Underhill's Swing and Shag Dance Collective

Have you ever stood on the edge of a dance floor, watching couples spin effortlessly, and thought to yourself, “I am just not that kind of person” ? If so, you aren't alone. You are suffering from a cultural symptom that Dr. Peter Lovatt—a psychologist and passionate advocate known as "Dr. Dance"—has spent years trying to heal. Recently, we came across a quote, in a BBC piece "Why Dance Is Key To Our Humanity" , by Dr. Peter Lovatt, author of The Dance Cure , that perfectly articulates the battle we are fighting here at Underhill’s Swing and Shag Collective. He says: “A large portion of society thinks that they are not the right type of person to dance. Because we take something that’s really fundamental and natural and expressive in movement, and then we codify it. We make it very strict, We judge people for it. People feel self-conscious when they do it, and then people stop doing it.” At Underhill’s Swing and Shag Collective, we consider Dr. Lovatt a partner ...

Have you ever felt like the last decade flew by in a blur? You’re not alone. As adult life settles into a routine, our subjective experience of time tends to accelerate. We crave novelty, a deeper presence in our own lives, and a more meaningful way to connect with the world and the people around us. What if there was an activity that could not only get you moving but also enrich your mind, body, and spirit in ways you never expected? At Underhill's Swing and Shag Dance Collective, we believe partner dancing is a powerful, scientifically-backed solution. This article reveals five surprising promises we make to every new dancer who joins our community—promises that go far beyond simple exercise to offer a profound enhancement to your life. 1. We Promise to Slow Down Time It’s a counter-intuitive fact: as our lives become more routine, our brains form fewer unique memories. This "thins out" our memory load, making the years feel shorter in retrospect. The most effective way...

Have you ever felt like the last decade flew by in a blur? You’re not alone. As routine gradually displaces novelty in our adult lives, our subjective experience of time tends to accelerate. The years feel shorter because we stop collecting new, unique memories, essentially thinning out our memory load in retrospect. But what if there was an activity proven to flood your brain with novelty, enhance your memory pathways, and force you to be deeply present—making your life feel subjectively richer and longer? That activity is partner dancing. When approached as continuous learning, dance is a powerful cognitive intervention that acts as a profound "anti-aging secret" for your brain and your perception of time. Here is the science of how dancing makes life seem to pass slower: Stopping the Clock: The Power of Mindful Movement The single biggest reason life speeds up is the loss of presence. As skills become automatic—like driving a familiar route or typing on a keyboard—our brai...

Friends and fellow dancers, For a couple years on this blog, we've explored the joy of swing and shag dance. We've focused on the steps, the music, the history, and the wonderful community we're building together. We've worked on the "how" of dancing. But I've always been fascinated by something deeper. I'm endlessly curious about the "why." Why does partner dance feel so magical? Why does it forge such a powerful, non-verbal bond between two people? I believe that what we learn on the dance floor—trust, non-verbal communication, being present, and moving as one—are the exact same skills that build incredible, resilient, and deeply connected romantic relationships. This topic is bigger and more personal than a single blog post. It deserves its own dedicated space to explore. That's why I am so excited to announce a new, separate project: The Kinetic Connection . This will be my new Substack newsletter, and it has a specific mission: to...

Ever feel like you just click with one dance partner, but struggle with another? It’s not just about the music you hear—it’s about the connection you feel. A new study in Frontiers in Virtual Reality dives into this, showing how the sense of touch can totally change your dance experience. More Than Just Sound The study, titled " Feeling the music: exploring emotional effects of auditory-tactile musical experiences ", found that adding vibrations to music made people feel happier and less anxious than just listening to the sound alone. The researchers used special devices to turn music into touch, with actuators on the hands, chest, and ankles. This proved that our brains don't just listen to music—they combine what we hear with what we feel to create a richer, more powerful experience. Think of it like a live concert, where you don’t just hear the bass, you feel it in your bones. The Secret of a Strong Lead This is the key to a great dance partnership. The study chose to...