In the summer of 2023, Larry Caves and I taught a series of social dance classes at Leisure World in Mesa, Arizona. Over 160 participants attended the classes! Information is shared here so that others might use this information to likewise teach others. Everyone is strongly encouraged to teach a friend, a relative, a neighbor. Let's get the whole world dancing!

Since partnership dancing has many benefits, the idea is first to get people dancing, such as social dancing, and then to encourage those interested to continue on a journey of learning to dance via round dancing (also known as choreographed or cued ballroom dancing).

Information here includes a teaching sequence for five rhythms generally danced in social situations, step-by-step information of how to perform the basic patterns, info on some of our advertising strategies which can be used as starting points to develop your own, and some additional helpful resources about various aspects of the three forms of partnership dancing including articles published in the Leisure World newspaper and participant handouts.

In time more information will be provided:
• Supplemental information for dancing or teaching the patterns,
• More patterns for the various rhythms, and
• Information about Body Awareness which is critical for helping dancers perform the patterns smoothly.

Teaching Outline

The teaching outline provides some of the basic information taught so any dancer may use the information to teach another in order to share the joy and the benefits of partnership dancing! One learns best when teaching someone else!

Focus is on partnership dancing in a social situation. The first hurdle many have is getting accustomed to timing. The first two rhythms use Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick where the Lead starts each pattern with the left foot and the Follow starts each pattern with the right foot, eliminating some of the complications of changing rhythms and recognizing which foot to begin with. It is suggested that one rhythm be dealt with (and subsequently reviewed) each session, but some may need to stick with just the first pattern for a time (since one can do most social dancing with just one pattern).

When one is comfortable with one pattern, add another. Progress to another rhythm after students are quite comfortable with the patterns (figures) in the first rhythm.

The link below (Basic Pattern Descriptions) details what to do on each beat (including body motion between steps) in each of the five rhythms taught for both the Lead and the Follow.

Basic Pattern Descriptions

This document, written for participants to reinforce class instruction, describes the basic patterns taught:

Social Foxtrot with 6 patterns begins on page 1.
Single Swing with 5 patterns begins on page 4.
Waltz with 7 patterns begins on page 6.
Rumba with 4 patterns begins on page 8.
Cha Cha with 5 patterns and two practice exercises begins on page 10.

Introductory information about each rhythm is followed by explanations for the patterns. In the descriptions of patterns:

• The name used for the pattern is in bold type and quotation marks.
• The dance position is in italics.
• There is a definition followed by a step-by-step explanation (including which foot is moving, abbreviated L and R) for both the Lead and Follow.
• A step that changes weight is underlined.
• There are indications of what occurs between steps.
• Commas separate the beats.
• A hyphen (-) or written descriptions of movement indicates that the preceding step consumes a second beat where no additional change of weight is made.

Advertising

The Leisure World Shall We Round Dance Club hosted the lessons during the "off-season" when other dance activities were not available. As a club in this community the hall had an extremely modest cost.

Many different forms of advertising were used, including
• an article in the Leisure World monthly newspaper,
• a Public Service Announcement (psa) sent to several local papers,
• posters and flyers at many dance events,
• email messages to known dance organizations and to local businesses (enclosing the flyer or poster), and
• word of mouth as people were encouraged to invite their friends and neighbors.

These resources are provided for those who may wish to modify them for their own advertising purposes.

Other Resources

Several articles were submitted and published in the Leisure World - Arizona newspaper:

October 2023: "Three Aspects of Partnership Dancing: Social Dancing Ballroom, and Round Dancing"
September 2023: "You CAN Learn to Dance; We Can Help!!!"
April 2023: "Walk In... Dance Out"
August 2022: "Forget the Nursing Home... Die Dancing"

Besides written notes from the lessons, two additional handouts were provided to participants:
• Dance Opportunities nearby and Online Resources
• Comparing Partnership Dancing (3 basic categories: Social Dancing, Ballroom, and Round Dancing otherwise known as Choreographed Ballroom Dancing or Cued Ballroom Dancing)

The first may be modified with information about one's own community, and the second may be useful so that dancers can understand some of the complexities and interrelationships of three aspects of partnership dancing and how they complement one another. All three aspects are worthy in and of themselves, and when partnering with those from the other aspects of partnership dancing, all three may become stronger.