alain’s dance blog

So the new flyers just came out, and it’s the first time I’ve been featured as a Special Guest in a dance event.

I’ve been to every single QSRV since it was founded, that is two years ago, and it’s always been a blast. Nathan Shetterley and Véro Paquet can throw a mean party.

First year featured Mike Faltesek’s first visit to our lovely province, and that private with him two years ago was life-altering for my dancing. It was also my first contact with Adam Boehmer and Marcie McCabe, two of the most infectious Charleston kickers anywhere this side of the Atlantic. And the Pacific. I also discovered sweet music by DJ Kelly Porter from Detroit. She played some awesome hot vintage tunes that I had never heard before, from peeps like Willie the Lion Smith.

Last year they introduced comps to the event. Ann Mony and I were lucky and got each other in the Jack and Jill. Too bad the footage was corrupted and the videos were lost - I heard we danced well. This year we decided that if we got each other in the Jack and Jill, we would change partners.

Mélanie and I also presented a routine that we had prepared for the Showcase division, but the comp was canceled for lack of participants. It was replaced by a Strictly, and we came in second. It was the first time Mumu and I competed together, so we were both really happy with the result.

This year features a team battle in honor of Quebec city’s 400th anniversary. It’s all happening at the Imperial Theatre on Saturday January 26, 2008. There’s a Facebook group for Montrealers looking for rides.

Québec Swing Rendez-Vous, January 25 to the 27th, featuring guest teachers Mike Faltesek, Nina Gilkenson, Thomas Blancharz, Alice Mei, Mickey Fortanasce, Kelly Arsenault, Kelly Palmiter, Laura Berger, Dan Amores and pretty much the whole province of Quebec, Canada.

See ya there!

I went back to work on January 2nd, and it’s a sprint until launch at the end of this month. The good folks at Standout are flying me out to DEMO where we’ll be announcing our product to the world. California here I come!

Until then, this is what we’ve been doing to relieve stress.

Pictures courtesy of Francis Wu’s Flickr.

So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
Ans so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy Christmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let’s stop all the fight
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas
And what have we done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young
A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now…

John Lennon - Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

Mariel Adams and I danced in the Strictly Lindy division at ALHC 2007 in October. Here’s our performance.

Dancers working hard on their skills can sometimes get too caught up in the whole “getting better” business.

I’ve seen many friends anxious or stressed out because they cared too much about getting better. These people have a hard time enjoying the fact that they are healthy and can dance at all. That shouldn’t happen.

I’m saying this, but I’ve found myself guilty of it on more than one occasion. In the same manner that sickness reminds us that we should be grateful for our health, we need to be aware of the gift we have that is the dance, the gift we have that is the music. One way I’ve found to deal with the “not good enough” syndrome is to remind myself why I dance. Is it to have fun or to show off?

Dance to express, not to impress.

I’m not saying don’t work on your dancing or don’t set goals. Whether it be to win in a competition or to find adulation among your peers, setting objectives is a good way to stay motivated. Just don’t lose track of why you dance in the first place.

Gina Helfrich from Atlanta wrote a revealing post to this effect, from her weekend at Camp Jitterbug 2007:

From more than one person, but particularly from Ramona and Andy & Nina, I got the message loud and clear that when you get to the top of the heap, the next place you go is back to the beginning. Forget every fancy footwork variation you ever learned. Forget what you’re supposed to do with your left arm. Forget looking pretty all the time and concentrating so hard on how you’re moving your body. Instead: Relax, relax, relax. Only use what you really need. The dance is supposed to be about joy, and you can’t let the joy in if you’re too busy thinking about exactly how your swivel looks or if you’ve got your arm in a nice line or how you’re going to get back on the proper foot after this crazy footwork pattern you’re about to whip out.

- read more on Gina’s myspace blog.

So next time you step on the dance floor, enjoy yourself. Be grateful for the music, for the dance, for your dancer friends.