[Dixielandjazz] dancers

[Jim Kashishian]

On a cruise I did last year (guest, not a musician!), there was a troupe of
ball room dancers on board.  They would take over a dance floor & there was
no way a normal dancer like myself would get out there.  You would be run
over by this "swooping & diving" crowd that was formally using the whole
floor to manuever themselves.  It was a real put-off!
 
I love to see someone dancing & enjoying themselves with their partner.  I'm
less enthused by the choreographed movements taught in the ball room dancing
classes.  
 
I have attended some of those classes on board cruises with my wife.  I
completely flipped out at the Swing Dance class as we were learning our
moves to "In The Mood", and the instructor happily said 5, 6, 7, 8 at any
time within the song, and even within the measure!  I was shocked, and of
course just couldn't even start moving until beat one of a measure & the
beginning of a phrase.  I spoke with someone else on board who was a
marvelous dancer, and he said very few people in classes knew or cared about
musical phrasing.  He, at least, knew what I was going on about.
 
Jim