Neuroscientists who have studied the brain functions involved in dance have been able to show the likelihood that dance was an early form of communication. Interestingly, no other mammals or animals dance. Certainly, we can think of animals that “make music”, like birds, and that move their bodies in curious ways – such as birds…

Take stock of your daily activities – at work, play or home – and identify something that you’ve become very efficient at. Then…

Lately I’ve been reading a lot about neuroscience and specifically its practical applications in personal and professional realms. It’s got me reflecting on many things, such as how people (adults) learn, how habits form, the nature of creativity, why some people think “outside of the box” but most people don’t, why some people embrace change…

Because I was recruited to start teaching West Coast Swing quite soon after starting to take classes, I never had the opportunity to dance as an Amateur in Pro-Am competitions. (Many events define a “Professional” as anyone who teaches the dance even on a small scale, so I have rarely qualified as an Am). But…

This article is written for those of you who want to spend time to improve some aspect of your dance.

For many social dancers, the only opportunity to practice new skills or work on basics will be at a dance. These practice tips can actually improve your *social* dance experience, too.

A recent conversation with a dance student/friend got me thinking about how important biofeedback is in the movement-learning process. As you read this, think about whether you are getting enough biofeedback in your dance training. What is Biofeedback? Simply put, biofeedback is a process through which a person receives information about the body’s activity. Biofeedback…

I’ve judged some small, local west coast swing dance competitions in the past, but at Montreal WCS Fest earlier this month, I judged for the first time at a WSDC points event. It is a difficult job but I enjoyed the experience and thought I’d use this “behind the scenes” perspective to answer The Big…

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ― Oscar Wilde “I want freedom for the full expression of my personality.” – Mahatma Gandhi It is true of any competitive environment that, the higher up the chain you look, the less variety you see among competitors. And that’s so in WCS as well. Although the dance appeals to…

At pretty much every dance event I attend, I usually see at least one follower wearing something that causes all kinds of trouble on the dance floor. After some early close-calls, I now test-drive every new item of clothing and many items of jewelry before wearing them at an event. Anyway, for fun & function,…