When someone refers to the good time they had out on the dance floor, typically a story about swing dancing will follow.  The term “swing dance” can refer to any of 40 or more dances currently seen out on the dance floor today.  For those who do not dance, the term “swing dancing” may bring to mind images of Lindy Hop, Charleston, Jitterbug and the Boogie Woogie dancing they watched their parents or grandparents dance at weddings and family reunions. 

I went Swing Dancing!

Once exposed to the Swing Dance World, dancers learn that swing also includes, Carolina, Collegiate and St. Louis Shag, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Hand Dancing, Jive, Bop and Balboa just to name a few.  Your local “Swing Scene” may have wide variety of dances offered or have more of a specialized community that focuses on only one or two swing dances.  The focus of this blog is that of East Coast Swing dancing and dancers. 

Granddaddy of Swing Dancing

In order to understand the current form of East Coast Swing, as it is danced today, you must understand its rich history and growth through time.  Lindy Hop came from Partnered Charleston.  Lindy Hop was developed and enjoyed in the late 1920s and early 1930s.  Traditionally, Lindy Hop had and an 8 count circular basic known as a “swing out”.  In time, Lindy Hop dancers were allowed to improvise dance moves and adapted dance steps and moves that included 8 count and 6 count patterns.  Through improvisation, variations in the dance were created and independently became quite popular. 

East Coast Swing gets its start

One of the popular and simple 6 count variations developed into its own dance, East Coast Swing.  In the 1940s, the East Coast Swing evolved with current swing band music and the help of Arthur Murray dance studios.  Arthur Murray dance studios helped to make ballroom dance lessons assessable to the masses.  Arthur Murray studios took East Coast Swing and standardized it to make it teachable and marketable to American dancers.  This paved they way for East Coast Swing to become a competitive ballroom dance and recognized by the National Dance Council of America.  Walk in to any ballroom dance studio today, and in an hour or two, you will dance out the door with single swing or single time swing, (a simplified version of East Coast Swing) and a little East Coast Swing (sometimes called triple swing or triple time swing).

ZeDiamond Dance Method helps new Swing Kids get started

 ZeDiamond Dance Method was developed by two dancers, Deborah-Marie Diamond and Zeki Maviyildiz from Asheville, NC, who were both originally taught to dance East Coast Swing  the way Arthur Murray dance studios have taught swing dancing for years. 

When she first started taking ballroom dance lessons, Deborah-Marie noticed that many of the beginner dancers were dancing off time or off rhythm to the music.  At first, Deborah-Marie dismissed her observation and thought that dancing off time to the music was just the result of being a beginner dancer.  After awhile, Deborah-Marie noticed that dancers who had danced three, four five years were still dancing off time and off rhythm.  This got Deborah-Marie thinking that there must be a better way to teach dance steps and rhythm to dance students.

The rest is history… or at least the history of ZeDiamond Dance Method.

See you out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method

• When was the last time it was just you, your dance partner and the music… and everything else just melted away?
• Have you dreamed about floating across the dance floor?
• Imagine the thrill of being asked to dance and knowing that you can!

ZeDiamond Dance Method is the beginning of your life with dance.

Start dancing now with ZeDiamond Dance Method Learn the East Coast Swing 2 DVD set.  Watch the video clip below and see how easy it is to learn to dance at home.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can learn to swing dance in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

Learning to dance can be very scary for some people.  The fear of the unknown, failure or looking silly keeps many would be dancers off the dance floor and firmly seated on the couch.  But what if there was a way to learn to swing or ballroom dance in the comfort and privacy of your own living room or kitchen?

Deborah-Marie Diamond and Zeki Maviyildiz will guide you, step by step, in learning how to East Coast Swing.  They use the ZeDiamond Dance Method to help you quickly and easily learn how to swing dance. 

After dancing along with your ZeDiamond Dance Method DVD’s, you will have learned how to Single Swing and East Coast Swing Dance, plus you will have a number of swing dance moves, to keep you and your partner dancing all night long. 

Want to learn to ballroom and swing dance in a special wedding dance class?

Starting in April, Deborah-Marie Diamond and Amy Barnes will be teaching Beginner Ballroom Dance Classes in Asheville, NC area.  Classes will be taught using ZeDiamond Dance Method.

The focus of the April dance workshop series is to teach 4 beginner ballroom dances that are appropriate for wedding receptions and parties. 

This dance workshop series is perfect for eager brides, reluctant grooms, excited bridal party members and family members who want to dance the night way at the wedding reception. 

Wedding Dance Workshop Series

Classes are held at The Farm Party Barn
215 Justice Ridge Rd
Candler, NC 28715
828-667-0666
Bev at 828-667-0666 for more information and to register for dance lessons.

See you out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method

“Yeah, but you were born dancing…”

My dance students say this when they start to lose faith in their ability to learn to dance.  I’m telling them that they can do something… they are telling me that they can’t.  I tell them if I can do it, they can too.  “Yeah, but….” soon follows.  

Well, here we have it.  WE WERE ALL DANCING BABIES!!!

It is thought that starting around 25 weeks of development, babies start to hear and recognize sounds in the womb.  Even though the sound is muffled, babies can hear voices and music.  In time, babies can start responding and moving in time to music and voices.

My own baby is far more active when the room is filled with R&B and Soul music.  I swear I’m starting to feel kicked in time to the music.  Bobby Brown, En Vogue and Ne-Yo have been rocking the baby today.  This baby may come out swing dancing too… well, at least recognizing the music.

Below is an article from LiveScience.  It discusses how dancing and a sense of rhythm may be something we are born with.

Babies Are Born to Dance

 

LiveScience.com livescience Staff

livescience.com – Mon Mar 15, 3:25 pm ET

“Babies love a beat, according to a new study that found dancing comes naturally to infants.

The research showed babies respond to the rhythm and tempo of music, and find it more engaging than speech.

The findings, based on a study of 120 infants between 5 months and 2 years old, suggest that humans may be born with a predisposition to move rhythmically in response to music.

“Our research suggests that it is the beat rather than other features of the music, such as the melody, that produces the response in infants,” said researcher Marcel Zentner, a psychologist at the University of York in England. “We also found that the better the children were able to synchronize their movements with the music, the more they smiled.”

To test babies’ dancing disposition, the researchers played recordings of classical music, rhythmic beats and speech to infants, and videotaped the results. They also recruited professional ballet dancers to analyze how well the babies matched their movements to the music.

During the experiments, the babies were sitting on a parent’s lap, though the adults had headphones to make sure they couldn’t hear the music and were instructed not to move.

The researchers found the babies moved their arms, hands, legs, feet, torsos and heads in response to the music, much more than to speech.

Though the ability appears to be innate in humans, the researchers aren’t sure why it evolved.

“It remains to be understood why humans have developed this particular predisposition,” Zentner said. “One possibility is that it was a target of natural selection for music or that it has evolved for some other function that just happens to be relevant for music processing.”

Zentner and his colleague Tuomas Eerola, from the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research at the University of Jyvaskyla, in Finland, detailed their findings in the March 15 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.”

Excerpt from Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20100315/sc_livescience/babiesareborntodance

Kids, Teens and Adults must be born to dance too!

This was my favorite part of the article, “humans may be born with a predisposition to move rhythmically in response to music.”  That’s right, we can’t fight it.  We are all dancers by birth.  So why do we struggle to learn to dance?

I’m not a scientist, but here is my theory.  Babies aren’t taught to dance, they just feel the rhythm of the music and move.  In time, babies learn to stomp, clap, kick, wave their hands and move their heads.  As they learn to move and control their bodies better, they start to incorporate these movements into their dance.  Once again, nobody is teaching them, they just feel the rhythm and move.  The key to this is that they FEEL THE RHYTHM OF THE MUSIC AND MOVE.

As we grow and develop, we give up our faith in what we feel and follow our heads instead.  Our faith is in what we think.  Though the brain enjoys music, it processes it differently than our bodies did in childhood.  Our brain is analytical and starts judging.  The brain examines our movements, and compares it to the music, others dancing and everyone else in the room watching.  WE STOP FEELING THE RHYTHM AND THINK ABOUT IT INSTEAD.  OUR BODIES STOP MOVING AND OUR BRAIN STARTS JUDGING.

How do we get back to feeling the music?

ZeDiamond Dance Method is based on feeling the rhythm of music before taking your first dance step.  With ZeDiamond Dance Method Learn the East Coast Swing 2 DVD set, you will be taken back to feeling the rhythm of the music.  Without your brain getting in the way, you will feel the music and move to the rhythm inside of you.  Exercises based in DiRRiD, will help you regain your natural sense of rhythm.  Just like a child, you will step, clap and use your voice to discover the rhythm that is innately inside of you. 

Once you’ve  got your groove back, then the dance steps will just flow out of you.  ZeDiamond Dance Method teaches you to move to your natural rhythm and suddenly, you are swing dancing!  You learn easy East Coast Swing Dance moves and let them flow out of you, naturally. 

Click here and watch a short video clip that lets you see how ZeDiamond Dance Method works.

See you out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method

There are many times that I see my life as a puzzlement.  I have been told for years that I am a walking contradiction.   

A friend in high school once told me that I act and talk in public they way everyone else acts and talks in private.  Basically, don’t take it when others are bending to society’s whims, they don’t have your guts to stand up to it.  I can be free as a bird and as creative and artistic as I dare to be… that’s why I ballroom and swing dance.

I enjoy structure.  I like rules.  I like to follow them, depend on them and understand them (even if it is just to work around them).  I like to know that there is right and wrong, action and reaction, consequences for behaviors and rewards for hitting goals.  There is nothing I love more than a good plan… that’s why I ballroom and swing dance.

Do you see the dilemma?  I often wonder if  I am a creative who learned to thrive in world of structure, or am I highly structured and learned to survive in a highly creative world?  The battle of Left Brain vs. Right Brain rages on inside my head… and that’s why I ballroom and swing dance. 

Traditional Ballroom Dance – Taught to the mind

Many ballroom teachers have a very analytical way of teaching which works well for analytical students.  The teacher teaches the student to use their mind to control the body, interpret music and execute specific practices of timing and technique.  Ballroom and swing dancing do have quite a bit of structure to them.  The 3 T’s of timing, teamwork and technique are introduced to students at a very early stage. 

Teachers are trained using a syllabus of steps for each dance.  Where I dance, we follow the DVIDA Syllabus.  This is a very structured syllabus that breaks down dance steps into 1/8 of a turn and half beat segments.  If there is any doubt in your mind how a leader or follower executes timing or footwork, the syllabus is your point of reference. 

Once you join the ranks of competitive dancers, a syllabus can become the standard that you are judged against.  How accurate are your steps?  How true are you to the interpretation of the dance?    Did you execute all the steps and use the correct timing? 

It is a field day for the analytical mind.  There is right and wrong… rules galore… rewards for following rules and execution of requirements… when things go well on the dance floor.

There is also blame… mistakes… shame… and a loss of confidence when things don’t go well on the dance floor.

Creative Dance – Taught to the body and spirit

When I was in college, I took a modern dance class.  When we went around the room and said why we signed up for the class, I said I was here to work on my spins, turns and balance so I could be a better couples dancer (hello analytical mind). 

What I took away from that class was so much more.  In this class, we concentrated on creating an emotional response from our movement.  It wasn’t about who had the best turn out.  It was about capturing a feeling in your own body, expressing it through movement and sharing it with someone else.  

We used dance to tell short stories rather than emulate perfect text book form.  I also learned to use my core to move my body, not just my mind.   Your body has a very distinctive look when your movement starts with your center rather than just moving limbs with your mind.

It was a field day for the creative mind.  No right and wrong… no rules… just pure expression of a feeling or idea… when things go well on the dance floor.

It can look confusing or chaotic at times… the audience doesn’t understand what you are expressing… when things go badly on the dance floor.

Dancing the Dance that is inside of you

As it turns out, Swing Dancing has a long and rich history built on rebellion.  And much of that rebellion is still carrying on today.  There is constant debate over footwork, music, timing and styling in the swing world today.  Because of this, swing dancing is still evolving at a pretty fast pace. 

ZeDiamond Dance Method is a revolutionary new way to learn how to swing dance in the comfort of your home.  ZeDiamond Dance Method Learn the East Coast Swing is the first DVD system, that I have seen, that teaches structured ballroom dance, from the body and not the mind. Teaching you to feel the music and rhythm through your body are the first lessons you learn with ZeDiamond Dance Method.  Once you can feel the music, ZeDiamond Dance Method helps you move your body to the rhythm and the dance steps just flow out of you. 

In many swing circles, dancers have come together to escape the rules of traditional ballroom dance and its syllabus.  Rules become more like guidelines as you grow and become a more experienced swing dancer. 

You learn to dance without thinking, judging or feeling shame over mistakes.  Your body and your brain stop fighting one another.  You dance the dance that is inside you with ZeDiamond Dance Method.  You feel the music flow into you and the dance steps flow out of you. 

Dancers judge their dancing based on the fun they are having, the smile on their partner’s face or the clapping of onlookers.  I judge my dancing on how tired and sore I am the next day.  The more I hurt, the better time I usually had.

Social Swing Dancing allows you to dance the dance that is inside you, while maintaining the character of the dance.  Let your creative and structured self rejoice!  You can be sexy or playful or larger than life while still swing dancing with your partner.

ZeDiamond Dance Method is one way to learn to East Coast Swing Dance that will not only teach you basic swing steps and footwork, but will also help you find the creative dance inside of you that you can share with a partner. 

Then you can start worrying about important things, like… Why is my partner smiling?

See you out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method

I’m not sure what the weather is like at your house, but in Asheville, NC it is snowing.  That may not sound like a big deal… but in this small mountain town, everything comes to a grinding halt.  Asheville will even come to halt without the snow, we just have to have a weather report calling for snow to move into the area.  With this winter being one of Asheville’s coldest and snowiest, our school age children have had many canceled classes and snow days.

So today, like many snow days, parents and their children are caught at home to wait it out.  So what are we going to do today?  What family activity will bring us all closer together, be fun for everyone and hopefully burn off some of the extra energy we are carrying around?  Let’s all learn to dance together!

What are we going to do now?

Some of my fondest childhood memories are of my mother trying to teach my sister and I to dance in our living room.  Cha cha, Tango, Polka and Jitterbug/East Coast Swing were great past times for cold and snowy days.  My mom grew-up in a family that socially ballroom danced.  She married a man who did not.  So many hours and snow days were spent teaching my sister and I to dance so she would have someone to dance with.  This was a special bonding time for the three of us, filled with giggles, music and joy.   It was by no means quality dancing… but it was quality time we spent together.

You can teach your children to dance!  You can start today!  Peel yourself away from the computer and pull the iPods earbuds out of your children’s ears and get moving.  Below is an excerpt from Teach Kids How.  Teach Kids How is an website full of topics and ideas for parents who wish to teach their children something new.  Follow these few guidelines and you and your children will be up and dancing with the music in no time.

Teach Your Child How to Dance

“Dancing has been around since the beginning of time. Before writing was invented people use to tell storied through dance, seek rain through dance, celebrate marriage through dance. In even earlier dates dance was used to heal the sick or wounded and break an evil curse that was placed on a tribe or village member.

Since that time the amount of dances and the reasons for dancing that has evolved is remarkable and difficult for anyone to keep up with, from the Salsa to the Waltz, from the Smurf to the Electric slide, the Mambo and even the Cha-Cha. There are so many it’s enough to make the common person feel overwhelmed and completely out of style.

But the benefits of dancing can be exceptional for your overall health and wellness. What other exercise can you both have dun doing and gain exceptional benefits to your health? Teaching your children to dance can be beneficial to you both in physical health, mental connectivity, and just having the ability to dance when a celebration occurs.

Preschool
When your children are younger than elementary age introducing them to dance can be as simple as allowing them to dance free verse. When anyone begins to dance, allowing the rhythm of music to sweep through his or her body is the first step to learning how to dance. Simply put some good dance music on and dance together, you’ll both have fun doing it anyway.

Instead of “teaching” your child how to dance and making them fuse about learning, try playing follow the leader with your child. When children are playing a game or not thinking they are actually learning something, they will pick up on the instruction so much easier. There’s something about playing a game that gets kids motivated, as opposed to actually learning something.

Main points to address:

• Allow your children to dance free verse.
• Play follow the leader while dancing.

Grades K-6th
In most areas there are places that provide dance classes to anyone willing to learn. Many classes will teach a variety of dances including ballroom, break dance, hip-hop, tap, country line dancing and other types of dance. This could be a class that you and your child can take and learn together. When parents are attempting to learn something new this will get your child enthusiastic about their learning process. Obtain local information about local dance events or presentations. You can also contact local dance studios to sit in and watch the instruction and type of dance being taught if you you’d like to review their instructions first.

If dance classes are not available in your area or you’re not interested in taking them try purchasing dance videos and/or dance books. They’ll show you step-by-step instructions on that dance that you or your child is looking to learn. Or use the simple one-two, one-two way you learned how to dance. Make the process fun with a few twists and twirls. The bottom line is to fun with your child, while they’re learning.

Main points to address:

• Take classes together.
• Buy dance videos and books.
• Take them to dance studios or dancing events.”

Excerpt by Teach Kids How from “Teach Your Child How to Dance”
http://www.teachkidshow.com/teach-your-child-how-to-dance/

All kids love to dance 

My nephews remind me of this everytime I see them.  They dance in the their car seats, the grocery store, Target and everywhere else that happens to have music playing in the back ground.  They will even bob their heads in time to the music I hum when I get a song stuck in my head.  At this point, in their preschool lives, dancing is a game they play with the world around them. 

As they grow, children have two ways to learn that involve their parents.  One experience is to learn something from the parent.  The child is the “novice” and the parent is the teacher or “expert” in this experience.  The other experience is to learn something with the parent.  The child and the parent are both “novices” and are working through the learning process together following an outside expert.   

Learning to dance with your child is not only a great educational experience, but can also be bonding experience as well.  ZeDiamond Dance Method Learn the East Coast Swing is a simple and easy way for children and adults to learn to dance together.  Since this teaching method is available on DVD, there is no need to venture out in the cold and snow to take dance lessons.  Order ZeDiamond Dance Method Learn the East Coast Swing 2 DVD set and pop it in the DVD player during your next snow day.  You and your children can learn to dance the East Coast Swing together in the comfort of your home.  Preschool age children will enjoy disc 1 with the rhythm practice and stomp, clap and singing exercises that help develop an inner sense of rhythm.  School age children will enjoy both discs as they learn swing dance steps and start dancing with you.  Click here to watch a video clip and see how ZeDiamond Dance Method could work for you. 

Learning how to dance the East Coast Swing together, can start your children (and you as well) on a life long journey through the world of dance.  Take your first dance steps in the comfort of your own home with ZeDiamond Dance Method.  Who knows where your dancing feet will take you next.

See you out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method

You can almost hear the eyes rolling in my husbands head.  “Whatever you want,” is the response I get on most days, which really doesn’t help me that much.  Without fail, the holy grail of outfits is either wet and still in the washer or dry, but lost somewhere in a pile of dirty clothes.

Now mind you, I am sure I make this a lot harder than it needs to be.  My husband and I are one of those “Matchy Matchy” couples.  We are our own accessories.  You will rarely see one of us in jeans and the other in dress pants.  We dress at the same level of formality and usually in the same color scheme.  We do have matching shirts and for the shirts that don’t match, my husband has ties that match my shirts. 

So why am I a mess?  With pregnancy and growing bellies comes a whole new outlook on wardrobing.  My wardrobe has also gotten much smaller in the past weeks.  I don’t fit in many of our matching outfits anymore.  Plus, different events call for different levels of formality in dressing.   You thought learning to dance was the hard part?  Finding the right outfit to wear to the dance is the next challenge.

As you enter the world of ballroom and swing dance, you will notice that not all events have the same level of formality or dress code.  Gala Balls have a different dress code than practice parties.  Theme parties and dances (WHICH I LOVE) require a little more thought and preparation than weeknight group classes.  Below is an excerpt from “Elements of Dance Etiquette” by Aria Nosratinia.   Aria has provided a wonderful guide to the various levels of formality that you find in the dance world.  Aria has also provided tips on dressing for comfort and safety… a must for all dancers

What to Wear?

Protocol:

The more formal the dance, the more formal the outfit. For example, if you are invited to a formal charity ball, anything less than a tuxedo for men or ball gown for women would be inappropriate. On the other hand, at a dance lesson at your local studio, there is usually no need to dress formally.

This is not as hard as it may seem; a little common sense goes a long way. Also, if in doubt, follow the crowd! See what others do and follow suit. If all else fails, you can always ask the dance organizers about the dress code.

Below I give a guideline and explanation for dress code, which you may see on invitations and announcements, as well as a general idea of what to wear at different dance venues.

• White tie: White tie is the most formal category of dressing. For the gentleman, it means a black tailcoat with matching trousers trimmed by ribbon of braid or satin on the outside of each trouser leg, a white pique’ tie, white pique’ single or double-breasted vest, and a wing-collar shirt with a stiff pique’ front. White gloves are nice optional accessories for gentlemen. The lady appears in a ball gown, which is an evening dress with a full skirt, possibly with open back and low neck line. Elbow-length gloves are a nice addition for the lady.
•  Black tie: Gentlemen in black tuxedo coat, trousers trimmed with satin ribbon along the outside of the legs, cummerband and bow tie. The phrase “black tie” does not refer to the color of the tie. In fact colorful ties (with matching cummerbands) are very popular. Ladies appear in ball gowns.
•  Black tie optional: Same as above, except gentlemen have the option of wearing a regular suit with a tie (bow tie preferred), and ladies wear a cocktail gown or dinner dress. Long to full-length skirts are preferred; short skirts are not recommended.
•  Formal: Gentlemen in suit and tie (nowadays a sport coat is often an acceptable replacement for a full suit), ladies in cocktail gown or evening dress.
•  Semi-formal: Gentlemen in dress slacks with dress shirt and tie, jacket is optional. Other options include a vest or a sweater that shows the tie. At the lower end of formality, these events can be attended without a tie, e.g. with a turtleneck and jacket. Ladies in evening dress or dinner dress, but other chic outfits are also acceptable (like flowing pants, etc.)
•  Dressy Casual: Applies to most practice dances, workshops, and dance lessons. Gentlemen can wear coton slacks with solid color T-shirt, turtleneck, mock turtleneck, or polo shirt. Ladies have a much wider set of clothing options. Use your imagination and sense of fashion. In general this is a conservative and toned-down appearance that has grown increasingly popular on the dance floors. Don’t forget your dance shoes!
•  Country/Western: Country western attire has variations across the country, but generally it is acceptable to go in blue or black jeans (not stone-washed) and cowboy boots. Make sure that the boots will not mark the dance floor. If you wear a hat, it may be a good idea to take it off when going on the floor. Note that country western folks can be very sensitive about their hats. It is improper to touch or otherwise handle someone’s hat, even if it sits on a table. For a lady to pick up and put on a gentleman’s hat is considered very flirtatious.
•  Milongas: (Argentine Tango) For both ladies and gentlemen, black or dark themes are preferred.
•  Latin: This refers to venues that specialize in Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, etc. For gentlemen, any button-up shirt, solid T-shirt or mock turtleneck, dress slacks, and dance shoes. Jackets are nice, but a vest can be even more stylish. Unlike most other dance venues, bright and colorful outfits for gentlemen are acceptable, although dark themes are more common. Ladies can (and often do) wear sexy outfits: both short skirts and longer slit skirts are popular. Low necklines and exposed midriffs are not uncommon.
•  Swing: There are no strict rules for swing outfits. Both the Gentleman and the Lady wear outfits that are reasonably neat and chic, although often not very formal. Many types of swing are fast-paced and athletic, so wearing suitable clothing is essential. For example, the Lady would be well advised to stay away from short, tight skirts. See also the next section on Comfort and Safety. A cute trend, especially in Lindy Hop circles, is to wear vintage outfits from the 1930’s and 40’s. But this is not done everywhere and is not at all a requirement.

Comfort and safety:

Wear clothing that makes it easy and enjoyable to dance, both for yourself and your partner.

• Regardless of how informal the dance is, always wear dance shoes. Do not wear sneakers or other shoes with rubber or spongy soles. They can stick to the floor during turns and spins and cause ankle and knee injuries.
•  Avoid sleeveless shirts and strapped dresses, especially for active dancing: It is not pleasant to have to touch the damp skin of a partner.
•  Sleeves that are baggy or cut low in the armpit are not a good idea, especially in Latin and swing dancing, because dancers need access to partner’s back, and hands may get caught in baggy sleeves.
•  Accessories like big rings, watches, brooches, loose/long necklaces, and big belt buckles can be dangerous. They can catch in partner’s clothing, scratch and bruise.
•  Gentlemen: if you have no place to leave your keys and loose change, carry them in the *left* pocket of your trousers. This makes it less likely to bruise your partner.
•  Long hair should be put up or tied in a pony tail. It is difficult to get into closed dance position when the lady has long flowing hair (hair gets caught in gentleman’s right hand). It is also not fun to be hit in the face with flying hair during turns and spins. “

Excerpt from ”Elements of Dance Etiquette” byAria Nosratinia
http://www.utdallas.edu/~aria/dance/etiquette.html#Groom 

The Excuse to get Dressed-Up

Many times, people learn to dance so they have an excuse to get dressed-up and get out of the house.  Whether it is “date night” for a couple, a way to meet local single people in your community, or just an excuse to wear fabulous clothes, learning to dance can open all kinds of social doors as well as wardrobe and closet doors for you too. 

I know there are people out there that just don’t want to get dressed up.  They are content to wear sweat pants, dirty jeans, track suits, or yoga wear 24/7.  Many use the lack of clothing in their closets as a reason not to take dance classes or learn how to dance.  Just because everyone is wearing a ballgown in the movies, doesn’t mean everyone wears a ballgown to the Friday night dance.  Expensive costumes are not required to enjoy yourself out on the dance floor.

With ZeDiamond Dance Method, you don’t need to worry about what you are going to wear.  With ZeDiamond Dance Method Learn the East Coast Swing 2 DVD set, you will be learning to swing dance in the privacy of your own home.  You can wear what ever you feel most comfortable in.  Socks, Pajamas, ratty old chinos, and denim shirts are perfect for learning how to swing dance at home.  Once you gain confidence in you new found dance skills, you may feel more comfortable getting a little spruced up and going out to a swing party or ballroom dance.

Click here to watch a video clip from ZeDiamond Dance Method Learn the East Coast Swing.  The students in the class are college kids and are dressed as such.  Do you think they are going to let a little thing like clothing come between them and good time out swing dancing with friends?  I think not.  You should not either.

So ignore the wet and dirty clothing, like I have.  Find a clean pair of black pants, a bright colored shirt and go out and have a great time.  Even though I learned to ballroom dance just so I had an excuse to wear a ballgown, I am lucky if I wear my ballgown twice a year.  But my black swing pants have taken me everywhere else I have wanted to go dancing in Asheville, NC and all over the country. 

See you out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method

Currently, I am 20-something weeks along and still dancing up a storm.  Well, I’m dancing up as big a storm as my dance partners will allow.  As my belly has gotten bigger, my ballroom dance connection improved for awhile.  The curve of my belly fit the curve of my husband’s belly nicely.  But now, the belly is starting to make Tango a little more interesting.   Luckily, I am a swing dancer and the versatility (and distance) of open dance position keeps me smiling and in my favorite dance shoes rather than on the sidelines of the dance floor.

I have been told that “Baby Barnes” is going to come out spoiled.  Baby Barnes will have spent 9 months in the womb being rocked for hours by all the East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing and Hustle dancing I do.  After being born, the baby will still want to be rocked (or Swing) for hours on end.

I have noticed that the baby tends to wiggle and kick when I am still.  Right now, I’m getting kicked because I’m sitting very still while writing this blog.  But get me to the ballroom or dance studio and the kicking stops soon after my first dance.  The swing dance steps and the movement of my body rocks the baby to sleep while I am working up a sweat to some very loud music.

This got me thinking about dancing with babies.  I found this article and thought I would share it with you.  Susan Peach has over 20 years experience as a Latin dance and fitness instructor. She is also the creator of Mambo Moms, a fun and gentle Latin dance based fitness program that helps new moms get back in shape while spending quality play time with their babies.  http://www.mambomoms.com

Shared Dancing has Benefits for Babies and New Moms Alike

by PregnancyAdmin on May 5, 2009

“Shared Dancing has Benefits for Babies and New Moms Alike

Every parent knows the calming effects on their baby of rocking and gentle motion. After all, who among us has not paced the floor at 2 am trying to entice a little one back to sleep by rocking, bouncing or swaying?

“The stag line hangs out by the pool tables, the popcorn machine or the video games.  The stags tote long-necked beer bottles, lean against the posts, check out the ladies and pump up their courage to actually ask someone to dance.  These cowboys equate to bachelor moose in the forest who have yet to acquire a harem.

Types commonly found on the stag line include:

• Championship Dancers - Could have won every dance contest they ever saw; planning to enter one soon.
• Don Juans - Profess to have choice of any lady in the place; know (in a Biblical sense) or know someone who has been romantically involved with anyone you point out; waiting for the “right” lady to ask out; then waiting some more.
• Great Debaters – Will argue any side of any topic; can deliver colorful, impassioned and nearly-informed oration on important matters.
• Heavyweight Champs – Weigh over 250 pounds; sincerely pledge to defend anyone whose person or honor is in jeopardy; get wet eyes from even minor expressions of gratitude; fond of calling people, “little buddy”.
• Major Leaguers – Recount sports trivia expertly; willingly review their own heroic athletic achievements; can explain precisely how to pitch no-hitters, bowl 300 games and catch fifteen pound bass; considering the Iron Man competition.
• Millionaires-In-Training - Buy drinks for buddies until the bartender delivers a pot of coffee; listen to Zig Zigler tapes; have inside tips and hot ideas; work in insurance or investment sales; will be wealthy as soon as commissions multiply.
• Race Car Drivers - Relate exciting automotive exploits; have many tickets; insurance premiums reflect their prowess; do their own mechanical work; drive Camaros with primer spots, which means any Camaro, rather than pick-up trucks.
• SBDs (Silent But Deadly) - Can flatulate on cue, with or without the finger pull; able to control smell, sound and direction, they say; journeymen can toot a reasonable facsimile of “Three Blind Mice”.

Excerpt form “Paul McClure’s Country Dance Etiquette” by Paul McClure

Why is the Stag Line important?

To be honest, that all depends on you.  If you are looking for conversation about topics other than dancing, cruising the room for your next date, or you want to try to talk someone else into buying you a drink from the bar… then the stag line is for you.  The stag line is a collection of people who enjoy the atmosphere of the dance hall, but have other social agendas – a.k.a. not there to dance.  Many of the people on the stag line have never tried to learn how to dance or have only tried briefly and had a bad experience so they quit trying to learn. 

If you have come to the dance to DANCE, then you may wish to avoid the stag line.  The stag line may offer much entertainment to you if you are taking a break to rest your feet, but no amount attention you pay them will move them closer to the dance floor.

What’s a girl to do if her partner is really on the Stag Line?

Well, part of what keeps people on the stag line is fear… fear of the unknown, fear of trying something new, fear of failure and fear of looking unattractive in front of other people.  You may have noticed that many on the stag line consider themselves “experts” in their field.  They want to be the best at something – sports trivia, reckless driving, business, or just want to be the smartest person in the room.  Well, having to admit that you do not know how to dance and going through the growing pains of beginner dancers may just be too much for their egos to handle.

If someone on the stag line is ever going to make the transition to the dance floor, they will do it only if they feel that they are in a comfortable and no-threatening place.  The ballroom party, swing dance or night club may not be the best place to get started.  Learning to dance at home may be a more suitable venue to try out those first few dance steps.

A new and innovative way to learn to dance is with ZeDiamond Dance Method – Learn the East Coast Swing two DVD set.  This DVD set lays all the basics for learning to swing dance in the comfort of your own living room, kitchen or den.  This is great for the person who is too shy to learn to dance in front of other people.  You can even close your blinds and curtains so you neighbors don’t even see you dancing for the first time.

ZeDiamond Dance Method is also great for someone who has tried to learn to dance in the past, but gave up because they became frustrated.  The DVD’s  make it easy to learn to East Coast Swing Dance, because you can rewind them as many times as you like, play them as often as you need to and review what you have learned just before heading out the door to the next dance party. 

East Coast Swing is a great first dance to learn.  Swing is a very universally known dance and danced many places – country bars, ballroom dances, swing parties and night clubs all play music that is approprate for East Coast Swing dancing.  Once you have this dance under your belt, you will have many opportunities to show off your new found dance skills.

I hope to see you off the stag line and out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method

You look for the tell-tale swing dancer signs.  Wearing dance shoes in public, carrying a shoe bag rather than a hand bag, chewing gum in time to background music, bobbing head and making miniature leading movements… these are all things that separate swing dancers from the non-dancers in a room.

But once you are at the swing dance… That’s when the people watching really starts to get fun!

Leave it to Paul McClure to classify and organize the people you will see out on the dance floor, East Coast Swing dancing or otherwise cutting a rug.

“The following field guide to couples’ dance styles covers dancers regularly encountered on the dance floor at most large dance halls.  You may want to take this guide with you dancing, much as you might take your Audubon’s Guide on a bird watching expedition, to see how many species you can spot.

• Bobbers – Nod heads up and down in time to music; rarely out of time; have gift to avoid vertigo; vague kinship to ceramic dogs riding on rear window panels.
• Danceaholics – Drip sweat; dance every dance; never leave the floor… have repertoire of line dances for emergencies.
• Doubletimers – Takes twice as many steps per beat of music as other dancers; [They] look down at floor and don’t bother with turns…
• Flat Footers – Dance well without ever appearing to move their feet; in West Coast [they] look like traffic cops directing cars up and down the street. 
• Floor Hogs- Careen around the dance floor with feet, elbows and body parts a’flying; often add excitement with unexpected stops and sudden lurches sideways; observers develop inexplicable desire to play pinball.
• Goat Ropers – [They] proceed straight down line of dance with no change in speed or line; constantly turn ladies, who get to run over and back, up and down and side to side; guys never tire; not so for partners.
• Hand Jobbers- Overflow with fancy turns from strong-armed but ambiguous leads; view dancing as a contest to see if they can catch partners with unfollowable moves; requires a steady supply of polite partners.
• Jigglers- Move entire bodies up and down on each beat of music; have good coordination as many things seem to be happening at once; compare to Bobbers whose heads only go up on the upbeat and down on the down beat.
• Pumpers – Pump hands up and down in time with footwork; extended arms drop down on man’s left step and rise on his right step; few turns since the arms are otherwise occupied.
• Skaters- Dance smoooothly; when the dancers’ feet aren’t visible, their smoothness and constant speed make them appear to be on skates; the most riveting style for spectators to watch
• Wannabe Instructors- offer constant criticism and instruction to partners while dancing, even when total strangers, especially when total strangers; pester more advanced dancers to teach them moves while social dancing in heavy traffic; feelings not easily hurt.
• Wrestlers – Concentrate on developing moves before fundamentals; able to steer wrestle any lady into any position on any foot; boosts liniment sales.

Excerpt from “Paul McClure’s Country Dance Etiquette” by Paul McClure

Wait a minute. Could I be on that list?

Amy and Jason Barnes cutting a rug

As much fun as it is spot the above dancers and their tell-tale signs, we laugh because we see them as true… and inside each and everyone of us.  Some of the habits and signs present themselves now in a minimal fashion, but as beginners we were all brimming with them. 

It is hard to escape being a “Pumper” or a “Bobber” when you first learn the East Coast Swing.  Beginner swing dancers often resemble children acting out “I’m a little tea pot” when tipping from side to side.  Trouble with rhythm turns dancers into “Double Timers,” who speed up out of fear of falling behind or ”Flat Footers,” who have given-up on keeping in time to the music or are so worried about getting the arms right, that they stop moving their feet altogether.

Many of the these funny dance styles and habits develop because the dancer is not grounded or centered in the dance.  Other habits develop because of a lack of connection and ability to communicate with a dance partner.  There is away to learn how to dance that not only teaches you dance steps, but helps you to feel more centered, gounded and connected to your partners.  It is called ZeDiamond Dance Method.   

Learning to dance is so much more than just knowing a bunch of dance moves or dance steps. Traditional methods of teaching dance are analytical rely on teaching the mind, not the body.  With ZeDiamond Dance Method – Learn the East Coast Swing DVD’s, you learn how to feel the rhythm of East Coast Swing and the music though your body.  This frees up the mind and allows you to enjoy dancing without thinking about what you are doing.  Click here to learn about the history of ZeDiamond Dance Method and how it was developed.

Deborah-Marie Diamond and Zeki Maviyildiz created ZeDiamond Dance Method because of what they saw in thier local ballroom dance community of Asheville, NC.  They saw not only beginner ballroom dancers who struggled with rhythm, but people who had been dancing for years that still struggled with rhythm as well. 

This got them thinking.  As a result, they created a new way to teach dance that taught how to feel the rhythm of the music while teaching easy to learn East Coast Swing dance steps… And ZeDiamond Dance Method was born. 

Do you think ZeDiamond Dance Method could be for you?  Click here to see if it is right for you.  You can also read what other swing and ballroom dancers have said about ZeDiamond Dance Method by clicking here.

This reformed bobber, danceaholic and jiggler (somedays more reformed than others) looks forward to seeing you out on the dance floor.

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method 

I’ve been there.  I’ve been the person hiding in the back, strangely hoping and not hoping someone asks me to dance.  I’ve been too out of breath to speak, let alone dance another one.  I’ve been stepped on, had my arm wrenched, been hit by random free arms and I am now limping my way off the dance floor… just to meet the hopeful expression of a gentleman asking me, “Want-to?”

Declining a dance request is far more than, “just say no.”  You might be tired, hurt, thirsty or just not have another East Coast Swing left in you… But if all you say to the polite request to dance is, “No,” then you suddenly have a bigger problem than just sore toes.  Proper dance etiquette can help you politely decline a dance, while helping you keep or improve your chances for future dances.

Here is Paul McClure to help guide us through what could be a sticky situation at ballroom, swing or nightclub dance.

Declining A Dance

“When asked to dance, good manners dictate you say, “Yes,” at least once, unless the requesting party has overwhelming social disabilities.  Nothing shows class like a gracious acceptance of a dance from someone who may not appear to be exactly God’s gift.  Others notice.

However, if someone asks you to dance and you choose to decline, then do so without actually saying the word, “No,” and explain why you passed up the offer.  Suggestions include:

• “Let me sit this one out to catch my breath.”
• “Give me a few more dances to get up my courage.”
• “I haven’t learned that dance yet; how about a Rain Check till next time?”
• “I want to stay on the sidelines in hopes that Billy Bob will ask me to dance.”
• “I just told Billy Bob,’No,’ so I need to sit out a couple dances in order not to hurt his feelings.”

Also, when you decline a dance offer, introduce yourself and engage the petitioner in conversation for a short while so it won’t be evident to everybody in the room that you refused to dance.”

Excerpt from “Paul McClure’s Country Dance Etiquette”

Now that I have said, “No,” now what?

This is a rule of etiquette that I feel very strongly about.

Once you have turned down a dance request, you may not accept another until the current song has ended and a new song has started! 

I know what you are thinking… “But I want to dance to this song, just not with this person.  I would rather take the chance that someone better comes along and asks me.”  Well, you can do that, if you want to be known as a “dance snob.”  Though it may be fun to toy with the idea of, “I only dance with certain people,” it will quickly leave you few and far between in the partner department. 

Typically, the most popular dancers at the party are the ones who dance with the widest variety of partners.  People notice who you dance with and who you turn down. 

If there is an honest desire to dance a particular dance or song with a certain someone, ask them for that dance early, before the song is even played.  Later, when Bubba asks you to dance to your favorite swing song, you can politely say, “I’m sorry Bubba, Billy Bob already promised me this dance.  But please ask me again later.  I do want to dance with you tonight.”  Then you can run to Billy Bob guilt free (provided Billy Bob remembered that this is your song) and Bubba is not crushed.  In fact, Bubba is hunting for a new partner, and still looking forward to dancing with you down the road. 

This rule is so universal, I have been made aware of it in my travels, not just in Asheville, NC.  I have walked over to a person in the middle of a song and started chatting with them.  Then they tell me, “I would really love to dance with you, but I have already turned someone down for this song.  Can I have the next Swing with you?”  I just think to myself, “Score! One point to the polite dancer at my side.”  But I always answer, “Yes!”

But I don’t feel comfortable dancing yet…

Never fear, in time you will become more at ease on the dance floor.  Practicing at home with ZeDiamond Dance Method DVD’s will help you on your way to becoming a more confident and accomplished dancer.  It’s simple. Start with ZeDiamond Dance Method – Learn the East Coast Swing and soon you will be ready to learn how to dance other dances.

ZeDiamond Dance Method was designed not only to help you learn how to East Coast Swing, but to help you feel the rhythm of the music and connect with your dance partners.  With a little practice, you will be enjoying the music and your partner and not worrying about your feet.  Click here to watch a short video about ZeDiamond Dance Method

See you out on the dance floor,

Amy Barnes

ZeDiamond Dance Method