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,
I cannot seem to remember dance steps that I learn from week to week. Sometimes when I’m dancing I don’t even hear the music because I am trying so hard to remember what foot goes where when (right, left, slow, quick, quick…aargh!) What can I do to remember the steps?
Short-Term Dance Memory
Dear Short-Term,
The best way to remember your steps is to practice them, and to practice them with the appropriate music! You have to learn to listen and to enjoy the music that you are dancing to. If you don’t hear the music, honey, how can you dance? If you feel the music in the steps, you will remember them. Don’t give up! Musicality can be learned.
Dear Poppy,
My dance partner has beautiful long flowing hair. I do love the sting of her hair when it hits me in the face as she turns. However, I seem to get caught up in it and pull her head back when I get into dance position with her. What is the hair remedy?
Tangled
Dear Tangled,
The remedy is for your partner to pull her hair back or up. Flowing hair has a place — and that place is not a closed dance position. The leader needs to have access to his partner’s shoulder blade and back, not her locks.
