This episode discusses creating safer spaces in dancing communities, particularly focused on preventing sexual abuse. Lara is a co-founder of the Safer Dance Spaces initiative and in this episode, she talks about the importance of education and bystander intervention in preventing abuse. Dancers are encouraged to speak up if they feel unsafe and to intervene if they witness inappropriate behavior. Lara emphasizes that creating a safe dance space is a shared responsibility between...

In this second part of Bobbie's interview with Diana Liu, they talk about her experiences, performance dancing, and joining a competition. Diana shares about her first time auditioning and joining competitions, how it helped her understand the differences from social dancing, and how it made her more confident to take on future auditions. Gaining more wisdom from that experience, she confidently shares tips on keeping the motivation to continue with your goal of becoming a better...

Diana and Bobbie catch up and talk about their festival tips and tricks and how they keep their energy alive to have a good time and for a memorable social dance experience. Prepare to make a list of Diana’s practical tips from preparing for the festivals to selecting the sessions to join and enjoying the social dance events. Listen to this chill conversation as if you’re sitting down with your friends as they chat and share personal yet relatable experiences. What to expect in this...

Creating safe spaces and boundaries is the responsibility of the instructors of the class. But how aware are the instructors and how do we open up this uncomfortable topic of conversation to help create a safe environment for dancers? In this episode, Vanessa and Bobbie share their thoughts about the roles of the teacher and their responsibility in creating a safe environment that will keep dancers coming back for more. This is a subject not frequently talked about and this episode gives...

Who leads and who follows on the dance floor? When the music comes on, you and your dance partner, more often than not, naturally jump into the leader and follower roles. But what if we swap these roles every so often? How do equal dynamics work? In this episode, Laura and Bobbie talk about the leader-focused heavy culture of dance classes and socials and how Laura is changing the game. They also delve into the joys of teaching dance and socials, bringing you a heartfelt conversation about...

Finding the perfect festival is all about the environment and the energy it brings. You may have the best dancers in a room, but if the atmosphere does not bring out the best in you as a dancer or if the energy of the people around is not right, the experience won't be as great as it could have been. In this episode, Grace and Bobbie talk about dance festivals and how the quality of dancing and the environment matters when connecting with people. From sharing their personal favorites to...

In this second part of Bobbie's interview with Pierre Henry, the discussion takes a turn to the changes in the dynamics of the dance scene worldwide. Pierre gives his deep observation of how teaching dance has changed from 'creating students' to 'creating a brand of dance for instructors.' He also gives his reflective thoughts on the impact of social media in promoting dance and becoming an instructor to how the commercialization and motivations of becoming a dance teacher have completely...

How does one become a Bachata dance teacher? Join us as renowned Bachata and Salsa instructor Pierre Henry share his inspiring journey to becoming a dance teacher. He talks about his passion for dance, teaching philosophy, and the importance and approach to creating a learning environment for dance classes. This episode is part one of a two-part interview where Bobbie and Pierre explore his unique approach to teaching, emphasizing the critical role of musicality in Bachata. Whether you're...

Some of the big questions… How can you maintain boundaries in a dance? Why is it so hard to say “no” to a dance? What are teachers actually thinking in lessons? The salsa, bachata and kizomba space is a special one. It’s one where lifelong friendships begin, where people discover a passion, where community becomes family. That’s not to say it doesn’t have a dark side: Everything and everyone does, if you ask me. And just like in everyday life, women in particular end up feeling like they need...