I started my lindy hop habit a number of years ago, when after attending Atomic ballroom a couple of times with what can be best described as “functional” east coast swing abilities I decided I should learn lindy hop and signed up for some classes.  I took a beginning series and started social dancing once or twice a week.  After the beginning series ended I took an intermediate series and upon its conclusion the instructor approached me about a team that he ran.  The team met for a couple of hours once a week to learn and practice.  They performed publicly from time to time, but the point of the team was to help beginning lindy hoppers progress their dancing.

I participated in the team for over two years and I credit that opportunity for allowing me to progress my dancing to where it is today, as well as for helping me make friends with other dancers.  If you want to improve, have fun, and make friends, I recommend joining a team.

I have always felt indebted to that instructor for the time he put in to helping me improve my dancing, first by inviting me onto the team, and second for working with me when I needed help.  He often talked about us looking for opportunities to pay it forward, so that when people wanted to improve their dancing, there were others supporting them.  In a month, I get a chance to do this in a big way.

I teach high school, and starting this fall I will be running an after school P.E. class teaching kids to lindy hop.  I’m excited about it, and also a little apprehensive, as my previous experience teaching dance to kids was teaching a movement for theatre class the shim sham.  While I feel like I am doing my part to pay it forward, I have to admit it is somewhat selfish.  I will get a chance to dance even more, improve my own dancing through practice, and hopefully get more people out social dancing to continue to grow the local scene.  Stay tuned for updates as I give this new opportunity my best effort.

One last thing, if you’re hoping to find an instructor like the one I had you’re in luck.  Shesha Marvin is still around, still teaching, and now operates Atomic Ballroom.