Monday, April 18, 2011

A Day at the Races

A Day at the Races turned into a Night at Stellenbosch.

This year I have come to the conclusion that the UCT Ballroom and Latin Dancing Society is having an amazing year. Our dancers are unbelievably talented, the beginners have been eager and the socials have been heaps of fun.

Saturday night was no exception. Although everyone had to go all the way to the Neelsie in Stellenbosch, come whatever may, UCT came out in full force. Not only did we have amazing numbers of people; but everyone looked extraordinarily beautiful, sophisticated and daring. The boys looked hot, the girls looked sexy and we hit that dance floor like confetti at a wedding. We sparkled and smiled, danced our hearts out and made the committee feel incredibly proud.



I saw a gleam in everyone’s eyes as UCT checked out fellow Stellenbosch dancers. Bridges were crossed and many UCT/Stellenbosch couples formed for a waltz or two. We even showed off our talents when the sokkie dances came on. The atmosphere in the Neelsie was really friendly and happy and I want to thank everyone who attended for being good to our neighbours. (Neigh-bours, get it?).



I want to thank Bryce, Lani, Bernie and Max for transforming a very dull hall into a stylish space. Although the horses looked a bit more like donkeys than racing machines, I only have myself to blame. Everything else looked amazing, the food was good and drinks kept flowing.



I also want to thank Stellenbosch for hosting the event, for helping out with the decorations and for providing the food. We hope to make this an annual tradition, so expect more inter-varsity socials in the future.

Stellenbosch, we will soon be back, don’t you worry. Except, this time, we will be a little more serious, demonstrating our talents to the dance floor at Intervarsity. See you in August.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

The question on every girl’s lips: what to wear

Medal Tests: What to Wear

So, you have signed up for medal tests and you’re thinking, “Now what? What shoes do I get, what dress do I buy?”

Well, this blog is here to help you.

Shoes

Some ladies and gents have asked about shoes. Gents, don’t buy Latin shoes (the ones with the taller heel) just yet. Buy men’s ballroom shoes and make sure you have some black socks to match!

Ladies, try on different styles of Latin shoes and decide what works best for you. The width of your foot makes all the difference to the style that is most comfortable for you. Buy 2.5 inch or 2 inch shoes in a colour that you like, but which matches most of your outfits. Some girls opt for the flesh coloured shoes because they go with everything. Other girls like black shoes because they prefer darker clothing.


Clothing

The gents clothing regulations are quite restrictive. Men must wear:

• Black pants
• Black shoes and black socks
• White shirt
• Tie (choose a colour you like or the colour of your partner’s dress/skirt)

Gents, just like the ladies, no jewellery or make-up; and nothing shiny either!




Ladies, you are also restricted in what you are allowed to wear:

• Your skirt must be knee length and straight edged. It must not be patterned or sequenced
• Your top must also be plain but can be a different colour
• Girls can also wear dresses
• Please don’t show underwear (buy hotpants if necessary)
• We strongly suggest no strapless tops or dresses
• Ladies, please also leave your jewellery at home and ensure that you don’t wear excessive make-up.


Now that we have crushed your dreams of flashy outfits and stage make-up, we are free at lessons for any questions. If you would like an opinion on an outfit, please show it to us during medal test classes.

If anyone needs to borrow a skirt, please speak to us. We have some available for the expensive price of free.

Pictures: Look, its our super-human chairperson, Lara, and our heroic IT guy, Richard, showing off their medal tests outfits. Note the 2008 hairstyles. Groovy, baby!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Medal Tests FAQ


As I'm sure you all know, our annual Medal Tests are coming up on the 7th of May, and we'd like to see as many people as possible getting involved. Bernie's already written a great article about it (which you can find here), so check that out if you have any doubt that it is a fun experience.

I seem, however, to be hearing similar things from people who haven’t done it before, so here's my two (or three) cents on some frequently asked questions:

1. Stress! Doom! Horror!
Medal Tests can be stressful, particularly if you're not used to performing. But whatever feedback you get on this particular test, you can’t actually fail. You may find it's not intimidating at all - but even if you are dead scared, working through the nerves is a learning experience in itself, as is being able to accept constructive critique.


2. Give me more time – I don’t know enough steps yet!
When it comes to Medal Tests, you’re getting feedback on what you can do, at your own level. So dance to the best of your ability, focus on the basics, and don’t compare yourself to people who seem to know more steps or have better coordination. As long as you're comfortable with the steps you do know, you'll be fine. A good basic, by the way, is far more important than fancy moves!

3. I just dance for fun – why should I do a test?
Dancing for fun and dancing well aren't incompatible - on the contrary, they're related. I'm sure you're aware that in your regular class you're thinking about steps and don't always focus on making the whole dance work. But in preparing for Medal Tests, you get to think about the details and how they fit into the whole picture.
Having solid technique is always preferable to being sloppy – it makes dancing a better experience for you, and for your partner. So whether you're a casual dancer or raring to go for Intervarsity, this is a very good place to start.

I hope that answers at least some of your questions ;) We're interested in what you think, so please do chat to us about how things are going. Here is the list of class times – they'll be on Sundays in Molly Blackburn, with the exception of the Easter weekend, when we'll be practising on Monday. See you there!



10am: Beginner
11am: Intermediate
12–1pm: Formation
1.30–2pm: Advanced
2.30–3pm: Pre-Bronze/Bronze