Welcome to Dance Data ! Dance Tips and Resources

April 2, 2010: Volume 2, Issue 11

To view this Newsletter Online: Issue #11 Hi Just a quick update this week. Joe and I will be attending, and competing (Pro: Joe/ Am: me) at the  LAPD dance convention April 9-11 and then headed to Cabo for a well deserved vacation on the 12th, Whoo Hoo, so you will not be hearing from me next week. I will give your eyes and ears a break, but will be sure to fill you in on competition, good or bad, when we get back. For those of you attending the convention we will be teaching Country 2 Step on Friday the 9th at 4:00pm. There are some tips below for what you might like to bring to the convention. Happy Dancing, Michele       Last year LAPD

Tip Of The Week

	What to Bring to a Dance Convention If you have never attended a dance convention before, here are a few suggestions to help make your event more enjoyable. These are just suggestions and items that I find helpful. First and foremost bring a smile, an open mind and a joyful attitude. There is much to see and do and so many directions that you will be pulled, that being adaptable will also help. Bring extra clothing, as you are likely to become hot and sweaty…. often! Dancing day and night is a lot of work and frequent showers and a change of clothing refreshes you. I also like to have a cooler in my room. This is easier to achieve if you drive to the event, but can be accomplished with a quick taxi ride and a disposable cooler from a local market. Good things to have on hand are a loaf of bread, chicken salad, potato salad, hard boiled eggs, nuts, bagels, cream cheese, power bars, fruit and water. Of course beer, margaritas and power drinks are optional! Having food available and in your room  not only cuts down on the cost, but also allows you to have food available at any time. You will find that your eating schedule depends upon you dancing schedule. It is not uncommon to be eating a chicken salad sandwich at 3 am, just to get up enough energy to dance a few more hours!

Recent Article

Dance Shoes are Essential Tools for Dancers                                                                           by Michele Rasmussen Dance shoes. Now there is a controversial subject for you. Just ask a dancer, any dancer and you will find that they all have their "favorites". I am no different and while I do not profess to be an expert, I will tell you, with no doubt, that you DO need "Dance Shoes" or "Dance Boots"! Trying to dance in "street" shoes is sort of like trying to swim in "street" clothes. You can do it, but it is a struggle, it takes more effort and is by far more difficult. Dance is just like any other sport. You need the right "tools" to be successful. You would never wear soccer shoes to a bowling alley and you wouldn't wear golf shoes to play basketball. Dance is no different, you need the proper shoes. That being said, I will fill you in on my own personal experience with dance shoes. Once again, I am NOT an expert in the area, and I am NOT Cinderella……… so I welcome any additional guidelines, or opinions. I only wear the Very Fine brand of shoes because they fit me well, are reasonably priced and hold up to the beating I give them! I have two favorite styles. The best pair that I have found for Ballroom Dancing is Style C1620. I have them in practically every color, but the Red Patent Leather ones are my favorite. What I found when trying on different styles of shoes is that I really needed a pair that I was able to adjust to my foot. I have a wide foot and long toes and needed the ability to adjust them in more than one area. This shoe has two adjustable buckles so it works great. The pair I wear for Swing Dancing is C1670C. They have a broader, wider, lower heel and are great for West Coast Swing.They also have the strap that goes under the shoe and over the top of the foot, as opposed to just around the ankle. Luckily with the strappy style, they seem to fit without having to be able to adjust them. Both pairs are flexible and light weight. Dancing in heavy, stiff shoes is not only hard on your feet and legs it takes the joy out of dancing. And of course, my ALL time, new favorites are the Lycra Pro Evenin' Star Dance boots. They are just like wearing socks! Not quite as pretty as my Red Patent leather shoes, but the comfort makes up for that! When I began dancing and got my first pair of "real" dance shoes, I was smart enough to start wearing them around my house before taking them for a spin on the dance floor. I would actually put on a pair of socks and wear them in 15 minute increments to "break" them in. Just like any new pair of shoes, chances are that they will hit your foot in different places than your street shoes, so it is wise to get your feet accustomed to your new shoes before dancing the night away. Of course, one of the greatest features of "real" dance shoes is the suede soles. The suede soles are important for dancers to be able move and dance easily around the dance floor, as opposed to sticking to it. You are able to spin, turn and slide with grace. Because the soles are suede, you must take care and never wear you dance shoes outdoors. Wear your street shoes and change into your dance shoes once you arrive at the dance venue. I also understand that good leather soles perform well, too, I just do not have any personal experience with them. Now if you are dancing at a bar, you must be careful to avoid dancing in all the spilled beer and cocktails and consider dedicating one pair, just for the Honky Tonk, leaving your newer, better pair for those great wooden floors of dance studios or dance halls. I seem to have an ever rotating cycle of shoes, from new, (only for the best floors), to slightly used, (regular, everyday dancing), and almost trashed, (for the late night, club and bar dancing). Take care of your dance shoes and they will take care of you. Be sure and use your suede brush regularly. Remember you need the right tools for whatever you do and dance shoes are essential in becoming a great dancer. Consider them an investment in yourself and money well spent. Men of course this goes for you too, I just can't give any advice regarding your feet and shoes. How about posting your experiences here. I sure that the new men dancers would be very appreciative.

Blog Re-Cap                                                  Dancing at Los Angeles Dance Premier                     Looking for great Boots: Evenin' Stars                     Stop by and share your dancing stories with me.                     I'd love to hear about your                                            trials and triumphs! http://www.ras-this.com/ The Business Stuff Shoes, Boots and Cruise Info New Categories at  www.LovetoDanceOnline.com  , Joe Tschirhart 's Tuesday Night Classes  , Saturday Workshops. and Wednesday Night Country Two Step. Currently the price for membership is only $9 per month, once we switch over to the full sized screen, the membership price will increase to $19.99 per month. Subscribe now and you will lock in the $9 per month membership fee. You can check out the advantages of becoming a member here.  Evenin' Star Dance Boots   are here! Thanks to those of you that helped us become a distributor. You can now order one pair, individually any time you'd like! I LOVE my Boots! If you have any questions regarding style or size, I think I've finally got it down! We also have ballroom,  Latin and practice Very Fine Dance Shoes. Ladies and Mens.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Cruise Update: Single guys, where are you??? We also have a single woman looking for a roommate. There's 1 Balcony cabins and 3 inside cabins left. We actually but in a few "pretend" dancers to save a few extra cabins. We have a great group of dancers and even some scuba divers already signed up. Join us for a terrific week of learning and dancing aboard the Carnival Miracle. A $25 deposit reserves your cabin through May 1st, 2010.  The ship leaves Ft. Lauderdale on October 18, 2010 and will be visiting 4 Islands. Prices start at only $859.42 per person, this includes all taxes and fees, plus all the workshops, dancing and activities. The ship is the Carnival Miracle. For full details, Click here: http://tinyurl.com/ycsqg54 Join us for a great time! Joe and Michele

Upcoming Events

Easter Swing - April 1-4, 2010 Seattle, Washington Reno Dance Sensation - April 15-18, 2010 Reno, Nevada LAPD Classic - April 8-11, 2010 Los Angeles, Ca Jack & Jill O'Rama - June 10th - 13th, 2010 Anaheim, Ca. Portland Dance Festival - Early July, Portland, OR Swingtime in the Rockies - July 22-25, Denver, CO

Resources

Online Dance Instruction: www.learntoballroomdanceonline.com Ballroom Dance Association: www.USAdance.org National Association of Swing Dance Events: http://www.nasde.net/ USA Swing Dance Network: http://www.usaswingnet.com/

Keeping Up with the Ras-Girls Our Blog: www.Ras-This.com Be our friend on MySpace Add Michele as a friend on Facebook Twitter Follow Michele at http://twitter.com/MicheleRasmusen Twitter Follow Cindy at http://twitter.com/threerivers33 Email address: ras.this@gmail.com About Me I am Michele Rasmussen. It is my wish to share my love of dance with anyone interested. I am sure that I share many of the same hopes and dreams as many of you, and I hope to share the joy that I have found by "Learning to Dance in the Rain". Thank-You!