Connecting Socially , dancing in the golden years , dancing with physical challenges , inspirational dancing , social dancing , teaching dance
Now that you’ve read about Jean Veloz and other inspirational dancers who are still dancing in the final years of their lives, I’d like to take a look at how most dancers deal with the aging process. I addressed this earlier in Nov 12 post about the great tap dancer Fayard Nicolas When Aging […]
Continue readingcutting in , Dance History , dance videos , dancing in the golden years , inspirational dancing , Lindy Hop , social dancing
Back to my theme of older dancers who inspire us with their perpetual youth (I know they’re not the norm, but they sure are fun to read about!) I have to talk about one of my personal favorites, Jean Veloz. Jean was a popular example of the smooth lindy style popularized by dancers like Dean […]
Continue readingcompetitive dance , Dance History , dance videos , dancing in the golden years , dancing with physical challenges , gymnastics , inspirational dancing , performance dance , pole dance
Pole dancing is a popular phenomenon on the exercise dance scene. You can take classes at any fitness level in studios like the one in the photo in the bay area where I live. Formerly a style of dance relegated to sleazy strip joints, it has become a popular fitness dance fad. Aimed […]
Continue readingabout LaurieAnn , dance videos , dancing with physical challenges , inspirational dancing , leading and following , performance dance
As many of you know, I have had the pleasure of teaching people with various disabilities to dance, having come to dance from a martial arts background where I taught self defense to people with disabilities. I’ve never taught dance to anyone in a wheelchair, but it’s a fascinating challenge. Just like anyone else, a […]
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Well, if it’s a good dancer we’re talking about, almost everyone. For many people the obvious answer is well, duh, what does weight have to do with dance skill? But for a lot of people there is a huge prejudice against even a few extra pounds on a dancer. Even today where fat people are hardly […]
Continue readingDance History , dance videos , dancing in the golden years , inspirational dancing , tap dance
I got to thinking about how I write about inspirational aging dancers as I was reading Roberta Teller’s blog post Growing Older is Quite Different from Being Old. It occurred ot me that I never write about the challenges of what most dancers have to give up as they age. I love reading about dancers who […]
Continue readingdance videos , dancing in the golden years , gymnastics , inspirational dancing
This is the second post about gymnasts as promised in last week’s post Are Gymnasts Dancers? This is also part of my series on inspirational dancers still wowing us in their senior years. The subject of today’s post is Johanna Quaas, an 87 year old gymnast. In last week’s post I established my belief […]
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Maya Plisetskaya is one of the most gifted dancers of all time, so if you had to pick one to beat the odds on longevity, you’d be hard pressed to find a better candidate. She has had a huge influence on ballet with her unique style, charisma, and dramatic as well as technical […]
Continue readingcompetitive dance , dance videos , dancing in the golden years , inspirational dancing , social dancing
When I write about older dancers I usually try to find dancers still wowing us in their 80s and 90s. Today I’m going to feature Charlie Womble and Jackie McGee, even though they’re only in their 60s. The reason is that I want to talk about the ease that comes with experience. You’ve heard the […]
Continue readingdance videos , inspirational dancing
What is it about real masters that makes their dancing so irresistible to watch? It’s not that they make it look easy. It’s that they make it look effortless. Some dancers have it and some don’t, but the difference is striking. Ruby Keeler was a prolific movie star who made a ton of musicals in […]
Continue readingchildren dancing , dance videos , inspirational dancing
I know, I know, I promised no more Evian dance blogs, but they’re just so beautifully done! When a company features dance as the ultimate expression of joy, they deserve to by honored in a dance blog. This one isn’t as much fun as the dancing babies, but it’s still beautifully animated and a ton […]
Continue readingDance History , dance videos , dancing in the golden years , dancing in the streets , inspirational dancing
How fun to see my StepsOnToes dancing vision statement in action again. When you start looking for things, they sometimes start happening. I have a rare blood type so I’m constantly being called upon to give it up every other month or so, which I’m happy to do. Today the sound system was tuned […]
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