Is it hot enough for ya? Well, this time of year in Tucson might be too hot for doing most things, but dancing’s not one of them! If you’re going to sweat, why not do it on the dance floor? Just remember to keep the water flowing and a change of clothes nearby. It’s been great to see the dance floor packed once again at TSDC. What a great time to come out and practice “your stuff” before heading off to WCS summer conventions. Speaking of conventions, remember that the club is selling 40 tickets to Desert City Swing, which takes place September 4th -7th in Phoenix. We have pre-purchased these tickets and will be selling them on a first pay, first seated basis. With these tickets, you will be guaranteed a seat at one of our four club tables. Sitting with folks you know makes for a much more enjoyable event. You must purchase a ticket from Susan at TSDC’s front desk in order to sit at our club tables. If you purchase them online from Desert City Swing, you will not be able to sit at TSDC’s tables. These tickets will sell out so make sure you’re not left saying, “Dang, I should have bought one last week.”
Do you find it fascinating to sit and watch a sea of dancers doing WCS to the same song? Man, I sure do. I’m amazed at the variety of styles and personalities being expressed on the dance floor. From top dancers to those without a clue (but good intentions), from those dancing in time to the music to those dancing to an entirely different beat, from introverts to extroverts, we have ‘em all at the same time on the dance floor. What links them all is their love of this dance. This, for me, is fascinating and enjoyable to watch. There’s also a group of dancers that I see which intrigue me but, I don’t find enjoyable to watch. These are the dancers who ignore their partner. If you’ve ever been ignored by the person you’re dancing with, you’ll know what I mean. I’ve seen dancers never once look in the eyes of their dance partner. I’m not talking about some ole creepy stare. I’m just talking about occasional eye contact or even just looking in the direction of their partner’s face. I’ve seen dancers never smile at their partner and rudest off all, and on one too many occasions, I’ve watched dancers looking away from their partner seemingly looking for the partner they’d rather be dancing with.
We talk all the time about “connection” in WCS. Connection is displayed loudly by body language. If we looked bored or uninterested in our partner, it shows in our dancing. Imagine how our partner feels. You can bet that it won’t make for an enjoyable dance for either partner. Occasional eye contact, smiles and a little praise from time to time (“nice job, great dance, cool move, wow, that was fun, etc.”) can do wonders on the dance floor. Still to this day, I enjoy having a partner say nice things about our dance together and sure as hell want them to show some interest in dancing with me. If you’ve danced with me, you know that I always give compliments. We usually share laughs and have a good time getting our groove on. I want you to feel at ease with me and I want you to leave our dance together with a smile on your face because that’s exactly how I want to feel.
Mark your calendars for August 14th when we welcome All-Stars Anastasia and Bob Tucker from Phoenix. They are excellent dancers and two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Anastasia is one of my absolute favorite followers to dance with. This will be their first time teaching at TSDC, so let’s pack the house and give them an enormous Tucson welcome. And here’s the added bonus, it’s regular club pricing for their two workshops! You won’t want to miss this special evening. See you on the dance floor… Zo Carroll