The 5 things Skye does for solo practice

We asked Skye what he does to get the most out of practicing solo. Here's are his 5 steps:

1. I book studio space (I know that's hard to do now). Both the cost and the scheduling motivate me.

2. I warm up by running there and I listen to music on the way.

3. I prepare a playlist of potential songs ahead of time. I make sure they are songs I don’t already know well. I put it on random so I’m inspired.

4. I usually work off a classic step for inspiration or if I have some new movement or rhythm I try to connect it in some way to a classic step.

5. Once I have a snippet of an idea I dance a phrase of music trying to combine whatever I have with that classic step. That helps me refine it or come up with something new.

Ramona's 3 essentials for practicing at home

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little advice on what you need to practice solo at home from the fabulous Ramona:

1. Good music. My number one thing for practicing at home is music that moves you, music that motivates you. Music is my partner when I’m dancing solo, so I want it to be good! Haha. I am not alone. The music I play creates a mood, it changes the energy in the room, it gives me something to respond to.

2. Frequency over duration. Build some momentum! Shoot for shorter practices more often, rather than one really long session once a week. The more I dance the better, and my body feels more ready to go when I’ve been at it already. Keep the blade sharp!

3. Watch yourself. I have grown because I reflect. I go back and observe. Through recording some portion of my practice, I am able to experience my dancing from another perspective, and I can then make decision about what’s working for me, and what’s not. It’s hard. Perception and reality can vary greatly, and maybe I see things that I would rather change, but it’s good practice to let go of judgement and try to see what’s really there. An added bonus for me is that I am such a performer, that I dance better when the camera is rolling. Dance is a form of communication, so when I have someone to talk to, it feels more real. So even if I am talking to myself (I’m the only one looking at the video), I still get a chance to be put on the spot, to practice saying something.

Oh, and use a metronome when working on steps and rhythms!!!

Favorite Clips - Frida and Sakarias performance

Alright, by the people's request - a fave modern clip.

If you don't know Frida then get the heck out of here. Moving on...

In my opinion Sakarias Larsson is the best modern lindy hopper you've never heard of. He was Frida's partner on the Rhythm Hot Shots through their transition into the Harlem Hot Shots in the early 2000s. His timing and lines are insane and I believe if he had the desire to be traveling the world as a top instructor he absolutely would be, but that's not where his focus is these days. His main project is drummer in a rock band, although he still maintains a link to the Stockholm Lindy scene as a mentor to newer dancers and manager of a local venue. Anyways definitely check him out, you can thank me later.

-N