Hello My Dance Friends!

Wow…. 2012 where did the last year go? I guess we are all having so much fun that time just flies by.  I wish you a marvelous 2012 full of fun, dancing and love!

I saw many of you dancing at Ohio Star Ball and Holiday Classic competitions. Well done everybody.

Both competitions were great; well organized, with fantastic hospitality as always. Congratulations to Sam Sodano, Mary  Murphy and Wendy Johnson and to winners of those events as well as to all the participants. It seemed that every body had a great time, especially during the famous team match. It was a blast. I enjoyed greatly being part of the Ohio Star Ball judging team. It was a pleasure to witness first hand all the excitement and  competitiveness in the ballroom, not only during the professional events but also during pro am competitions.

Click Here to Download Newsletter PDF: News letter 4 PDF 1

Makeup

Alterna Hair Concentrate by Hemp Organics is an ultra hold styling. Provides volume and definition with a flexible, natural finish.

ProMinerals – loose mineral foundation by Serious Skin care.

I like Medium and Tan color. Often times I put Medium first and just a little bit of Tan on top.

Autumn mineral blush by Serious skin care. It gives very natural light color .

Champagne Pearl Warmth by Serious Skin Care.

Warmth gives nice tan look with a little spark.

5 Dance Latin Show at City of Roses Ballroom Classic

I am very excited to share with you that on Friday, March 16 together with Marcin Tomaszewski I’m going to do  5 dance latin show.  To get more information about the event and workshops we are going to be doing on Sunday, March 18 go to the website: www.cityofrosesballroomclassic.com

Kasia’s Technical Tips: Athleticism vs Gracefulness

When we think of dancing, we often think of gracefulness and smoothness of movements, and we forget that for the steps to look that way, first we have to learn them in a very athletic way. In the beginning there is not that much gracefulness or easiness to anything we do. Think of it as if you would go to the gym and your trainer asked you to pick up 100 pounds – you will probably struggle – you will not look too pretty doing so and you probably will not be able to do it, even though you might have the best intentions.  The same applies  with dancing. In the beginning our concentration should go to - ” can I do all the steps that I’m being ask for, can I do all the actions, and moves that each dance requires ? ” Once I can, then I can concentrate on how I look doing those moves. Once I’m fit enough and fast enough – which means athletic enough -  then  I can play with the cosmetic part of my dancing. I know that the athletic part, particularly  for my ladies is not as  appealing  as the artistic, expressive part, but in order to be a good dancer we need both. Not only  do

Click here to view/download PDF Kasia Fall Newsletter 2011

Thank you to my ladies: Shawn, Nahid, Dolores, Elaine, Renate, Kimberly, Kristine, Janice and Susan for spending your recent weekends with me attending my High Heels Boot Camps and allowing me to influence your dancing. I very much enjoyed working with you as well as getting to know you personally and I hope that the concepts that were introduced during the HHBC will enable you to achieve your personal goals in dancing. A special thanks to Elaine for letting us use her private studio during a power shortage ! I wish you all great success and I’m very much looking forward to seeing you and assessing your progress at upcoming competitions.
I also would like to thank the following studios who recently hosted one of the Kasia High Heel Boot Camps : Infinity Dance Sport Center in San Diego, Bloomfield Fred Astaire Studio in Detroit and Viva Dance Studio in New Jersey .Their great hospitality as well as their help in organizing the workshops have made my life much, much easier – I very much appreciate all the great work theydo to further Ballroom and Latin dancing!

Congratulations to Wayne Eng, Martin Chang and American Ballroom Company for organizing USDC.I very much enjoyed judging and being part of the event. This year brought us a new venue (still in Orlando ) – the Dolphin and the Swan. I thought the change was terrific and judging by comments from many of the attendees, my opinion was shared ! The decor and atmosphere in the ballroom was fantastic pretty much throughout the event. All the competitors from the pro am all the way to the pros were extremely prepared. I have noticed that these big events bring the best out of our dancers not only in the actual dancing but the whole presentation – dresses as well as make up and overall grooming were all well thought out and worthy of our National Championship. Congratulations to all the participants.

I would like to also congratulate Monique & Robert Hrouda, and William Reneaud organizers of the Seattle Star Ball. Your event, as always, was a pleasure to be at and your hospitality is fantastic. You make everybody feel very welcome and appreciated and you manage to create a friendly, warm atmosphere while remaining very professional. I love to see the support of the local studios and dancers. Well done everybody. Keep up the improvement and the enthusiasm for dancing.

Kasia’s Technical Tips: Samba Timing

It is my observance that Samba often times is most misunderstood of the Latin dances. Watching competitions and working with my clients I have noticed that there is lack of understanding of samba actions as they relate to samba timing. There is a misconception that Samba is all about bending the legs and accenting the downaction . Unfortunately that is not true. Samba should be light and vibrant. After all it is a party dance. We need to see rising not only lowering actions in Samba.
There are two aspects of Samba that we need to be very clear on. Timing of the feet as well as timing of the bounce. Basic and most common timing of the feet in Samba is 1 “a” 2. Timing of the bounce is “and” 1 “and” 2. To make Samba a Samba both of those timings need to be implemented. It is very important to understand what “a” as well as “and” stand for. “a” stands for a quarter of a beat. “and” stands for a half a beat. Therefore our basic timing of the feet in Samba is 3/4 of the beat on step one, 1/4 of the beat on step 2, and whole beat on the 3rd step. The timing of the bounce is even,- 1/2 of the beat for each action. Going up is 1/2 of the beat and similarly going down is 1/2 of the beat. To have correct timing of the samba all together we actually need to count like this: “and” 1 “and” “a” 2. To have a correct usage of the feet and correct bounce we need to know that on “and” we rise up, on “1” we step and lower, on “and” we rise again, on “a” we step and maintain our rise, and on “2” we step and lower again. So in summary “and”s are up, numbers are down and ”a” maintains the up position. I know that in the beginning that seems like a lot to remember on a basic Samba but once you get this basic action into your muscle memory, dancing Samba becomes much more enjoyable and fun.

Ask Kasia: Can I be competitive if I do not focus on beating other dancers?

Yes, Yes, Yes !!!! You can be competitive and do well without necessarily focusing specifically on beating others. What is important is the will to get better and better. If you are occupied with constant improvement and make that your focus , it is as if you are competing against yourself. When you are consumed with the process of dancing and developing your skill and technique, the result will come before you even know it!! It is not enough to just want to beat other people and to win, you have to have a clear vision of exactly how you are going to achieve that goal and, by extension, what technical improvements need to be made. If your intentions are defined it is much easier to improve and with improvement comes recognition and results. Paying attention to yourself and your own dancing skills is much more beneficial than concentrating on other competitors.

Move Like a Champion

Ballroom and Latin dancing has changed a great deal in the past decade even to the point of being called Dancesport . Athleticism, physical strength and flexibility are all major components of a successful dancer. Many people tell me that although their brains understand the physical requirements of steps I teach, their bodies don’t always ” get it” as easily . So, in collaboration with a great dancer, fantastic teacher and my very good friend, Diane Jarmolow, we have created ” Move Like A Champion “. It is a systematic program of 64 exercises designed to give you the tools to understand and control your body. We also have published a book” Move like a Champion”. This book outlines the entire series of exercises with photos and detailed descriptions. You can order it directly from my website. It is a great tool to improve your dancing as well as terrific Christmas present for you and/or your dancing friends! You can also register for the upcoming workshops: November 20, 2011 in Eugene, Oregon or January 14, 2012 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Click here to check out the Move Like a Champion Website

From the Judges Corner

While judging the National Championships I noticed that many dancers tried so hard that they they often over did things and caused themselves to look worse instead of better. We want to see commitment and competitive spirit on the dance floor but at the same time there has to be a sense of control and calmness. Commitment is good but it needs to be focused on the things that have been practiced not just to an overall increase of energy. Having a lot of energy on the competition floor is great but ” going for it” on every step can make a dancer appear frantic – analyze your choreography and know which steps or sequences are the ones that require that extra burst of energy – this will enable you to establish an interesting ” light and shade ” look which, I promise you, will be appreciated by the judges and audience alike. I do understand that at the big events we try hard to do very well – just make sure you are doing what you supposed to be doing, not just doing a lot of everything you can do.

Kasia’s High Heels Boot Camp January 6-8, 2012, San Diego

If you are looking to dramatically improve your dancing and develop you style in a fun atmosphere then I invite you to participate in my HHBC January 6-8, 2012 in CA . Designed for dancers of all levels and abilities. This intensive 3 day boot camp will show you how to take your dancing to another level and help you to build self confidence and belief in your own skills. You will develop both your body and your mind. It will point you firmly in the direction of being a better, more empowered dancer and a strong partner. Click here for more info.

Jamaica Dance Getaway: Jan. 28- Feb. 4, 2012

For those of you that are looking for a great dance escape in the middle of winter, come and join me in Jamaica.I will be teaching seminars as well as private lessons during a fantastic stay in all inclusive resort Riu Monego Bay. Click Here for more information. I hope to see you there

The bridge between picturing that perfectly executed step or technique in your head and doing it for real on the dance floor is practice. Something that initially requires great concentration to execute can become routine, or even easy with enough practice.

“Amateurs practice until they get it right, professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong.”

Even though practice is your most powerful tool for improving your skills, it is unfortunately one of the things that dance students understand how to do the least. When should you practice? What things should you focus on in practice? How often should you practice? In this post, I hope to shed some light on what great dancers do in practice that help them to master their art.

1. Practice Time: Practice time is the time you are willing to set aside each day to practice your art. If you are a professional, several hours may be needed at a time to cover all your material and see improvements, but if you’re an amateur with a full time career, you might only be able to squeeze in 15 minutes to a half hour. Even if you can only allow for a few minutes of practice time per day, steady improvement requires the consistency of constant quality practice. Schedule practice time when you know your mind will be free of other distractions and when you know that you will have the energy to perform your best. Being tired and “walking through” a practice wastes time and programs your body to dance lazily. If you’re a morning person, practice early. If you’re a night owl, there’s nothing wrong with scheduling a late practice. It’s also ok to do a “split schedule” where you practice for a bit in the morning and then a bit more at night.

It seems apparent that practicing for longer stretches should create better results, but other factors must be considered as well, such as attention span, concentration level, and energy level. Be sure to listen to your body, and don’t push yourself over the edge of exhaustion since this can lead to injury or reinforcement of sloppy technique. Also, don’t practice past the point of being mentally “shot”. Once your mental computer crashes, it’s time to grab a latte and reboot.

2. Frequency of Practice Sessions: Scheduling practice sessions often and close together is usually the fastest road to improvement, but as stated above, you must listen to your body to make sure that you aren’t over-training or wearing yourself out. Most professionals practice 5-7 days a week, but you don’t need to practice that much to see gains in your ability. Just practicing 2-3 times a week can help you to quickly improve as long as your practices are focused on the proper material and qualities of movement.

One important aspect of this is also the time between lessons and practice. It is important to practice soon after lessons and coachings so that you can retain more of the material that was covered. Sometimes it may take a bit of time for all the information that you got on your lesson or coaching to sink in, but after about 24 hours, it will have sunk in all that it is going to. After that 24 hour period the content of the lesson will begin to get fuzzier in your mind, so it’s best not to take days off after a lesson or coaching.

3. What to Focus on in Practice: One of the things I get asked often is what people should work on the most when they practice. I will answer this question from the perspective of a couple working together and from the standpoint of the individual.

Couples need to work on alot during their practice time, such as: technique, choreography, musicality, presentation, relationship, showmanship, and fitness. Many couples try to develop all these areas simultaneously by just dancing the routines to music over and over again. Although dancing “rounds” in this way is useful to get accustomed to dancing together and with the music, it is probably the most difficult way to improve technique. A good couples practice should definitely include “rounds”, but also allocate plenty of time to break down specific sections of choreography and try to develop the technique and musicality within them. Time should also be allotted for working on basic steps and technique during each practice, since oftentimes open choreography can be very abstract and may not allow the couple ample opportunity to review the basics. Basic steps are also the best way to work on and develop connection and partnership.

Individual practice time is the most effective tool for improving one’s dance skills. During your solo practice time, you can focus on sections of choreography that are particularly challenging for you, as well as improving specific techniques and actions that you need more focus on. For me, individual practice time is when I feel that I really become a better dancer. Keep in mind that when you practice your routines individually the steps will not feel the same as they do with a partner, so it is best to try and visualize dancing with your partner even when they are not there (by not doing so you may inadvertently change something that affects them without realizing that you have done so).

In summation, practice is absolutely vital to your development as a dancer. Practice well and often, and
your dancing has no choice but to improve over time.

All Things Ballroom July 2011

I would like to say “Thank You” to the ladies that joined me for High Heels Boot Camp in San Diego in June. It
was a great success. I have a great time getting to know each of you and being able to influence your dancing.

I wish you all the very best and I’m very much looking forward to seeing you again. Also I would like to say “Thank You” to Yolanda Vargas and Infinity Dance Sport Center for providing a great facility for us.

I would like to congratulate Wayne Eng for two great events:Emerald Ball – in Los Angeles and Dvida Mastery Camp in Las Vegas. Emerald Ball is one of the biggest and most prestigious competitions in the USA and I was delighted to be invited as one of the Judges. As always Donna and Wayne Eng did a great job in organizing it. The competition had beautiful decorations, great atmosphere, great dancing and incredible service – over all it was a very special event to go to.
It seems every year all the competitors; amateurs, professionals as well as the pro/ams put a lot of energy and effort to be physically prepared for this event. Unfortunately there is not enough mental preparations for a competition of such a high caliber. This year I have seen many individuals as well as couples that looked very overwhelmed and scared. Competing is much more than just dancing well. It is the over all preparation mental as well as physical that allow an individual to accelerate more than others. I’m looking forward to see our dancers become better competitors.

Dvida Mastery Camp – this is a 4 day dance training camp in Las Vegas. This year it was at a new location - the Paris Hotel and everybody seemed to be very happy with that choice of the hotel. As always the event was a great success. All the participants looked very enthusiastic and inspired by all the participating instructors. Donald Johnson and I have been part of this event for many years and it is always a lot of fun for us to share our knowledge and joy of dancing. I would like to thank all the dancers who joined our classes and congratulate the couples who participated in our performance classes “Beginner Tango” and “Intermediate Cha Cha Cha”. You guys were terrific -great performance on Thursday night. We were very proud of you.

Technical Tips: Looking where you need to go

We all know that driving while looking around, paying attention to things other than the direction in which we are driving is not very efficient and is potentially very dangerous. The same applies to walking. If we are going forward but talking to somebody that is behind us or to the side of us, our movement is not as persistent nor as powerful as it is when we look straight ahead in the direction of our movement. The same principle applies to dancing. If my step is forward I should not look to the side. I should be looking exactly where I need to get to. And the same thing applies when I take a straight step back – I need to looking forward. Looking in any other direction will cause my body to rotate into that direction. So unless I want to go left or right or in a circular direction, I need to keep my head straight ahead with chin parallel to the floor. Many of the directional mistakes will be avoided by looking in the desired direction. Often we get very distracted by trying to produce a particular shape and unfortunately we than lose our sense of direction. Shapes are good and very welcome but they should enhance my movement not take it away.

I would like to talk about a simple concept “right is on the right and left is on the left”. I know you are thinking “of course everybody knows that” but unfortunately when we dance many times the awareness of the sides is not there. Many times there is too much rotation of the upper body especially in the linear movements. For example side step. When we are moving to the side not only the feet and legs should move directly to the side but also the shoulders. Shoulders should be over the hips. Right shoulder over the right hip, left shoulder over the left hip. There should be awareness that the energy from the hip and the shoulder of the leg that we have our weight on, should meet. Another way of expressing this concept is that I want you to compress the shoulder over the leg you are standing on or anchor the side of the body you are standing on. A very common mistake is over rotation of the shoulders especially when the hips have the rotational activity. The body then loses width and looks very thin as well as too active and appears to have too many body parts moving at the same time. To create width of the body, ladies you need to be aware of the distance between your neck and the shoulders. Even when you are picking up the arm up you should pay close attention to how close your arm is to your head. There always should be distance between your head and the arm – almost a palm width. Again keep your right arm on the right side and left one on the left side at all times. The same with your legs and feet. There should be two tracks close to one another but two separate tracks so you don’t keep on crossing your legs every step along the way (for those who worked with me before that’s when I say no drinking and driving). Crossing your tracks creates a very narrow base therefore contributing to loss of balance. To gain and keep your balance and control over your body make sure your left leg is under the left hip and right leg under right hip. Keep it simple and have fun with it.

Ask Kasia: How much and how often should you practice?

You should practice as often and as long as you can. The longer and more frequent the practice, the sooner you will see the improvement. Just make sure you know what to practice. The key to the practice is to improve, therefore there has to be a target of what is going to be improved. It is not about showing up at the studio and going through things over and over. It is not about practicing for the sake of practicing , rather it is about constant improvement. Unfortunately even when we know what to practice we do not practice long enough for the body to be able to produce the result every time. Knowing what to do is not the same as being able to do it especially when under the pressure of performing or competing. In order for the body to ” get it ” we have to repeat the same action over and over at least 10 000 times and when it comes to the body’s memory there are no short cuts.

How do you eat healthily to maintain your weight? What is your beauty regimen for travel? It’s such a challenge to find restaurants serving vegetables and lean meat in hotels!

Healthy diet is very important when it comes to Ballroom dancing. Not just for looking good but for being healthy and having energy to do all the physically demanding moves. I have always been a healthy eater – growing up in Poland we did not have junk food – one might say I have been saved by Polish economy I do not eat snacks such as chips, candy, popcorn. I do not drink sodas or alcohol. Water is great to keep one’s body hydrated and help to get rid of toxins. If you are like me and do not like the non taste of water put some low carb electrolyte powder in it. I like “ Yor Berry Blast”
When is comes to eating regular meals I stay away from fried food although I love french fries – I eat grilled or broiled
meets. I eat a lot of fish – grilled not fried. On my salads I use very little dressing, I usually ask to have it on the side so I can put only as much as I like. While traveling eating healthy can be a challenge but its possible. Hotels are usually not as bad as the airports. I find myself being drawn to the pastries but I have noticed that after eating well for a while my stomach does not appreciate a lot of sugared pastries.

Traveling can be also pretty tough on the skin and eyes. Drinking a lot of water will help as well as having great moisturizers. Over the years I have used many products, you have to find one that is going to work for you. Every body is a little different – I like product from “Origins” I also have noticed that my eyes get dry when I travel – therefore I always bring eye droops with me. When it comes to traveling to the competitions I recommend getting there a day before your event. I know that sometimes we are trying to save some money but our bodies need some time to recover from the trip – especially long ones and particularly if your trip involves a time change of over 2 hours.

From the Judges Corner: Shiny shoes for men

I have noticed that the new trend in Latin dancing attire especially among the amateurs is to wear patent leather
shoes. I’m not sure what the reason is for it, other than just wearing something different from what other guys have been wearing for a while. Personally I’m not a fan of men wearing shiny shoes in Latin. But never the less it is not a bad idea if you have very good feet. If the usage of the feet is not your strong point, I definitely advise sticking to shoes
that do not draw attention. Wearing shiny shoes is definitely a bold statement so unless you can impress us with your feet-
not a good idea. You are leaving yourself open to many unpleasant comments.

Kasia’s High Heels Boot Camp September 23-25 2011 in San Diego and October 7-9 in New Jersey

If you are looking to dramatically improve your dancing and develop you style in a fun atmosphere then I invite you to participate in my HHBC September in CA and October in NJ. Designed for dancers of all levels and
abilities. This intensive 3 day boot camp will show you how to take your dancing to another level and help you to build self confidence and belief in your own skills. You will develop both your body and your mind. It will point you
firmly in the direction of being a better, more empowered dancer and a strong partner. To register and find out
more about my HHBC from a participants perspective, visit www.kasiakozak.com  and go to Kasia’s blog.
If you enjoy more technical tips and to be in regular touch with me – it’s easy! Sign up for my blog at kasiakozak.com.

For those of you that are interested and looking forward to purchasing my new Silver Rhythm DVD’s Please visit my Store.

All Things Ballroom April 2011

I am so pleased to bring you this, the very first issue, of ” All Things Ballroom from KK ” . So many students that I coach across the country as well as those who have attended my seminars and HHBC, have told me that they would love me to share with them on an ongoing basis , my thoughts and insights into the
world of Latin and Ballroom so here it is !! I plan to send ” All Things Ballroom from KK” out quarterly and to include regular Features like, Technical Tips, From the Judges Corner , Fashion and Grooming plus special articles and features on hot topics . My students are so precious to me and I value your input and ideas so
please use the Ask Kasia section of my website www.kasiakozak.com to let me hear from you! I would love to answer any questions you might have.Now, may I ask you a favor? If you have dance friends who you think
would like to receive All Things Ballroom, please email me their names and email addresses so I can add them to my list!
Thank you so much in advance!

Technical Tips: Feet in the Same Direction

To create smooth and efficient movement our feet need to be facing the direction we are planing to go before we make a step. The easiest way to think about it is to  imagine driving a car and making sure that the wheels are aligned in the correct direction -  i.e where we need to drive.
If I’m making a right turn I need to turn the steering wheel to make sure the wheels are in a correct position before I push a gas pedal to go forward. The same with dancing. Before I go anywhere I do need to check  that my feet  are pointed in the correct direction. Especially our standing leg and foot
need to be in  the appropriate position for the movement to be efficient and graceful. A very common mistake is that one foot is pointing one way  while the other one points somewhere else.  More often than not we get stuck,  and are not able to move. To check if you are correctly aligned bend both knees and see if they go in the same direction – if yes you are good to go

Working Harder vs. Clear Intentions:

Working hard or dancing harder without clear intentions of what  we are trying to improve is  as bad as not working hard enough.  Before things can improve and our dancing can move forward, we
need to be very clear on what it  is that we are working on. Are we addressing speed, flexibility, mobility, balance  etc?
As one of my coaches  told me  a long time ago “it’s not just doing – its thinking and doing” that makes a difference. Once I
know what I’m going to improve then I have to make another decision on how am I going to improve it. I have to choose a
technique that will help me to accomplish my goal. If I keep on repeating  the same thing over and over I will be getting the same results over and over. To get a different result and to improve I need to change things that I do or get  better  and stronger in the skill that I’m working on.

Makeup:

During my last trip to Sephora I discovered very good eye liner from Make Up For Ever – Aqua Black. It’s very smooth, easy to apply and looks great the whole day. I also ended up buying Glittered eye shadow. I’m usually not a glitter kind
of a person but this product is fantastic. The make up artist who was helping me had it on and it right
a way caught my attention. Too Faced Glamour Dust (it comes in different colors – I got Blue Angel) is very easy
to apply using Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue (make sure you get the glue not a primer). You put the glue first on the eye lid and then apply glitter. It holds very well and for a long timeand can be used in the corners of the eyes as well as on the whole lid. For Ballroom dancing its Fantastic. I also got Brilliant Shimmer Powder for all over the body form Victoria’s Secret .Very nice for going out and also for competition if it is applied more intensively . It is very smooth
and elegant looking. For a sun kissed golden effect I recommend “Bombshell”. For more sparkle as  well as for eye shadow “Star” is great.

Fashion and Grooming: What Color Should My Shoes Be? Should I Rhinestone My Shoes?

My recommendation is that  if you have fantastic feet  that you want everybody to pay attention to,  you should put rhinestones on your shoes . However if your feet aren’t your strong suit then shoes should be nude without stones or as few as possible. I know that it   can be very tempting to have some  sparkle , but keep in mind you are at  a competition and are being compared to other dancers. So if you are showcasing something that is not your asset – you are not doing yourself a favor.

Should I tan for the
competition?

Yes you do need to tan. Otherwise you will not look as good as some other competitors. Make sure that its the right shade and try it way before hand ! Its too dangerous to wait until the day of the competition. You do not want to be too light
but at the same time not too dark. Tanning should make you look healthy and strong but not false. Some ideas for tanning:

• Spray tan (making sure its dark enough)
• Self tanners (I like Mattas, or ask you teacher for recommendations, they most likely will have something that they like to use for themselves)
• Instant bronzers ( good  for those  who do not sweat too much, otherwise its not going to look very pretty)
• Pro tan is very popular as well.

From Judges Corner: Too Close for Comfort

As judges we do very much appreciate a couple that interjects some personality and even ” playfulness ” into their routines. However it is very important for every judge to have an unrestricted view of the entire dance floor and when dancers are too close to us and perform somewhat ” in our faces ” it is highly distracting and makes us conclude that the couple does not have proper control of their choreography. So, I would suggest taking time before a competition to sort out where you need to start on the floor in order that you don’t encroach on the judges space. Remember also that you cant be seen by the other judges if you are too close to the outside of the floor!

Download or Print Kasia’s newsletter in PDF format: News letter #1 black PDf

Friday a.m :

YIKES  !!! Here I am in beautiful San Diego about to embark on a new Ballroom Dancing adventure !! Today I am starting a 3 day intensive High Heels Boot Camp with Kasia Kozak ( who is one of the U.S’s best know Professional Latin Dance Champions )! I’m actually a bit nervous and wondering what I have got myself into especially since I have never met Kasia although she comes highly recommended by my teacher. But let me start by telling you how I came to sign up for this HHBC – Ballroom dancing is my passion in life and I compete in local competitions with my Teacher. Recently I have felt the urge to expand my horizons and to try some of the bigger competitions but I know I need to take my dancing up a level ( or more !!) . I also feel that I need to gain independence in my dancing and not rely so much on my teacher to ” pull me through” – he’s a great guy but I’m sure he would love it if I could be stronger and more confident ! He has worked with Kasia and it was he who suggested I come here for this HHBC. I’m off to attend the first session – I’ll write more tonight ! Wish me luck !

p.m- just back from Day 1 with Kasia :

WOW !! WOW!!  WOW!! OK , so I admit I was quite nervous arriving at the studio to meet Kasia and the other ladies taking the HHBC !! But all my fears were laid to rest in the first few minutes – first of all let me tell you Kasia is an inspiration- she is a tiny , yet commanding presence, full of energy with an obviously genuine love for sharing her knowledge with others. Its quite an eclectic group ( 6 in total ) of ladies ranging from 28 – 62 years old and coming from a variety of backgrounds – Kasia asked each of us to spend a couple of minutes to speak about our experiences in the world of Ballroom dancing and what had drawn each of us to attend her HHBC and I was amazed at the result – an instant feeling of kinship and support that was truly special!

After the introductions we got down to business …. dancing! Kasia’s focus is on the need as a dancer at any level , to fully understand the way one’s body needs to work and then how to achieve it . She explained a variety of concepts and then helped each of us individually to understand our bodies strengths and weaknesses and how to overcome them. It’s fascinating stuff and best of all , it applies to all styles so the Latin and Ballroom dancers in the group are equally happy ! The time flew by and only my aching feet were happy to stop !

Before calling it a day , Kasia gave us a complete syllabus of all we are going to cover so no worries about forgetting the information – its also something I can take and review with my teacher !

Much to my surprise , Kasia invited all of us out for drinks and some superb burgers in a beach area called Pacific Beach which was a really ” happening ” spot. WE really had fun – Kasia shared some of her own life experiences – I admit I had no idea how much she has accomplished in her dancing and yet she is very open and easy to get to know .

Before saying goodnight we were told to bring a ” Casual/chic” outfit to class tomorrow as we will be going out somewhere ” unusual ” after tomorrow’s sessions!

I hope I can fall asleep tonight – I feel so stimulated by all I have learned today and the promise of much ,  much more tomorrow and Sunday !

Saturday :

OK – I admit it – my body was not a ” happy camper ” this morning! However after I treated myself to room service and  a long shower , I felt ready to go!

In chatting to fellow HHBC attendees before we got started I found that they all had very similar feelings to mine – they all had been somewhat nervous before coming and only a couple of them knew Kasia before – every one of them are enthralled so far, so it was an enthusiastic group that greeted Kasia. She started the day off on a good note by giving each of us a souvenir bag with a thermal cord in it.

Our first session this morning was a continuance of yesterdays work on understanding the mechanics of body movement . We moved into how to apply this knowledge to partnership skills ( a subject close to my heart ) . Again I have learned that the other ladies , especially those involved in Pro Am , share my desire to be a good partner and to become more self-reliant dancers !  Sensing our keen interest in this subject Kasia  went into it in great depth and gave us a number of solid ideas and concepts to work on now and when we go home. I am so glad that she allows us to video these sessions as my memory would never absorb all this information by itself ! I finally understand that the great emotional performances that the Pros give which always move me to tears, are in fact the result of those Professional dancers having complete control of their physical movements thus enabling them to abandon themselves to interpreting the music ! I think I have tried to force this emotional connection in the past without having the physical control to do so effectively !

Kasia took us for a shopping and lunch break ( which we all agreed was much deserved !!!!) We had lunch in a super Mexican restaurant in the Old Town section of San Diego and picked up souvenirs for friends and family . I am really getting to know the other ladies quickly mostly because of the shared love of dancing. It seems that we all come from different backgrounds ( one lady is a travel agent , one is a physical therapist, another is a bank officer and the others are retired or stay at home Moms ) yet the shared dance experiences have enabled us to form friendships quickly !

As a change of pace, this afternoon’s session was devoted to learning a series of exercises designed for dancers. Some of these are for flexibility/stretching and others are for strength particularly  in the core and the legs. Kasia has some really great exercises for the feet ! We used the thermal bands she had given us . What is really exciting for me is that these exercises are something I can do anytime anywhere and I don’t need a partner to do them . We also did a session on how to practice effectively by ourselves – this has  always been a source of frustration for me as I cant afford to take daily lesson with my teacher yet I want to progress more quickly – now I have the means through a series of practice drills that Kasia gave us.

Now, remember me telling you that Kasia had suggested we bring  a ” Casual/Chic” outfit to change into for our ” Saturday Night Delight ” ??? Well , you absolutely will never guess where we went !!!!!!!!! Its a place called LIPS and its a Drag Show !!!!  I guess I need to ” get out more ” because, honest to God, I didn’t realize the performers were guys until the 2nd or 3rd number !!!!  We all were lamenting that the guys in the show had better figures than we ladies do ! What a hilarious evening – of course Kasia in her thoughtful way had arranged for a birthday cake and special  on -stage serenade with one of the cast for one of the HHBC ladies who had a birthday on Sunday !!!! Boy was she red-faced !! All in all a fabulous and exhilarating day all round!!

Can’t wait for tomorrow as Kasia advised us that she is changing the material slightly to accommodate our group’s needs – she was quite mysterious so we are all trying to guess what we are going to cover !

Sunday:

At first I thought I couldn’t make it for more dancing as yesterdays exercise session took its inevitable  toll in the form of muscles that I didn’t even know I had, aching  like crazy.  But I’m so glad I persevered as today was the best yet !!!

First of all Kasia added a new feature into the program for our group – while getting to know each of us , Kasia realized that almost all of us were involved in competing at some level or other and that most of us had or were working on routines.  Kasia specializes  in taking existing choreography and ” tweaking ” it to maximize its effectiveness    so she decided that each of us would show a routine or portion of a routine that we felt needed an upgrade (!) and she would work on it for each of us . We each critiqued each others routines so it was very much a group session . I decided to show my American Rumba as I LOVE that dance . I always felt the 2nd half was a bit lacking – in just 20 minutes or so Kasia  showed me how to add some unique arm stylings and improve the musical interpretation so that I can dance it with much more confidence .   I have it all on video to practice!   Its incredible – I just love it – I totally feel like a Professional when I dance it – OK , I know I am getting carried away but WOW , what a fun session – the other ladies also were thrilled at the new  suggestions she made   – what I especially appreciated was that Kasia didn’t  choreograph  new material , she enhanced what we already had – she explained the music counts and where the emphasis should be so that it isn’t just a collection of steps but truly is dancing!  I cant wait to show my teacher the Rumba!

We were all so excited at lunch that the noise level in the restaurant raised a few eyebrows at nearby tables ! Kasia took us to a super outdoor mall called Fashion Valley because Kasia has some favorite stores there where you can get cute practice outfits and some amazing jewelry for formal wear or competing.

Since so many of us do compete Kasia gave us a session after lunch on make up , grooming , costuming , tanning etc. Very informative ! then onto an area that has always been my ” Achilles Heel ” NERVES!!!! Guess what ?….. I am not the only one that has serious butterflies and ” jelly legs ” before going onto the competition floor – the other ladies have the same issues!!  Kasia gave us a number of different mechanisms both physical and mental to deal with competition nerves and in fact, to channel  excess energy into stronger dancing . It was a great session .

To close out the day we had a major review of all the material she had given us, comparing it to the syllabus she gave us at the first session to ensure that we had covered everything .

I should mention that throughout this HHBC , Kasia’s approach has been to interact with all the ladies and not to just present material/information. She encouraged questions and took the time to answer them all and yet was able to keep things on track and to ensure that the group didn’t inadvertently get side – tracked. Very much a Workshop approach rather than a Seminar .

Our Farewell Dinner,  with   Kasia was at a truly beautiful restaurant called the Prado located in one of San Diego’s best loved tourist areas – Balboa Park. The restaurant  is Spanish in style and we had a very special table on the terrace – a beautiful view of the park with the famous San Diego zoo in the background . It was actually the perfect end to an unbelievable 3 days. The other ladies and I have all exchanged contact information and we are actually planning to try and compete in some of the same competitions. Kasia has just become an accredited  judge so who knows, next time we see her she may have a judge’s clipboard in hand !

So Dear Diary , I am overwhelmingly glad that I came to Kasia’s HHBC. It was truly an incredible experience. In just 3 short days I feel that I have acquired the tools to make a huge difference to my dancing . But it goes beyond that – I feel empowered as a person, as a woman and as a dancer. I am in awe of Kasia’s professionalism and the depth of her interest and understanding. Her energy level is hard to describe !  I cant wait to unleash the ” new me” on my Teacher and to see how far my new-found confidence and dance skills will take me.

Here’s some notes about what we covered: