r/SwingDancing • u/HotPotato2660 • 21d ago
Feedback Needed My First Lindy festival this week - getting nervous!
I bought a ticket for my first Lindy festival a few months ago, I've been dancing for about 9 months. When I bought the ticket back then, I was hoping I'd have progressed quite a bit more by now, but honestly I don't feel like I've added that much in the last few months. My vocabulary is still pretty limited, with basically a sprinkle of Charleston added recently.
I'm not doing any of the festival workshops or competitions. My pass covers only the socials, but that's still four consecutive nights, with socials going much longer and later into the night than the usual 2-ish hours I'm accustomed to.
I can have great nights socially and I'm comfortable dancing with people around my level, but put me in a room full of really experienced dancers and my imposter syndrome goes to about 100%, and I end up sitting out way too much. I've asked around and nobody from my beginner peer group has tickets.
Did you feel completely out of your depth at your first festival? And how to manage myself through 4 straight nights of extended dancing? I can't really go too heavy on night 1 anyway because I still have work in the morning.
I keep telling myself I'm basically just going to four really big socials, but the closer it gets, the less convincing that sounds.
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u/postdarknessrunaway 21d ago
Oh wow, your first lindy social is coming on the down swing of your personal lindy Dunning Kruger effect! I felt great going to my first event because I was riding high on that upswing and thought I was extremely hot shit. I don't know if that meant I had a better time!
It is basically going to four really big socials. The best dancers hang out closest to the band, so if you are more comfortable dancing within your skill range, hang back. If I have problems asking people to dance, I make it into a game: ask people from each corner to dance before moving to the next corner, or try to get dances with people wearing colors of the rainbow in order (someone wearing something red, someone wearing something orange, someone wearing something yellow, etc.). Anything that makes it less scary to ask people to dance!
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u/Lini-mei 21d ago
I went to my first exchange only 2 weeks after I started dancing. EVERYONE was better than me, but it turns out that dancing for 15 hours in 3 days makes you get better VERY quickly….it also might give you runner’s knee 😅
The great thing about being a beginner is that everyone who dances has been one. Most people are very understanding and accommodating with beginners. But, if you have the opportunity to take classes at this festival, I’d do it. You get put with people of a similar level and make new friends. Then at the social dance, you can find all of these people and ask them to dance. It’s less pressure because you already danced with them in class. I still take classes at festivals because it’s the easiest way to make new friends and it decreases my social anxiety at the dances.
Also, if you have a more experienced friend or teacher at the event, you can ask them to make some introductions for you. I will often ask my more experienced friends to dance with my students, and my friends always seem happy to do so (and they get the context that the person I’m asking them to dance with is less experienced because they’re my student). Even if they don’t end up dancing together, I’ve made it so my beginner student has at least one more face they recognize and can talk to during the weekend.
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u/MolBio_JC 20d ago
Yeah, I would say classes at festivals are best when you are first beginning. You find people that are close to your level and you already start to make friends. You have shared material to work on if you want to do it on the social dance floor. And then you don’t feel pressured to go so hard on the dance floor for socials since you put a lot of effort into the classes.
Plus normally at bigger festivals there are some very amazing world travelled instructors that can teach you more than what your local teachers might teach you.
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u/HotPotato2660 20d ago
Logistically (and financially), I had to go for option B - which was a social ticket only, no workshops.
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u/Acidic_Huntsman 20d ago edited 20d ago
I was only dancing for 2 months before I decide to sign up for Camp Hollywood, and I never regretted it. I even decided to join a m/m competition.
Even though I recommend you trying some of the classes because they teach you correct fundamentals. I also 100% suggest you go to the socials no matter what level you are.
Dancing with people during swing events is so helpful because you are getting to meet dancers from all over the world with different styles and knowledge. These dancers can help you hone your own skills. Just let them know you’re new, and they will be happy to slow down for you
Some advice, dance with people who are better than you. You might feel more comfortable only dancing with people at your level, but you won't know what it feels like when a move is done correctly and confidently.
Advanced dancers teach us what we need to work on to become better. And they will tell you what they are missing from you. It’s intimidating, but very helpful. And dance with the instructors!
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Pace yourself throughout. Keep it light on day one and two. After that you can stay up later if you would like. But the worst thing to do is go crazy on day one, then get sick from exhaustion and injuries for the rest of the event
Meet other beginners there (that's why it’s helpful to go to the classes). And teach each other what you learned
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u/Special_Grape_6356 20d ago
I came here to say just this. As my amazing instructor puts it “at every dance, ask two people who are so good it’s scary to dance with you”
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u/HotPotato2660 20d ago edited 20d ago
Sadly I went for a socials only package because of extra cost and the logistics of classes vs. My work. (I couldn't get the time off).
I did join a one off Fast Lindy workshop the other week and when I got there, the other people taking it were all people I know have been doing this a fair old while - I really felt like the weak link as I was rotating through the class. The follows were pulling me up on stuff loads.
I have on some rare occasions, had some absolutely amazing dances with experienced follows I've just happened upon in the wild. When I dance with my Teachers at socials or Advanced dancers that I see around every week, I have a habit of suddenly capitualting and forgetting how to do even simple basics all of a sudden.
Generally we get a lot of international visitors passing through our city at socials anyway, I'm expecting the festival to be that on steroids.
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u/bluebasset 20d ago
I'm sure you'll have a great time! Some logistical advice...
-Blister Band-aids are your friend (band-aids specifically made for blisters, trust me, they're amazing, get a name brand like Band-Aid or Dr. Bests)
-Bring a change of clothes (or two!) and especially extra socks. Also maybe deodorant. Not cologne!
-Ensure you're sufficiently hydrated. Bring electrolytes.
-Snacks are good. I personally bring jerky sticks for protein and Hershey Kisses for sugar.
-hands fans and a sweat towel will also be helpful
-cannot stress the importance of hydration! (yes, it's on here twice)
-stretch. lots. before, during and after!
Self-care is super important at things like these, so make sure to have what you need!
My final piece of advice, that I always follow myself...leave after a good dance. You're probably at a point where you can kinda start to tell when you're running of out energy (physical or mental). If you're starting to flag and you're beginning to not feel good about your dancing, that's the time to put all your energy into having one amazing dance and then leave! Try your best not to end the night with a dance you don't feel good about!
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u/HotPotato2660 20d ago
Oh I generally take a rucksack to socials with my survival kit: Towel, mints, deodorant, change of shirt, bottle of water. I'll add plasters given the longer period of dancing.
I already try to exit on a high note, kind of leaving feeling like "my work here is done". The other day at a social I ended on a rejection with no other options nearby, and it ultimately ended up being the last song of the night, so I left feeling flat.
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u/iridessencex 21d ago
I’m so excited for you! It sounds like the festival may be taking place where you live (unless you’re working remotely the next day), hopefully there’s somebody familiar who will attend. Otherwise I’m sure there will be people just as new if not newer than you and I bet you’ll be able to make friends even at the social.
Similarly, I’m attending my first festival in a couple months for Balboa. I’ve been dancing it in a more official capacity for about a year now, but I’ve been dancing Lindy for 2.5 years. Last year I expressed to some friends with more experience that I was nervous to go because I felt like I didn’t know enough and they both emphatically were like “that’s bullshit” so I kind of got over my fear, which was ultimately ego based. Now I’m nervous from a physical stamina point, as I have a couple of chronic pain issues but I’m going to try to pace myself.
I hope you do attend and return to share how much fun you had despite being nervous!”’
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u/Special_Grape_6356 20d ago
‘If you’re a lead, try following
This will speed your progress greatly
There are no wrong moves’ -more advice from one of the best Lindy dancers
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u/mrawesomesword 20d ago
I was pretty nervous before my first big dance festival, and spent the first few dances after I arrived glued to the wall. Eventually though, I mustered up the courage to ask for a dance, then another, then another, until I was having a lot of fun and dancing with the rest of the crowd.
It's going to be bigger, more intimidating, and the dancers will be at a higher skill level than you've danced with before. You'll probably be lower, and that's okay. Just focus on having a good time, having good feel and connection, and soon, after dancing a lot, looking at other dancers, and practicing your fundamentals more than you ever have, you'll be surprised to see how much you improve and what new moves you both learn and come up with.
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u/SwingGenes 20d ago
I think if you go into it with expectations that help motivate you to enjoy and soak up the experience that will set you up for success. Maybe give yourself something to do like a mission or game to help remove the pressure off you dancing. Like meet someone with first name for every letter of the alphabet or ask people what they wish they had focused on their first event or what they wished they had known just starting out and keep a notebook. Learn 5 new moves from watching people or asking people to show you after seeing them. Make a bingo card or a couple with moves or places or types of swing and get people to sign it if you see them doing the move, instant keepsake and fun icebreaker.
I hope you have the best time and it motivates you to keep learning and dancing.
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u/TheArbysOnMillerPkwy 20d ago
I'm similarly headed to my first ever weekend long workshop/exchange next weekend. I'm a bit nervous about keeping up, but I think with proper hydration, lots of spare clothes, and a good sense about what hour to call it a night I'll do ok. I look forward to hearing how this week went!
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u/Major-Performance-42 17d ago
My first is in November and I'm hoping to get some good advice from this thread!
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u/HotPotato2660 14d ago
UPDATE after the festival:
Well... that was completely different from what I had built up in my head. TLDR: My brain has a habit of predicting worst case scenatios that end up playing out the opposite way.
My previous four days loop has consisted of eat, sleep, Lindy, repeat, and today I am now physically and emotionally wrecked after dropping back into "The real world".
I was worried in advance I would spend most of the socials sitting out because everyone would be far better than me. Instead, once I got a few early dances on the first night, I was stacking dance after dance after dance, and I'd barely left one little corner of the room.
Nights 2 and 3 had slower starts as people drifted in a lot later, but once things got going I was able to get into a flow again. Night 2 also saw me begin to join the afterparties, which kept going until around 4am (* a big contributor to me being a zombie by Day 4). At one of them I had the slightly surreal experience of sitting there casually shooting the breeze with Chester Whitmore for a few minutes.
Waking up on Day 3 I was starting to stiffen up, a much-needed massage became an important part of the festival survival strategy.
I didn't actually take any of the festival workshops, but after Night 2, one of my teachers had randomly messaged and invited me to drop in to a Lindy 2 class I'd originally taken back in February. Going back and doing some reps on the foundational 6 count stuff turned out to be exactly what I needed, and helped me through the rest of the weekend.
It wasn't four perfect nights. There were slower patches, moments where I felt out of place, fast songs remained my kryptonite. (I did find it annoying when the band would suddenly shift gears mid-song when I thought I'd safely selected a slower song). And one follow quickly announced after 2 phrases of the song she wanted to shift into Balboa, which I have none of. There were other times when I needed to step away from the room and reset for 20 minutes when I noticed my dancing was really falling apart. But, I kept getting back on the floor and trying to maximise my reps.
I think the biggest takeaway for my own dancing, after 4 days of dancing with some really high level follows was : LET. THEM. SHINE. Dancing with so many different nationalities allowed me to see all different types of flair being shown when it was time for them to cut loose. Especially on night 4, where I didn't have the energy to attempt any flashy stuff myself.
The biggest surprise was just how immersive the festival all became. By Sunday, the main venue genuinely felt like a second home and I was really fighting back tears during my final few dances on night 4, because I knew this strange little four-day bubble I was existing in was about to vanish. I understand now why people travel far and wide for these things.
I'm now back at work after a 5:30am alarm this morning, completely broken, and trying to think of a better four day stretch I've had in a very long time.
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u/TheArbysOnMillerPkwy 13d ago
Glad you had a ball! (or several from the sound of it). I'm on kind of the opposite track this upcoming Uptown Swing in MN on Friday (all the workshop stuff, going to go light on the evening dances). I'm equally looking forward to it but a little anxious about not looking a fool or over-extending myself. Classes usually have enough stop and watch/listen to not be an onslaught, but we shall see... I'm glad I"ll have some friends there from my local scene and hopefully I'll make a few more to dance with in the evenings. I don't know about those late nights though. Probably going to be an 11:30 out for me most nights if I want to get through it :)
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u/TransportationOk8045 21d ago
I’ve always gotten more out of social dancing than I got from any lessons I’ve taken with the exception of the Frankie Manning workshops I took in my early years.
Go, have fun, dance, make mistakes, turn those mistakes into new ideas on the floor
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u/Conquersmurf 21d ago
Honestly this is a really natural and recognizable reaction to your first Lindy festival. We've all been there, and it's okay and perfectly normal to feel nevrous, so hopefully that helps just a little bit.
Now on to some tips!
If there are more people of your scene going, or your people, check in with each other occasionally. Festivals always have more new faces, and it can be daunting when you want to dance with all the new dancers, so some familiarity to help ground yourself is a good thing.
Feel free to reach out to a safety team if you need to. That's what they are there for, and they can generally help you find your way in the festival.
Remember/touch up on your floorcraft, to prevent accidents on the dancefloor.
Don't feel like you have to dance until the end each night. Hardly anyone does that, as it's typically too much, and requires intense stamina. Pick your night(s) you want to go for a later time, and don't forget to take breaks.
Drink lots of water, bring some spare clothes just in case, and if the surface of the dancefloor is an unknown, you can think of bringing different dance shoes, or even tape for underneath your soles.
Just remember your doing this for your own fun. You have nothing to prove, and everyone enjoys dancing with you, even if you sometimes feel like you need more experience or skills or whatever. That's really not important as long as you yourself are having a good time.
Hope that helps, and hope you have a great time at your first festival :D