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Riot and Frolic

Minnesota

Awesome

Interests: ballroom dancing, crafting, sewing, cooking, working out, running, decorating, reading, listening to music

Recent Activity

Happy Anniversary

To celebrate nine years of the blog, here's some fun facts and greatest hits for you: after over 750 posts, half a million views, and quite a few guest stints, you'd think I'd have run out of things to say, BUT I HAVE NOT. this blog is older than five... Continue reading

Posted Apr 27, 2020 at Riot and Frolic

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Virtual Dance Lessons and My Big Fat Nope

In between applying for grants and loans and waiting for responses [… crickets… crickets…], I’ve been doing some reading and research about how to improve my business… when I’m not in business. Clearly, there’s motivation to do something. ANYTHING. Sadly, the biggest motivator is obviously money (which is definitely NOT... Continue reading

Posted Apr 22, 2020 at Riot and Frolic

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When drama is happening around the studio or the larger dance world, I like to joke that “we’re not curing cancer.” I mean, we’re not. And much of the politics of dancing IS trivial. But while I don’t perform heart surgery or do life-saving research, I know the service I... Continue reading

Posted Mar 26, 2020 at Riot and Frolic

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What to Expect on a Virtual Lessons

Clearly, virtual/online/remote/video lessons are a popular form of dance education right now. Obviously, these lessons can’t run like your usual trips to the studio*, so here’s some dos and don’ts for this digital era: DO pick a specific topic Now is not the time to say, “Let’s do Cha Cha.... Continue reading

Posted Mar 21, 2020 at Riot and Frolic

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Expectations of a Student

A couple weeks back, I wrote about the expectations students should have for their teachers. Well, now look how the tables have turned! Here's the expectations for students (complete with bonus, interactive material at the end!): Be on time. Nay, be early, so you can have your shoes on and... Continue reading

Posted Mar 18, 2020 at Riot and Frolic

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Dancing Out of Category

A word from my favorite podcast on dancing the allowable steps for the proficiency level you’ve entered… or not… Insanity Jane [some dancers]: I do know the law states that ignorance of the law means it don’t apply. Sparks [many officials]: Okay that’s exactly how it does not work. When... Continue reading

Posted Mar 13, 2020 at Riot and Frolic

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So You Want to be a Pro : Expectations

It's been a minute since I had a take on this, but I've been making this list since being a pretty hard-core amateur, part of a few amateur partnerships, a long-time teacher, and now a studio owner. That means I have a WHOLE LOT OF OPINIONS on this subject. Even... Continue reading

Posted Oct 24, 2019 at Riot and Frolic

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I am typing in rhythm to this song, obviously: Not progressing as quickly as you'd like? Seeing other dancers who started when you did zoom into higher levels? First of all, THAT'S OKAY. Stop comparing yourself to others. Dance is a journey, yo. Second of all, if you're unsettled by... Continue reading

Posted Oct 17, 2019 at Riot and Frolic

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How to be a Good Dance Partner

Notice I didn't say "How to be the Best Dance Partner" or even "How to be a Great Dance Partner" because DAMN, SON, there are a lot of ways to screw this up and I will settle for "good" IN JUST THIS ONE AREA of dancing. Don’t date Yes, I'm... Continue reading

Posted Oct 10, 2019 at Riot and Frolic

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Cheers! Here's to Being Adequate

While unconditional love and patience and compassion and self-sacrifice are all hallmarks of a good mom, I think we need to declare a new trait. Because you know what's underrated and necessary in motherhood? Adequacy. With Pinterest moms, Instagram families, and the glossy filter of Facebook, few people are content... Continue reading

Posted May 11, 2019 at Riot and Frolic

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Why: Tanning for Ballroom Dance Competitions

"Do I have to tan?" Newbies ask this a lot, either before (yay!) or after (unfortunately) their first ballroom dance competition. The short answer is yes. The long short answer is "because you have to". But the longer answer is pretty long, 767 words to be exact, but there's SCIENCE... Continue reading

Posted Apr 28, 2019 at Riot and Frolic

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I run three days a week. I have done this off and on for four kids (it's easier to say that than keep track of the years). Each morning, as I hit the sidewalk, I groan. Not merely an under-my-breath, mostly inaudible sort of groan, but a loud, full body,... Continue reading

Posted Oct 30, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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Top 5 Tips For Beginners

I wrote this with ballroom dancing in mind, but apply it to whatever you want. #1 Start While it might go without saying, to start doing something, you must actually TAKE THE FIRST STEP. HAHAHAHAHA. #dancejoke Ironically, the first step to dancing is NOT dancing. So switch apps on your... Continue reading

Posted Oct 26, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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Dancing After Pregnancy

As far as post-partum dancing goes, I've been around the block a few times. Well, six times. I've basically run a marathon of post-partum dancing. And yet every time I hit the road after getting a new kid, I'm astounded by the facts of dance I'm faced with. Fun Facts... Continue reading

Posted Sep 28, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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Life with a Newborn - with a Crappy Graph

Sometimes I forget how life is after I bring a new baby home from the hospital. You'd thnk I remember by now, what with 5 of these experiences in my pocket, but NO. Since momnesia is real, I decided to make myself a graph as a visual reminder of what... Continue reading

Posted Sep 21, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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The Children's Museum is a great place to bring your kids. There's interactive exhibits, lots of room to burn energy, cool ways to learn without it feeling "learny", and, of course, other kids. In other words, anarchy. There's no telling a toddler to wait their turn to drive the fire... Continue reading

Posted Jul 2, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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Don't Know What I'm Doing: Hot Jam

A couple of people have compared me to Jessica Day from "The New Girl" and I usually blow it off as she's a great Every Girl who epitomizes how many of us feel from day to day. But tonight, I'm excitedly sitting in my dining room listening to the lids... Continue reading

Posted Jun 29, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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Doing Weird Things

I've been trying new things lately. They often seem weird and I often feel stupid attempting them. Most of the time, I don't have anything but my wits and good ol' Google helping me out. I've Instant-Potted four things in one day so I didn't have to turn on the... Continue reading

Posted May 30, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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Between Bronze and Open

Hey guys. I've been avoiding you. There's something I've wanted to tell you for awhile, and I'm afraid it'll hurt your feelings, so I just stayed away. But as much as the truth might hurt, the lies are hurting both of us more. The fact is... There are two full... Continue reading

Posted Apr 13, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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The Learning Curve - with crappy graphs

When one starts learning a new skill, one is usually is excited because NEW! FUN! NEW FUN! Then somewhere along the way, the New Fun wears off and one decides whether the new-ish skill could still be charming when it's not being fun and looks more like work and doesn't... Continue reading

Posted Mar 13, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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Things You Can Control At A Ballroom Dance Competition

Things You CANNOT Control at a Ballroom Dance Competition How hot the ballroom is How cold the ballroom is How slick the floor is How sticky the floor is How crowded the floor is How empty the floor is How big the floor is How small the floor is When... Continue reading

Posted Mar 2, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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I'm Not A Beauty Blogger

I do not qualify in any way as a beauty expert, except that my sister-in-law stated that "I've never seen anyone in the real world, outside ballroom dancing, do contouring well." So there's my qualification. Not a great resume, but let's run with it. I have four products that make... Continue reading

Posted Feb 27, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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And So It Begins...

It's Ash Wednesday and that means the start of Lent and that means I'm coining the hashtag #NewLentNewIntent BECAUSE I AM A HUGE DORK. But guys. I am giving up flour this year. Yeah yeah yeah, I know many of my buddies have had to do this for medical reasons... Continue reading

Posted Feb 14, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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For the Mamas (Rookies and Veterans)

Ladies, stop peeing your pants. I'm not kidding, mamas. It's not normal. I've had a more than a few children, which should put me solidly in the Peeing Your Pants is Cool Club from my in-depth analysis of the market*, but I refuse to join. For years, I have heard... Continue reading

Posted Feb 7, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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What is Dancing? Agreement

Previously on Riot and Frolic [cue cleverly edited montage of my witty and amazing writing voiced over by Morgan Freeman with some dramatic and foreboding music in the background]... But really, I was talking about partner dancing and what the hell are we getting into when we go social dancing.... Continue reading

Posted Jan 26, 2018 at Riot and Frolic

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