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This is the last week of the current 6 week cycle:
The next cycle is
Do you want to get even better? As mentioned on the FB page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/DestineDance - Philippa has some free slots on Tuesday this week. Ideal for any men or couples doing only group classes who want to get some focused help. Or even for any women wanting to enhance their styling and following. Let me know if you are interested. See you on the dance floor Clint
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Let's talk about some attitudes that can make it harder to learn dance - so you know what not to do!  When you have a bad attitude to learning - it just won't happen Every now and then I hear a comment from someone that makes me realise that they have an attitude that is not conducive to learning dance as well as they could. By noting these in yourself, should they be there, you can align yourself better with your dance goals.
Here are the 5 I have noticed most. 1 Thinking dance should be easy This is especially true for wedding couples, but I have seen it in regular ongoing students. It is surprising how many people think they should, after a few weeks, be dancing like people they have seen on YouTube. I am sure when you read that, you can see the fallacy in this perspective - therefore, we need to consider what brings this unconscious notion about:
2 Thinking you should be as good as other students in class
3 Thinking you just need it explained to you one more time Try giving it a go so you can better understand what you need to do. You will also then have some insight to ask better and more helpful questions. Tell me and I forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. Xun Kuang 312-230 BCE Wanting to see demonstration upon demonstration or wanting to have a figure explained again and again instead of doing it and then using the experience to provide feedback is unlikely to help. Have a go, notice what did or did not seem to work - really feel your body - and then ask questions based on that. You will learn much faster by doing. 4 Thinking you can be told one special secret and you will then instantly dance better Many often think that the best dancers have this secret to dancing well. And that if they only knew this secret, then they too would dance well. There is indeed something that all the good dancers have that will help, but it's no secret - it's practice! You can always get more advice, but chances are you need to practice more the advice you have been given before you get more. Focus on what you have been told, and master that before thinking you need more "secrets". One side note: if you have not been told anything about a specific attribute (timing, posture, the way to lead or follow a certain figure, musicality, physicality exercises etc.), then it's always smart to ask about those specifically. But that's not one simple secret, that is a lot of small insights that will add to large gains - with practice. 5 Thinking it's your partner's fault We are talking about a two person activity here. And sometimes it is not your fault. But it is a team thing. so work with your partner to help them - and yourself - get better. Once you are both working to help both of you (and you genuinely want to see both do better), you will start to see yourself and others improve. If you want to read more about the serious efforts to help both people improve, then take a look at Ballroom Dancing Is Not for Sissies: An R-Rated Guide for Partnership. Leave a comment if you have any questions about the above or if you can think of other attitudes that hold people back. Clint This week we start a new cycle in group classes and we start getting ready for the next awards.
Group classes this week:
If you are a private student, then you will now be thinking about what to do for the next awards. If you went to the awards as a guest, then you are likely now thinking about doing awards yourself. Get in touch with me if you would like to talk more about this. You might want to just focus on getting good at one dance - awards are an excellent way to focus so you get good fast. Or maybe you now want to take this path to explore, learn and master all the dances you can. That's why I kept on learning dance. Also, if you saw the showcase at the end, and you would like to do the same (put on a show for it's own sake and get feedback from a qualified adjudicator), then, once again, get in touch and we can talk more about that too. See you on the dance floor Clint I understand that sometimes you need a break from dance. You have other things to do. Or, sometimes, you just want to do nothing. And then after that, you're ready to come back.
So please know that if you ever want to take a break and then come back later on, then I am totally cool with that. We are rather full at the moment with privates, but we will also do our best to accommodate you if you are keen to come back now. And you always have the option of group classes. The new cycle will be starting next week (on the 4th) and we will be doing the following styles:
And remember that we have the awards coming up, if you are going to come along as an observer, then get your ticket here - https://www.destinedance.com.au/store/p38/Sep2023Awards.html. Secure these soon so you can attend (note that attendance does not come with other packages) and I can organize catering. See you on the dance floor Clint Steele First off, classes this week: • Monday 7:30pm Street Latin - Salsa (the classic) • Tuesday 6:30pm Latin American - Jive (if rock and roll and ballroom had a baby) • Wednesday 7:30pm Swing and R'n'R - No classes this week • Thursday 6:30pm Ballroom - waltz (the classic of all ballroom) This is the half way mark for the current 6 week program. However, we have had a couple aborted nights so there will be another 3 weeks of this program after this week. THE SECRETS DANCE REVEALS This topic was prompted by the upcoming awards, a post I saw online and some activity I have seen in social dancing. First the post:  I am not a huge fane of Arriana Huffington, but I saw the above image shared on a dance teachers' LinkedIn group. I then realised that the quote does have a lot to do with dance.
It is quite often that students find there are many parallels between dance and life. It could be about the importance of the journey as opposed to the destination as you ensure you take each step. Maybe the need to be attentive and clear to those you communicate with when you focus on lead and follow. Or how you need a balanced approach to enjoy things as you note the music, your partner, yourself and others on the dance floor all at the same time. Maybe even how you have troubles committing as you take hesitant steps and find yourself with split weight. Dance reveals many secrets to us about life, what we could be missing and how to get more from living. Dance can also be about the focus of above quote - mastering fear. Be it dancing socially and overcoming discomfort with close proximity to others, moving on from a mistake so you no longer fear judgement, or doing gradings where you need to be the centre of attention and perform on queue. By doing each of these, dance can help you exercise that fearlessness muscle. So take on all the challenges in dance you can, and enjoy a life with more opportunity and less to fear. See you on the dance floor Clint Classes start next week so this update is just to get you primed for the New Year. It will cover:
THE DESTINE DANCE FACEBOOK GROUP You might already be a member, but we have not used it for a while. The Facebook page will still be used for updates and such, but we will use the Facebook group to share extra insights about dance and things going on at the studio. So if you are a current student and you want to get extra insights into dance, then apply to be a member now – https://www.facebook.com/groups/767400293465916. PROMOTION In February, we will be running another 4-week program to get more people in for you to dance with. See the details here - https://www.destinedance.com.au/intro-4weeks.html. Share it with anyone you know who has been thinking about learning to dance and is ready to start in 2023. SOCIAL EVENTS COMING UP We had a great time on Saturday at Elwood Beach – I hope you saw the pictures. This Saturday it will be a Santana cover band at Carnegie Hall (https://www.facebook.com/events/1198657654400242/). And then Sunday week on the 29th it’s the Treblets at the studio (https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=628555115936571&set=a.516936113765139). Thanks to those who have let me know that they are coming. If you want to come along and have not yet let me know, then send a message. That way we can get a table together at each event/venue. A RULE OF DANCE Your teacher might already do this and you did not realise. If you are doing a stationary dance (say salsa), then you do it in the centre of the floor. That way, people who do travelling dances (say quickstep) can dance around the outside. Some studio etiquette. Looking forward to seeing you all when we come back Clint Three items this week. **Hypnosis offer** A childhood friend of mine is offering discounts on her audio hypnotic products. Her products include:
Either way use the add coupon FREEAUDIO on checkout at https://www.resteasyhypnotherapy.com.au/shop-1 to get the discount. **Some social events** There are two Sunday social events coming up next month at Carnegie Hall (Dutch Club):
Please let me know you interest in these. If we get enough people, then we can book a Destine Dance table. **Group classes this week**
See you on the dance floor Clint Only one item to cover this week.
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AuthorThis blog is written by the staff at Destine Dance and is inspired by the questions and challenges faced by our students Archives
December 2024
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