14/12/2021
Category: advice-tips

Long before I took up rock 'n' roll dance I was an aspiring golfer. I wasn't very good at it. Hoping to improve, I read a book by one of the all-time greats, Jack Nicklaus. I thought I might learn something.

He gave a brilliant piece of advice that applies equally to golf, to dancing and many other pursuits. He was asked what was the most important piece of advice he would give to an amateur golfer. His answer was this - forget your score, just go out and enjoy the game of golf!

That's a great statement. On the surface it appears somewhat cynical, but there's a deeper wisdom to be seen within it for those who care to look. What The Golden Bear was really saying, at least to my mind, is this - don't try too hard, relax and enjoy your game, appreciating and being thankful for whatever you are able to achieve. If you do that you will improve over time to whatever level you are ultimately capable of. If you stress over your performance things are inclined to go badly for you.

One great piece of advice I drummed into people who attended my dance classes was simply to relax and have fun. After all, that is what dance is really all about. Certainly it's competitive, which is why there are dance competitions. Most of us like to perform as best we can and to look as impressive as we can to others, or at least to not look silly. Unfortunately some people manage to do just that, but usually because they are trying too hard to impress.

Ultimately, dance styles like Jive, Rock 'n' Roll and Swing are just people having fun with other like-minded individuals. They enjoy the same music, make new friends and build a strong social circle.

When it comes to enjoyment in life, those things are immeasurably valuable. It doesn't take a lot of money to be a Rock 'n' Roll dancer. You don't need to buy fancy equipment and you can easily practice at home. You can take lessons but you can learn a lot from just watching others - and most are willing to demonstrate for you. Regardless of however and wherever you participate in this wonderful pastime and to whatever level you hope to achieve, relax and shine!