Modern jive is often looked down on by dancers from other genres. Or that’s the feeling you can sometimes get. I have to be honest, I’ve personally not had anyone say anything derogatory towards modern jive itself, more about the lack of dance technique that many modern jivers have unless they’ve done a lot of…
How to be a good dance partner
If you partner dance, you should aspire to be a good dance partner. After all, you can’t have an enjoyable dance at any level unless both people play their part. However, partner dancing is also challenging. It’s not something most people have done (except maybe country dancing at school – I don’t know if they…
Think before you speak while social dancing
Some people think it’s a terrible habit to chat away on the dance floor. But does it really matter? Generally it doesn’t bother me. Modern jive (and west coast swing) is a social dance after all. I think it’s good to get to know the people you’re dancing with week in week out. However there…
Awkward moments at the end of a dance
I’m not sure if it’s just me but the end of a dance, however well it’s gone, can often be really awkward. It’s probably one of those typically British situations. You need to say thank you. Compliments wouldn’t go amiss. But it’s hard to make them sound genuine and not patronising. I’m getting better over…
Do dancers always aspire to THAT dream dance?
From talking to dancer friends, modern jive (and more often than not blues) dancers seems to be split between two main types of person. Those who just like to dance, who want to have fun, get a bit of exercise and just love to be out on the dancefloor throwing some moves and having a…
What makes dancing straddle sport and art?
With the Rio Olympics drawing to a close, yet again there have been the discussions about what sports should be included and which aren’t really sports. Every Olympics means there are a handful of new sports introduced while others get dropped. I’m still asking why squash still hasn’t been included but that’s an argument for…
Do modern jivers really need great dance technique?
I remember having a conversation years ago with a salsa friend who was surprised I’d not been invited to join the performance group she was in. ‘Your dance technique is so much better than mine. I might be better on the performance side but my technique is sloppy compared to yours’. We both had a…
