I've been loving swing and jazz since 1996. I've run teams, travelled, competed, taught, DJ'ed and performed all over the world. Welcome to my blog on teaching, running teams, dancing, and all things jazz and swing dance related. I hope you enjoy reading, and feel free to join in the discussion.
If you're just forming a team or have had one for years, this advice comes from 15+ years of coaching.
Read moreAt some point in your dance journey, it’s not enough just to be fed routines, to go to workshops, and to hang out with friends. You’ll want to start reading about the history and the context that created the dance….
Continue readingThis blog is part of a new series I’m starting called “Dance Vacation”. This blog series will showcase the best of a city in terms of dancing, as well as tourism and hidden gems for visitors. I observe an increasing trend in…
Continue readingIf my life were ever to flash before my eyes, the montage would be filled with an awful lot of memories from running different teams throughout the years. As you can imagine each year is filled with some lessons from…
Continue readingOk, ok, the title of this blog is a little over the top… dancing, by itself, probably won’t cure all the world’s woes, but it can bring lots of people a lot of happiness. I want to talk about creating…
Continue readingThis blog is part of a new series I’m starting called “Dance Vacation”. This blog series will showcase the best of a city in terms of dancing, as well as tourism and hidden gems for visitors. If you’d like for me…
Continue readingPicture is Big Jay McNeely at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles in 1951, by Bob Willoughby. It was originally black and white then colorized (c) 2015 by O. Young Kwon. This blog is an adaptation of my class “musical…
Continue readingEvery dancer comes to a point where they start keeping a dance notebook. If you haven’t ever tried one, start! When used in tandem (ha!) with a regular practice schedule it’s your best tool. If you’re anything like me though,…
Continue readingThis is a blog about what do about dance scene creepers, or people that make others uncomfortable with their words or actions. From solid criteria about what constitutes creepiness, to how to have conversations with people in your scene, this…
Continue readingAnyone who has been on a team can attest to the fact that more than half of the fun of teams is the bonding that goes on outside the studio. With my team, I try to hold movie night once…
Continue readingFirst off, I want to start this blog with a tip of the hat and great honor to all the teachers that came before me. From the people that taught me my first swing outs, to my tap teachers, African…
Continue reading
Swing Aerial Safety – Running a swing team, part 11
How to fall deeply in love with jazz, a step by step guide
How to do well at a level test or track audition
Jeepers, peepers, what to do with your creepers.
When you don’t feel welcome anymore
Tips for speeding up your Lindy Hop
Swing dance in the 90’s and early 2000’s
A Teacher’s Language
Running a Swing Team Part 3 – Formations & The Lindy Chorus
Running a Swing Team Part 2 – Big Apple
Why Scenes Sometimes Succeed and Sometimes Fail
Running a Swing Team Part 4 – The California Routine
