Last week, I published Part 1, which you really should read first, to get the context of Part 2. If you had a chance to read it already, something to notice in both articles is how often the words “technique needed” are mentioned. When we lay out advice like this, it really stands out how […]
Tactical Social Dancing: Part 1
“What should you do if…”, “What happens when…”, “How can I handle…”, “How do I deal with…” These are all questions that students of all levels batter their teachers with. They are tactical questions – they ask for circumstantial advice, or recommendations for particular situations that have to do with not just the physical side […]
Coach’s Corner 2017 Year-In-Review
Quick access to the best 2017 articles you may have missed – SHARE SHARE SHARE! The Coach’s Corner blog allows us to discuss common topics our students asked, published in a format that dancers worldwide could learn from and respond to. We enjoy “talking shop”, but for the blog I draw the line at skill […]
Coach’s Corner 2016 Year-In-Review
The best articles you may have missed – you’re gonna wanna share these! The Coach’s Corner blog allows us to discuss common topics our students asked, published in a format that dancers worldwide could learn from and respond to. We enjoy “talking shop”, but for the blog, I draw the line at skill development: physical […]
Anchoring for your Westie Soul: 20 Morsels of Wisdom to Get You Through the Holidays
Hey. You look a little stressed… a little adrift. Maybe it’s time we sat down and had a chat. Pull up a comfy chair, order your favourite hot beverage, and get cozy. Let’s get you feeling anchored. This time of year can be emotionally draining, even pulverizing for some. While I don’t proclaim to be an […]
Routine Costumes: Decisions & Strategies
It’s US Open season! This means many competitors are hard at work preparing their choreography, and are turning their attention (if they haven’t already) to planning their costumes. There are dozens of factors to consider when choosing/creating a costume, it’s easy to miss some. But the reality is that little details make a BIG difference. […]
The Ultimate Rookie FAQ Bank
We all solicit, teach, encourage, and promote WCS to newbies all the time in an effort to grow our community. But the first rule of marketing is “know your customer”. How can we hope to attract and retain new Westies unless we step into their shoes and figure out what concerns they have, what orientation […]
What Dancers Need to Know About Facebook
West Coast Swing lives online, and if you don’t know how to operate your social media tools, you risk missing opportunities or being left out of the loop entirely. Even if you are savvy with Facebook, you may not realize how some of the features are restricting you if you don’t take control of them. […]
Tough Love, Part 2: For Competitors Only
Last week I released Tough Love: Read at your own Risk (Part 1). You really should read that first, in order to put this article in perspective, and catch the points that are made about aspects of WCS outside of competition. This article is aimed specifically at Competitors. Here’s my disclaimer again: If you are […]
Tough Love: Read at Your Own Risk (Part 1)
As an educator, I spend most of my time trying to make learning enticing: convincing kids to want to learn more. They want to freeplay, but there are so many life skills that they need to learn that are mundane or challenging. As a dance teacher, most of the time I get to teach people […]