Hi everyone, I’m diving into the world of Dip Dancing and, well, let’s just say my first few attempts have been less than graceful. I’m hoping to tap into the collective wisdom here because I’m facing a bit of a dip dilemma.
It all started a couple of months back at a swing dance event. They were running an intermediate swing lesson and dips were on the menu. After some initial struggles, I actually managed to get the hang of it during the class. Feeling confident, I asked a beginner dancer for a dance later that night. Thinking I’d impress her, I went for a dip at the end of the song. Big mistake. My lead-up was terrible – straight from a closed position, I just yanked my left hand behind her back, expecting a dip to magically happen. She was understandably confused, and when I finally did manage to get her into something resembling a dip, she instinctively put all her weight on me. The result? THUMP! Down she went. My face probably matched the fire alarm, I mumbled apologies, she was surprisingly gracious, and I practically fled the scene, vowing never to attempt a dip again.
Fast forward to this week, and fate, or perhaps a well-meaning friend, intervened. I was dancing with a friend who also happens to be a dance instructor. At the end of a song, she casually remarked, “You need to learn some dips!” Cue my embarrassing dip disaster story. To her credit, she suggested that maybe my first partner putting all her weight on me wasn’t entirely my fault. Encouraged, I decided to give dip dancing another try. She demonstrated the move with another lead, I practiced a few times, and I started to feel a little braver. There were definitely things to refine, but I thought practice would solve it.
Then came the next dance night. I tried dipping a couple of other follows, and it went… okay. Not perfect, but no one hit the floor. However, my third attempt ended in disaster. Another dropped follow! This time, I’m pretty sure it was all on me. She didn’t lean on me excessively. I think I made two crucial errors. Firstly, I think I dipped her way too low – it was practically a floor slide (which, in a twisted way, was lucky because the fall wasn’t far). Secondly, and this is something the instructor had emphasized, I think I was leaning over her instead of supporting her. I’m still not entirely sure how to avoid that.
So, here I am, back to square one, terrified of dip dancing again. But I really want to learn! Some song endings, especially in blues, just scream for a dip. I’m tired of resorting to weak spins when the music begs for drama. Private lessons have crossed my mind, but they are pricey. Does anyone out there have any advice on how to conquer my dip dancing demons and avoid future floor-landing incidents? Any tips, tricks, or words of wisdom would be hugely appreciated!
