How hard is it to learn swing dancing, and how can instructors best meet the unique needs of beginning dancers? Part 2 (of 2).
First of all, thank you all for your responses to Part 1, in which I explored the challenges of learning partner dance from the new student’s perspective. I was heartened to learn that so many others are passionate about beginning dancers! In this post, I will share my humble recommendations for the introductory/beginning dance teacher. These are outlined in the table below. Please note that I am focusing mainly on month-long introductory classes, not necessarily ½-hour “drop-in” classes. Recommendation 1: Apply motor learning principles. Motor learning is the process by which your ability to move in specific ways improves semi-permanently through repetition and practice. It’s colloquially known as “muscle memory.” The…
Shopping with Arthritis: My favorite pain-reducing shoes
When people find out that I have rheumatoid arthritis (also known as autoimmune arthritis),I’m often asked how I’m able to swing dance and what shoes I find are most comfortable. As part of the blog carnival “Non-medical ways to ease rheumatoid arthritis pain,” I’d like to share some of my favorite shoes that reduce or prevent foot pain. While I’m at it, I’ll also share my favorite professional and casual shoes and some simple gadgets that help those with arthritis put on and take off shoes easier. I hope you find it useful, and hey, now that the holidays are here, you just might find a gift idea for a…
How hard is it to learn swing dancing, and how can instructors best meet the unique needs of beginning dancers? Part 1 of a 2-part series.
Teaching true beginners is different than teaching intermediate and/or advanced dancers As Rebecca Brightly recently wrote, it takes a while for most people to discover where they fit into the larger lindy hop scene. Like many others, I initially daydreamed about becoming a “rockstar” swing dancer/instructor. Through time, it became clear that my unique gift to the lindy hop world lay in the arena of teaching/encouraging beginning swing dancers at the local level. I also enjoy inspiring all sorts of fun shenanigans (and a few videos) in the process. I’ve greatly enjoyed teaching classes at Seattle-based HepCat Productions and Mountain View, California based Wednesday Night Hop. After teaching different levels,…
From decorative tissue boxes to puppies: first lessons from my OT fieldwork internship
It’s an exciting time in my life – in the last 3 months I finished the classroom portion of my Masters in occupational therapy, got married and went on a wonderful honeymoon, and started my first occupational therapy fieldwork internship. After I finish two full time, three-month internships*, I will officially graduate with my Masters and be qualified to sit for the board exam. This is the last step before I can actually be an OT in the real world! My Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) houses mostly geriatric patients who are rehabilitating from a variety of physical ailments, from hip replacements to strokes. The occupational therapist’s role in this setting…
A Video is Worth a Thousand Words: Promoting Occupational Therapy
Hello, world! I’m still processing the inspiring, overwhelming and thoroughly enjoyable weekend I had at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 2011 Conference in Philadelphia, PA. I entered the conference prepared to be overwhelmed and inspired by the esteemed Occupational Therapists (OTs), COTAs, Professors, Advocates, and other students from around the country. I did not anticipate that something I created would become a source of inspiration for many of the 6,000 therapists in attendance. My award-winning video about promoting occupational therapy My experience at my first ever national OT conference At the Opening Ceremony on Thursday, my video was announced as the winner of the AOTA Student Video Contest and was…