And we danced...

I've been giving more thought to dance lately. I've never been much of a dancer. At weddings or other celebrations my dancing is something of a novelty. Something done in a mockery of form and grace; something even I laugh at, for it is all I can do really. I can slow dance I suppose, though I don't know if what I do even has a name. It is more of a hold-her-left-hand-and-put-my-other-on-her-lower-back-and-shuffle-back-and-forth-to-the-rhythm more than anything. I've never really taken the opportunity to study actual dancing. Waltz, swing, square; all of these I know exist, but I've never seen a purpose in learning it.

But maybe it was because I never knew about the multitude of dance that existed. Maybe if I was shown at an early age how dance can be about more than learning structured moves and choreographed steps I might have been more into it. I say today techniques for getting kids into dance that I thought were really cool. Dancing with eyes closed to remove self-consciousness. Starting off small and building to greater fields of motion. These are things that I can see myself using to get kids of any age excited about dancing. And I have plans to do just that.

 (Step Dancing for beginners as done by Victor Sho)

While I haven't finalized the above video as what I'm going to use, this is what I want to teach my class. Step dancing. While I initially thought about leaping right into this fun style of dance, I think that some of the aforementioned techniques might be a better start. It will get the kids moving and energized, and maybe they'll go into this feeling a bit more comfortable. The only question is do I ask them to perform? I cannot insist that they perform, can I? I mean, I could I guess, but I'd never want my teacher to do that to me. Maybe ease them into the idea? Is dance something that has to be performed? Is it just as valid if no one ever sees it?


Again, more questions then answers. Then again, I don't know if I will ever have more answers than questions. Nor would I want to I think.

And just because I can, and because in dancing timing is everything, ladies and gentlemen, once again I give you Chris Goodwin performing Timing is Everything by Garrett Hedlund.
 

(Once again, swiped from Chris Goodwin's YouTube Channel)