West Coast Swing

By Mary McGinn
May 12, 2020

How to Create a Better Online Dance Class

By Mary McGinn
May 12, 2020

Kristen Shaw has had a career in video production for a decade. From casting to programming to production to editing, Kristen’s seen it all. She honed her skills working in live sports, and while Kristen’s primary career is in video production, she’s created a second career for herself in dance.

Currently one of Kristen Shaw’s personal goals is to help “raise the production quality of the videos in the West Coast Swing world.” Recently Kristen hosted an online event to share her insight.

How to Make Your Videos Not Suck 101 was a Facebook Live event crafted to help artists and instructors better their online dance videos. Here are some great tips from Kristen Shaw for leveling up your livestream online dance class:

Solve your issues before they happen with pre-production work

Research: Google is your friend. Kristen figures out a lot of her technical questions just by Googling them. If she had issues during production she’ll also use Google after the fact so she can level up her next broadcast or recording session.
Testing: Test, test, test! TEST AGAIN, TEST ONE MORE TIME. You might feel like it’s over-kill but if you can catch issues with audio or internet connection before you go live, you’ll save yourself some stress.

Plan: Write out a flow for your stream or video and know the timing. This is an important step regardless of whether it’s a live video or a video you’re shooting and editing.

Get your gear ready

Camera: You don’t have to have fancy new tech to get rolling, but at the very least you should shoot in a 1920 x 1080 aspect ratio. Fortunately, this is often the standard for modern smartphones, DSLRs, and most camcorders. You should also make sure your lens is clear – simply take a cloth to it and wipe it clean. Keep in mind that camera position is important! You don’t want to be looking down at your audience or to cut off the top of your head. It’s usually best to orient the camera so that the video is horizontal and to utilize a tripod so you have a stable shot.

Lighting: Three-point lighting is often ideal. You want to have a light in front of you to light your face, a light to fill in the side of your face if it is too dark on the side, and a backlight to give you depth as well as to separate you from your backdrop. Try to make sure your lighting colors match. Mismatched lights can be distracting.

Sound: In an ideal world you’d have an external microphone, which would create a clearer sound than just recording it directly through your device. Kristen recommends a lavalier microphone, which you can buy pretty cheap (in the ballpark of $15). If you’re capturing sound with an external microphone for editing post-production one easy option is via an app you can download called Voice Recorder Pro. Also, be cautious about loud clothing. Certain materials can cause audio disturbances.

Internet/Software: Make sure you’re by your router and that it can handle streaming. You may also need to invest in software if you’re streaming it to multiple places. The software OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) can help you control more sources of audio while streaming.

Production Tips

Be ready early: In the production world being on time is being late!
Keep it movin’: Know how you plan on entering and exiting your material. Be aware of timing. Have a clock near you or have someone keep track of time.
Presentation style: Know who you are and be true to it. Audiences can sense fake a mile away.
Interactions: On livestream, engage with the chat and questions. It makes people feel valued and helps you keep the pulse on what people want to know.
When things go wrong: Things will go wrong. Keep calm and know you are likely panicking more than anyone else. Sometimes you’re the only one that realizes there’s a problem. If it was a big mishap, acknowledge it and move on. If it was small, brush it off.

Thoughts for Post-Production

Recap: Be honest with yourself and have a conversation with those you trust to find out what worked and what didn’t. There is room to grow in any situation, even if things go well. Don’t take criticism as a personal attack!
Editing: If you choose to edit your video, you’ll need editing software. Kristen primarily uses Adobe Premier, but it is a little bit of an investment and there are plenty of other, less expensive editing software options out there. When editing, music choice is important. Make sure your music matches the mood of the video! Kristen recommends AudioJungle as a cost-effective place to purchase royalty-free music. If you add text graphics, consider the screen size your audience might be watching on. Thin text doesn’t really work as well for video. Thicker text that is clean and easy to read often works best.

Be open to growth: Just start somewhere. Kristen Shaw often stopped before she started because she held herself to a standard that was impossible to achieve with what she had at hand. But don’t stress it – you can improve each time. Don’t stand in your own way.

Do you want to learn more about Kristen Shaw’s experience as an editor, dancer, and creator? Check out her website!

Want even more tips from experienced dance teachers about how to make better online dance classes? Read this article on 7 Things to Consider Before Hosting an Online Dance Class!

By Mary McGinn
May 5, 2020

Epic Online Dance Classes to Try this Spring

By Mary McGinn
May 5, 2020

Stina Dallons hosts solo jazz three times a week!

In recent weeks, pandemic regulations have changed the face of dance instruction. With public spaces closed and social gatherings forbidden, many dance teachers have turned to a method of teaching they’d never considered before: the online dance class.

Being unable to go to your favorite local dance class can be a bummer, but now you have unprecedented access to an incredible number of talented dance teachers!

Here are some of our favorites:

Solo Jazz with Stina
Stina Dallons is New York City based swing teacher now teaching live solo jazz classes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 7 PM EST. Stina’s classes are streamed via Facebook live on her personal Facebook page. Classes are donations based, so you just pay what you can. Stina gives half of her donations to You Should Be Dancing Studios and the other half to charity.

Swing Classes with Laura Keat
Acclaimed Lindy Hop and Balboa instructor Laura Keat has taken a temporary break from teaching at large swing conferences to offer one-on-one instruction and workshops for Bal follows. She’s also working on launching instructional videos. Information about Laura Keat’s classes can be found on her website.

Dance Breaks with Jess Grippo
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to cut loose and dance intuitively then consider tuning into Dance Breaks with Jess Grippo. This published author, entrepreneur, and ballet teacher currently hosts Dance Breaks every Wednesday at 1PM EST. Jess’ Dance Breaks are free but donations are welcome.

Follow Focus with Natalia Eristavi
Love Lindy? You can now learn from international Lindy Hop instructor Natalia Eristavi! Natalia is creating online instructional content for swing and jazz dancers via her Patreon page. There are three tier options you can subscribe to receive online dance instruction from Natalia.

West Coast Swing with Jérome & Bonnie Subey
Want to learn some solo WCS drills via Facebook live? Then join Jérome & Bonnie Subey in their online dance dojo! Classes are available to anyone, but a donation is requested. Suggested donation is $10. Check out the Subey’s Facebook page for upcoming online dance classes!

Low Intermediate Ballet Bar Classes with Mané and Roger Plaut
Washington D.C. based couple Mané and Roger are a dynamic duo with decades of experience and they want to teach you ballet! This charismatic teacher team offers hour-long lessons every Tuesday and Friday at 7 PM EST. Classes are $10 or 4 classes for $35.

Structured Swing Instruction with Syncopated City
Want to work through a comprehensive library of exceptionally produced lessons at your own pace? Want live coaching and access to a community forum? Consider a subscription to Syncopated City. For $25 a month you’ll receive instruction from experienced professionals on floor craft, bodywork, solo or partnered movement, and more!

West Coast Swing Phil and Flore
Want a West Coast Swing class every Wednesday? Tune in to Phil and Flore online from Montreal at 7 PM EST on Wednesdays. Take 4 classes for $43 from this Canadian based couple of international West Coast Swing champions.

Wine Down-Dog with Jes Ann Nail
This chill Vinyasa yoga class is perfect for any dancer. All you’ll need for this 45-minute flow is your yoga mat, a glass of wine (or other drink of your choice), a quiet space, and $10. Jes Ann also teaches a variety of dance classes including solo footwork drills and more. Follow all her classes on her Facebook page.

Want more options for epic online dance classes to take this Spring? Check out our website’s curated list of upcoming online dance classes!

By David Garwin
April 19, 2020

Here’s A Smarter Way To Learn From Home

By David Garwin
April 19, 2020

You’ve probably heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder,” but what does that mean in the context of leveling up your dancing? Plus, what does it look like when you practice dance at home?

Here is a collection of tools and services that are focused on helping you get the most out of your dance practice at home, and the research to back it up:

Learning from YouTube – Observational Learning

What if I told you that you can immediately gain some skill by doing nothing other than watching a video? It sounds like fake news. In fact, your coaches, peers and teachers have probably told you that you can’t learn from YouTube.

That’s correct…almost!

The theory behind learning from YouTube is called Observational Learning, which is learning that occurs through observing the behavior of others. Research shows it impacts the brain in similar ways to physical practice in sports and dance.

So you can be a professional by watching YouTube?

Not quite. There’s still (at least one) aspect missing and that is likely Deliberate Practice.

Reaching Your Peak Performance – Deliberate Practice

Deliberate Practice is a fascinating topic that has come under the microscope in recent years.

K. Anders Ericsson is a leading researcher in the field of deliberate practice and states:

In pretty much any area of human endeavor, people have a tremendous capacity to improve their performance, as long as they train in the right way.

Deliberate practice isn’t magic. Research has shown that to be the best in a particular field, you can’t just practice harder to make it– although you can get pretty damn far.

So, to get pretty damn far, what do you need to do? This article does a fairly good job explaining what deliberate practice can look like.

Are there any tools or services to help with Observational Learning or Deliberate Practice?

Yes, yes there are! I’m so glad you asked.

Tools of The Trade – Feedback and Cognitive Load

Before you can even start practicing, you need to really know what to do. For me, when I watch the pros, they’re going so fast I can’t even tell what they’re doing! So how can we make this observational learning easier?

Slow down the video on YouTube. This simple trick was a game changer for me, but it wasn’t enough. I still needed to keep watching the same thing over and over so…
Try Youxube. You can slow down a video and loop the same segment of video over and over again! Here is an example of a smooth starter step I wanted to understand.

Here, on Youxube, it’s so much easier to see!

Now that you know what you’re doing when you practice dance at home, you want feedback because feedback is essential to learning. And high-quality feedback is timely, accurate, substantive, constructive, and specific.

How do we get feedback like this?

The standard way is with a coach. Some are fortunate enough to have amazing coaches that help us perform our best. Unfortunately, not everyone has a coach or sees their coaches as often as they’d like for various reasons.

What options are there if I can’t see a coach in person?

Call a local pro. I’ve never met a pro who wasn’t interested in coaching. If you do this, consider using Coach’s Eye to get great feedback if possible. If paying for that isn’t an option, you and your coach can do many of the same annotations with Snapchat!
Get quick and immediate feedback from pros online. Platforms like WestiePro allow you to send your videos to West Coast Swing pros and get feedback at affordable prices. For other dance styles, look for pros like Natalia on Patreon.
Record and review your own videos. Consider using Snapchat to annotate your videos to help you understand your performance. Use Youxube to loop your videos to better understand what you’re doing.

If this is a lot for you to take on at once, I get it. Start small. Try at least one of these tips above and see the difference it makes.

Looking for more? Reach out at [email protected].

By Mary McGinn
April 5, 2020

Ballet And A Little Bit Of Human Connection In Your Living Room

By Mary McGinn
April 5, 2020

Roger Plaut and Mané Rebelo-Plaut have been married for almost thirty years. They first met through mutual friends in the New York City dance scene. Back then they probably didn’t anticipate they’d move to Zurich, Switzerland, together to work as professional dancers. They certainly didn’t anticipate teaching live stream ballet classes together from their home outside Washington, DC.

“We have two cats, and sometimes the cats run into the space and participate in our class. People get a kick out of that,” Roger says with a smile. The Plauts are professional dance instructors who have figured out how to work from home during recent pandemic related shelter-in-place orders.

“This is a way that we can bring people together, even if it’s virtually. They’re working on their ballet technique and getting some exercise but they’re also getting a little bit of a human connection.”

Both Roger and Mané have been teaching dance since they were teenagers. Through decades of experience, they’ve learned dance is good for the body, but that it’s also good for the brain.

“We realized the discipline of dance helped us tremendously after ending our performance careers. We went back to school and it was incredible. I felt the difference. We were much better students,” Mané explains. “When you’re a dancer, you have to be self-motivated if you want to improve. Your teacher can’t do it for you. You also have to think so many things at the same time that you train your brain in a different way.”

“Dance is very good for your mind,” Roger agrees, “for keeping your mind active, for fighting off dementia.”

Roger and Mané are grateful to be able to continue to share dance education with others despite the logistical restrictions. They explain that it is a challenge not being able to see their students to give them corrections, but that some appreciate the online format.

“Some people actually said that they didn’t want to be seen. We’re getting students who haven’t done ballet in a while and maybe would prefer not to be judged.”

Many of their students also enjoy that the Plauts are teaching as a team, which is a rarity.

“One of us usually faces front and one faces back and then we switch. People love that, and love the fact that we interact with each other. We kind of, you know, we have a few jokes once in a while, so I think part of the reason people like it is not just because they’re getting value but they’re interacting with us as people.”

Roger and Mané are currently teaching their low-intermediate ballet barre classes from 7 to 8 PM EST on Tuesdays and Fridays. A class with this dynamic duo will cost $10 per class or 4 classes for $35. Once you’ve registered for class you’ll just need to hop on the stream, make sure you have something stable to hold onto and room to move your legs and arms around.

Interested in classes? Check out their Facebook page for more information.

Roger and Mané’s Must-Have Dance Tools:

1. TheraBand Resistance Bands: Roger recommends you use resistance bands to strengthen your feet and calves. “There’s all sorts of different exercises that you can do with them.”
2. Bosu Half Moon Ball: Mané likes to use this tool for balance. “I actually use it while I’m at my computer. I stand on it at my standing desk. It’s a great way to work on your abs. It’s perfect.”

Follow Mané and Roger