowledge of the positions above. For example, I, as well as a few other master instructors in WCS, can break down hand positions literally to the exact bone in the finger of someone's hand. We can explain the 'why's' behind each position and advanced technique.

I should also mention here that when it comes to the specific training for each of the basics, the parts, done correctly, will strengthen and improve a person's body, not wear down, feel uncomfortable or strain anything on one's body. When I give a student a hand position, and they say they've been given another, I always ask them to dance a few basics with each technique, and decide for themselves which technique feels better on their body. I have yet to find a student that didn't chose my technique- and that is a reflection my skill, my background and my in depth training. I encourage all students and instructors, before training with someone they know little about, to first ask who they have trained with as well as who they currently train with. A good instructor is always a student too. If they do not have a chance to do so, I encourage them to always ask themselves after a lesson... "Does this feel really good on my body?" And adopt or drop the technique accordingly.

3. An instructor must know the various calls that go with each pattern.

Some teachers only call a pattern in "quicks and slows." Some teachers only call a pattern by its numbers, or "count." Some teachers even swear by calling a pattern by the phrasing in the music. And others, in addition to numbers, only call in rolling count "& a 1 & a 2" or a straight count "& a 1 e & a 2 e." For this reason, I believe all teachers should at least know about all of these calls, and what they mean. In my experience dancers look like stiff robots when they dance to a straight count call, but that's because I know the difference between a straight count and a rolling count. No matter what student I get, I can tell by their dancing which one they are doing. This is, of course, quite an advanced sort of eye, but still, I believe every teacher should at least be trained in the terminology, even if their eye is not developed.

It has also been my experience that, when teaching classes of about 100 students or so, 40-60% of the class will snatch up their Foxtrot or Rumba pattern when I call out the "count." Then I alternate to calling in "quicks and slows," and the other 60-40% instantaneously gets the pattern as well. After a while, I found myself consistently alternating between the two calls. Most students do not notice at all, but is always a purposeful choice on my part. If I call out 8 basics in a row of the Rumba, then I literally call out four of them using the "count" and four of them using "quicks and slows," Alternating between the two at a rate that I find works for each particular class. Sure, every once in a great while, I find a class in which 98% of the students respond only to the "count" call (engineers, anyone?) and sometimes I'll get the exact opposite. I never know, and therefore I never assume, and therefore I am prepared with an arsenal of tools that will work.

And finally, when it comes to knowing the various calls, an instructor will be lost if they do not fully understand all of them and how they relate to one another. For example, every teacher should be prepared with the knowledge that a "quick quick" equals two weight changes during two beats of music and a "slow" means one weight change during two beats of music.* Not only that, but a teacher should know exactly what "count" that single weight change occurs on, etc. For example, when someone asks what the "count" is for a Country Two Step when the teacher has been calling "quicks and slows," then the teacher should be able to say that it's a 6 count pattern, and can call those counts as they dance, etc, etc.

Essentially, because there are so many ways of teaching out there, a true instructor should know what they all are, their differences and their relation to one another. I am not saying an instructor must absolutely teach in only one format, nor that they absolutely must teach in more than one, but I do believe that they must be trained in what all of them mean in relation to the basics of the dance they are teaching. I certainly have my opinions on which produce better dancing, but that is for another article. For now, the vocabulary and the ability to switch between the calls of a dance’s basics is quite enough.

4. An instructor must have mastered the art of weight changes.

It is my honest and heartfelt opinion that any teacher who intends to charge for their lessons, especially private lessons, must have mastered the art of changing weight. In essence, I mean that they have mastered the ability to lead and follow with their centers, and not their arms. This is perhaps the most difficult thing a teacher must learn to do, but it is essential. "Arm" leads & follows are almost always at the heart of partner dance injuries, along with hand holds (why I mention them in #2). There is no excuse for an instructor to put their students in harms way.

Yes, I'm saying that a teacher must be trained in "centering." In many ballrooms, instructors and students are trained to move their "core." In WCS, I was trained to narrow my body's center of movement down to the size of a golf ball in my solar plexus, whereas my friends who teach ballroom have narrowed their core down to the span of their ribcage. Either one works for me when it comes to instructor training. If someone is leading by moving their "body"- i.e., their core, their solar plexus, their ribcage or their center... then they are usually using it to move their body's weight from one foot to another, allowing their frame to follow along.

Also, along with knowing the counts of the patterns I mention in point 2 & 3 above, a teacher must know that the counts and calls relate directly to weight changes. Again, if I call "quick, quick" in a Country Two Step, then I am aware that I am calling for two complete weight changes, occurring on counts "1" and "2" in the pattern, and often times, in order to help the class, the "1" and the "2" of the major phrase in the music. All of these things... centering, weight changes, counts and calls... they relate to one another on almost every level. This is why it's so important that a trained instructor should understand them in regards to the dance they intend to teach.

5. An instructor should also know two other dances.

I know I'm going out on a limb here, but to be honest, this requirement comes as a result of the dancing and instruction that is inundating all partner dance communities today, especially West Coast Swing. 15 years ago, I never would have said that a teacher who wants to teach WCS would need to learn two other dances in order to be a good instructor.

But it is not 15 years ago. All partner dance communities, whether it be tango, ballroom or swing... they are all being affected by YouTube, TV Shows (DWTS, SYTYCD, etc) and the Millenial Generation. I talk about the cause & effects of these in great detail elsewhere, but for now, let's focus on the ever increasing results of these influences: 1. Dancers are no longer dancing "on beat" in many communities, 2. Dancers are unable to identify what music lends to what dance and 3. Dancers are increasingly dancing split weight.

In WCS, these three erosions are found worldwide. In other dances, such as tango, they are only occurring in certain cities or countries. But there are communities that seem much more "immune" to these three erosions... and all of those communities have one thing in common: the dancers in those communities all dance more than one dance. Let's take Country Western for example. Country Western dancers are much more immune to Abstract Improvisation, a dance that is more on the Modern Dance side of things than a "lead & follow" partner dance. Why? Because CW dancers go to a dance and listen to every song that is played, and have to decide whether it is a Cha Cha, a Cowboy Cha Cha, a certain Line Dance, a Two-Step or a Waltz, etc. To survive in their communities, they must know what music lends to what dance. Not only that, but their music tends to be faster, requiring a higher level of lead and follow, and therefore they are more "immune" to the other two erosions- split weight and off time dancing. For example, if you dance a line dance and ignore the music, you will be completely run over in no time.

And that is why I believe all prospective instructors should learn two other dances. When a dancer knows more than one "lead and follow" dance, it "immunizes" them from the three common erosions. It prevents them from losing the character, the counts and the basic patterns of each dance once they start teaching, and helps them avoid the dangerous road of "do your own thing" no matter what the music or your partner is doing. I suppose if a teacher is being trained in ballroom, it is perhaps not as important to know another two dances, but it doesn't hurt, especially since erosions tend to spread like wildfire, especially with YouTube, etc.

But it is my absolute firm and resolved belief that anyone going into WCS, in the current climate, must absolutely know two other "lead and follow" dances. (I personally suggest one Latin and one Smooth, but that's just the educator in me.)

6. A prospective instructor will be able to identify Soft Abstract Improvisation, Hard Abstract Improvisation and West Coast Swing when they see it and when they feel it in their partner.

Many local communities have already separated into their different dances... Abstract dancers go to one club and WCS dancers go to another. And this is good. This is healthy. They are two completely different dances with completely opposite goals, technique, mechanics and music. Abstract does not have basic patterns and it is not lead and follow and it is most certainly not centered.

Unfortunately, though, thousands of new dancers are going to YouTube to learn more about WCS, and Abstract Improvisation is almost all they will see and learn there instead. As such, if an instructor wants to teach WCS nowadays, especially if they live near a large city or have a demographic that is very much "plugged-in," aka, "online" all the time, then an instructor should know about all three dances and how they are danced, so that they are prepared when students ask questions or want to learn certain "things" they've seen online. In California, where I live, most students are traveling to different dances with different instructors. As such, they are learning a variety of dances, Abstract, Zouk and Swing, all at the same time, and with everyone calling is WCS. They have been and are... utterly confused. And so, WCS teachers today, I believe, should be "in the know" when it comes to the dances out there on the floor.

And if you're a ballroom instructor? Well, I think you should know about what's going on in WCS too, because your dance might be next. Our "Abstract" instructors are waltzing their way in (no pun intended) to your studios worldwide. Sometimes your students see it for what it is right away... "Really? You want us to squat??? Really????" But not all students think for themselves or have as much training outside of WCS as you would think.

So in my opinion, anyone who teaches a partner dance should know what Abstract Improvisation is... because it's incredibly easy, incredibly deceptive and incredibly NOT in the bounds of any basic concepts held in any of the partner dances.

----------------------------- 

And there it all is. My basic requirements for prospective dance instructors. Of course, I certainly welcome students to learn and master all of the above as well. There is not one thing here that will not make you a better dancer, a greater success and a more powerful person. I wish you the best. And partner dancing really can feed your soul better than much in this world... but only when you learn it right, when you learn it well, when you learn what works...

From a truly trained instructor. 

*(Yes, the knowledge of the Universal Unit System (Skippy Blair's creation) and its terminology, such a Single Rhythms, Double Rhythms and Triple Rhythms, can make this training and terminology much easier to learn and understand. Since learning it, I can hardly ever choreograph my own dancing, whether WCS, Waltz or Tango without having the rhythms charted in my head. It's an incredible tool.)

Katherine Krok Eastvold

PDF version for print
(Right click on link and select "Save Link As..." 
to download to your computer)

Published May 2012 for the UK South London WCS Community.

Copyright 2012

Every Good Man...

I recently found this on the UK's South England WCS Page and thought you'd enjoy.

To All West Coast Leaders -
Remember the K.I.S.S. Principle!

Keep it simple, stupid, 

Is what I always say,

For when you're dancing west coast,

There is no other way.

Just keep it simple, stupid,

Control those twitchy feet,

Don't try to show off all your moves,

To every girl you meet.

You may try all the moves there are,

When dancing on the floor,

But all that does is to proclaim,

You are a west coast bore.

Too many men take to the floor,

Who give the girls a fright,

By messing up some fancy move,

They half-learned just last night.

Now, gents, the thing your partners want,

Is heaven, not a hell,

So learn to do the simple things,

And learn to do them well.

Just keep it simple, stupid,

It's balance, poise and pace,

It's dancing in the music,

With elegance and grace.

Yes, keep it simple, stupid,

And the way that you'll impress,

Is never ever to forget:

In west coast, more is less.

Please, please, just keep it simple,

I urge you and implore,

You'll please yourself and partner,

For less is always more.

(Adapted from the original tango poem by John Villiers, London, 2003.)

Thank you, Alaister Copland and Mike Rosa,
for all of your work in the UK!

Check out their page here if you haven't already:

www.southwestcoastswing.co.uk

xoxo,

Katherine

'V' is for Violations

I've been reformatting my articles for publication recently. Studios across the globe are using them in classes, so I figured it was time to get them in a uniform, easy to read and cohesive format. While doing this, I discovered that my Judging Article didn't touch on violations. I realized that I had covered it in the Rearview Mirror section the week after my first article on Judging went out to my readers. I've gone ahead and updated the article, but since its been the most popular article at the last three events (usually run out by Saturday afternoon and have to run more copies... when will I learn!) I think I'll go ahead and fill you in on what I said in my Rearview Mirror piece, more or less...

Violations.

Let's just say, there's a reason I didn't write about them in that first Weekly Note on Judging. It's because I didn't think about them. Why would I? They are useless. So I never use them, I never teach anyone to use them and therefore, I never think about them.

So what if a couple is violated? It never affects their placing. Oh, I've heard of the random contest where a violation moved a couple down one placing, but I've also heard that the event director freaks and makes them put the couple back up.  How corrupt is that? It's a joke. So why should any judge bother violating anyone? It just puts a huge target on their back.

A violation punishes the judge, not the couple. 

The cost just doesn't outweigh the benefit.

And violating for Swing Content? Come on. That's like saying "hey, you did a Waltz in a Cha Cha competition, but we'll just violate you and give you your trophy anyhow." Huh? Yeah. I like my method of Judging much much more. It's much cleaner, much easier to understand and it makes sense.

Could violations have a place in our system? Maybe.  Violate for too many drops, a lift when it's not showcase... okay.  But it has to knock the couple out of the Top 5 at least. Why violate if there aren't any consequences?

There has to be a firm consequence to a violation, 

a standard that no one, no how, is exempt from. 

And that includes names. It's worthless and fruitless and ticks people off instead of making them change their routines. The fact of the matter is that I've been competing long enough in WCS to see our violations do absolutely nothing worthwhile and edifying in our community. A bark without bite, because the leadership is too scared to make a violation stick.

So if you ask me, forget the 'V.' 

But maybe I'll shake things up one day and smack down a 'D' instead.

That's right. If I had my own little dreamworld, I would have the freedom as a judge to Disqualify a couple.  Especially for doing a different dance... Abstract, Zouk, N2S... anything more than Swing. I would like this freedom. I think it's fair. Do the dance you signed up to do already.

And I'd certainly like to Disqualify certain behavior. Cruel, unethical, pornographic and other downright wrong things are happening out there now, and though the audience nervously giggles when it happens, it would be nice if we, as judges, had the ability to lay down consequences to discourage such behavior.

But its not my little dream world. Our system doesn't have Disqualifications. When I have a clipboard, they want numbers next to every name on it, so that's why I've developed my new Judging method. And it's a system that works. And I enjoy judging again. It's become much easier to do, and I can easily explain every single one of my scores, like I used to do before we had a variety of dances on our swing floors.

So there you go.

Judges, ditch the 'V''s and drop them in your scores on your own.

xoxo,

Katherine

Prince Charming and the Gift of Fear

Recently Nick and I had a brush with death. It was a bright, stark and quick striking force into our reality. I used to be a fan of certain psychology-focused crime dramas. I have a very difficult time watching them anymore. 'Creepy' actors and daunting music aside, I'm finding that the settings and surroundings too familiar now. Television has those down cold. For us it was a dark section of road in the mountains. Oh, so cliche, I know. But I would give anything, and I mean anything, to take that night back.

It was a narrow miss. I count it as a pivotal point in our lives. A pure and clear... miracle.

And as we feebly made our way home, through my shaking and sobs and cold cold shivers of terror, the lessons we learned in The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us From Violence came unfolding, unrolling, endlessly before us. Snippet after snippet of his words, of his warnings and of his examples... one by one they came spinning at us. But this time each snippet helped place each piece of the memory puzzle. Click. Snap. Together they came.

And as we pulled up to our home, the whole picture lay before us. And we couldn't get out of the car. 

I won't lie. Sleepless nights and harrowing processing followed. But I remember very clearly thinking one thing over and over: I must tell my readers. Because anyone in my family would be gone. The trap was too well planned, too believable... we were taught to be selfless... to be so "nice." And it was our undoing. 

How is that even possible? Nick and I are pretty well-traveled. I mean, we've traveled almost every highway in the entire United States. We've taken a million backroads. We've seen much. We've seen more than most. We've been in crazy scary situations before, but the only thing, and I mean the ONLY thing that helped us at all in this situation was this book.

I don't care if you get the audio version. That's what Nick and I used to go through it, during all of our travels. Or get the e-book, or get the paperback on Amazon.com. I don't care. You need to get it. No matter where you live. Violence does not discriminate against color, nationality or region. 

In short, it's written by a man who developed the leading method of threat assessment (threats of violence against members of congress, our president, supreme court judges, etc) for the FBI, CIA as well as other agencies and companies. Even Oprah hails him as one to heed. 

Thankfully, he wrote a book for the rest of us, helping us to understand the signs that may save our lives. We'd heard of it, but never bothered with it until two people gave it to us as a gift... on the same weekend. Thank God.

Now, here is the part that you can apply to dancing.  This is the lesson from the book that impacted our lives immediately- we use it all the time. And considering our community and where it's at, this lesson will probably help you quite a bit too. What is it? Stated simply:

Charm is not an adjective. 

Charm is a verb.

A verb. That's right. Someone "charms" you. It is done intentionally. It is done with purpose. It is done to you. And, as he says in the book, it is done to get something from you. 

Think about it. Who do you know that's selflessly charming to everyone, all the time without expecting anything in return... You wouldn't exactly call them 'charming,' right? For example, I've been called bright, energetic, joyful, happy and by three separate people in the last month... "a real firecracker."

But I've never been called charming. 

But boy do we ever have a lot of charmers out there, don't we? Haven't you noticed? Hear the names racing off in your head? Yes.

Charm is a verb.

And it's used to get what the charmer wants... not what you want.

What a great lesson. 

On that dark horrid little section of road in the Santa Monica mountains, it was the "charmer" who trapped us. He was so convincing... heck, he even had a little puppy with him... the memory makes me ill. Because it was all too easy. We, world travelers and unfearing truth seekers, were used to so much more charm in our community, that we almost fell for this one.

Please, please do yourself a favor. Read, listen or "Kindle" the Gift of Fear.

Don't let Prince Charming fool you.

Charm is

and will always be

a verb.

With my deepest love,

Katherine

Click here to order your own copy or version of The Gift of Fear.
I am not affiliated with the author or Amazon.com in any way. 

The Tenets of Swing ©

The Tenets of All Swing Dances

The saying "swing is swing" has wreaked some havoc on our community. I have no idea why, but it has been used to wipe out any definition of swing whatsoever lately. So when I heard it used to justify the refusal to violate anyone on swing content at a major event a few years ago, it made me wonder... Exactly what IS swing?

I don't just mean West Coast Swing. I outlined those characteristics in Swing Essentials: How to Recognize WCS Content a while ago. I mean, what is it that makes a dance a "swing" dance, instead of a Latin, Smooth or Folk dance? I began thinking. I began studying. And I thought about all forms of swing... Balboa, Shag, Lindy, East Coast, West Coast... all of them.

And the more I studied, watched, discussed and learned, the more settled I became upon the following points below. I call them The Tenets of Swing^©.

THE TENETS OF SWING^©

Tenet #1:

Swing Dances are Lead and Follow
All swing patterns, no matter what form of swing you're dancing, require a leader who decides what moves take place and when, and a follower, who is responsible for following these leads. It may sound obvious, but a slew of teachers worldwide are telling students to "improvise" and "suggest" instead of actually leading and following, and that personal innovation, musicality and emotion overrides connection, frame, etc, the things required for both leading and following.

Tenet #2:

In Swing, the Follower Orbits the Leader
Different styles of swing have different types of orbits. Some have a circular orbit, some have a slotted orbit and some orbit in a nice tiny square. But any way you slice it, the man navigates the follower around himself in some form of an orbit. (Check my YouTube Channel for a video example of these orbits throughout a variety of swing dances.)

Tenet #3:

Swing Dances have Fancy Feet
Rock steps, kicks, heel-toe action, shuffles, slides... oh my! You'll never see anyone call swing dancers "lethargic" will you? All the swing dances have quite a bit of energy, because they all require more footwork than the average partner dance. Every swing style has a totally different set of footwork, but none of the styles are without it. If you have studied any of the ballroom dances, you'll know that they are all almost exclusively comprised of Single and Double Rhythms (Slows and Quick Quicks, etc, etc). Not so with the swing dances. On the whole they are comprised of rather complicated rhythms. Swing dancers tend to be still on top and active on the bottom. In swing, it's the feet that do the talking.

Tenet #4:

Swing is Positive
I've said it before and I'll say it again: swing music, no matter what style you're dancing, will make you "check in." It makes you alive. It makes you want to live. To expand. To get out of your seat! Some forms of swing celebrate passion and some forms of swing celebrate life... but either way, it makes you feel brighter. It highlights the good things in life. It's not dark. It's not depressing. It's not degrading and it's most definitely not designed to make you “chill,” "check out,” or “lay back.” Swing does the opposite.

And there are the Swing Tenets. The more I study our history and watch our videos, I can see them all... over and over again... throughout the decades. We are a passionate people, we swing dancers. But I believe that true swing dancing brings out the best in us... and when it brings out the worst, then perhaps the dance has lost its way. Let's start listening to our music again, and seeing if it really makes us want to live, to expand, to grow and to move... and let's look down at our feet and rediscover what they are made for... and let's rediscover the joy of true leading and true following. Let's rediscover...

SWING!

Katherine Krok Eastvold

PDF version for print

(Right click on link and select "Save Link As..." to download to your computer)
Published February 2012

Copyright 2012

*NEW* West Coast Swing Video Page!

I am so excited! Students have been requesting a page like this for the last two years now. You can't just type "West Coast Swing" into a search engine anymore. The majority of videos you get will be, at worst, Abstract Improvisation or at best, messy split weight swing.  And that gets really old after a while. So you've been asking... where can I just find pure swing... and nothing else?

Well, it's finally here!  Underneath this Blog's header are some pages: Home, Weekly Notes, Articles, Contact... and now... VIDEOS!  So far I have 55 videos on there, and I'll just keep adding them as you send them to me or as I remember ones I've forgotten.

My YouTube Channel is great for when I post educational materials and videos that have never been on the web before, but this page is different. You can click on any video from any year and it will be swing. But don't make that fatal mistake- don't assume that because a certain "name" is featured, that they teach real swing. A lot of them don't anymore. So just enjoy the performances for what they are- good swing performances.

Some are better than others, and the styles have a huge range. Good WCS has always had a huge variety of styles, but as you'll see... they ALL follow the Swing Essentials.

So have some fun and be sure to share with your friends!!!

Click here to go straight to the new video page!

With the joy of real swing,

Katherine

One Year Anniversary: The Nissy

I can't believe it's been only one year since I released my very first article, "The Nissy." Wow.

I can't help but notice that this is the very first topic I wrote on. I've written on so many topics since, but The Nissies needed to be addressed first for me. I'm learning that the fight against bullying, intimidation and arrogance without regard to consequences is a true calling for me. I've been fighting against this kind of abuse for years. I've seen clips of the new movie, "Bully," and I was horrified. When I was working in the public school system, I immediately nipped every sign of bullying in the bud. It's not difficult, especially with kids. And yet, no one in authority even remotely lifted a finger against it.

Read "What I Could Do Without: The Nissy."

Nissies are the worst of the bullies, because they are charming, wonderful and fun when things are going their way... when people don't question, don't think for themselves and stay submissive and/ or worshipful no matter what. Their true colors are only revealed when someone disagrees with them, when they believe their perfection is being questioned... when they feel their power is threatened in any way shape or form. When that happens, they turn instantly... the anger overflows and bursts in misguided and abusive cruelty. Anyone and everyone can be a target.

I was recently researching bullies and came across this quote. As graphic as it is, I believe it is more accurate than any quote on bullying I've seen yet.  Ugly as it is, it's true. So very very true---

If you let a bully come in your front yard...

he'll be on your porch the next day 
and the day after that 
he'll rape your wife in your own bed.

-Lyndon B. Johnson

WCS caved into bullies in the late 90's and we have paid the price every since. It's my hope and dream that the clubs and newcomers in our shaky WCS community will heed this quote and hold their ground when the Nissies come knocking. Because they will. They most definitely will.

Take courage and take a stand early. It will save you so much pain, drama and energy... that energy should be fully invested on the dance floor, yes? Yes!

Read "The Nissy."


And if you haven't already, 
click here to sign up for my FREE Weekly WCS Notes!


Enjoy joining over 42 countries and thousands of readers,  just like you!


With love & freedom,
Katherine Krok Eastvold

Weekly Note #12: Slowing Down... to 130 bpm?

This was my final Weekly Note of 2011, and I went out with a bang! Not only does it mention "King of Swing" Kenny Wetzel ("King Kenny" for short), but Carlito Rifoli, Skippy Blair, Archie Dawson and Melanie Roberts Dawson.

But the reason people are still talking about this Note is its crown jewel: an interview with Kenny Wetzel from 1998. It is PROPHETIC. Hands down. He saw that things were changing, including the music and the competition... and he foresaw what would happen if the community didn't take steps to correct the direction.

It's quite the fascinating read. What an incredible piece of history. I believe he was one of our last "strong" leaders, who knew when to say "no" to things, and knew how to say "yes"... to the people.

Weekly WCS Note #12: Slowing Down... to 130 bpm?

Enjoy... this will be the last public release for a while. So read up and get your own Weekly Notes as I write them by signing up today!

xoxo,

Katherine Krok Eastvold

ps- Kenny, you are dearly missed.

Capital 2012 Review

Dear Reader,

No, you are not crazy. This Weekly Note is a bit late due to Capital. Quite frankly, I was so overwhelmed with new information and new observations that I simply couldn't decide what to say.

Okay. Scratch that. I couldn't decide what to say first. Or at all. I wrote a ton over the weekend, but what best to actually send you?

So I took the time to process. And here is the conclusion I came to:

I believe the beautiful and wondrous tree that is the West Coast Swing community needs tender love and care to grow again. And though they have been needed in the past, today is not a day for pruning shears. They are painful and necessary, yes. But today is not that day. Today is a day for water. For crystal clear cool water.

May you read, love and enjoy... -KKE

Gold Stars

Oh my.

When I wrote that "everything seems to go down at Capital" last week, I was soooo prophetic.

In soooo many ways.

Yet the biggest thing that happened was so far "behind the scenes" that it's not even close to public knowledge. I'll have to keep it under wraps for a while, but rest assured that it's good news and that I will write about it one day.

But for now, let's water the WCS tree. In looking back on the event, I can't help but think that some serious Gold Stars are in order:

The Audience

Hands down, the entire audience cheered for SWING, as well as excellence in footwork, timing and phrasing. Messy drops, Zouk arches and Abstract was only cheered by small "pockets"... two distinct small pockets in particular. But the WHOLE audience? Quiet as a mouse, impressively enough... until Pure Swing, the Three T's and excellence appeared. Wow. How much more educated you are. How much more empowered you are. How very much improved your eye has become!!! To the audience of Capital... I salute you!


And, may I say, how sad it was to not enjoy your company during Classic! The new routine is 10 beats shy of being done. We're aiming for May, but how sweet it would've been to perform for such an amazingly smart audience as you!

The Judging

My, my, my... things were quite reversed from last year, weren't they? They only people flooding the score room this year were the Abstract dancers and The Ten. Wow. I heard hardly any sighs, rumblings or fury from the audience as the results were announced (the only exceptions being the Golden Ticket and Classic). I went back and read my Weekly Note #16 from last week and realized... this was a HUGE change! Like night and day. Sometimes we forget the past, and take the present for granted when things actually make sense. But that's not the smartest move anymore. Things were much better and it should be acknowledged.

I was exceptionally pleased with the Champions Strictly Swing results, as was the audience. Not only was true West Coast Swing rewarded, but good WCS was rewarded. Abstract and other dances were dropped, despite their huge movements and flashiness. Eye popping tricks were ignored when the rest of the dance was full of dropped hands, misleads and crashes.

This signals an important change. The majority (read up on Relative Placement) of judges started taking a stand for swing... heck, they took a stand for good dancing period. They began, for the first time in a long time, judging what hit the floor, on swing, and not on Abstract, names, fear or reputation. I don't know if we all appreciate how hard this was for the judges to do. They didn't necessarily know if the other judges would do the same thing. But they took a chance and judged against the grain, discovering along the way that others felt the same.

I'm sure they received some blowback in the form of emails from people who are used to getting away with the other dance, but for the most part, I suspect the blowback wasn't nearly as bad as the judges have been fearing this whole time, and hopefully, they will keep it up, because the "silent majority" had a little faith restored.

Will you please join me in cheering for this change in the tide? Because student, after spectator, after teacher, after event promoter were telling me all weekend how good it was to see swing rewarded, and how confusing it was when it wasn't. It is my greatest hope and dream that these judges continue this trend and place swing precisely where it should be in a swing dance contest... on top.

I should mention, by the way, that it was my article on The Judging that flew out of my flyer holder first. The "silent majority" may stay pretty silent, but they sure do vote with their fingers!

The "Soul/Motown" Category

I don't know who's idea it was, but someone added the choice of "Soul/Motown" to the Blues and Contemporary categories for finals. I know a DJ once asked me what I'd choose in finals and I said, "I don't want to choose Blues or Contemporary. One puts me to sleep and the other makes me want to walk around. Neither makes me want to dance. Why don't we have a "funk" category or something?" I know I've been saying the same thing to other event directors too. Who knows. But I know I've wanted a different category with better dance music for a while. And Capital delivered.

Oh... did it deliver. Not only did it force the Champions divisions to dance swing, but it enabled them to dance at a higher level. The more complicated and quality a song, the more talents we pros can put on the floor for you. The result was just that... a higher quality swing dance contest.

And again the audience came through, showing that it's swing they want. By the end of the Strictly contest, the majority of the couples has chosen "Soul/Motown" and every one of them ended up dancing a ton of WCS. So when the second to last couple let the audience decide what type of music they wanted... the resounding boom "SOUL!!!!" echoed throughout the room almost instantly. The final couple left the choice to the audience as well... "SOUL!!!!!" came the boom again. One more reason The Audience gets a Gold Star, but who ever is responsible for the 'Soul/Motown' category needs a big one pinned on their lapel as well.

Nick King

This man not only leads, but he also leads WCS. And he dances on time. This is rare for dancers in his normal category, but I suspect it's the reason he was put, with his partner Yenni, into Champion Strictly Finals. I have no idea why they decided to let the audience choose their music, but thank goodness they did. Because they got a rockin' song. (I believe it was, "Think," right?)

Either way, Nick King took this high energy song and danced his pants off. You know I love swing, I love staying on beat and I love joy. Well, so did the audience. The whole, and I emphasize whole, audience was on its feet by the end, and thank you again, judges, for giving them the ranking they deserved (2nd.) And by the way, Benji and Brandi had a beautiful Three T's WCS dance that was, in my opinion, the honest winner too... ah, swing, swing, swing. It was so good to see you again. Nick King too.

Clint Glasgow and Louise Temple

Though there were many changes in Classic (a ton of swing was added and not only that, but execution by a few couples was MUCH improved), this couple was one of my favorite additions. I don't know Clint and Louise, but I do know that they came to Capital all the way from Australia. I'm so glad they did.

Because Clint and Louise gave us their best on this routine. They took it seriously. They gave us a true dance routine (we had a strange influx of pole dancing/booty shaking routines... I told Nick that all of our young girls were going to want tush implants after the weekend was over). But I could tell that Clint and Louise had trained, and trained hard. They invested the time and effort to prepare for their time on the floor. Every move they made, from start to finish, was practiced.

Not only that, but their routine was choreographed to the beat of the music, and had strong elements of WCS. While other routines were choreographed to the lyrics and were awkward and off time as a result, this routine worked within the rhythms of the dance. It was refreshing, and I wished they were rewarded a bit more. Great posture, great effort... they have great potential if they stay with the The Three T's and keep honoring the floor with hard work. I hope they carry it over to their social dancing and Jack and Jills one day, since his default, from the little I saw, was Hard Abstract. What a huge Gold Star this routine and its execution gets.

Honorable Mentions

Dani Canziani is the unsung hero behind this event. As are all of her volunteers. They celebrated their 20th Anniversary this year and that just deserves a lot of credit. Add that to the WCS 101 contest, the best Hospitality Suite on the circuit, great buffets and the super smart decision to keep people like Lance Shermoen as scorekeeper when so many "cheap" events are switching to unprofessional and uninformed scorekeepers that are free... well, hey... Gold Stars all around.

It was so good seeing you all. And of course, I love hearing from you... so feel free to write me. You know I'm always listening!

-Katherine Krok Eastvold

The above was released in Weekly Note #17: Watering the Tree on the Tuesday after the Capital Swing Dance Convention in February 2012. 

Weekly Note #11: Best Gift EVER!

I decided to give my readers the absolute best present that I could think of for Christmas: Pure West Coast Swing videos that were never before available on the internet! This time around it was Classic Finals for the 1995 US Open Swing Dance Championships. Now THAT was some crazy dancing!

I wish I had time to do more, but the ones I did do went viral immediately. I'm so glad. I picked the right present. Of course, I have a lot more in this Note... unknown US Open facts, Charlie & Jackie, etc., etc. You'll love it!

Weekly Note #11: The Best Gift EVER!

Exciting stuff!

Love & joy,

Katherine

The "New" Etiquette ©

There are some solid rules of etiquette that most of us have been trained in and live by on the social dance floor... for decades.

Examples?

• Always say "yes" when someone asks you to dance. 
• If you have to turn someone down because you're resting, in the middle of a conversation or are otherwise "indisposed," then be sure to catch them on the next song. 
• Establish your slot at the start of the dance and stay in it. (This is the floor craft for WCS. If you're dancing another dance, obey the floor craft of that dance.) 
• Acknowledge the spouse when asking their partner. 
• If you sweat profusely, bring a change of top. 
• Don't eat garlic or onions before you go social dancing... 

The list goes on and on... and yet most of us can't remember where we first learned them. We just know they exist, and we do our best to adhere to them.

These rules have helped new dancers become better, helped keep our dance environment polite, civil and in reality, quite positive.  These rules are held, by many of us, to be both holy and universally known.

I was blessed to start dancing swing (The Brown Derby in Hollywood!), ballroom and country when these rules were being followed by the entire dance community. Those who didn't were practically "branded" as the local meanie or snob and were pointed out to newcomers as the ones to be wary of.

When I fell hopelessly in love with West Coast Swing and immersed myself in that scene, I learned a whole new level of etiquette. The men made sure every single lady was walked to their car. Doors were opened for the women and jeans were snubbed as a "dishonor to the dance." The level of etiquette was so high, in fact, that my own husband had to meet with the men in my community to find out what I was used to.

But those days are behind us. 

Things have most definitely changed. In a lot of ways. And as such, it can be downright dangerous to follow these rules as we once did. I have said "it's time" to acknowledge that there are Two Dances being danced on the West Coast Swing scene...

... and now I'm also saying that "it's time" to instate a new etiquette.

The "New" Etiquette 

Some rules still apply. It's still rude to ignore a spouse. It's still polite to avoid onions, garlic and even heavy perfumes before heading to the social dance floor.

But some rules most definitely don't.

New Rule #1: 
Don't assume anyone knows the rules. 

I've worked as a private contractor for a number of small to large businesses. The number one issue they faced when it came to problems with internal and external customer service was the generational issue. Older generations believed the younger generations knew certain rules and chose to ignore them. But, just like my husband, they most often just needed to be told. 100% of the workforce problems were solved at the companies I worked with when expectations were clearly spelled out (even simple ones, like 'greet a customer when they walk in the door,' and 'save personal computer use for your break.')

I don't expect a 100% turnaround in our community when the etiquette is explained to those who go against these rules however. Unfortunately, we have too many Nissies for that, and, quite frankly, no one's career is on the line. Dancing is a hobby, not a job. The motivation for change isn't going to be as great in as many people.

But the point remains: don't expect that your 'common dance decency,' is known to anyone else. I'm constantly meeting students who are being driven nuts by people who are blatantly ignoring common etiquette. And I tell them... they may not know the rules. Of course, once the rule breakers learn them, they should be held to account. There's no excuse for conscious rude behavior.

Anyhow, assuming everyone is on the same page for etiquette? That's just not the case anymore. Be aware. And be prepared.

New Rule #2: 
Become comfortable saying "No." 

I used to say yes to everyone, even when I first became a champion. I was known for it. I loved dancing, and I never hesitated to just say... "yes!" When I run into dancers I haven't seen in decades they say, "oh, you... you used to dance with, used to dance with... well, everyone!"

But today? I'm VERY good at saying "No, thank you." And it's essential that you learn the skill as well.

Why? There are times when you are in harms way. And you need to know when those times come and act accordingly.

There are two dances, and as I've said a million-jillion times before... it's painful mentally, physically and emotionally when these two dances clash on the floor.

Women all over California had dislocated shoulders, necks and hips (a big reason I started writing in the first place) from being "nice" and saying "yes" to Abstract dancers who could care less about taking care of their partner.

Men watch in shock and horror as the women they are dancing with decides to lean... lean... leeeeeaaaaan... and face plant themselves on the floor. Pulling their lead down with them. And then turning and saying, "wasn't that cool?" I have now seen this on both West and East coasts and I have never heard the guy say, "Yeah, that was cool." It makes the man look like he dropped her, and it makes the man fall and even injured. Both men and women have sustained injuries that have kept them off the dance floor from 6 months (the average) to three years. There is nothing "okay" about this.

The second part to this rule? If you say "yes," and discover they are doing a different dance, you don't have to lie and pretend like you're having fun. I'm shocked at how many skilled women feel like they have to make a bad lead feel "good" about themselves. I'm not saying to stare them down, but back in the day, we would watch each other to see if we were enjoying the lead and/or follow we were getting.

And now, we all seem to be working hard at lying to each other and saying we're having a ball, even when we're not. This is especially true with the ladies... the ladies of today are in full "nurture" mode... they are on a mission to make the guy feel good... even when the guy is making them feel very very bad.

This helps no one. It makes the men think they are perfect and don't need work, and it makes the women forget what a good lead feels like. I'm not advocating rude behavior. I'm advocating honesty. Don't make the effort to be radiant all the time unless your partner is actually interested in giving you a good dance.

To this day I am happy to say "yes" to all levels of swing dancers. And if they aren't a Nissy, the Abstract ones too, though I never seek them out myself. I change my dancing to Abstract, which for me is quite boring, but they asked and so I say "yes." But some of them are just so rough and so untrained that it's downright dangerous for my health and career, so I sadly have to say "no, thank you." And if they ever ask why, I always tell them.

One dancer in Northern California was so polite when he first started asking me. He was a joy to dance with. But then he stopped taking lessons and started gripping my hand so hard with his thumbs that, despite my requests to let go, I'd end up icing my hands for three days. Finally, I just had to simply turn him down. He was completely unwilling to believe he was causing the bruising on my hands, and so... we had to part ways.

This rule is not about levels. It is about different goals, different dances, health and protection. Be comfortable saying "No, thank you" when it comes to your mental, emotional and physical well being.

New Rule #3: 
Avoid Nissies. 

Partner dancing doesn't work unless you have respect for your partner. Nissies see their partner as someone to "use." They use you as an excuse to take the front row, to be seen, to show themselves off, to declare judgement on you... they only "use."

I watched one Nissy dance right in front of a girl having her birthday dance. The crowd wanted to cheer for the girl, but they were so horrified that the guy just went up there and blocked our view of her, that we were all just silent. I wasn't throwing the dance, so I didn't have the balls to yank him off the floor (ohhhhh, but I wish I did!), but as soon as the song was over, he came and asked me in front of everybody.

I smiled and gave a very firm "No thanks." I will not dance in front of someone else on their birthday dance. I will not say "yes" to a leader who very clearly just wants to seen and requires me to be yanked, thrown and diminished in order to prove he's "better" when he's really just an intermediate dancer (at best.) He didn't want to dance "with" me. He wanted to dance "over" me. Why bother? Who in the world signs up for that when they join their first dance class?

Just because a guy or girl in your neck of the woods has "points" and lords it over you, doesn't mean that they are a better dancer than you anymore. It just means, in most cases, that they have more attitude than you, and that they find you disposable as a partner.

Attitude doesn't make for a good dance. Nissies only feed their ego when you dance with them... if they have no one to dance with, they have no one to abuse. Let them dance with each other or go dance somewhere else. Nissies have NO edifying value in any community... they only destroy. It's very subtle, sometimes not so subtle, but you can do you part by refusing to 'feed their need.' And you'll spare yourself an enormous amount of pain and confusion in the process.

New Rule #4: 
Wait for the right song. 

You might already be doing this, because I've learned this trick from watching others. If you want to dance swing with a partner, wait for a swing song.

I've seen both leads and follows just say, "Yes, but not to this song." And that's just good for both of you. No one loses out. If it doesn't make you want to do swing, then the dance just won't do either one of you justice. People love hearing yes, and when you want to wait because of the song, they know you're not waiting because of themselves as a partner. I've never seen a bad reaction to this request yet. Just do it.

And, by the way, feel free to start requesting songs from the DJ's. How do you think all the DJ's have the "new" music that they are playing? Most of them are requested by the Abstract dancers. So start requesting your favorite swing song. You'll be glad you did!

New Rule #5: 
Ask a pro or champion only once a weekend. 

The rule used to be that you could ask your pro or champion only once a night. But fewer pros and champions are out dancing, and many more dancers are being extremely pushy about getting a dance (see Rule #6). So when you know a pro or a champion that is out and willing to dance... take it as chance for a free private lesson... and dance with them once, and only once, for the entire weekend.

We do talk, you know, and when someone abuses the 'once a night' rule at a convention, or over a weekend, and asks every single night, then that's pushing it. And we remember you... and it's not in a good way. If we ask you, then hey, you're super lucky. Rock it out.

But in the meantime, be pleased with your one dance. You can learn so much from it. And it will keep that pro and/or champion from only dancing with their students or staying in their room for the rest of the night.

New Rule #6: 
Never demand a dance. 

I can't believe I'm even typing this, but apparently this is a much needed rule... you wouldn't believe the stories I hear.

Ladies... if there is an excellent lead in the room who is actually willing to share his talent with all of the rest of the ladies, then show him some respect. Apparently women are cursing, throwing tantrums and fighting with the leads when they say that they have a line waiting.

This behavior baffles me.

Ladies and gentleman! When you ASK somebody to dance, then you are expecting either a "yes," OR a "no" in reply. If a "no" is not an acceptable answer for you, then I you aren't really "asking," are you?

No, you're not. When you are only ok with a "yes" answer, then you are DEMANDING that someone dance with you. And that, everyone, is just plain out of line and rude. Never, ever demand a dance.

This is not the way to get someone to dance with you.

If a man is ever ugly when I turn them down, I certainly do not intend to reward that behavior by actually saying "yes" to them ever again.

There is no rule, nor has there ever been a rule, that you deserve a dance before anyone else or at the exact moment you ask for it.

There is only one exception: the spouse.

The spouse trumps all. If 'he put a ring on it,' then that lady and/or man gets first dibs, no matter what the line is for their partner.

My husband has seen the worst of this, and so has my partner Josh. They are "the nice guys," and for some reason this gives the ladies the freedom to abuse them somehow. And that's when I see the ugliness... when I dare to ask my husband for a dance. Oh dear, the ladies do lose it! But according to the boys, the ladies are starting to lose it no matter what. They are even asking three or four times a night, no matter how exhausted the men are or how many ladies are waiting.

What's going on? Never demand a dance. Oh... you can run helter skelter across a floor to get to a favorite first, but be gracious no matter what answer you receive.

New Rule #7: 
DO NOT, under ANY circumstances "help" your partner! 

This used to be an unspoken rule, but man, oh, man, have people forgotten it! This rule has been broken in dance classes, in workshops, on the social dance floor and even (seriously?) on the competition floor.

NO. There is absolutely NO excuse to give, as you all love to call it, "feedback" on the dance floor. Okay, fine, there is one exception... and ONLY one: "That hurts." Again, this is about injury... if you are being pushed, pulled, yanked, tweaked, squeezed or if your hair gets caught in a wristband, etc, etc, etc... by all means, say something.

But that's it. And I mean, that's IT. 

DO NOT 'help' your partner. DO NOT 'assist' the teacher while rotating. DO NOT 'show' your partner the correct way... do not, do not, do not! offer any unsolicited help, advice or commentary.

Do I have a multitude of stories for you! A million gazillion. Shoot, I even heard that a guy lifted a girls' chin and told her to "look him in the eyes" while she danced with him. Really??? How invading is that? He touched her chin? In order to do something other than leading? And then told her to look in his eyes? Are you kidding? And the worst part is, she was a champion dancer... and was not dancing with her equal. At all. I am consistently shocked at the boundaries that are being crossed out there. Sigh.

Can you tell? This is an extremely upsetting trend for me, and I have to say, from what I've seen and heard, it's a rampant one.

We have become obsessed, 

to the detriment of our community, 

with ignoring "our side of the street," 

and looking over at "their side of the street"

to see what needs "fixing." 

If you have ever ever ever offered unsolicited commentary, then I'm sorry, but YOU have a lot to fix on your own side of the street. Work hard to become the best leader, the best follower and the best dancer you can be... and STOP trying to help anyone else get there.

For those of you who find yourself trapped with a "helper," do not encourage them and do not heed their advice. I've heard the worst techniques and tips shared on the floor (usually an Abstract dancer trying to change a Swing dancer). It's rude behavior, and anyone who is rude is not worth listening to. Just keep going, wait out the advice, say "I'm okay," or "I hear what you're saying," when they press you for a response, and please... please, please, please, do not thank them for the help! and do not say you're sorry. The uber-nice tend to immediately apologize a lot. Helpers love this... they feed on it.

Spare a life, encourage joy and happiness on the floor, and blissfully ignore the "helpful" words.

New Rule #8: 
Do not videotape anyone without permission. 

The issue of videotaping is one I'm blatantly stealing from Kelly Casanova. Blatantly. But it's necessary. Unconstrained videotaping of everyone and anyone, every where and every place, is widespread in our community. This is a new problem. Yes, I said problem.

Just because you can videotape, doesn't mean you should. Witness Protection has had to relocate dancers because a video was posted of them at a dance on YouTube without their knowledge. Teachers are losing income and leaving the dance because students are taping them socially or during class in order to steal moves for other teachers or avoid paying for the class themselves. The list goes on and on...

As with so much in life, just because you can, doesn't make it right. Get a person's permission before filming, INCLUDING the people in the background of your video. And don't be surprised if a pro walks off the floor when you start filming them. It's incredibly rude, invasive and selfish.

So when it comes to videotaping, just be aware, okay? And for those of you who teach, write up some ground rules for videotaping in your class. For example, I don't allow my classes or workshops to be filmed, but I do allow people to film my husband and I dancing a move at the end of class. Sometimes I offer the counts and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I dance it to music and sometimes I don't. It depends on where I am and what kind of students I have, etc. I am very conscious of what I do on film.

But the one thing that doesn't change? I always announce... "You can tape me if you promise to use it for personal use only. If this goes up on YouTube or Facebook, I will never do a video review again." And it's worked for the last 7 years (to the best of my knowledge). I can deal with people videotaping for personal use, especially when I travel so often, but I'm very aware of how valuable such an offering is.

It's a serious gift for any pro to allow their work to be videotaped. It's our product, it's our living and we're giving it away for free. Students pay for the workshop, not the 'video notebook.' It lends to less privates, less paid hours, less income and more competition. Frankly, I'm amazed when students believe we pros are "obligated" to put our product on film. No, it's actually a big favor. And for those of us who are extremely talented, a HUGE favor.

Back in the day, if you wanted the move you just learned on film, you went out into the hall and danced it yourself while someone filmed you. There's nothing wrong with that. Having a pro dance it for you, especially with counts and tips? That's a huge gift, so respect it, honor it, and don't complain when they choose not to film, and definitely don't share the video when they do. Yes? Yes.

__________

And so there you go... new rules to live by. The biggest one of all is having the freedom to say "No," in my opinion. I always say it with a smile and I always, always, always just say "No," or "No, thank you!" Never say more than that. A flat 'no' will save you from more questions, another asking, and the responsibility to ask them later. 

It's imperative that we be choosy nowadays. Not everyone is out for a "good dance" with their partner. Not everyone is interested in being a good lead or a good follow. 

So get educated. Choose wisely. And get used to saying "no," with a smile. 

And start enjoying your dancing a whole lot more!

-Katherine Krok Eastvold

©2012