Random thread: life lessons I learned from learning to shuffle this year.

(video alt: me dancing on a screened porch as Tell Me (by Tinlicker, Helsloot, Hero Baldwin) plays in the background)

I swear to any higher power that exists that I was on beat and I edited this so that the music lined up perfectly, but Twitter messed it up. Just FYI.

Anyway, lesson 1: No one is looking at you. You're just self conscious.

I had been wanting to learn shuffling and cutting shapes for years but I didn't because I was afraid of looking silly, or that people would laugh at me, or whatever. Even when dancing at home

I finally just had to get over that and try doing it anyway. If people do laugh at me, so what? If I suck at dancing, who cares?

Which brings me to lesson 2: You're supposed to be bad at things when you first start doing them

I would look at dancers on IG who had been shuffling for years and feel bad because I wasn't as good as them.

But how was I supposed to be, after just a couple weeks of practice?

Let yourself be horrible at things when you first try them. Everyone falls when learning to rollerblade or ride a bike. Everyone forgets how to conjugate verbs when learning a language. It's fine. You'll get better.

Similarly, lesson 3: Progress > Perfection.

Stop comparing yourself to others. I used to think other dancers were perfect and I'd never be as good as them. But I was comparing myself to people who had been dancing for years. I should have been focusing on my own journey instead

Because I have gotten better. Learning to do the running man to a higher BPM took weeks, but I did it. The t-step took a ton of practice, but it's almost second nature now. Getting into a "flow" and not having to think about my next move used to be impossible. Now it's not.

Even slow progress is progress. I may not see any difference from one sesh to the next. But I bet if I compared a video from this month to one I took in March, I'd see a huge difference. Have patience, keep working, and believe in yourself, and you'll keep progressing.

Lesson 4: people are generally kind.

There are local shuffling communities all over the world, and there's a huge community on IG. Everyone shares their knowledge and cheers each other on. People are proud of these dance styles and are welcoming to anyone who wants to learn

Basically, if you're learning something new, finding a kind and supportive community can help keep you encouraged.

I've (virtually) met people from around the US and the world. Both beginners like myself, and experienced dancers. Everyone has been awesome

Lesson 5: Let hobbies be hobbies.

I was tempted to turn shuffling/cutting shapes into something else. Many people end up making a career out of dance, often though teaching. Nothing wrong with that.

But I decided to just do this for fun. And it feels nice.

The last time I dedicated this much time and money to learning something new was when I was learning to code.

I can't remember spending this much time/energy/effort on something that was purely a hobby. I think it's important to have hobbies that are just hobbies.

As in, get a hobby that is not something that could help you make money, progress in your career, or survive. I understand that people *must* have side projects, because capitalism.

But if you can, find a hobby that is simply a hobby. No side hustle, just vibes.

Lesson 6: Respect art and respect artists.

Shuffling & cutting shapes have a history and culture.

It's one thing to learn the moves. But to truly respect an art form I think you have to also learn about where it came from, and the culture of it.

In addition to learning about the culture, I also think it's important to acknowledge the people who cultivated these dance styles.

So, that's what I'm doing, and luckily there are people in the shuffling community who want to share their knowledge and culture

I think part of respecting art is learning about it to the best of your ability so that you represent it well.

& of course, paying for it.

I've paid for virtual classes from instructors in Melbourne, Toronto, LA... and I'm happy to support them so we can keep this dance alive