Pro-Am - Carl & Nina

Some of our readers are immersed in the digital world of Lindy Hop videos.  Some of you are even travelers who may have learned from or danced with some of the people featured in these videos.  Some of you a newer to dancing and hopefully you're using the videos I post to get up to speed on what's going on with our amazing dance.  It's this last group I have a question for.

Above is a Pro-Am event from 2007.  Yes, 5 years ago.  Pro-Am events are interesting because they pair a professional dancer, someone who makes a living dancing and teaching, with an amateur, someone who doesn't.

So here's the question.  Which of these two is the pro and which is the amateur?  Can you tell?

Those of you who know are probably yelling at the blog right now, but please don't comment.  I'd like to let people who don't know watch and see if they can figure it out.

This was a video posted by my friend Heather Warner-Dubin a few days ago.  Things have been busy for me and I requested some help with video ideas, so thanks Heather.


What isn't there to love about this performance?  Quality of movement? Check.  Solid connection? Check.  Traditional moves performed well? Check.  Creative use of musicality? Check.  Fun? Check.  Feels like a social dance? Check.


This is a great video to draw inspiration from and, in my opinion, the dancing they do here - 5 years ago - is still very relevant.