#dargoff

I hadn't been dancing the last few weeks due to silly little life things like school and work. I went last night and even though I didn't have the best dances of my life, I woke up this morning with a huge grin on my face and spring in my step. Yay, dancing endorphins.

This Jack & Jill took home 1st place at Lone Star, and it's wonderful seeing that technical precision isn't always what the judges are looking out for. Dargoff has a reputation for being a very free and playful dancer (as I've mentioned earlier), and Joanna complements that style incredibly well in this playful dance. Dargoff uses some very long and loose stretches, and the whip-style swing-outs they do are very fun to watch. What's also great to realize is that a loose style of Lindy doesn't also mean uncontrolled--though the movements may not have the same cleanliness other couples do, at no point are either Dargoff or Joanna out of control with their movements. Their stylistic choices follow from the foundation of excellent dancing.

A little more love for Dargoff and Brittany. The next event I see them at, I might have to ask both to dance. I love this performance for how loose both dancers are. While many showcase performances emphasize strict, technical precision, this particular routine is incredibly relaxed and even lazy by comparison--stylistically lazy, of course. They've choreographed a wonderfully fun way to play with the Charleston moves we often see executed at high speeds and precise movement. The puppet-like feel of the performance sells it for me. Dargoff and Brittany are out to have as much fun as possible when they're dancing and performing. I am a fan.

It's a wonderful example of keeping a dance humorous and light--an incredible social dance by all means, and a wonderful performance as a J&J competition.