3.
Challenge
What you crave: Pushing the EnvelopeYour Pet Peeve: Not trying new things for fear of failureWant to be known for: Being a great dancerWorst nightmare: Being written off as unable to do somethingThe dancers who want to be constantly pushed towards greater things are Challenge dancers. They often love tricks, dips, and challenging movements. Leads may enjoy seeing if they can ‘get the most’ out of their partners, while the follows may enjoy leads that ‘push the envelope’ with things they’ve never seen before.Of course, these dancers still love connected dances and dislike dangerous partners. But, for them, a dance that doesn’t keep them on their toes leaves them wanting more. They want to see how many one-footed turns they can hold – and don’t mind trying several times in one song. Their perfect dance makes them feel like they have accomplished more than they thought they could.Challenge dancers are one of the less likely types to identify as something else, but most often have Playful, Creative, or Energy tendencies.Most of the time, someone's preferred language also matches what they put out into the community - but not always. These answers are written with the assumption that you are communicating in the same way you like to receive in dance - but it's a good idea to read some of the other results and see if others apply to you as well. Challenge Dancer Thoughts:"I see so many cool things I want to learn!""I hate it when I see a dancer doing cool stuff with other partners, and then they don't do any of it with me!""I want to try that again; this time I'll get it!""I have a list of concrete dance goals I want to achieve, including one-footed turns, splits, and a really cool dip I saw this one time.""I get frustrated if I just can't seem to make something work."Common Trends:Most likely to be in a Lifts and Tricks classLove complex patterns, and spend a lot of time breaking them downMore likely to work on body conditioning to 'unlock' more potentialOften drawn to competitions, shows, and liftsGoal-oriented and driven ("I want to do that!")Sometimes prone to taking mistakes too seriously, but willing to work to overcome themMost likely to be bored by a limited repertoireStrengths and WeaknessesChallenge dancers frequently do well in competitions and performance - as long as they've mastered the basics of connection and musicality as well. Many are often driven towards great technical proficiency and are hard workers. After all, strong technique and a capable body open up far more possibilities to do more. They're also most likely to try new things, and to be less timid about errors. In short: they're the daredevils of the dance world, and are often responsible for creating inspiring, visually-appealing lifts, tricks, and shows. They can also be very driven and goal-oriented, as they see things they want to do and commit fully to learning it.Most of the risks for Challenge dancers come in the early stages - before they understand the basics of connection and technique. They are more prone to self-dipping, rough leading, and forceful movements than most other types, and usually need some mentorship to move through their early dance journey without developing a bad name for themselves. These types are often the most easily-bored type of dancer, as they have an ever-increasing appetite for higher-level content. This is why high-level Challenge dancers are frequently less visible on a social floor than spending long hours in the practice studio or rehearsing for the big show. Synergies with Other TypesExpressionChallenge and Technical Expressive dancers often work well together, with the Challenge dancer enjoying the complex patterning and musicality, and the Technical Expressive providing a safe and stable space for pushing the envelope. But, Emotive Expressives may bore Challenge dancers if they don't provide enough complexity to push the dance. To connect better with Expressives, practise matching some of your tricks or challenging combos to phrases or types of music. Giving an Expressive that musical connection can make them more engaged in your intense dance.CreativityChallengers and Creatives are a hit-or-miss combo. A Creative dancer with a love of creating complex movements may mesh well with a Challenge dancer - but a Creative who trends more towards connection may find that their energy has a very different tone. To connect better with Creatives, Challenge dancers can work with their natural tendency towards new things by adding a challenging or complex spin to it. For example, finding ways to use their body strength, control, or flexibility to scratch their need for pushing the envelope while working with the Creative's need to do something original. PlayfulnessChallenge and Playful dancers can have a fun and dynamic connection. The Playful dancer's focus on having fun often leads them to want to please a partner through engagement, and they'll likely be encouraged by a positive reception when they try something more challenging. Neither type is afraid of making mistakes and laughing about it, which can lead to a surprisingly low-pressure high-energy combination. However, issues can emerge if the Challenge dancer is more focused on executing moves than checking in to see if their partner is having fun, or if they expect too much complexity from a more novice Playful dancer. To connect better with Playful dancers, Challenge dancers can focus on connecting to the partner as well as the dance. As long as the Playful dancer feels like they're "in it together" and not ignored and treated like a jungle gym, this can be a winning combo. EnergyChallenge and Energy dancers often do well. Both generally tend to a higher degree of energy, and both like to really push - whether it's feeling the dance in their own body, or through the level or complexity of their movements. Neither is likely to worry about working up a sweat. To connect better with Energetics, Challenge dancers can take advantage of their own energy and daring to match the tone and feel of their partner. Deep ConnectionChallenge and Deep Connection dancers are almost complete opposites. One wants to be pushed; one wants to be comfortable. One tends towards complex, intense movements; the other just wants to hang in the moment with their partner. Both can appreciate what the other does - but unless both are well-rounded, their preferences and peeves are usually at odds. Connecting with this opposite means that Challenge dancers need to be willing to focus on the often non-verbal comfort cues of their partner, slow down, and find "the zone". If a Challenge dancer is willing to take the time to do this, they may find the Deep Connection dancer more willing to experiment with pushing the envelope. Social Dancing Strategies for Challengers1) Check in with your partner. You are probably more risk-tolerant and ambitious in your repertoire than many other dancers, which means that you need to be conscious that not everyone may be up for what you have to offer. Verbal check-ins ("is this OK for you?") can be very useful for Challenge dancers who struggle with non-verbal cues.2) Learn how to dance safely, early. Challenge dancers, as the most ambitious type, are also most likely to find themselves with dangerous habits. Learning and workshopping those issues is critical, particularly whenever dealing with a new concept or trick. For example, follows should take care to manage their weight in dips and drops; leads need to make sure their partner is capable and willing to execute what they ask. In addition, Challenge dancers are one of the types that will benefit most from making sure their connection and technical principles are well-established to support all the crazy stuff they really want to do. 3) Challenge yourself. In many ways, Challenge dancers are likely to have the most difficulty finding partners who can safely deliver what they're craving. Challenge dancers can benefit from taking a page from the Energetic handbook: find ways of putting the energy in your own body to challenge and push the envelope in a way that doesn't rely on your partner. Enjoyed learning about your dance love languages? Share this with friends!
