The Makings of a Good Dancer

03/02/2024

Ah. The age old question- what makes a good dancer? 

    Definitely something people have opinions on. Personally, for example, I prefer dancing with people who aren’t liable to start twirling me and other swing-dance-esque movements- I’m also NOT a fast and furious dancer. Mostly out of personal preference and some lightheadedness that I deal with. 

    I would argue that whomever you are, smoothness and confidence is paramount along with a good connection. Not grabby and not too loose- if you have danced at all you know that too loose of a connection or too heavy a connection can cause injury or awkwardness. It is a delicate balance that beginners especially struggle with. 

    Smooth and respectful are the two words that I define a good dancer as. If you are watching a dance, you can tell who is smooth (typically the older generation who keep their feet closer to the floor), and who is new, or young- a lot of that crowd tend to have this odd idea about skipping during movements. 

    I have picked up what I categorize as the old way of dancing because I prefer the way it feels, the energy it conserves, and the control I maintain because of it. Not to mention I am infinitely sentimental and history oriented so I like to keep traditions alive. If I knew all the old ways to balance, I would. Pigeon wings and all. As it is, I use my step-swing balance nearly exclusively now. It sets you up just right for the swing and provides an extra rhythm beat that I find satisfying, and it’s traditional for New Hampshire. 

    On respect: I have observed some dancers who tend to pull you close for swings, and this can be uncomfortable. There is some distance required- even though we are dancing I still have my personal space bubble. The whole art of defensive dancing is going to be a topic for another article. On the whole, you should be a part of the whole dance, not entirely dancing with each individual person as this is where uncomfortable things can happen, even accidentally. 

    The other part of respect is that everyone dances at different speeds. I have witnessed younger dancers swinging with the older folks and attempting to swing faster than the other is. Pay attention and swing at a comfortable speed- you should not be dragging your partner/neighbor around in a circle faster than they are comfortable with. Don’t push it. 

    Do you have qualifications in your mind as to what makes a good dancer? I’d be fascinated to hear from you on my facebook page comment section. I have another article in the works about manners, etiquette, and you. Stay tuned for more!

Where Are All the Young People? (The Problem of the Generational Gap)

12/21/2023

    I will be the first to admit that I am a young person who dances and who is involved in the traditional music and dance of New England. However, I decided to write this article after noticing that there are very few other young people who dance “on the regular”. 

    Typically, I am the youngest (except the under 12-year-olds that randomly show up)  at any regular dance such as Peterborough or Nelson. This, I have noticed with a bit of concern. There seems to be a distinct generational gap between the few 40-somethings year olds, and me, being college-age. The only dance that I have seen that has a regular crowd of college-aged people is the Plymouth NH square dance. That makes me hopeful. However, the absence of college-aged or slightly younger regular dancers who get out to more than just one dance a month is still a problem. I know for a fact that really anyone over the age of 15 (some can at a younger age, but 15 is the average) can handle themselves just fine at a regular dance. Dances are fun, and energetic, and have live music.

    So what are we missing? Why don’t they come out? Where are they? These are all questions I have. I have my doubts that all of them are at home or college in bed during the evenings. I never even see them anywhere else that I happen to be, during the weekdays or the weekends… I think we all know the problem with the age gap. There are even very, very few ‘good’ musicians who are younger. Let alone up-and-coming callers who genuinely care about the traditional dances of New England (Contra dance callers are different- I’m speaking of the callers who keep traditional dances alive through regular usage of squares, contras, circles, and whatever else formation… not just contras).

    However, without dancers… there will be no demand for musicians or callers in the future. This is the problem. It is a never-ending cycle and without a whole section, we derail and risk losing these dances we know and love. I have been trying to advertise dances and things to my own age demographic but alas to no avail. They all seem content to stay within their circles and stay out of sight and out of mind to the world at large. I had the same problem with getting participants when I was in 4-H. You just can’t find them, and if you do, they prefer to not participate in these experiences. 

    I’ve got some ideas for the future, to draw young people into dances. But it is discouraging when no one shows up to events planned and scraped together for their benefit and educational cultural experiences (which is what happened to me over and over again in 4-H).

Hopefully, something will happen, something will change or click… but how I wish that it would happen soon.

What Makes a Dance, a "Good" Dance?

12/07/2023

 To start this blog out on the right foot (no pun intended), I figured I would start with a simple idea- what makes a ‘good’ dance?  Now, this idea may be more complicated and cover a whole lot more ground than I initially anticipated, but it is an interesting topic nonetheless. 

Please note I am not calling out any particular caller, band, or dancers. This blog post is simply things I have observed and taken note of.

 In my personal opinion, at first glance, a good dance is comprised of about 5 things:

1. A caller that has a natural or developed leadership persona. 

2. The caller has picked dances based on the crowd, not any predetermined, set in stone, setlist (not to be confused with the prepared ‘idea’ list that is purposely vague to account for differences in energy level, the dancers’ experience, and other factors)

3. A good band that works with the caller and is aware of the dancer

4. A crowd with a good mix of experienced and new dancers

5. The energy and vibe of the dancers themselves; ex, having fun, not hyper, yet somewhat calm and willing to listen, etc.

    Now, the fact that the first two important factors I listed have to do with the caller is no mistake. I have preferences towards callers, dare I say bias, who act like they know what they are doing. Callers who have to walk through multiple dances several (more than two) times, as if they doubt the skill of the crowd, end up doing more teaching than calling… which is fine in some circumstances but at most dances it wrecks the stamina and energy/vibe of the entire dance. Dancers, even new ones, are capable of figuring out dances as they go. Having a good caller is the foundation of a good dance.

    Next, of course, we have the band. A good or bad band can make or break a dance. Callers and bands have to communicate. I’m sure people have other opinions, but bands playing tunes that sound more like a rock and roll/jazz rhythm is not my cup of tea. I like tunes that I dance to, to have a designated melody line. If the music can’t or won’t tell me where in the dance I am, that music isn’t suitable for a regular dance, in my opinion. 

    And alas we come to the crowd. Most dances I go to here in NH have vaguely designated populations- that being the “over forty” crowd, the “under forty swing dance implants”, and the “any age beginners”. That being said, a whole lot of them are very good dancers. But, sometimes they get too serious about their dancing, which I can understand but at the same time I am rather confused by. It ends up feeling like a mathematics/counting game rather than a dance. Or, the ‘under forty swing dance implants’ treating the dance as a game to see how many flourishes can fit in an 8-count beat… impatient creatures. 

    I’m saying this as a dancer who prefers the old ways of dancing. I don’t particularly enjoy being twirled on a courtesy turn, and I don’t mind being inactive for a few minutes. So, if you enjoy a twirl on a courtesy turn, go ahead! Dancing doesn’t particularly have ‘rules’ per se, so any and all preferences expressed tend to be purely individual. One thing, that I really do not agree with and it has no place on the floor, is the “catch and release” swing that the swing dance implants tend to do. It is usually rough, confusing, and generally not fun to do. It involves shoving the lady into a twirl, staying connected via a hand, and (for lack of a better term), “reeling” the lady back in rather like a fishing line… but that’s for another article. 

    So, a ‘good dance’- the idea is a faint one, for me. I’ve experienced perhaps 2-3 really good dances since I have been dancing. To be fair, I’ve only been dancing since May of 2023, so my experience is limited. There is a video that will be linked in the archive, to a dance in Richmond NH back in the 1960s. I would define that as a ‘good’ dance.

     I’m sure you all will have opinions on what makes a good dance, and I’d love to hear your thoughts as to what a good dance is. It might even be a future blog post article!