Dance Your Way to Playfulness: Rediscovering Joy in Movement

Who says dance is just for kids?

As adults, we often get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life, forgetting the simple joy of movement. Dance, however, offers a delightful escape, inviting us to reconnect with our playful side and experience the numerous benefits it brings.

Why Dance is the Ultimate Playful Pursuit

Dance is more than just physical exercise; it's a holistic experience that nourishes both body and mind. Here's how:

• Physical Well-being:

  • Stress Relief: The rhythmic movements of dance release endorphins, natural mood elevators, helping to reduce stress and anxiety.
  • Improved Mood: The combination of physical activity and music can uplift your spirits and boost your overall mood.
  • Enhanced Creativity: Dance encourages creative expression, allowing you to explore different movements and styles.
  • Boosted Confidence: Learning new dance moves and performing them can increase self-confidence and self-esteem.

• Social Connection:

  • Shared Experience: Dancing with others creates a sense of community and shared experience.
  • Communication Beyond Words: Dance can express emotions and ideas that words alone cannot convey.
  • Strengthened Relationships: Engaging in a fun and playful activity like dance can deepen bonds with friends and loved ones.

• Mindfulness and Presence:

  • Focus on the Present Moment: Dance requires full attention to the body's movements and the music, promoting mindfulness.
  • Reduced Self-Consciousness: Immersing yourself in the dance can help you let go of self-judgment and embrace the moment.

How to Incorporate Dance into Your Life

1. Take a Dance Class: Whether it's ballet, hip-hop, or salsa, learning a new style can be both challenging and fun.
2. Dance Parties: Organize dance parties with friends and family, or attend local events that feature live music and dancing.
3. Dance at Home: Turn on your favorite music and let loose in your living room.
4. Dance Therapy: Consider dance therapy as a way to explore emotions and improve mental well-being.

Remember, the key to playful dance is to let go of inhibitions and enjoy the process. Don't worry about being perfect or following specific steps. Just move your body to the rhythm of the music and have fun!

So, why not rediscover the joy of dance and let your inner child shine? Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you.

We are Underhill's Swing and Shag Dance Collective and we can guide you towards the discovery of dancing your way to playfulness and lean in to the power of play!

Exciting News! New Venue, New Classes, and a Big Thank You!

We're thrilled to share some fantastic updates about the Colonial Heights Swing Dance Club!

First, the good news about our fundraising efforts:

We're so close to our goal of $4,500 for the SnapLock portable dance floor! Thanks to your generous contributions, we're currently at $3,950. We're hopeful that we'll be able to order and receive the floor before the end of December.

New Venue and Class Schedule:

To accommodate our new dance floor, we're excited to announce that we'll be moving our classes to the Colonial Heights Optimist Building starting in January 2025. This new venue will allow us to make some exciting improvements to our class offerings:

• Earlier Start Time: Classes will now begin at 6:00 PM, giving you more time to enjoy the evening.
• Extended Beginner Lesson: The beginner lesson will be extended to an hour and a half, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.
• Flexible Class Structure: The Optimist Club is graciously allowing us to set up the dance floor on Wednesday evenings and leave it up until Thursday evenings. This means we can offer both Wednesday and Thursday night classes at this convenient location.

Here's the new class schedule for the next 6-week series:

Wednesday Nights (Starting January 22, 2025)

• 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Beginner Basic Swing Dance
• 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM: Beginner to Intermediate Carolina Shag

Thursday Nights (Starting January 23, 2025)

• 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Beginner Basic Swing Dance
• 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM: Beginner to Intermediate Lindy Hop

Register Now! Please register for your desired classes by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/mMyFnp5EVdNqHZLV9

A Heartfelt Thank You:

We want to express our sincere gratitude to the Colonial Heights Moose Lodge for allowing us to use their space for the past year. We appreciate their support and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

We're excited about the future of the Colonial Heights Swing Dance Club and can't wait to see you on the dance floor!

Best regards,

Roger & Denise Underhill

An update on a New Dance Floor for Colonial Heights Swing Dance Club

Exciting News! We're thrilled to announce our plans to purchase a Snaplock portable dance floor for the Colonial Heights community. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we're one step closer to making this dream a reality.

Our Vision

Our goal is to create a valuable asset for the local dance community by establishing the Colonial Heights Swing Dance Club as a 501c(7) nonprofit organization. This will enable us to:

• Own the dance floor: The floor will become a club asset, ensuring its long-term availability.
• Manage club finances: We'll establish a board and a checking account to handle business transactions efficiently.
• Offer rentals: The dance floor will be available for rent to the public for private events, dances, parties, and more.

How Rental Income Will Be Used:

1. Reimbursing Donors: If requested by our donors, our top priority is to repay the generous individuals who have contributed to this project.
2. Funding Club Activities: Once initial funds are reimbursed, we'll allocate remaining income to support club events, trips, and the search for a dedicated dance facility.

Join Us in Making a Difference

Your continued support is essential to the success of this project. Together, we can create a vibrant dance community and provide a top-notch facility for everyone to enjoy.

Make Your Donation Today

Let's dance together! 

Dancing on Concrete - A Swing Dance Club's Plea

We are the leaders of Colonial Heights Swing Dance Club, and we are passionate about bringing the joy of swing dancing to our community. However, we are currently facing a challenge that is hindering our ability to provide a safe and enjoyable dancing experience for our members.

Our current dance floor is made of concrete or tile-covered concrete, which is a very hard and unforgiving surface, this can be further complicated when the floor is not well maintained and becomes sticky. This surface can cause injuries, such as ankle sprains, knee problems, and hip pain, especially when dancing for extended periods of time. We are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable dancing experience for all of our members. To achieve this, we are raising funds to purchase a Snaplock portable dance floor. This dance floor is made of polypropylene base with various commercial grade laminate top surfaces that look like wood that is designed to absorb shock and reduce stress on dancers' joints. It is also easy to set up and take down, so it can be used for a variety of events.

The cost of a 21’ x 21’ Snaplock portable dance floor is about $4,300. We have a generous donor that has offered to match donations up to $5,000 which would result in our ability to get a 30' x 30' floor! Let's make it happen! We are asking for your help to raise this money so that we can provide a better dancing experience for our members. It also allows us to set up on a myriad of other indoor or outdoor flat surfaces of dirt, sand, grass, asphalt, etc.

How You Can Help

There are many ways that you can help us to raise funds for our Snaplock portable dance floor. Here are a few ideas:

• Donate to our spotfund campaign: We have set up a spotfund campaign to collect donations for the dance floor. Please visit our page and donate whatever you can.
• Attend our events: We hold a variety of events throughout the year, such as classes, workshops, and social dances. By attending these events, you will be supporting our club and helping us to raise funds for the dance floor.
• Spread the word: Please tell your friends and family about our fundraising campaign. The more people who know about our cause, the more likely we are to reach our goal.

With your support, we can create a space where dancers of all levels can come together to enjoy the music, connect with friends, and move their bodies without fear of injury. Your contribution will help us build a stronger, healthier, and more vibrant dance community.

Donate Today!

5 C's of Dance: A Path to Mastery

As a dance instructor, I’ve been fascinated by the journey dancers take from beginners to experts. It's more than just learning steps; it's about developing a deep connection with the dance and growing as an individual.

Recently, while attending a USTA (United States Tennis Association) course, I discovered a powerful framework that beautifully aligns with this journey: the 5 C's from the American Athlete Development Model. These principles - Competence, Confidence, Character, Connection, and Creativity - are essential for mastering any skill, including dance.

Let's explore how these 5 C's can guide dancers on their path to excellence:

1. Competence

The foundation of any skill is competence. In dance, this means mastering the basic steps, techniques, and rhythms. As dancers gain proficiency, they build a strong base upon which to develop their skills further.

2. Confidence

As dancers become more competent, their confidence grows. This confidence is essential for taking risks, trying new things, and performing with expression and conviction.

3. Character

Character plays a crucial role in a dancer's development. It includes qualities like respect, discipline, perseverance, and sportsmanship. These traits contribute to a positive and supportive dance community.

4. Connection

In partner dances like Swing and Carolina Shag, connection is paramount. It involves effective communication between the lead and follow, understanding each other's movements, and creating a harmonious partnership.

5. Creativity

Once dancers have a solid foundation in technique and connection, they can begin to explore their creativity. This involves expressing themselves through their dancing, adding personal touches, and developing their own unique style.

As we embark on our next Swing and Carolina Shag class series, we'll be incorporating these 5 C's into our teaching. By focusing on competence, confidence, character, connection, and creativity, we aim to help dancers not only improve their skills but also develop a deep appreciation for the art of dance.

What do you think about the 5 C's framework? Have you seen how it applies to your own dance journey? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Get Your Swing Dance On: Upcoming Events from Underhill's Swing and Shag Dance Collective

Are you ready to groove to the rhythm of swing and shag? Underhill's Swing and Shag Dance Collective is excited to announce a series of upcoming events that will have you dancing the night away.

Beginner and Intermediate Classes

• Wednesdays starting September 11th: Beginner class at 7:30 PM and Intermediate class at 8:30 PM at the Colonial Heights Community Building.

• Thursdays starting September 12th: Beginner class at 7:00 PM and Intermediate class at 8:00 PM at the Colonial Heights Moose Lodge.

Friday Night Fas' Dancin'

Join us for a night of fun and dancing on Friday, September 13th at the Colonial Heights Moose Lodge. Enjoy a beginner-friendly lesson at 6:00 PM followed by a DJ dance until 10:00 PM.

Feature Attraction Band

Get ready to rock the night away on Saturday, October 12th with the Feature Attraction Band. This talented group will be playing classic beach music, rhythm and blues, and rock-n-roll at the Colonial Heights Moose Lodge. Tickets will be on sale soon, so stay tuned!

Family-Friendly Dance Night

On Friday, October 25th, we're partnering with the Colonial Heights Recreation and Parks Department to host a family-friendly dance night. Enjoy a dance lesson suitable for ages 6 and up followed by a DJ dance for adults. This is a great opportunity for dancers to practice their skills in a social setting and introduce the community to the incredible opportunities for fun and community connection through partner dancing.

Stay tuned for more announcements and get ready to hit the dance floor! We can't wait to see you there.

Dancing Across Divides: An Afternoon of Unity at the Summer Instructors Ball

This past weekend, we had the privilege of attending the Summer Instructors Ball in Philadelphia, PA. This incredible event brought together dance instructors from across the region, from New York to Virginia, showcasing a diverse array of dance styles. What truly struck me was the power of dance to bridge cultural gaps and foster a sense of community.

A Melting Pot of Dance

The Summer Instructors Ball was a vibrant celebration of dance, featuring everything from Detroit Ballroom to Carolina Shag. Instructors, accompanied by their students, took turns performing short showcases, providing a glimpse into their unique styles and the rich histories behind them.

A Social Dance Haven

Between the showcases, the social floor was a bustling hub of activity. Dancers of all levels and backgrounds came together to share their passion for dance. The blend of different styles created a mesmerizing tapestry of movement, as dancers communicated through lead and follow, exchanging steps and rhythms.

Building Community Through Dance

One of the most inspiring aspects of the event was the sense of community that permeated the space. Dancers from diverse backgrounds came together, united by their shared love of dance. The Summer Instructors Ball served as a platform for collaboration, learning, and inspiration. It reminded me of the incredible power of dance to bring people together and foster a sense of belonging.

Conclusion

The Summer Instructors Ball was more than just a dance event; it was a celebration of human connection and the transformative power of dance. As I left the event, I was filled with a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to continue sharing my passion for dance with others.