If you’re in the UK, you might have come across a Channel 4 tv show presented by Ashley Banjo (of Diversity fame), called Flirty Dancing. Usually it’s the type of show I’d read the excerpt for, sigh and ignore. But I can’t resist a dancing tv show. When I came across it while flicking channels…
The anatomy of a dance from start to finish
When we social dance, we give ourselves over to the dance. Sometimes to the partner as well. But to the music, the space, the feel of the dance. It can feel like a dream. But even if it’s not that perfect dance, the dance can often be broken down in a similar way. It feels…
How dances change with the same people
Dance is about movement. For modern jive like any partner dance, that movement is of individuals in a partnership, and hopefully a great connection with our partner. But even outside the movement of the dancers, the experience of dance isn’t static. The dance experience changes every time we dance and that makes it more exciting…
Modern jive dancewear options and key watch outs
One of the great things about modern jive is that it’s easily accessible. There’s no modern jive dress code, no requirement to wear a specific style of outfit. You can just turn up in what you fancy. Jeans are popular, with leggings now popular for girls, dresses for those who like to dress up a…
Dance motivation: why do you dance?
Dancing doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Many people of my generation and older remember dancing from their childhood – either ballet lessons or being forced to do country dancing. Nowadays, dance in schools is more fashionable with street dance the favoured dance style. But as adults many people are taking up dance. Whether they’ve been…
Bad teen to ballroom queen – attracting young dancers
To keep modern jive (and other social dances) alive, we need to keep bringing beginners through. In recent years, venues have closed, or sometimes changed to focus on freestyles rather than the 2 class format. That means as a community we’re reliant on people learning dance elsewhere, then transferring over. In some areas, the modern…
What makes modern jive such a social dance?
Harking back to the days of our grandparents and earlier, a social dance was where you went on dates and met friends. It was a huge social occasion, largely based on social ballroom style. There were dance halls in most towns and cities, compared with recent years where there’s few dance venues left. However my…
