Avsnitt
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Check out our new site www.degenderdance.com!!!
Big title, we know. But stick with us. Last episode we talked about our complicated relationship with dance and how joyful, connective, and freeing it is... also weirdly still full of colonial bs. This time, we're asking: if dance is supposed to be about freedom, why is it still carrying around so much nonsense? From rigid gender roles and major hierarchies to gender inequality and outdated norms, our dance communities have inherited a lot more than just dancing. We dig into what it actually means to decolonize something and why gender equity is a powerful place to start decolonizing partner dance. But how the hell do we change this stuff? It starts with each of us! We have been working behind the scenes on something we hope will be the first of many guides for decolonizing the world of dance.Drumroll please.....OUR BIG NEWS! In this episode we launch our very first handbook: Gender Equity in the Classroom and Ballroom! This is a full-ass 50 pg book Kate + Lou have been working on for a loooooong time.🎉 In this episode share a little about what's inside, including degendering language, rethinking dance roles, consent, and more. It's like a field guide for dancers, teachers, studio owners and everyone in between to make gender equity in partner dance a priority. We also introduce some companion resources, including a video class, and role stickers that are designed to help dancers and organizers take small, tangible steps toward a more inclusive dance culture. Sometimes (always?) changing the world starts with changing what you do on the dance floor. Tune in and check out these resources and more at www.degenderdance.com!!!
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We're back for Season 2! In this kickoff episode, we sit down to unpack our complicated relationship with partner dance. From the intoxicating magic of a truly great connection to the patriarchal overtones woven through modern partner dance scenes, nothing is off the table. We talk about what drew us to build Degender Dance in the first place, what keeps us passionate about it, what we'd love to see change, and what's next.Along the way, we get into the highs and lows of social dancing, the joy of music and community, the frustrations of outdated and harmful norms, and gendered expectations, and why we believe another way is possible. Expect tangents, strong opinions, plenty of laughs, and a few moments where we get properly fired up. Also, stay til the end cuz also share some mega news, so consider this your invitation to catch up with us before some exciting changes ahead! And since you made it this far: what do you love and hate about dance?
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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That’s a wrap on our first season here at The Degender Dance Podcast! Thank you so much to everyone for joining us in our first year of podcasting- we love our listeners💕🫶🏼 Tune in to check out what’s next and get excited about all the stuff we’ve cooked up for you in season 2 and much more! Season 2 starts with a bang 💥 on June 9th, 2026
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How accessible is your dance scene? Is dance ableist? What can disability advocacy do for partner dance? What on earth is going to happen to your dance life when you become older or disabled? If the whole world had access to dance, would it be a better place? In this week’s episode we sit down with Madeline Webster-Perry (she/her), a Queer Lindy Hop dancer from St. Louis, Missouri, and get into it. Madeline is a consultant and trainer in disability employment and is passionate about disability inclusion, accessibility and fostering dialogue in dance spaces. The truth is, partner dance (along with the rest of the world) caters to a narrow demographic. In this conversation, we hear Madeline’s perspective on what can be done to make communities accessible and more diverse, the value of disability advocacy for everyone and about how sometimes you just gotta be a squeaky wheel. Check out Madeline’s IG @stlfemme and on FB at Madeline Webster-Perry.
We also discuss her work with Charting The LifeCourse; check it out here https://www.lifecoursetools.com !
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This week on The Degender Dance Podcast, we’re hanging out with Adrián (he/him), founder of Queerchata and the force behind one of the fastest-growing Queer partner dance movements in North America. In Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and Chicago, Queerchata is all about creating spaces for dance without judgement with the help of his teachers, or as he calls them: The Queer Avengers of Bachata and Salsa. We get into his dance journey, how his Queerness shows up in the way he moves and teaches, and what it’s been like building a Queer-centered dance community from the ground up. Adrián brings a whole other layer to the conversation with his background in tech, including diversity and inclusion in tech work at Google and YouTube, and we talk about how that tech savvy and business brain shapes the way Queerchata runs and grows across multiple cities.We chat about what it really means to run a dance business rooted in diversity and inclusion, and how Queerchata reimagines partner dance without binary gender roles, and centers Queer connection, and joy. This conversation is part dance journey, part behind-the-scenes business nitty gritty, part real talk about community, identity, and building something that actually feels good to be in and all Queer audacity. Of course, we also had to talk about the April Weekender coming up in late Apri 2026 in Seattle, what makes it special and why you will want to be there (if there’s still tickets)! 🌈Learn more about Queerchata and snag the Seattle Weekender tickets here: https://www.queerchata.com/product/weekender 🏳️🌈Follow the Queerchata IG @queerchata
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In this episode, Lou introduces Kate to Contra Dancing for the very first time, starting with a crash course on what it is and its roots of Renaissance country dances to its uniquely American evolution. Lou shares some of the layered history of contra, including how live calling became central to the form. Then we head to Lake City Contra to experience it in real life. We enjoy the sounds of the hall, the live band, and Kate gets to step into the long lines for the first time. While we’re there, we get a wonderful interview with organizer Sherry Nevins, who talks about community and the shift toward degendered language in modern contra spaces. She explains why the terms “Larks and Robins” matter and how they helped make the dance more welcoming. After dancing (and a lot of eye contact), we sit down to debrief. Kate reflects on what it felt like to try Contra for the first time, what was surprising, what was challenging and joyful, both grateful we now what a Bouzouki is! Special thanks to everyone at Lake City Contra, Sherry Nevins, caller Elizabeth Monica and the band Old Sock for helping us twinkle our toes!
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This week we have the pleasure of talking to Rassamy, a West Coast Swing dancer, DJ, teacher, woman of color, cultural educator and ex Meta user in the greater Seattle area.We dive into her DEI work in West Coast Swing, and what it means to build accessible and justice-centered dance spaces. We hear all about her move away from social media, specifically Meta, as a political and personal choice, all while still organizing and participating in her dance communities. We also couldn’t help but hear a little about the questionable Lindy Vs. West Coast Swing feud too! Check out her work 💃🏽https://rassamy.com/
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This week we’re getting into the basics. Why rushing into flashy patterns can strip away the soul of a dance. Why groove > quantity. And why the “basic” step and other foundational groove and technique is actually the skeleton of the dance and every flashy move too. The basics aren’t working? Neither will the advanced move.We also get into teaching beginners, retaking classes in the opposite role, ableism in dance spaces, and how focusing on fundamentals creates more inclusive scenes and lifelong dancers.Because basic aren’t boring.They’re the heart of every partner dance.
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This week we’re talking with Anne Gaskins (she/ her): a therapist, Salsa teacher and a performer with Latin Fusion company BGC, here in Seattle, WA. Anne works as a therapist specializing in eating disorders and body image and is passionate about making dance accessible and fun for all bodies.Anne schools us with her pearls of wisdom about being a therapist and dancer and how these worlds collide and dovetail as inherently relational modalities. This interview blew our mind! Join us for the banter and the aha moments as we cover topics ranging from deep listening in social dance to body stigma in dance spaces🪩
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In this episode Lou and Kate talk about one of the topics that sparked The Degender Dance Podcast to begin with: why learning to both lead and follow, even a little, makes you a better and safer dancer. We talk about the importance of ELEF, empathy and dismantling the idea that gender = dance role. Let’s get into it!
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In YT Supremacy and Dance, Part 2, Kate and Lou continue their conversation with Tema Okun’s Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture, moving through the second half of the list and exploring how these patterns show up in partner dance spaces. How do these characteristics surface in teaching and dance community and what are the antidotes? How do they live in our bodies and relationships, and how do they shape learning, connection, and conflict on the dance floor?We explore what it means to dance, teach, and organize in ways that support shared power and care, rather than defaulting to habits that have been normalized but rarely named. Dismantling white supremacy culture is an inside job, and it begins with noticing just how pervasive these characteristics are.Join Degender Dance as we share lived experiences, open questions, and the sometimes uncomfortable nuance of this work.
References & Links• Shahem “5hahem” McLaurin: https://www.5hahem.com/• Tema Okun’s website: https://www.dismantlingracism.org/• Short video of Okun speaking: https://youtu.be/kJg2LJihb64• Easy-to-read handout: https://overcomingracism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/HANDOUT-SHARED-Characteristics-of-White-Supremacy-Culture-original-1.pdf• Original list: https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/uploads/4/3/5/7/43579015/okun_-_white_sup_culture.pdf
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On this week’s episode we talk about the Spotify boycott and why we are participating. ICE recruitment ads aren’t the only reason to stop giving them your hard earned money. We talk about how hard the decision is to divest from such an accessible staple and resource for dance teachers and what other options exist out there that aren’t evil fascists stealing from musicians. Seattle, the birthplace of Degender Dance, is one of the bigger cities that launched this boycott with many local musicians opting out and removing their music. Hell yea! Oh also when you cancel, there’s hilarious/desperate surprise waiting for you. Tune in to hear us chop it up!Indivisible Boycott:https://indivisible.org/cancel-spotifySeattle Musicians Boycott:https://www.knkx.org/jazz/2025-09-05/seattle-musicians-boycott-spotify-ai-ghost-musicians-ceo-daniel-ek-defense-investmentsOur screenshots from canceling:https://drive.google.com/open?id=1g3RMrHWmRMylYN5gtaUnT7NrfloNeEee&usp=drive_fs
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Creating the Dance Floor You Want to See with Yasmeen Zahar:This week, we are so excited to share an interview with Seattle-based Latin dancer and teacher, Yasmeen Zahar! We dig into Bachata: its roots, its current politics, and why Sensual and Traditional are not the same dance. She talks about noticing what’s missing in a community and choosing to build something that’s deeply needed, and how she’s doing exactly that with Traditional Bachata in Seattle. Yasmeen brings culture, accessibility, and queer-forward care to Seattle’s Latin dance spaces through Traditional Bachata, creating classes where dancers feel joy, representation, and ease instead of self-critique. We’re pumped for you to hear our chat with Yasmeen and the ways they’re weaving community care and Dominican cultural roots into every part of their teaching. Tune in!
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White supremacy is interwoven into every aspect of our culture in many ways that are easy to name, and other times in patterns so normalized we barely notice them. In this Part 1 episode, we look at how those quieter, less-obvious and normalized dynamics shape our relationships and our dance spaces.We spend time with Tema Okun’s list of characteristics of white supremacy culture: a framework Lou first encountered through Shahem “5hahem” McLaurin’s 2021 Is It White Supremacy? series. Lou shares a bit about the origins of Okun’s work and why it continues to resonate. We touch on how we personally see these cultural habits show up in partner dance communities and along the way, we talk antidotes and possibilities for building dance spaces that feel more grounded, more collaborative and healthier for everyone. This conversation is just the tip of the iceberg with a Part 2 coming soon!
References & Links
Shahem “5hahem” McLaurin: https://www.5hahem.com/Tema Okun’s website: https://www.dismantlingracism.org/Short video of Okun speaking: https://youtu.be/kJg2LJihb64?si=sZgDDGTIyX4jtqEtEasy-to-read Printable list https://overcomingracism.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/HANDOUT-SHARED-Characteristics-of-White-Supremacy-Culture-original-1.pdfOriginal list from Okun https://www.whitesupremacyculture.info/uploads/4/3/5/7/43579015/okun_-_white_sup_culture.pdf -
In this episode...well, less of an episode and more of an announcement: we’re taking a little time off. One of the core tenets of capitalism and yt supremacy is that you push no matter what. At Degender Dance, we value slowing down, listening to our bodies, and being in flow instead of chasing productivity. Tune in to hear us regale you with our anticapitalist voices until we are back on November 25th, 2025!5, 6, 7, 8!
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In this episode, we talk with Hazel Weakly, a deaf transfemme Lindy Hopper and tech whiz with serious groove and even more serious swivels, about what it’s like to move through dance and disability. Hazel shares how she learned to hear the music through feeling and tension, becoming known as a musical switch dancer, and opens up about coming out as trans, plus what a pair of 4-inch heels can do for leads! Lou and I also chat about our own limitations and disabilities: the funny, messy, and sometimes frustrating ways being visibly disabled changes how people treat you, and the myth of the “normal” body. 5, 6, 7, 8!
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In this episode, we kick back and shoot the sh*t about the music that made us who we are. From musical theater favorites to top 40 hits, from Jelly Roll Morton to that chest-pounding movie score mega-hit no millennial can go without, we wander through the soundtracks of our lives. Music is both inexplicably personal and a mirror of where we come from — shaped by heritage, cultural waves, and the things we soaked in as kids without even knowing it.As we follow these threads through memory and meaning, we find ourselves tracing the path to how we fell in love with partner dance — and why Salsa and Jazz still hold us in their rhythm. This episode is part nostalgia trip, part love letter to the songs that shaped us, and a reminder that the music we carry is never just sound — it’s story. 5678!
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Hey dancers! This episode is a call to action: follows are not passive passengers, social dancing isn’t a one-way street and toxic masculinity is tiring AF. From the old dance tropes of “dance dummies,” and the idea of “don’t think, just follow,” the dance world has a lot to unpack. Treating follows like props is just the tip of the iceberg—and it fosters the darker, more psychologically and physically unsafe elements of dance spaces for some, especially women. We dig into how follows co-create the dance, why so many leads default to control of female bodies, and what true collaboration can feel like when both partners bring their full artistry to the dance. Lou gets into the Euro roots of partner dance, how patriarchy shaped the roles we inherited, and what’s shifting as dance communities face their own #MeToo movements. More and more people are speaking out—including our hero, Frankie Martinez (mentioned in this episode), one of the few men in the scene calling for change. This conversation is for everyone who cares about social dance—and we hope it inspires more men to start listening and speaking up too. Let’s go!
5, 6, 7, 8!
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Hey dancers! In this episode we dive into what it really feels like to social dance as a genderqueer or queer person — the joy, the tension, the resistance, and the magic. We unpack how traditional partner dancing often reinforces binary roles, and what it means to disrupt that system just by showing up in our full, fluid selves. From the awkwardness of being miscast into “leader” or “follower” roles to the liberation of queering the dance floor, we explore how queerness can expand, reimagine, and even heal dance spaces. We also talk about how to create intentional, affirming environments where all bodies, all expressions, and all identities can move freely. Because queerness doesn’t just fit into dance — it transforms it. Let’s get into it.5, 6, 7, 8!
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Hey dancers! In this episode, we're diving into somatics—what it is, how it differs from traditional dance training, and why it’s such a powerful tool for reconnecting with your body, soul and wider community! We share personal stories from our own therapeutic and somatic journeys, reflecting on how these practices have helped us push back against hustle culture and rediscover a more grounded, sustainable relationship with movement.
We also unpack how somatics invites us to move from sensation instead of shape—and how that shift can make dance more accessible, more human, and more meaningful. This episode is a reminder that dance isn’t just for the “technically trained” - it’s for anyone with a body and a desire to move. It’s not about how good you look; it’s about how deeply you feel. Also for anyone interested in books to read instead of The Body Keeps The Score, which is very traumatic to read and written by an abuser, check out: My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Daniel Maté and Gabor Maté, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson, or literally anything by Bell Hooks to name a few💕
- Visa fler
