Underhill's Swing and Shag Dance Collective

Music is everywhere. It’s the soundtrack to our commute, the background noise at the grocery store, and the energy boost for our workouts. We hear it constantly, but how often do we truly listen? In a world saturated with sound, it's easy to let music wash over us without ever engaging with it on a deeper level. Most of us are passive listeners, experiencing music as an ambient backdrop. But there’s another way. This is where we trade passive hearing for active listening —the conscious, focused act of stepping inside the music and noticing its details, structure, and emotional currents. It’s not just a sense; it’s a skill you can develop. This post will reveal five surprising insights about how music works and how our brains process it. These aren't just interesting facts; they are tools that will transform you into an active listener and change your relationship with music forever. Takeaway #1: Your Brain Hears the Beat, It Doesn't Feel It You might think that the thumping...

We’ve all heard the old adage: "Dance like nobody's watching." It’s a nice sentiment. It encourages us to let go of our inhibitions and find freedom in movement. But recently, after a night out on the floor with my wife, I realized that this saying misses a crucial part of the social dance experience. The truth is: People are watching. But here is the secret: They generally aren’t looking at your feet. They aren’t counting your beats. They aren’t grading your anchor step. They are watching your face. They are watching your connection. They are watching to see if you are having fun . The Compliment That Changed My Perspective Recently, my wife and I were out dancing, enjoying the music and each other's company. Throughout the night, several people approached us. We expected the usual questions about where we teach or how long we’ve been dancing. Instead, the most common comment was: "You two look like you are happy and very much enjoy what you do!" It wasn’t ...

We often hear that communication is the key to a great relationship. But what if the secret to a deeper connection isn’t about talking at all, but moving? According to neuroscience, partner dancing does more than just get you off the couch—it actually rewires your brains to be more in sync. Here is the science behind why taking a dance class might be the best thing you can do for your relationship. It Creates a "Chemical Cocktail" for Bonding When you dance with your partner, you aren't just learning steps; you are triggering powerful neurochemistry. The Trust Hormone: The sustained physical contact required in partner dancing—like holding hands or placing a hand on the back—is a primary trigger for oxytocin. This "bonding hormone" promotes deep feelings of trust, calm, and affection. The Reward System: When you successfully master a new move together, your brains release dopamine, the chemical associated with pleasure and motivation. Over time, your brain beg...

Have you ever felt like the last decade flew by in a blur? You’re not alone. As routine gradually displaces novelty in our adult lives, our subjective experience of time tends to accelerate. The years feel shorter because we stop collecting new, unique memories, essentially thinning out our memory load in retrospect. But what if there was an activity proven to flood your brain with novelty, enhance your memory pathways, and force you to be deeply present—making your life feel subjectively richer and longer? That activity is partner dancing. When approached as continuous learning, dance is a powerful cognitive intervention that acts as a profound "anti-aging secret" for your brain and your perception of time. Here is the science of how dancing makes life seem to pass slower: Stopping the Clock: The Power of Mindful Movement The single biggest reason life speeds up is the loss of presence. As skills become automatic—like driving a familiar route or typing on a keyboard—our brai...

Friends and fellow dancers, For a couple years on this blog, we've explored the joy of swing and shag dance. We've focused on the steps, the music, the history, and the wonderful community we're building together. We've worked on the "how" of dancing. But I've always been fascinated by something deeper. I'm endlessly curious about the "why." Why does partner dance feel so magical? Why does it forge such a powerful, non-verbal bond between two people? I believe that what we learn on the dance floor—trust, non-verbal communication, being present, and moving as one—are the exact same skills that build incredible, resilient, and deeply connected romantic relationships. This topic is bigger and more personal than a single blog post. It deserves its own dedicated space to explore. That's why I am so excited to announce a new, separate project: The Kinetic Connection . This will be my new Substack newsletter, and it has a specific mission: to...

"Are you sure this is it?" Pam asked from the back seat, her voice laced with skepticism my wife, Denise, and I had come to expect from past visits with friends. I glanced in the rearview mirror, a smile playing on my lips. "Positive," I said. "This is it." The car crunched to a stop in the gravel lot. Before us stood a plain, concrete block building that looked more like a forgotten warehouse than the destination I’d promised. The last light of Saturday was fading, and the building offered no clues to the life inside. I saw Susan shoot Pam a look that clearly communicated, What has he gotten us into? Inside the Modern Woodmen Dance Hall in Crewe, VA "Alright," I laughed, glancing over at Denise in the passenger seat before turning off the engine. "I know what you're thinking. But the rule of this place is simple: you can't judge it from the outside. Just trust us." We grabbed our cooler and the bag of snacks we’d packed. The fr...