Learning to Teach the Waltz

There is an old adage about mastering a skill in medicine: see one, do one, teach one.

This is perhaps not wonderfully comforting for patients, and the best dancers in the live version of Mrs McLean’s Waltzing Party are those who practise often.

However, the effort of preparing a lesson does fix the concepts or skills firmly in the teacher’s brain. To teach the Shim Sham, a solo jazz dance done in groups, I found several instructional videos, danced before them, repeated several times the parts I found most confusing (the half-breaks), wrote out the steps, and finally copied them on a big piece of cardboard to put in front of my students. I thus now know the Shim Sham. With more practice, I will no doubt improve.

I learn to teach from teachers, and YouTube is where I find them for free. My favourite online dance teacher is the Latvian dance champion Egils Smagris. I have watched the following film at least a dozen times:

Of course, a video can take you only so far, and if I had unlimited resources, I would fly Mr Smagris to Edinburgh to give MMWP a day-long workshop. He could make all the pungent criticism I am too kind-hearted to employ. If Mr Smagris told me that my form was “a little bit ridiculous,” it would instantly improve for all time.

However, from the safety of my sitting room, I will give the following advice:

  1. The lady and gentleman should not stand directly in front of each other but a little to their left side (i.e. their partner should be a little to their right).
  2. The lady’s and gentleman’s torsos shouldn’t touch, but the pair should stand close together. Toronto subway at rush hour close together.
  3. The gentleman keeps his hand firmly on the lady’s shoulder blade until/unless he gently pushes her into a spin. FIRMLY. SHOULDER BLADE.
  4. Take smaller steps.
  5. Try not to stare at your feet.
  6. Gentlemen should look over or around their partners to make sure they don’t crash into anyone.
  7. Step heel first when going forward and toe first when going back or to the side.
  8. Practise whenever you can. That’s frustrating advice when you live with non-dancers, I know. I would hold rehearsals in the church carpark after Mass, if it weren’t too public. They might be good advertisements, though.

Thank you to those who came to the Michaelmas Dance 2024! For information on upcoming events, please contact me at info@tradcathsocialdancing.co.uk.