| Seattle & Portland dancers at Gator by the Bay 2026 with Grammy Award winner Chubby Carrier |
Your true home is in the here and the now.
— Thich Nhat Hanh
In last week’s letter from the editor, Let dance do the talking, I addressed the topic of talking while dancing (whether you like or loathe chatting on the dance floor, we’d love to hear your thoughts here on the Facebook post).
My article prompted a response from dancer Dave Wright, who said “At first, I found it almost impossible to talk and dance at the same time.” With experience, he continued “I find it much easier to further the social connection I am feeling with my partner with a bit of conversation.”
What touched me was when Dave said: “I like every person I dance with, so I try to remember at least something from their lives they may have told me the last time we danced, because I do want them to know I care enough about them to ask about their day, their week, or even just to tell them I admire their dancing skill, which is often well above mine.”
Now, while I’m still generally in the non-talking-while-dancing camp, that level of thoughtfulness, I believe, is key. I.E., connecting with a partner requires emotional presence and genuine interest. An experience I had, this past weekend, at the Gator by the Bay Festival in San Diego, seemed to drive that point home. Looking back, for most of Saturday, I realized, I was likely suffering from heatstroke. My partner, Erika, said something to the effect of “It was really strange dancing with you, you just weren’t there.” And indeed I felt like a zombie, plodding aimlessly, devoid of joy or emotion. Eventually I repaired back to my room for rest and electrolytes, and was somewhat revived by nighttime. To me, this illustrates how our partners can readily feel whether we’re emotionally present when dancing, and how powerful a force that presence can be.
Hydrate up and hie forth to one of the intriguing events listed just below and/or visit the Dance Calendar for opportunities to dance while practicing being immaculately present. Your partners will love you for it, guaranteed.
See you on the dance floor —Sean Donovan