Swing Dancing
For Dagney’s birthday tonight, a group of us went swing dancing. Now, I know, some of you might be saying, “Wow, Brandon, I didn’t know you swing danced!” Well, I don’t. Let me tell you why.
While I’m generally good at picking things up when using my mental prowess, I’m absolutely terrible when it comes to using my physical prowess. I have flashbacks to the PlattForm volleyball league a year and a half ago, where I was an embarrassment not only to PlattForm Interactive, but also to America. I played soccer for half a season—half a season!—in high school, only to be taken out injured for the rest of the season. Seeing as I was second-string mid-fielder for the junior varsity team, this was not a huge loss for my team.
I talked to a few other wallflowers tonight about dancing. “Oh, I’m terrible,” said one, “I have absolutely no rhythm.” I shook my head. “I don’t have that excuse,” I replied. (I’m a drummer.) “Oh, I forgot about that,” the man said. An awkward silence followed. I mean, what’s the proper response to that?
man: “Well, maybe it’s because you’re white?”
me: “I’m legally Alaskan Native.”
man: “Uh, is there much dancing in Alaskan Native culture?”
me: “I am mildly unsettled by this conversation.”
But let’s take a closer look at swing dancing. For those unfamiliar with the basic step (the first thing they teach you in swing class), it’s a three-step. There are actually four steps, but one occurs on an upbeat, so it’s only three counts. Every single song they played tonight was in 4/4 time signature, which means there were four counts to every measure. If you still don’t get it, here’s a play-by-play for three measures:
| music | dance |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 3 |
| 4 | 1—what the hell? |
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 3 |
| 3 | 1—shit! |
| 4 | 2 |
| 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 1—WHY ARE YOU ALL DANCING IN THREE? |
| 3 | 2 |
| 4 | 3 |
So you see my frustration, as a drummer and logical thinker. I feel like I’m taking crazy pills, here!
Anyway, despite the rhythmical blasphemy that is swing dancing, I actually had a pretty good time tonight. So happy birthday, Dagney! But seriously, do not get me anywhere near a dance floor (unless I am holding a guitar).
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Brandon, the way I learned to count in ballroom dance involved half-notes and a count of six. They probably told you about the little “rock-step” part, right? Try thinking of it like this:
music count feet
1 1 and left
2 2
3 3 and right
4 4
1 5 rock
2 6 step
3 1 and left
4 2
1 3 and right
2 4
3 5 rock
4 6 step
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Shoot, the tabs aren’t working! I’ll e-mail it to you.