A publication to engage the dance community. Learn. Discuss. Contribute. Enjoy.

Volunteer Report

By Taylor Wall

For many of us in the ballroom dance community, spring is an opportunity to wind-down. For competitive dancers, the stress and hard work and build-up to the USADance National DanceSport Championships is over. For collegiate dancers, the last competitions of the school year are done, and it's a time to focus on finals and summer plans. For my partner and I, we take the entire month of April off from practicing together to relax and remember why we love to dance. Spring cleaning for our dance partnership, if you will.

But once our wind-down and spring cleaning are done, the next, perhaps more important step, is to get back into dance.

Join a class that you haven't taken before, or take one lesson with a new coach, just to see what they're like. Go out to a social dance where you don't know anyone. These can be great ways to break your dancing out of your comfort zone at a time where you are relaxed and receptive to new experiences. You may just decide to take your dancing in a different path this year.

Many local studios hold showcase exhibitions in the spring and early summer. Whether you're participating or just spectating, showcases are great, fun events to remind you how much you enjoy dancing. Check out Twin Cities Dance Events in the front of this issue to find a showcase near you!

If you want to stay involved in the dance community, but aren't quite ready to put your shoes back on and get out on the floor yet, volunteer! Volunteering is a great way to stay connected with your ballroom dancing friends and make sure that the events you care about run and brilliantly and as awesomely as they ought to. Don't know where to start? Ask if you can help at one of the local showcases. Talk to me, or someone from our Sheer Dance staff, about helping us with copy editing, or writing, or taking photos at dance events. Look forward to a competition or performance that your studio is attending and see what you can do. Event and program coordinators are always, always, always looking for more help.

I wish you all the best in your spring rejuvenation, and hope to see you out in the dance world soon!

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