My thoughts on yesterday (September 28)

Yesterday I went to the studio again.  I don't know why I have to say this, because I have already said I go to dance every weeknight, but whatever, I just feel like it.(Plus it provides more easy writing material...)

So, my partner and I had a class and practice today.  Essentially all we worked on was our frame.  It's been going well, but I have been having trouble with my right shoulder.  I am having difficulty keep it down while I dance.  I start with it down, but as I dance, it slowly rises, and it causes a very bad and broken line to our frame.  And the worst part?  For the life of me I cannot feel when I am doing this, so that makes it ten times harder to fix!

We also worked on some Waltz stuff.  On the Weave I guess I wasn't going down enough on one step, so it kind of messed up the look of the whole thing.  On the Underturn Outside Spin I have to remember not to shorten it when I am going into the turn.  On the Chasse's, I have to make the rise go through all the steps of the chasse, instead of reaching the full height on the first step.  I also have to make more shape or "sway" on the Wing.  Arg, there is so much to focus on!!!!

Lots of stuff to work on all right, at least we will have more practices soon.

This coming week though, my partner will be having family over at her house, so we won't be able to start these new practices quite yet.  The week afterward though, I believe we will finally be able to get more practice time.

Oh yeah, and yesterday was the first time I drove to the studio by myself.  I think I said so already, but I got my license on Tuesday.  So happy!  Maybe I can make it easier on my partner's family and drive her to and from the studio if they can't make it on a certain day.

Well, that is my life,

Aaron Mullen:  Ballroom Dance Instructor

Dance Competition!

My partner and I participated in a ballroom Dance competition today.  The competition was in Glastonbury, if you know where that is.  Not many people were there, just the regulars from my dance studio and some others whom I have seen around at other competitions.

It was fun, yet at the same time it was disappointing.  I was hoping we would do better, but at least we got first in two events out of the ten in which we participated.  Something I learnt today was that Waltz is definitely our best dance, and that my worries about our frame are well founded.  I had been asking my teacher if my posture was good, but he basically told me it was fine and started working on other things, despite my worries.  But today he got angry at me for not holding my frame properly, although I had been the one to ask him about my frame a while back.

Ah, so much drama.

So, that was my experience today.  Kind of a crazy roller coaster ride of doom.

So the moral of this story?  Remember kids, your frame is VERY important.  Make sure you have that down before you work on anything else.  It will help your balance and your connection to your partner a lot.

Aaron Mullen:  Ballroom Dance Instructor