Volunteer Report

By Taylor Wall

How can one possibly sum up the various paths and learning opportunities we experience as we develop in this ballroom dance world?

On July 10, Twin Cities Open hosted the annual American Style Congress, a congregation of the world's leading American Style professionals, including Rufus Dustin, Tony Meredith, Bree Watson, Linda Dean, Michael Mead, and Sam Sodano. For an entire day, these professionals discussed, demonstrated, and debated what makes the American Style the American Style. What makes it different from Latin? From what history does it originate, and how can we honor that history still today? How can we use our bodies to most clearly demonstrate the unique complexities that are the American Style? Congresses like this are so important to help ballroom dance students find their way through learning a style that is constantly changing and developing, and we are blessed to have such a resource right here in the Twin Cities.

In addition to coverage of the exciting Twin Cities Open competition, we see many of our dancing friends spurred and impelled by the weekend of growth and experience, grappling with the issue of what it means to be a ballroom dance student. I myself struggle with how to still be a student after having danced for twenty years, and a coach recently asked me, "When you feel like you don't want to dance, why?" I, somewhat ashamedly replied, "Because I feel like I should be able to do it by now, and it frustrates me that I can't."

I am constantly telling my friends and family that ballroom dance is a life-long journey. I just wish that I would give myself a break every now and then, just like how I patiently support my partner, the friends I compete with, and the students I teach. If we learn anything from this issue of Sheer Dance, we at least see that we are not alone in our learning struggle. Hopefully, we can also glean some alternative perspectives and ways to begin to view our dancing paths that acknowledge both the past simple beginnings and the future shining possibilities.