How to Train

Becoming a competitive dancer is a wonderful and challenging adventure. It is so much more than learning the steps: it is a lifestyle.

Successful competitors embody the principles of dance while creating beautiful movement to music and navigating among other dancers. The principles are not always obvious, but they are not secrets. This series, presented jointly by Mark and Didi, covers practical techniques and strategies for transforming you into an embodiment of those principles. For every principle discussed, there will be an exercise, drill, or measurement to help you transform knowledge into practice. This series is presented from a Standard/Smooth perspective and is appropriate for all levels, except where otherwise indicated.

• Workshop 1: Getting Started. What is training? How do humans learn? How can training be integrated into one's life if one is not a full-time dancer? This workshop describes how to begin systematic training. We address how to train for endurance, flexibility, strength, and, most importantly, coordination and kinesthetic awareness via a set of exercises, which can be done outside the studio, even without a partner. Please wear comfortable clothing for this workshop. Some of the exercises involve lying on the floor.
• Workshop 2: Organizing Practice, Moving Freely. Many couples ask "What do we do in practice?" This workshop begins with a structured approach to practice and then develops exercises and drills for improving the ability to move with a partner. We will practice basic mechanics of movement, including swing, in simple patterns from the Standard dances.
• Workshop 3: Perfect Posture and Poise. These are the keys not only to a look of strength and elegance, but also to balance. Two people move together easily in a ballroom hold if these elements are sound. We show how to build up posture and poise using sound principles; explode some myths that afflict dancers, particularly the ladies; and teach exercises and drills to make correct posture and poise automatic. This workshop is for both leaders and followers, but is taught from the follower's perspective.
• Workshop 4: Floorcraft. How can we dance our best and avoid all those pesky people sharing the floor with us? Navigating a dance floor becomes easier with practice, but it improves much more quickly if we know what specific skills we are trying to develop. For example, learning to navigate cooperatively, with both partners contributing will help you dance more fluidly with fewer collisions. This workshop defines the role of each partner and includes exercises for practicing the necessary skills.
• Workshop 5: Musical Interpretation. Each dance has a particular character; each song is different; each couple has their own personality. How do these elements come together to make something beautiful? There are some simple exercises that will improve your musical interpretation. You'll look better and have a lot more fun!
• Workshop 6: Principles of Choreography. There are principles for creating and analyzing attractive and competitive choreography. This workshop will use a selection of examples to illustrate these principles. Participants are welcome to bring pieces of their own choreography for analysis. This workshop is for the open level standard dancer.