As important as softening is in Standard ballroom dances, strength is important in Latin dances – Cha-Cha, Rumba, Jive, Paso Doble, Samba. Dancing both styles helps balance my yin and yang. Lessons with my teacher Mark remind me to stand tall, make every muscle and movement as strong as possible, and use resistance to its…

In yesterday’s lesson, after joyously spinning around the studio dance floor demonstrating my baseline Waltz, Tango, Quickstep, and Viennese this week, my teacher Ashan worked with me more on footwork and general movement – a humble return to basics, learning to walk again but in heels. He praised how I was stepping with more intention,…

The ballroom dance student’s journey offers many paths, with two major styles and 19 dances. Levels of competition include newcomer, pre-bronze, bronze, silver, gold, and open. In each of these, we master something, gain confidence, move to the next level, then take things apart and return to humble square one. This process reminds me of…

A key to ballroom dancing, relationships, and life is finding a balance between holding on and letting go. We need to be able to dance well and strongly in our own space, to be able to dance well with others. In dance and life, latching onto a partner and being too dependent and passively following will not…

The physics and feelings involved in ballroom dancing are so complex that every lesson reveals gems of wisdom for life. Learning balance in motion is extremely challenging in and of itself, but also required are actively listening and reacting to the music, strongly connecting with your partner, and expressing your individual style  – all simultaneously,…

Ballroom dancing is about growing into the best version of yourself, and bringing joy and inspiration to others by expressing your authentic self. It is about physics and feelings, connections and relationships. It feeds the mind, body, and soul. It is a glamorous antidote to life’s doldrums, which anyone who steps into a colorful competition room will…

Hello and welcome to the “Life Lessons from the Dance Floor” blog! Dancing has been one of my greatest joys and self-care tools for decades.  This art form has helped me cope through challenges and rediscover myself. As a young child, I recreated movie dance numbers and performed in my home basement. In middle school,…