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…
How much can you really learn in one modern jive class
One of the big selling points of modern jive is that anyone can learn it, and that after only one beginner’s class, even a non-dancer can be up and dancing by the end of the night. It’s unlikely they’ll be amazing, but they’ll have 3-4 basic moves, hopefully an understanding of the beat and rhythm…
The fear of social dancing improvisation – tips on keeping up
One of the hardest things in social dancing, for leaders in particular, is knowing what you’re going to lead. As a beginner it’s probably the hardest thing to get past. I call it the improvisation block, and is something we need to get over. Even as someone coming to modern jive and leading from another…
How to start social dancing in 2018
So many people go through life saying they wish they could dance, but don’t do anything about it. I believe if more people knew about social dancing there’d be a lot more people out there on the dancefloor. They may love watching others dance, at the theatre or on tv through Strictly Come Dancing and…
Do you need to know lots of modern jive moves
Dance moves. The stumbling block for so many dancers. Or so they think. Are a repertoire of lots of fancy modern jive moves really needed to be a good social dancer? One of the worries that beginner and improver dancers often have, is that they can’t remember or don’t know enough moves. I’m talking leaders…
Handy tips on how to dance with more control
While dancing with abandon is a great way to feel free and release any angst, when partner dancing, even socially, there needs to be some semblance of control from each person. It can be interesting to watch people who dance with no worries in a loose and relaxed way, and we may want to be…
Filling the ceroc dance funnel – getting and retaining dancers
We all come to ceroc or modern jive via different routes. Some have danced forever but want to try something new, or a friend has asked them to come along for moral support. Others have never danced but have been inspired by a tv show, or theatre performance or have even seen a display at…
