It seems that no matter what city you live in, dancers are always complaining about a hierarchy of dancing, the elitists verses everyone else. It’s no different in Albuquerque, and dancers are outspoken about the elite. Lindy hoppers are notorious for being elitists at our weekly dance at the Heights Community Center, a rock-a-Billy, Jitterbug-based dance, since it started over 12 years ago. The small group of people obviously stand out from the rest of the dance.
I remember the first time I saw Lindy hop at Heights. I had learned Jitterbug about month or two before. A jam circle had broken out and all of these amazing dancers were in the middle, doing these crazy moves where they flung themselves apart and then pulled each other back in. I’d never seen anything so amazing in my life. I promised myself then that I would learn whatever those people were doing.
I heard of a Friday night Lindy hop dance at a small cafe and was more than eager to go. I showed up ready to dance, yet I didn’t dance even once. No one spoke to me; no one even seemed to notice that I was there. Maybe the other dancers just didn’t know I was there to dance, so I just figured I’d show up again next time and then someone for sure would notice me and ask me to dance. But no one did. No one even looked at me for two months as I sat in that tiny cafe, watching these amazing dancers, longing for someone just to look at me so I could smile at them and possibly even get a word or two out.
Finally, one of the leads asked me to dance. I suddenly went from never dancing with the Lindy hoppers to getting in three whole dances a night! I was truly ecstatic. From there I found out when and where classes were and attended them and every dance religiously. Slowly I started talking to people and dancing more. Of course, it would take much longer for the very best dancers to talk or dance with me. It almost took two years for the organizer and best follow there to speak to me. I could see a hierarchy, but I didn’t care. I was falling in love with Lindy hop and couldn’t get enough. For me, the rest is history.
The Lindy hop community back then wasn’t even a little friendly, and it took serious clinging and desperation on my behalf to get people to talk to me or ask me to hang out. I had to pry my way in with everything I had.
All of the old Albuquerque rock star dancers are gone now. The scene has changed a lot since then, and the current advanced Lindy hoppers make an effort to be friendly after feeling shut out by their predecessors.
With time and an overturn of instructors and organizers came bigger dances, better organization, more events, more Lindy hop and more friends. Our scene was finally successful and we had achieved being friendlier, more welcoming dancers.
For many of the dancers at Heights, however, the Lindy hoppers seem just as elite as ever. They still dance right in front of the stage and they still dance mostly with each other. For a long time it really bothered me that people who I didn’t even know were calling my friends and me elitists. It’s like we’re pre-branded because of our predecessors. We wanted to dispel the Lindyhoppers’ bad rap. We tried dancing with more people. We tried offering more beginning classes that would be accessible to those dancing at Heights. We even tried to not dance in front of the stage, but nothing seemed to completely clear the air.
I think a lot of the Lindy hoppers have now just accepted their fate. I honestly don’t know what a good solution is to dispel such a reputation. Maybe there is no solution. Maybe large dances like Heights, that have such a wide spectrum of dance experience, can’t avoid the hierarchy that happens. People will always dance with their friends, and people will always dance with the people dancing the same dance as they are.
November 30th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Hiya Ms. G.,
I agree with many of your points but I think there’s one other thing to point out.
Dancers are notoriously shy/socially awkward people. I know that’s one of the main things that attracted me to it back as a scraggly high schooler – I could have this social experience without actually having to speak to anyone passed “wanna dance”? And, the nature of the events tend to make getting over that tendency even harder – it’s really hard to express yourself intellectually with loud music and lots of whirling distraction. I still inevitably feel like an idiot any given night for some comment that should have been funny but after having to yell it two or three times it lost any semblance of sparkling wit. This of course only happens when I’m dancing with the rock stars – maybe they are more hard of hearing because they’ve spent so much longer standing in front of loud speakers
Anyway, I still fight against either feeling excluded or knowing I’m seen as exclusive, but I try to have a little bit more patience with myself and everyone else these days. It took about a year for now one of my best friends and I to learn that we liked each other because we were both so sure the other one was stuck up when we were each just shy talking to each other. I will always prefer to dance with my friends, but barring thirst or an actual conversation on the sidelines, I never turn down a dance and try to at least learn their name. And often dancers with beginners are the best – it makes me focus on the pure lead and follow part of the dance and excludes all the habits and patterns that we’ve got. Sorry – sleepy morning rambling
Again, I’m so amazed at what your crew has brought to the ABQ scene and always love to come dance there.
November 30th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
I think to some extent you are never going to escape that hierarchy. Humans like organizing themselves, comparing themselves to each other and in that climate, regardless of behavior, you will always end up with a stratified community.
However, I have to say that as a dancer who has recently gotten involved in this community, while the reaction that I received was a little warmer and a little swifter than what you describe, it was not at all dissimilar. A year and a half ago, the first couple of saturday night dances I went to I only got a few dances and I came with people, rather than on my own.
The way I see it, once you become an accomplished dancer in any community, you have two choices and both are valid.
You can continue to be one of the best dancers, but not an organizer/instructor/leader. In this case you come, dance with your friends, be an awesome dancer, but it’s not expected of you to encourage new dancers and grow the scene. You may still be called elitist occasionally, but it won’t matter, it’s not your job to help new dancers and that’s okay, you’re there to dance for yourself which is just fine.
But as soon as you take on the role of organizer, you have to realize that you will be required to make some sacrifices to fill that role. From volunteer time to dance time, you can’t be the same dancer you were before and still be a successful organizer (someone who succeeds in growing the community and doesn’t get the elitist label, at least not much).
All that said, I do want to applaud you guys on your recent efforts to be more accessible to the community. You’ve been better at mingling on Tuesday nights and the interactions I’ve observed between you and people who have taken some of your classes have been great. You guys are awesome at continuing to dance with and encouraging those dancers and that’s fantastic to see. Mostly, I appreciate that it’s an issue everyone seems to be aware of and sensitive to. That tells me it can only get better from here.
November 30th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
Interesting point– I think the organizers or instructors of an event definitely set the tone initially on how friendly they’re being, but I also think it’s up to everyone else too though to keep it going through the night.
The other interesting thing to remember was the Albuquerque scene came to a point when it lost all of its rock stars, instructors and organizers except one organizer when the current instructors were still taking lessons from them. We either had to step up and figure out how to run a dance and teach a swing out, or go home. I think it’s great now that dancers have the choice of organizing and teaching if they want to.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
I don’t know about that being an organizer part.
It seems to me that the organizers of any scene shouldn’t have to dance with everyone and make sure each person they dance with is having the best time of their life. I haven’t been to any other scene where the organizers of a dance, event, or workshop are out there trying to be the doorman, the schedule keeper, the greeter, the dance floor best friend, AND make sure the event runs smoothly.
It kind of just seems like the organizers in Albuquerque just try to do it all because they don’t see anyone else doing it.
In Denver, people are just glad there are people giving them a place to dance. Nobody gets mad at Caryn Carrasco for not dancing with them, and she hardly dances at all. It would be rude to expect her to owe the scene anything more when she puts in all of her time, money, effort, and emotions into the scene.
November 30th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
I agree Steve.
The problem with the Tuesday night dance in ABQ is that those accusing us of “elitism” don’t usually attend any other dance or event in ABQ, so they don’t see us hard at work. All they see is people who seem to be show boating near the DJs.
Of course, these same people rarely make attempts to talk to us or get to know us, so it seems that it is based on ignorance (most of the time), jealousy (some of the time) or because they had a bad experience with someone (hopefully rare).
Caryn asked me to dance at Lindy on the Rocks this past year and I felt very honored, especially because I know how hard she works.
November 30th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
When I first started getting proficient at Lindy Hop I still made a point of attending all the beginner oriented lessons each week. This was cool because I would be able to help those who were struggling in class and I got to meet a bunch of new dancers.
What I would fine, though, is that when I got to the social floor with these dancers things would get weird. They would see that I already knew the steps and would become intimidated and not want to dance with me…
At one dance a woman asked me to dance and about halfway through she said, “Oh, if I knew you were good I wouldn’t have asked you to dance…” How are you supposed to react to that? I told her that she SHOULD ask me to dance. That sticks with me because it helps me understand that people want to dance with the people they are comfortable with.
If you are intimated by someone (whether because they are a good dancer or for any other reason) then you are not going to jump at the chance to dance with them. If I feel hesitant about dancing with new dancers it’s usually because they are people I don’t know and therefore my social awkwardness kicks in. I can only assume that that is the same reason why less experienced dancers don’t readily ask me to dance: they feel awkward.
The problem is that new and unexperienced dancers get the benefit of the doubt and the advanced dancers (who are expected to be leaders) don’t.
What I hope everyone keeps in mind is that dancing is for fun, first and foremost. If you think you’ll have fun dancing with someone then you should ask them. If you don’t think you’ll have fun, then don’t ask them! But of course if they ask you, give them the benefit of the doubt and make the most of it, you’ll often be surprised.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:27 am
I would like to share my perception of the Albuquerque scene, which I claim as my scene even though it wasn’t my first scene and it isn’t my current scene, but it is in the city I most identify with.
When I went to ABQ, I had been dancing years. Years with well known dancers. As equals. Friends even. When I first went looking for the lindy scene in ABQ, I also ended up in that café. I also sat through my first night. I danced my second time, but not with the “cool kids”. I’m not one to ask for dances; maybe that makes ME the elitist. After a year of dancing on the periphery, I moved to NYC. I danced with the greats. Then I moved back. I still wasn’t asked by you guys. I danced jitterbug because at least they were nice. Then IT happened.
There were two lindy events held on the same night. The “cool kids” all went to the one I didn’t, but one of you missed the memo. There we were, two of four people at a dance. He’d already paid to get in. He asked me to dance. “You know, you’re not as bad as you think you are.”
Yes. He actually said that to me. I wasn’t bad; I didn’t think I was. That didn’t make me dance less, that made me avoid you guys. Whatever the dance level, I don’t want to hang out with mean people. You’re loss.
When I’m back in town, I dance with you guys now. You are nice enough, have treated my friends well, and are trying to change. But you aren’t all on the same page. At least as of a couple years ago. Because of the way the scene was, the culture of trying to be cool hasn’t yet declined to being aware of others’ efforts to be seen as cool by YOU.
Nobody wants to have a bad dance. Sometimes that means you get to a point you don’t want to dance with certain people; sometimes it means dancing AT THEIR LEVEL. But you can be friendly without dancing with people and remember “dancing down” properly is as challenging a skill and NEVER correct anyone on the social floor. To blow off new people completely is lame. Worse is to invite them to pizza and talk about people they don’t know or gossip, completely alienating them. That’s just manners.
ABQ has killer events, you truly show love to people you bring in to do workshops, and have really created a cool vibe for visitors. When I say I’m from ABQ people get excited and say great things about you, which makes me proud. But you could work on your home scene. With the ABQ scene the way it is, it wouldn’t kill you to learn jitterbug. Be the crossover you want to see. They don’t like you because you try to lindy to EVERYTHING, and honestly, most of the music played at Heights isn’t in 8, it’s in 4.
Summery, I’m not surprised people still think you’re stuck up. You lindybomb THEIR event, take front and center, only dance your way, with each other, and won’t talk about anything but lindy and lindy gossip. Even if they wanted to (which, don’t flatter yourself, they don’t), they couldn’t relate. And be careful how that looks to veteran dancers: even if you are cool to them, they see how hard you try to stand out at your scene’s expense. I definitely know you guys have made a conscious effort and it shows. The scene is doing better than it has in a long time and the rep of the city is great. I miss it there. But I would say don’t go to Heights now that you have your own events, and if you do, be considerate of their dance. What you’re doing now is akin to handing out Bibles at a synagogue.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:00 pm
The One Girl:
I think you completely missed the point of what Rachel was trying to say. The point was to try to dispel this exact attitude towards Lindy hoppers.
I don’t think of myself as a “cool kid” and don’t appreciate being called that in a derogatory manner. I also don’t thinks it’s fair to blame a group of individuals for the inappropriate comments of one person. That’s called prejudice.
I don’t want to hang out with mean people either and I’ve found some of the most honest, friendly and truly wonderful people in this swing scene.
I spend most of my time doing what you would call dancing “at their level.” It’s hard to find people that are your exact skill level and sometimes that means dancing with people less experienced than yourself and sometimes that means enjoying dancing with people more experienced. The point is to have fun and I hate giving advice on the dance floor as much as people hate hearing it.
I am guilty of inviting people to hang out and then not including them in the conversation. You’re right, it is rude. But I hope that you would understand that I would never intend on doing that. I’m just passionate about Lindy Hop and spend great deal of time and money trying to build up our scene and easily comes to the forefront of my mind, especially after a dance. If i ever personally alienated you socially, I apologize.
For the record (and I think I speak for all the Lindy Hoppers in ABQ), we DO know Jitterbug. Jitterbug is, historically, a simplification of Lindy Hop with style variations. I dance it all the time. I TEACH it all the time to beginning dancers (many of which would prefer to just learn Lindy). When I go to Heights and dance with non-Lindy Hoppers I dance Jitterbug, because that’s what everyone knows how to dance.
You wrote, “They don’t like you because you try to lindy to EVERYTHING, and honestly, most of the music played at Heights isn’t in 8, it’s in 4.”
First of all, this is not true, as I just explained. Secondly, who cares?! Why not?! If you want to dance Salsa to everything go ahead! If someone came to one of the dances I was running and danced only Foxtrot, I would be impressed, not pissed.
(This is slightly off topic, but I want to say that the music at any dance Lindy Hop or otherwise isn’t written in “8″ it’s almost always written in 4/4, or rarely 3/4 or 6/8. I don’t even know what “8″ is. We are all dancing to music in the same time signature so that is not a reason to favor one dance over another. Lindy hop is an 8 count dance and Jitterbug is a 6 count dance so it doesn’t fit with any style of music particularly well)
Heights isn’t “their” event. It is a community event, everyone is welcome and everyone is invited to dance the way they want. They TEACH Lindy Hop lessons there every single week and have been for the last 4 years. What does that say? To me it says that they encourage Lindy Hop and all other forms of swing, not just Jitterbug. Therefore nobody is “crashing the event.”
I’ll be honest, your comment has made me really upset. It’s really discouraging to hear that people are still blaming an entire community of people because of bad experiences they had years ago that were probably committed by people that don’t even live here anymore. I take offense and I know others will too.
December 2nd, 2010 at 2:25 am
hmmmm.
I don’t know if this i really an issue anymore. Sure it used to be a pretty big deal, but the last time I heard someone mention any dancers in Albuquerque being Elitist, it was from someone who hadn’t been in the scene very long, and none of the reasons for it made any sense at all, so it was hard to take seriously. Before that…. it had to have been at least a couple of years.
Honestly, I don’t really care anymore if someone I don’t know thinks I’m elitist. And the reason I don’t care is because I know that I can’t control when someone sees me, what they see me doing, or how they’re going to interpret it. I also know that my actions will create my reputation much more strongly than any argument I could ever make will.
I know that I dance with more and different people at all the dances than most of the regulars that attend those dances, which includes heights. I know that I’ve never treated anyone like dirt or an inferior dancer at a dance, or ever that I can remember. I know that the only “select or favored” group I’m proud of belonging to is the Albuquerque dance scene. Hell, I only give each of my friends two or three dances a night, usually. Try getting in a dance with any of the hot shots in the L.A. area. They’ll spend an entire night with one partner.
I try to be a nice human, I try and make sure each person I dance with has fun, and I try to make sure I have fun, which is why I’m there in the first place. I think that’s what everyone tries to do, really. But we’re all still humans, and that means we’re going to make judgements based on assumptions, emotions, and small example rather than hard knowledge or lengthy interactions.
December 2nd, 2010 at 6:42 pm
I did not read the comments as they were too long and I’m in a hurry, so forgive me if I’m redundant to any of those.
I started in Baltimore, where Lindy Hop is weird and dancers are, too. Some friends and I would drive down to DC dances and try to get better and try to dance with the awesome talent down here. Most of us Baltimoreans felt like the DC dancers were snobs who stuck to their cliques and only attended their dances and to hell with that.
But I saw the talent and I wanted it. While others who’d started with me either stuck to Baltimore or fell off completely, I kept making those long drives and I took workshops and I forced myself to ask the amazing beautiful dancers to dance. And I got shot down a hell of a lot.
Until I didn’t.
I think I’m a decent dancer now and I live in the DC metro area. I still see cliques here because there’s so MUCH dancing that people can afford to be standoffish. Except that it kills the spirit of beginners who could add to our scene.
So, now I try to be one of the skilled dancers who does ask newbies to dance. I say “fuck the cliques” and I attend anything with decent music and ask anyone to dance who seems like she’d help make it a fun dance.
It’s an attitude I’ve built after having had my spirit crushed on numerous occasions. But I’ve kept at it. It can be done, and I like to think I’m one of the people who give DC a good name. I can’t offer you a better way than the hard way, but I can offer you this tip from experience:
However long it takes to build up a bad rep, it’ll take twice or thrice as long to dispell it. BUT IT CAN BE DONE!
Keep your spirits up. Know that there are those of us who are on your side, if not in your scene. And let dancers know that, weird or not, they are welcome to join you and to make it all better.
January 14th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
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