Dance

=Key Concepts= toc Breaks (Patterns, Relationships, Repetition, Rhythm) Connection (Anchor, Compression, Core, Frame, Stretch, Tone, Resistance) Improvisation (Communication, Co-creation, Perspective, Risk-taking) Lead/Follow (Direction, Momentum, Consistency) Styling (Levels - Height/Width, Pacing - Space & Time, Patterns, "Listening," Movement, Musicality)

=Primary Principles=

Communication/Conversation Dancing from the Core

Competitive, Performance, Social

=Advocacy / Building Community= = = ==

= = [|Dragon Con 2010: Firefly Panel Part 3] media type="youtube" key="9JCvpFG-Ll4" width="420" height="315" Actors from the sci-fi movie, Serenity, discuss how dance @ 6:25, and language at 8:28, have influenced their careers.



[|Westify Promo Reel 2013] =media type="youtube" key="HU6KXHqlQ5o" width="560" height="315"=

[|DanceUtah SLC - Dancing with Champions John Lindo & Jessica Cox] media type="youtube" key="TLcXqCq4Lc4" width="560" height="315"

[|Where the Hell is Matt 2012?] media type="youtube" key="Pwe-pA6TaZk" width="560" height="315" A great exploration of culture through dance

media type="youtube" key="6_ENkOrPdq8" width="560" height="315"
 * [|What Does Music Look Like?]

[|Why I Dance: Pourquoi je danse] - Subtitled in French media type="youtube" key="NW8qUKxQiQU" width="560" height="315"

=Cartoons=

[|A Bug Studying His Arthur Murray Dance Charts]

[|Caution: Bad Dancing]

[|Dance Dance Evolution]

- Type "dance" into the search box to find cartoons about dance that can be purchased for public use

[|Salsa Cartoon]

=Dance as Art= = = [|OK Go - Skyscrapers Official Video] =media type="youtube" key="Rb4lgOiHBZo" width="560" height="315"= the way the tango was used to create the story of the relationship against scenes that were very representative of a walk through daily life; the progressive use of direction and film angles to create narrative momentum; the manner in which color, costuming, measured movement, and repetition were used to create patterns and manipulate viewers' expectations; the subtle contrasts woven throughout; the symbolic nature of the various layers of conceptual shifts in the video (such as black to white through color).

[|Unusually Cool Japanese Dance]

=Dance as a Developmental Process=

Matt & Lily Auclair - Father Daughter Exhibition - Dallas Dance Exhibition 2013 to "You're Amazing Just the Way You Are"

media type="youtube" key="D8jJ5yofSUU" width="560" height="315"
Good example of "knowledge" v. "connection" and the developmental nature of learning to dance

[|The Tragedy of First Position 2008] media type="youtube" key="tdylQeg5B9I" width="420" height="315" Adorable - little girl can't focus on what is being said b/c she is trying so hard to get her feet into 1st position without losing her balance. Very positive teacher.

=Dance as a Daily Activity=

[|Dancers Among Us] - A series of photos of people dancing through daily life (a couple of images are not classroom appropriate)

**Dance Education**

[|PS Dance! Dance Education in Public Schools]

**Dance as Metaphor**

[|How the Planets Dance] - Interesting blog post that uses brightly colored, "spirograph-like" drawings to visualize the movement of the planets = =

=Dance as Performance=

Ben Morris & Melissa Rutz - Classic Division - Chicago Classic 2012 to "Something About the Chase" media type="youtube" key="P1L-Ukk2XCE" width="560" height="315"

[|Enra Pleiades] media type="custom" key="26103740"

[|Gary McIntyre & Susan Kirklin - "Kids at Play" 2012 Balloon Routine]

[|This Haunting Figure Skating Routine Will Make You Feel the Music in Your Bones] (to The Sound of Silence by Disturbed)

=Examples=

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Swing Dancers - set to "All About the Music" by DJ Z-Trip media type="youtube" key="AghCc7OGF_k" width="420" height="315" Old-time swing dancers

[|Dax Hock, Max Pitruzzella, & Sarah Breck - Tea for Three: An Improv Steal Dance] (Lindy) media type="youtube" key="6qssmS2hQw0" width="560" height="315"

[|Unbelievable Dubstep Dance Skills] media type="youtube" key="DZmv1YJnszw" width="560" height="315" Slow motion nature of this makes it a great "text" for studying body isolations, body movement, use and positioning of core, and aligning movement to music - also creative interpretation of music

[|Wedding Dance 2009] - Improv WCS at a wedding to "Give Me One Reason" by Tracy Chapman media type="youtube" key="eMZGKRIS9uY" width="560" height="315"

=Innovation=



=Interactive=

[|Artopia: Dance]

- Practice something every day for 100 days, take a video every day

- A Symbaloo collection of links to "brain break" dance videos for upper elementary students

**Leading & Following**



__The Art of Leading__



**Lessons**

[|How2Dance.com]

- A series of videos, each of which demonstrates one of the basic moves in WCS = =

=Life Lessons from Dance=



[|How Generous Are You Willing to Be?]

[|First Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy] media type="youtube" key="fW8amMCVAJQ" width="560" height="315"

- An NPR interview with 3 blues dancers on the subject

[|La danse, remède anti-morosité - A news report in French] media type="custom" key="26467746"

[|Learn to Dance in a Year]

[|Why Trust is Worth It] media type="custom" key="25329982"

=Pedagogical Articles=

Aesthetics & Styling
[|Practicing Leg Lines with Tendus]

[|WCS Styling Checklist]



Beginners
[|Seven Challenges of West Coast Swing]

Compression
[|Staying Into Compression]

Drills
[|Drills: You Need More of Them by Joel Torgeson]

[|Body Roll Drill]

=Pedagogical Videos=

Angles
Brent & Kellese Key - 1st Place Classic Division - US Open 2003 to "Blues Power" by Albert King media type="youtube" key="dKgOfp-WDrM" width="420" height="315" Kellese uses lots of angles

Connection
Ben Morris & Jessica Cox - Strictly Swing - Boston Tea Party 2013 to an acoustic, bluesy song media type="youtube" key="rHJa09KcDN0" width="560" height="315" Good for seeing how the connection migrates depending on what is happening in the dance

[|Maxence Martin & Tara Trafzer - 1st Place All Star J&J - 4th of July Convention 2010 to "You Can Let It Out"] media type="youtube" key="D021Irk6ByI" width="420" height="315" Good example of what is possible w/ connection (esp. at 1:11 - Kick/drop) - headrolls, double spins, ladies styling on underarm turn, extended whips - very controlled

Core
Ben Morris & Melissa Rutz - Strictly Swing - Boston Tea Party 2012 to "Shake Your Groove Thing" media type="youtube" key="8Nq0Y2_l1Ds" width="560" height="315"

[|Ben Morris & Tessa Cunningham] - Champion J&J - Reno Dance Sensation 2007 media type="youtube" key="Y3i6kyLLB2g" width="420" height="315" Note Tessa's use of core and posture to stay centered

[|Counting Sets of 8] - A blog containing a series of videos that visualize this

media type="youtube" key="AKRTLn3RiQQ" width="420" height="315"

Following
Ben Morris & Maria Elizarova - 1st Place Pro Novice Jack & Jill - Budafest 2014 to "Shout" media type="youtube" key="o0ZMUNbhn8o" width="560" height="315" Good example of perfectly aligned core, good frame, styling within the framework your leader gives you, etc.

Footwork
RJ Centano & Brandi Tobias - 1st Place Champion J&J - Boogie by the Bay 2009 to "Masquerader" media type="youtube" key="8uwp6sqhDw4" width="420" height="315" Note Brandi's footwork and attitude spins

High Leverage Moves
[|Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollman - Overland Park WCS Weekend 2011 to "More"] media type="youtube" key="OmEYd8lD45k" width="420" height="315" Lots of attitude spins, drops, and acrobatics

[|Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollman - Improv WCS - Korea 2008 to "I've Got the Blues"] media type="youtube" key="6MjHBYAdNuk" width="420" height="315" Lots of spins, splits, etc.

[|Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollman - J&J Prelim - Boogie By the Bay 2011 to "Breaking Me"] media type="youtube" key="wylOpwnfkmA" width="420" height="315" Tons of head rolls and leg spins

Leading
Maxence Martin & Emeline Rochefeuille - Improv - Rouen 2012 to "Nightcall" by Kavinsky media type="youtube" key="SmpxeJHKRv8" width="420" height="315" Good example of body leads, subtle moves that allow the lead to contribute to the dance, smooth transitions on a slow song

Musicality
media type="youtube" key="eYw8-N9pjI0" width="420" height="315"

Intermediate J&J Final Jam - Baltic Swing 2014 to "Sexy & I Know It" media type="youtube" key="40OkKs5lGTw" width="560" height="315" First couple is a good example of a follow adding to the dance

Partnering
Ben Morris & Tessa Cunningham - "Every Night & Day" media type="youtube" key="Y3i6kyLLB2g" width="420" height="315" Great example of partnering

Michael Kielbasa & Melissa Rutz - 1st Place Champions Invitational J&J - SF Dance Sensation 2013 to "Belief" by John Mayer & to "Grieves" media type="youtube" key="PqawqAO8mmI" width="560" height="315" Good examples of partnering, visual leads, and musicality

=Styling=

[|John Lindo & Jessica Cox - National Living Legends Exhibition 2010] media type="youtube" key="xryzKVPiKms" width="420" height="315" Very classy video with some good styling options (styling at :48, cross at :50, hesitation at 1:01, lunge at 1:08, lean at 1:35)

[|Ben Morris & Melissa Rutz - 1st Place Improv WCS Invitational J&J - Seattle Easter Swing 2011 to "Leyla" & "Danny's All-Star Joint"] media type="youtube" key="sjyo5VvpTxU" width="560" height="315"

John Lindo & Jessica Cox - Freestyle Demo - Nuroc Swingin' in the Valley 2012 to "Best You Ever Had" media type="youtube" key="riUdAwywJws" width="560" height="315"

[|Ben Morris & Tara Trafzer - Champions Strictly Swing - Chico Dance Sensation 2012 to "Party Rockers"] media type="youtube" key="KNnuKzZ4wWw" width="420" height="315" To "Party Rockers" - Ben leads styling (lunch with her hand on his chest), several guys and girls spins, musicality to lyrics ("good time," "shake that"). Lots of disconnected silliness too

Technique
[|Jordan Frisbee & Melissa Rutz - Champion J&J - West Coast Swing Phoenix 2009 to "The Thrill is Gone" & "Move Me"] media type="youtube" key="rHk6zqtycr8" width="420" height="315" Good example of headrolls, follow keeping her feet under her, staying straight up during spins - very technically clean for the follow.

Waiting
[|Ben Morris & Jessica Cox - Champions Strictly Swing - USA Grand Nationals 2009 to "You Know I Like the Way You Move It"] media type="youtube" key="xQpGhTS1B9U" width="560" height="315"

[|Kyle Redd & Tara Trafzer - 2nd Place J&J - Palm Springs Summer Dance Camp 2010] - To an acoustic, bluesy song & then to "California Girls" media type="youtube" key="8n5e7WU1Cqw" width="420" height="315" Good example of waiting

=Phrasing=

media type="youtube" key="kk2cLGJ72nM" width="420" height="315"

=Playlists=

- Regularly updated page with links to the music videos for each month

- Updated through August 2013, see interviews with Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollman re: their favorite songs, listen to streaming music, and view the "hot 20" lists

=Professional Development=

= =

=Quotes=

=Resources=

[|Danza.es] - Website dedicated to dance in Spain

=Tech Tools=

Beats Per Minute (BPM)
[|BPM Database] - Click on a title, it gives you the author, album, year, and BPM

[|Tap for Beats Per Minute] - Tap a key and it computes the BPM for you

DJ Software
- Downloadable

=Videos=

- Extensive collection of West Coast Swing videos from both pros and amateurs