Ballroom dance that breaks gender roles | Trevor Copp and Jeff Fox

Summary

Trevor Copp and Jeff Fox explore the traditional gender roles in ballroom dance and introduce 'Liquid Lead Dancing,' a system that challenges these norms by allowing dancers to switch lead and follow roles. They critique the lack of diversity and representation in the dance world and advocate for a more inclusive and dynamic approach to partner dancing that reflects contemporary values and relationships.

Takeaways

• 📺 The popularity of 'Dancing With the Stars' revitalized interest in ballroom dancing and changed public perception of it.
• 🕺🏼 The traditional gender roles in ballroom dancing, where men lead and women follow, were seen as outdated and limiting.
• 🤔 The concept of 'Liquid Lead Dancing' was developed to challenge and redefine these traditional roles, allowing for more dynamic and equal participation.
• 👥 The idea of switching lead and follow roles during a dance was initially seen as unusual but was embraced as a way to make dance more representative of modern society.
• 🏳️‍🌈 The script highlights the lack of diversity in traditional ballroom dance, pointing out the invisibility of non-white, same-sex, and gender nonconforming dancers.
• 💃 The core principle of partner dancing is the ability to lead and follow, which is not inherently tied to gender.
• 🌟 The concept of 'Liquid Lead' was applied to various dances, including salsa and waltz, to demonstrate how it can enhance the dance experience.
• 🌍 The creators of 'Liquid Lead Dancing' have performed it in various venues across North America and Europe, always receiving a positive response.
• 🌈 The freedom to switch roles in dance is symbolic of the broader freedom to express one's identity without being confined by traditional roles.
• 👫 The script concludes by emphasizing that partner dancing should be about mutual care and respect, rather than adhering to historical forms that can silence or invisibilize certain identities.

Q & A

What was the initial reaction to 'Dancing With the Stars' among the public?

Initially, people were not familiar with terms like 'foxtrot', but after the show became popular, they began discussing the finer points of dance steps, which was a significant shift in public consciousness.

What was the significance of the system created by Jeff and Trevor for switching lead and follow during a dance?

The system allowed them to take turns leading and following, which was a way of playing fair and was later incorporated into a performance that sparked an important conversation about the politics of dance roles.

Why did Lisa O'Connell consider the performance of Jeff and Trevor as 'political'?

She found it political because it challenged traditional gender roles in dance by allowing both partners to lead and follow, which is not commonly seen in classic Latin and ballroom dancing.

What is the core principle of partner dancing according to the script?

The core principle is that one person leads and the other follows, and this principle is independent of gender.

How does traditional ballroom dancing reflect societal values?

Traditional ballroom dancing reflects societal values by adhering to a strict gender role where the man leads and the woman follows, which is considered a relic of the past.

What is the concept of 'Liquid Lead Dancing' introduced by Jeff and Trevor?

'Liquid Lead Dancing' is a concept where the idea of lead and follow is maintained but disconnected from gender, allowing couples to switch roles dynamically during a dance.

How does the script suggest that ballroom dancing can be more representative of modern society?

By updating the form to include same-sex and gender nonconformist couples, and by allowing for the dynamic switching of lead and follow roles, ballroom dancing can become more reflective of modern societal interactions.

What is the impact of the traditional closed ballroom hold on the perception of beauty in dance?

The traditional closed ballroom hold, where the leader is larger and masculine and the follower is smaller and feminine, is considered beautiful but is also a stumbling point for breaking away from gender stereotypes.

How does the script describe the issue with the traditional waltz in terms of safety?

The traditional waltz can be unsafe due to the blind spot created by the lead traveling backwards, which can lead to accidents. The script suggests that allowing for a switch in posture could make the dance safer.

What is the significance of the phrase 'the fine art of taking care of each other' in the context of the script?

This phrase encapsulates the idea that partner dancing is not just about following a set of steps, but about a mutual understanding and care between partners, which is a core aspect of the dance that should be preserved.

How does the script suggest that Liquid Lead Dancing can be applied to different dance styles?

By using examples like salsa and waltz, the script shows that the concept of switching leads can be applied to various dance styles, making them more inclusive and dynamic.

Outlines

00:00

💃 The Evolution of Ballroom Dance

Trevor Copp discusses the impact of 'Dancing With the Stars' on ballroom dance's popularity. He and Jeff Fox, both dance instructors, witnessed a surge in interest in ballroom dance that transformed public perception. They enjoyed geeking out over dance styles but also faced questions about the sudden coolness of their art. They developed a system to switch lead and follow during dance, which led to an eight-year collaboration with Lisa O'Connell to create a play exploring the impact of gender roles in dance. The play questioned the traditional male lead and female follow dynamic, suggesting it was outdated and a form of gender training. They advocated for a modern approach to partner dancing that reflects current societal values.

05:01

🌈 Inclusivity in Dance

The script highlights the lack of diversity in ballroom dance, pointing out the invisibility of same-sex and gender nonconformist couples in mainstream competitions. It also critiques the racial and body type stereotypes prevalent in the dance world. Trevor Copp humorously points out the lack of actual Latinos in online images of 'professional Latin dancers.' The paragraph introduces 'Liquid Lead Dancing,' a concept where lead and follow roles can be taken by anyone, regardless of gender, making dance more representative of modern society. The idea is demonstrated through a salsa dance example, showing how the traditional lead and follow can be switched to create a more dynamic and inclusive dance style.

10:06

🔄 The Power of Liquid Lead Dancing

Jeff Fox and Trevor Copp explain how Liquid Lead Dancing transforms the dance from a one-way dictation to a negotiation, allowing anyone to lead or follow and switch roles at will. They apply this concept to the waltz, suggesting it could make the dance safer and more efficient. The paragraph emphasizes that the true freedom in Liquid Lead Dancing comes from not being defined by the roles you play but being true to oneself. They argue that this approach can update the old paradigm of partner dancing, making it more relevant to contemporary society and values, and ultimately, a reflection of the art of caring for each other.

Keywords

💡Dancing With the Stars

Dancing With the Stars is a popular television dance competition that features celebrities paired with professional dancers. It played a pivotal role in the script as it marked a cultural revival of ballroom dancing. The show's impact is highlighted as it transformed the public's perception of ballroom dance from an obscure activity to something mainstream and 'cool'.

💡Ballroom Dance

Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are characterized by their elegance and style. In the script, ballroom dance is described as more than just a physical activity; it's a cultural artifact reflecting historical gender roles and societal values. The speakers critique traditional ballroom dance for its rigid gender roles and exclusionary practices.

💡Gender Training

Gender training in the context of the script refers to the process of learning and internalizing gender roles through activities like dance. Traditional ballroom and Latin dances often assign the male partner the role of 'leader' and the female as 'follower,' which is seen as reinforcing gender stereotypes. The script challenges this notion by proposing a more flexible and egalitarian approach to partner dancing.

💡Liquid Lead Dancing

Liquid Lead Dancing is a concept introduced in the script that颠覆了传统的领导和跟随的舞蹈角色，允许舞者在舞蹈过程中互换角色。This innovative approach symbolizes a more dynamic and equal partnership, where leadership is not fixed to gender but is fluid and can change as the dance progresses.

💡Cross-body Lead

The cross-body lead is a specific dance move in salsa that serves as a transition in the dance pattern. In the script, it is used to illustrate how the concept of Liquid Lead Dancing can be applied to traditional dance forms, allowing for a switch in lead and follow roles during the dance.

💡Waltz

The waltz is a classic ballroom dance known for its smooth, turning movements. The script uses the waltz to demonstrate how the traditional male-leads, female-follows structure can be limiting and unsafe due to the blind spots it creates. It suggests that allowing for role-switching could make the dance safer and more inclusive.

💡Political

In the script, the term 'political' is used metaphorically to describe the social implications and power dynamics inherent in dance. The initial performance of a same-sex couple switching lead and follow roles was seen as politically charged because it challenged traditional gender norms.

💡Latin Dance

Latin dance encompasses various dances that originated from Latin America, characterized by their energetic and passionate movements. The script mentions Latin dance in the context of exploring gender roles and the potential for role-switching, suggesting that even within these dances, there's room for innovation and inclusivity.

💡Salsa

Salsa is highlighted as an example of a dance form that can be reimagined with the principles of Liquid Lead Dancing. It is used to show how traditional dance steps can be adapted to allow for more dynamic and equal partnerships, breaking away from the constraints of fixed gender roles.

💡Inclusivity

Inclusivity in the script refers to the idea of making dance forms accessible and representative of diverse identities and bodies. It critiques traditional ballroom dance for its lack of diversity and suggests that by adopting practices like Liquid Lead Dancing, the dance community can become more inclusive.

💡Cultural Revival

Cultural revival is a term that describes the resurgence of interest in a cultural practice or art form. The script discusses the cultural revival of ballroom dance triggered by shows like 'Dancing With the Stars,' which brought ballroom dance into the mainstream and sparked a broader societal interest in the art form.

Highlights

Ballroom dance became popular overnight, changing the public's perception of it.

The creators developed a system to switch lead and follow roles while dancing.

Their performance caught the attention of a dramaturge who pointed out the political implications of their dance.

They embarked on an eight-year collaboration to create a play exploring the impact of being locked into a single role.

Traditional ballroom dance is criticized as a relic of past gender roles.

The core principle of partner dancing is the ability to lead and follow, irrespective of gender.

Ballroom dance is accused of perpetuating stereotypes by only showcasing heterosexual couples.

The idea of 'Liquid Lead Dancing' was born, allowing dancers to switch roles dynamically.

In 'Liquid Lead Dancing', the cross-body lead in salsa becomes a point of role-switching.

The waltz can be made safer and more aesthetically pleasing by allowing lead-switching.

Liquid Lead Dancing has been performed in various venues, always engaging audiences.

The freedom in Liquid Lead Dancing lies in the ability to switch roles without losing one's identity.

The creators argue that dance should reflect current societal values, not just historical ones.

Liquid Lead Dancing is presented as a way to update the traditional form of partner dancing.

The creators emphasize the importance of taking care of each other as the essence of partner dancing.

Transcripts

(Music)

(Applause)

Trevor Copp: When "Dancing With the Stars" first hit the airwaves,

that is not what it looked like.

(Laughter)

Jeff and I were full-time ballroom dance instructors

when the big TV ballroom revival hit,

and this was incredible.

I mean, one day we would say "foxtrot,"

and people were like "Foxes trotting."

(Laughter)

And the next day they were telling us

the finer points of a good feather step.

And this blew our minds.

I mean, all of the ballroom dance geeking out that we had always done

on why salsa worked differently than the competitive rumba

and why tango traveled unlike the waltz,

all of that just hit the public consciousness,

and it changed everything.

But running parallel to this excitement,

the excitement that suddenly, somehow, we were cool --

(Laughter)

there was also this reservation.

Why this and why now?

Jeff Fox: When Trevor and I would get together for training seminars

or just for fun,

we'd toss each other around, mix it up,

take a break from having to lead all the time.

We even came up with a system for switching lead and follow

while we were dancing,

as a way of taking turns and playing fair.

It wasn't until we used that system as part of a performance

in a small festival

that we got an important tap on the shoulder.

Lisa O'Connell, a dramaturge and director of a playwright center,

pulled us aside after the show and said,

"Do you have any idea how political that was?"

(Laughter)

So that began an eight-year collaboration to create a play

which not only further developed our system for switching

but also explored the impact of being locked into a single role,

and what's worse,

being defined by that single role.

TC: Because, of course,

classic Latin and ballroom dancing isn't just a system of dancing;

it's a way of thinking, of being,

of relating to each other

that captured a whole period's values.

There's one thing that stayed consistent, though:

the man leads

and the woman follows.

So street salsa, championship tango, it's all the same --

he leads, she follows.

So this was gender training.

You weren't just learning to dance --

you were learning to "man" and to "woman."

It's a relic.

And in the way of relics, you don't throw it out,

but you need to know that this is the past.

This isn't the present.

It's like Shakespeare: respect it, revive it -- great!

But know that this is history.

This doesn't represent how we think today.

So we asked ourselves:

If you strip it all down,

what is at the core of partner dancing?

JF: Well, the core principle of partner dancing

is that one person leads, the other one follows.

The machine works the same, regardless of who's playing which role.

The physics of movement doesn't really give a crap about your gender.

(Laughter)

So if we were to update the existing form,

we would need to make it more representative

of how we interact here, now, in 2015.

When you watch ballroom, don't just watch what's there.

Watch what's not.

The couple is always only a man and a woman.

Together.

Only.

Ever.

So, same-sex and gender nonconformist couples just disappear.

In most mainstream international ballroom competitions,

same-sex couples are rarely recognized on the floor,

and in many cases,

the rules prohibit them completely.

TC: Try this: Google-image, "professional Latin dancer,"

and then look for an actual Latino person.

(Laughter)

You'll be there for days.

What you will get is page after page of white, straight Russian couples

spray-tanned to the point of mahogany.

(Laughter)

There are no black people, there are no Asians,

no mixed-race couples,

so basically, non-white people just disappeared.

Even within the white-straight- couple-only paradigm --

she can't be taller,

he can't be shorter.

She can't be bolder,

he can't be gentler.

If you were to take a ballroom dance

and translate that into a conversation

and drop that into a movie,

we, as a culture, would never stand for this.

He dictates, she reacts.

No relationship -- gay, straight or anything --

that we would regard as remotely healthy or functional looks like that,

and yet somehow,

you put it on prime time, you slap some makeup on it,

throw the glitter on, put it out there as movement, not as text,

and we, as a culture,

tune in and clap.

We are applauding our own absence.

Too many people have disappeared from partner dancing.

(Music)

(Applause)

JF: Now, you just saw two men dancing together.

(Laughter)

And you thought it looked ...

a little strange.

Interesting -- appealing, even --

but a little bit odd.

Even avid followers of the same-sex ballroom circuit can attest

that while same-sex partner dancing can be dynamic and strong and exciting,

it just doesn't quite seem to fit.

Aesthetically speaking,

if Alida and I take the classic closed ballroom hold ...

this is considered beautiful.

(Laughter)

But why not this?

(Laughter)

See, the standard image that the leader must be larger and masculine

and the follower smaller and feminine --

this is a stumbling point.

TC: So we wanted to look at this from a totally different angle.

So, what if we could keep the idea of lead and follow

but toss the idea that this was connected to gender?

Further, what if a couple could lead and follow each other

and then switch?

And then switch back?

What if it could be like a conversation,

taking turns listening and speaking, just like we do in life?

What if we could dance like that?

We call it "Liquid Lead Dancing."

JF: Let's try this with a Latin dance,

salsa.

In salsa, there's a key transitional step, called the cross-body lead.

We use it as punctuation to break up the improvisation.

It can be a little tricky to spot if you're not used to looking for it,

so here it is.

One more time for the cheap seats.

(Laughter)

And here's the action one more time,

nice and slow.

Now, if we apply liquid-lead thinking to this transitional step,

the cross-body lead becomes a point

where the lead and the follow can switch.

The person following can elect to take over the lead,

or the person leading can choose to surrender it,

essentially making it a counter-cross-body lead.

Here's how that looks in slow motion.

And here's how it looked when we danced it in the opening dance.

With this simple tweak, the dance moves from being a dictation

to a negotiation.

Anyone can lead. Anyone can follow.

And more importantly, you can change your mind.

Now, this is only one example of how this applies,

but once the blinkers come off, anything can happen.

TC: Let's look at how Liquid Lead thinking could apply to a classic waltz.

Because, of course,

it isn't just a system of switching leads;

it's a way of thinking

that can actually make the dance itself more efficient.

So: the waltz.

The waltz is a turning dance.

This means that for the lead,

you spend half of the dance traveling backwards,

completely blind.

And because of the follower's position,

basically, no one can see where they're going.

(Laughter)

So you're out here on the floor,

and then imagine that coming right at you.

JF: Raaaaaah!

(Laughter)

TC: There are actually a lot of accidents out there

that happen as a result of this blind spot.

But what if the partners were to just allow for

a switch of posture for a moment?

A lot of accidents could be avoided.

Even if one person led the whole dance but allowed this switch to happen,

it would be a lot safer,

while at the same time, offering new aesthetics into the waltz.

Because physics doesn't give a damn about your gender.

(Laughter)

JF: Now, we've danced Liquid Lead in clubs, convention centers

and as part of "First Dance," the play we created with Lisa,

on stages in North America and in Europe.

And it never fails to engage.

I mean, beyond the unusual sight of seeing two men dancing together,

it always evokes and engages.

But why?

The secret lies in what made Lisa see our initial demonstration

as "political."

It wasn't just that we were switching lead and follow;

it's that we stayed consistent in our presence, our personality

and our power, regardless of which role we were playing.

We were still us.

And that's where the true freedom lies --

not just the freedom to switch roles,

but the freedom from being defined by whichever role you're playing,

the freedom to always remain true to yourself.

Forget what a lead is supposed to look like, or a follow.

Be a masculine follow

or a feminine lead.

Just be yourself.

Obviously, this applies off the dance floor as well,

but on the floor, it gives us the perfect opportunity

to update an old paradigm, reinvigorate an old relic,

and make it more representative of our era and our current way of being.

TC: Jeff and I dance partner dancing all the time with women and men

and we love it.

But we dance with a consciousness that this is a historic form

that can produce silence and produce invisibility

across the spectrum of identity that we enjoy today.

We invented Liquid Lead

as a way of stripping out all the ideas that don't belong to us

and taking partner dancing back to what it really always was:

the fine art of taking care of each other.

(Music)

(Applause)