What do pro dancers do to get their celebrity amateurs so good, so quickly? [more inside]
posted by philosophygeek on Nov 19, 2009 - 14 answers

What kind of social dancing is the most difficult to learn? I'm wondering about which lead-follow partner dances are the most difficult, and what makes them so tough. I'd curious about the difficulty for both learning the basics of a dance (so that one could lead or follow socially), as well as learning a dance at a high level suitable for top-tier competition.
posted by philosophygeek on May 25, 2009 - 15 answers

How do dancers achieve body flight? I'm amazed at how many pros in dances like Carolina shag and west coast swing look like air hockey pucks gliding across the floor, and I'd like to learn this skill. I have worked with local pros in private lessons, but nothing has clicked yet, and so I'm asking the hive mind for drills and breakdowns to develop this degree of body flight. Theoretical explanations of how body flight and glide are created are welcome, but my primary interest is practical: I want to learn how to do this!
posted by philosophygeek on Apr 26, 2009 - 7 answers

I have been learning to swing dance for almost a year now, and I have enjoyed it very much. However, I will soon be traveling for an extended period of time (over six months), and will not be able to continue with my classes or lessons during that time. What can I do to keep my skills from atrophying while I am away? [more inside]
posted by philosophygeek on Oct 18, 2008 - 6 answers