Swing Dancers Overcome Inhibitions
The Key?
Be Humble and have a Sense of Humor
Story and Photos
By Annamaria Morrill
What one might learn from a first dance lesson is that the brain and body don’t communicate so easily! That is what Michael Slivkoff realized when he started West Coast Swing lessons over seven years ago.
“I am too much of thinker, and it was hard to make my body follow what my mind was thinking,” Michael says. He realized that dancing didn’t come naturally for him. Over the years, he has gained skills and some confidence as he has attended classes. Michael and his girlfriend, Dorrie, enjoy dancing with a group of friends as a fun social gathering.
Dancing gives a good balance and distraction from the heavy life issues Michael sometimes deals with as a pastor. He has also learned to appreciate the personal challenge to learn something difficult and grow better in it. After his own rocky start, he has learned to really like dancing and encourages others to try it too.
“You need to start with a humble attitude and a good sense of humor,” Michael advices. “It’s important to learn to laugh at yourself and be graceful toward your own, and your partner’s mistakes.”
The dancers first learn certain steps, patterns, rhythms, and dynamics of partnership such as how to lead and follow. When advancing with the classes, there are more details to learn and the skilled dancer’s feet will eventually slide on the floor with smooth rhythmic patterns.
“Compared to the East Coast Swing style, this one is slower, smoother and easier to learn,” says Michael, who is now in the intermediate level. West Coast Swing dance has also adapted to the modern times with music choices, but is mostly danced to a wide range of music from jazz and blues to country and rock.
Great time is had by all
For the Love of Dancing
“I started dancing after my son was born in 1998 and I quickly became a ballroom dance ‘addict’,” instructor, Jennifer Miller, explains. She learned many different styles of dance including Rhythm, Latin, Country, and East and West Coast Swing and has placed in many Swing competitions throughout the country. Jennifer started teaching in Astoria since she moved to the area in 2001. She is teaching both groups, and private students also in Portland and Eugene area.
“Underarm Turn, Side Pass, Sugar Push, Locked Whip and Closed Whip for both leads and follows” are some basic terms of West Coast Swing. Jennifer helps the students to learn these and more with in a fun and relaxing way. She uses her diverse training and love of dance to meet the needs of each student on all skill levels. Miller also offers customized packages for weddings, business parties and other occasions under her business name, Floorplay Dance, throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Jennifer is organizing her first local dance event “Sizzlin’ Summer Dance – West Coast Swing and Argentine Tango” in July. It will be a day full of workshops followed by an evening of social dancing and demonstrations. The evening will highlight a friendly “Jack and Jill competition”, in which the partners are randomly paired and music is selected by DJ. “This is the ultimate test of social dance skills”, Jennifer says, and hopes many new people would join the event.
West Coast Swing is a style of dance that requires dedication to master. “My Astoria dance group has been a great inspiration for me. They all have such amazing desire to dance,” Jennifer says. “The more advanced students will mentor beginners, and It makes me incredibly proud to see people so willing to share my passion for dance.”
Floorplay Dance Offers Lessons in Astoria
West Coast Swing dance lessons are seasonal, and are offered primarily during the months of March and November. The lessons are held on Tuesday nights at the Art and Movement Center in Astoria. The beginning classes start at 7PM and the intermediate classes follow an hour later. There is an open floor time offered to everyone to practice their skills after the last class. The last Tuesday of March there is also the “Live Music Social” featuring music from the Bar-K Buckaroos. For more information contact Jen Miller jen@floorplay.net or visit the website www.floorplay.net [Note: Jennifer Miller is a private dance instructor and is not affiliated with any other groups with a similar business name.
