#wcs

CONNECTION DESCRIPTION:

- There are two types of people who say “oh haha I can switch but I’m bad at it” on the floor: people who are being honest, and it works better for everyone if I take their secondary role, and people who are lyyyyyyying!!! It’s always a little embarrassing (but nice!) when someone is both a better lead and a better follow than I am.

- it was interesting to hear instructors talk about when and whence things entered WCS culture. Meech talked about rock-and-go’s initially being considered almost, like, a mistake, but now they’re ubiquitous. We talked about an upbeat impulse as styling that came from hip hop. I really like that WCS is so much in conversation with other styles.

- A dancer referred to follows as “when she does this” and the instructor corrected him to “they.” Very cool much appreciated :)

- the ratio of pros to normies in the queer reception ballroom was way higher than in the main ballroom. And that’s gay privilege

- an element of being a pro that must suck is losing the same kind of access and anonymity on the social dance floor that normies have.

- I do miss my Midwest dance friends. It’s nice to have a built in group of people I know and can dance with. I have a limitation on the amount I’m able to initiate dances with strangers: see Friday night’s 4am emotional crashout

- I do really value eye contact on the dance floor actually! You obviously can’t and shouldn’t make eye contact 100% of the time, but good eye contact is part of what feeds connection and makes the dance feel good

- I’m a better dancer than I ever have been before, but I’m in a phase where my observation powers are higher than my ability. I’m noticing all the ways I can improve. When I follow I outsource too much of my footwork to the lead. There are a couple of moves that I consistently miss the lead on. When I lead I have a difficult time offering shaped space in the dance for a follow to contribute an idea, the spaces are too wide open. I’m definitely faking my way through stylistic footwork. I’m not comfortable with blues styling. Items to follow up on later.

- pleasantly, my knees are a bit sore but way less fucked than they usually are! I assume this has to do with improving my technique

- I feel like my cardio was pretty good, I didn’t ever run out of breath. I do have pretty severe muscle fatigue but I don’t even know if there’s a good way to train for that outside of like, training for a marathon. Like dancing for 8 hours straight is just going to hurt a bit yk?