Ms. Poppy Chiffon — the doyenne of dance, the baroness of ballroom etiquette, the sultana of Southern hospitality — is pleased to answer your dance-related questions. Here are a few queries that Poppy deigned to extract from her mailbag this week. If you have a question that you would like Poppy Chiffon to address, please e-mail her at askpoppy@dancestationusa.com. Ms. Chiffon regrets that she cannot respond individually to questions.
Dear Poppy,
How do we followers prevent the leaders from taking our arms out of our sockets when they turn us? Why must leaders be such brutes?
Whiplash on the Dance Floor
Dear Whiplash:
Oh darlin’, you must speak with your leads. Better yet, I will give them a piece of my mind about the matter. So leaders, listen up: Leading is about allowing your partner to turn, not forcing her. A lead is a suggestion, not a command. The leader provides the initiative but the partner decides whether to respond. Leading is about framing your partner and making her look good. A leader must constantly be aware of his partner. The partner follows his leads, doing her footwork and turns. Her job is to be beautiful and graceful.
So, leaders, be gentle with your partners. If I see any arm-wrenching on the premises I shall have to whack the miscreants with my umbrella.
Dear Poppy,
I am afraid to ask someone to dance. I think that they will turn me down, or even laugh at me. How can I build my confidence to ask someone to dance?
Fearful of Rejection
Dear Fearful,
Everyone has fears of being turned down, but don’t worry. When someone accepts you will have to dance. Have all your dancing skills polished and ready to go! Be ready! Take some dance classes or group dance courses to build your confidence. Don’t forget, you have to practice. And to practice, you have to dance with someone. All great dancers were once beginners, you know, dear. Even your Poppy.
Dear Poppy,
I am such a klutz. I trip in the most awkward places. Would dancing help me be a safer walker?
Awkward
Dear Awkward:
It is hard to know how to walk without tripping. However, if you are tripping, perhaps you should pick up your feet. This always helps me. Of course, I suggest taking some dance classes. When we dance we learn about changing weight from foot to foot. When we learn ballroom dancing we learn to coordinate movements with our entire body, i.e. feet, legs, torso, arms, hands, head, core muscles and more. It sounds as though learning to dance would be very beneficial for you, as you would gain the side benefit of learning to walk.
