Blog
Starting to Get Annoyed with Snow
Being a dance instructor has its seasonal fluctuations. It is sometimes hard to convince people, even people who love dance, to drive in the spring showers, or give up their summer walk, or miss a day of apple picking to take their weekly dance class. However the most challenging season of all is winter. The cold weather and early sunset generally inspires people to curl up on their couch. You know how I know this...because I feel it too.
A New Studio Location For West Coast Swing, Hustle, and Salsa
A Quick Scare
At the end 2014, the owner of Dance Dimensions - the home of our West Coast Swing and Hustle classes in Norwalk, CT - gave me a good scare. She told me the studio was going to be torn down for a new real estate development. But she quickly relieved my fear, when she invited us to be a part of the studio's relocation to 15 Cross Street in Norwalk, CT.
2014 Year in Review
2014 was a momentous year. Perhaps the easiest way to describe this year is in two parts, BCE (Before Charlotte's Era) and CE (Charlotte's Era). During the first part of the year (BCE), we continued teaching the attending students from Norwalk Community College, invited guest instructors, and attended a few select events. This time was also marked by visits with friends and family, and a wonderful baby-shower which was attended by many of the women of our dance community.
The second part of the year (CE) was about keeping dance moving forward during the summer months, more guest instructors, dance events without Anna, the introduction of Charlotte to our dance community, the closing of the Platinum Party, the last class at 3 Quincy Street, and our 3rd Dancing New Year's Eve CT.
Dance has been an important part of the journey through 2014...but teaching and dancing with Charlotte on my chest, watching her face when we choreograph, and having her watch her daddy simultaneously win 1st and 3rd places in an All-Star Jack and Jill has set the bar very high for years to come.
Swingin New England 2014 - Review, Placements, and Pictures
So what makes the best dance event for you? Is it the social dancing, the competition, the time with friends, the lights, the sound system, or the floor?
I’ve been on the competitive circuit for the last 16 years. Although I've attended events throughout the United States, the majority of the dance events I have attended have been on the east coast. I have fallen in love with small, first time events and have been in awe of big, well established events. I have traveled to events by myself, with dance partners, with friends, with girlfriends, and with my wife. I have been in the Novice division and I have been in the Invitational division. So, after a decade and a half of attending events, it was hard to say what makes an event the best…until last weekend.
Charlotte at West Coast Swing
Last Thursday, Charlotte made her debut at our West Coast Swing classes in Norwalk, CT. Originally, we weren’t sure when she was going to make her teaching debut, but we knew it would be after she had received her first round of vaccines in late July.
As August began to draw to a close, Anna and I realized that we needed to let Charlotte see West Coast Swing in a real studio. Until last Thursday, Charlotte had only seen mommy and daddy choreograph small moments in our apartment as I prepared for class.
We also realized that as Anna heads back to her PhD program at New York University and her independent tutoring schedule, we would have very few opportunities to bring Charlotte to class in the near future.
Charlotte's First Party
Charlotte, Anna and I went to our first party together this past weekend. It was the wedding of a friend and colleague of Anna’s so we were able to go as a family. We attended a church ceremony at 4pm in New York City and then drove to the reception in Piermont, NY.
Liberty Swing 2014 Review and Placements
Liberty Swing 2014 was an awesome competitive and social event for the New York City area. This event is the major West Coast Swing occasion of the year for the metropolitan area. It stars a Champion level teaching staff and extended top-level pros from all over the United States.
Swingin Into Spring 2014 - Review and Placements
Swingin Into Spring was an exciting event! If your spending time and energy learning West Coast Swing or Hustle in the Connecticut area, you’d would have been crazy to miss this Hartford-located event.
Event director, Ken Mercik, brought together regional instructors and national champions to create a great learning environment for newcomers and serious dancers.
This event is easily the most convenient, best bang-for-your buck, highly social event for our West Coast Swing and Hustle group from Connecticut.
Kat Wildish in Dance Teacher Magazine
Although February 2014 is almost over, this month would not be complete if I did not acknowledge Kat Wildish as the front cover of Dance Teacher Magazine.
Kat has been a teacher and mentor to both Anna and me for our entire relationship. She has been a ballet teacher to Anna since 2005 and me since 2006.
Western CT Outdoor Adventurer Dance Party Was Fun
Last Saturday, February 22, 2014, we hosted our 3rd Western CT Outdoor Adventurer Dance Party. It was a really fun time that was attended by people from our Hustle and West Coast Swing dance community and the Western Connecticut Outdoor Adventurer (WCOA) Meetup group.
We are thankful that people like John Porter, who is a Hustle and West Coast Swing dancer and also a leading member of the WCOA group, look to us to help co-produce a great social environment where people can mingle, learn a fun dance, and party.
