ROBERT ROYSTON West Coast Swing and UCWDC Champion
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2021
- Join Anthony Lewis of Country Dance X as he interviews multiple time UCWDC World Champion and US Open West Coast Swing Champion, Robert Royston.
Anthony and Robert discuss the future of the United Country Western Dance Council, and some of the ideas being thrown out such as developing a UCWDC syllabus , the idea of introducing country swing dancing into UCWDC competition and more.
Robert Royston and Laureen Baldovi are multiple time world champions of country dancing (UCWDC competition), many time "hall of fame" inductees, US Open West Coast Swing competition champions, and a virtual living encyclopedia of all things country music and country dance.
Be sure to visit Robert's website at:
www.roystonmethod.com
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#countrydance #westcoastswing #robertroyston 
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Mr. Royston, I took my first dance lesson at 51 years old, now 57. After watching you guys kill it on RUclips I got up the courage to attend my first weekend event in Calgary, Extreme Swing Weekend, I thought for sure by the end of the weekend I'll be able to dance just like you guys!!(not). You were teaching the very first class I attended, and the class was on connection and I thought at the end of that classic wow I just wasted an hour of my time when I could have been learning some cool moves, but in actuality, that's been one of the most valuable lessons I have learned in dance so far! So thank you sir for being such a wonderful influence on me and keep on being a wonderful ambassador for dance... CHEERS!
That's an awesome story. Thanks for sharing. Your last comment is everything. Robert is certainly an excellent ambassador for dance!
Robert,
You and Nicola sat with Dave Vella and I at some competition years ago. Dave asked you to dance with me. I wanted to hide being so shy. You were awesome and kind. Thanks for the dance.
Roberta
Glad that you uncovered what led the UCWDC away from Country Dance World.
I have a lot of affinity and feelings of nostalgia about how things were in the 90s and even early 00s. Back then, things were much more in alignment between social and organized competitive dance. What seems has happened is that the structured competitive world forgot the social dance world that got them where they were and rejected it… then the gap between the social dance world and competitive dancing got larger and the social dance world began to reject the competitive one.
Unfortunately w feel that, if the gap will ever be closed, it will have to be done through compromise in the competitive world and not the other way around.
Anything short of that will lead to the continued fall of the UCWDC and the emergence of a replacement competitive world (that will be dramatically different).
Anthony
Robert was always generous with his help, never let his ability and fame go to his head. He was always polite and courteous. just a nice guy
I know this maybe funny to a lot of people but I was never taught how to dance, and I'm 62 yrs old, I love watching you dance
It's never too late to start!
We were at Swiss Park in Fremont the night you taught a lesson introducing Laureen Baldovi as your new partner...we attended every festival for years following you and all the wonderful dancers from that era...thank you for best time of our lives!!!!!
So cool!
I can’t wait for this to upload! I wish it was up already so I can listen to it while running.
It’s a good one. We hope you’ll be here with us when it premieres tonight :-)
Robert is a amazing human being. took many lessons from him. he was literally my ex-wife idol and I hadn't seen Robert in years then in 2011 at ucwdc worlds literally bumped into I'm coming through the door at the ballroom Robert literally hug me shake my hand as if we were best friends and I told him about my wife wanting to meet him and he took time just to come by meet her.
Literally speechless.
He is just one awesome dude.
Robert is a champion on and off the dance floor
WoW, this is double extra awesome !!!! Thanks guys !!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Robert is one of the most genuine and knowledgeable guys in country dance.
This was a great session!! I started bar dancing in 1991 and had a blast. I was amazed at the dancing I saw the first couple events I went to. (And Robert you were gracious enough to dance with me!) It was great. But Robert is correct in that it changed over the years.
Of course all things evolve, but we feel that competitive dance should still reflect what is being danced socially... just at a higher level.
We embrace this vision! We talk about it too. We can add the Latino crossover joy to this conversation. Cordially Tamara
Thanks for contributing!
I love Robert. I grew up in the dance world.. and got to know some of them not being snobs. . I miss ballroom!! I wish we could bring it back to Portland. Thank you Anthony
Robert is an amazing person! Thanks for watching 😃
This was a great to listen to and get perspective on what is goin on today.
So glad you enjoyed it! We really care about the future of country dance and want to do everything we can to help it grow :-)
Awesome discussion!
We’re glad you enjoyed it! Sometimes the hard truth is, well, hard to hear… but is always the conversation that needs to happen :-)
And the biggest thing I can say about the dance world as far as ucwdc and swing dance once you're in there it's like you're part of the family you can go anywhere and see any of those great dancers and they'll dance with you it's awesome it's just a great feeling to have friends like that
We love that about the country community
I'm only 20 minutes into this interview (which I love so much so far) and have to agree with everything you and Robert are saying. I am from eastern PA ; used to dance a lot in the Lancaster area, and would travel to NJ and MD to dance. There were a lot of country places to dance at. Most are now gone. We used to frequent the UCWDC circuit as we had friends who competed and we loved the workshops. But something happened in the late 90's and the open dancing at night was no longer fun. Glad to see the clubs in AZ and TX, etc are still booming.
The truth is that country dance is still just as much fun as it ever has been… it’s just that the perception changed. Country dance has always been about the social aspect of dancing rather than performance/competition. Not that there’s anything wrong with those… but those are simply an expansion rather than the center (if that makes sense)
Linda, we too in Atlanta have lost ALL our clubs,, we now only country dance at an American Legion and a studio. Only TWO places in a city the size of Atlanta to country dancing and THEY are not even CLUBS.....
The "Streetability Factor"...I remember once noticing a ballroom couple (competitors, formally trained, from eastern Europe) visiting here in the U.S. observing a W.C.S. class ... the leader had this puzzled intriguing look as if saying to himself , "Oh man, there is SO much about this "American club style" ( get down) I need to learn!...The looseness and coolness of American club style dancing is really OUR THING
We’ve noticed that “puzzled intriguing look” comes from dancers from all genres when they see something that doesn’t fit neatly into their preconceived notions of what is “supposed to be” or what is “correct”. The road goes in both directions, btw
one more comment Mr. Royston - that shirt that you designed, my husband and I still have ours! "I Speak Dance" :-)
❤️❤️❤️
I know of Robert Royston through the west coast swing world. I found this interview very interesting; thank you for sharing. I am from Southern California, and I have also noticed that country dancing has become more popular out here. It would be interesting to experience the country dancing bar scene in Texas. Are there any major differences between the country dancing bar scene in Austin, Dallas, and Houston? Or are they all pretty similar?
I started competing in UCWDC in the 90's and Robert Royston and Mareen Baldovi were the best of the best.
Yes they were. 100%
This was so incredible! Roberts energy is so magnetic. I think I’m a fan of Anthony’s too ;) Amazing!
Thank you, completely non-biased random person ;-)
Guys, video and talk is dead on. While I have never competed in UCWDC, I have followed it, watched it, etc,,, and some events over the years. One thing you all talked about REALLY hit him while watching the 2022 Worlds online, is that ALMOST every couple there LOOKED and danced the same,, it at times was VERY boring. Couples seemed to not have any imagination in their dancing. Seemed they were not allowed to do anything outside the rules. The competitions IMO, SHOULD be a show too. I remember going to Cowboys and Wild Bills in Atlanta back when both clubs were PACKED and I KNOW many where there that didnt even DANCE,, there were there to have fun, drink, etc,,, but also to WATCH the dancing. The UC... events should be SHOWS to the public, to come out and enjoy watching, maybe inspire someone or a couple to start to dance. It seemed at the 2022 Worlds,, I'd bet more than HALF the audience was prob dancers, friends of the dancers and just them,,, not many people off the street. Another point is, while the club in Texas or west of the Miss.... are prob doing well,, we've LOST all the clubs in Atlanta and Georgia. Right now, the only GOOD places to go dance is a few american legions, VFWs and some studios. I have a monthly dance at a STUDIO,,,, trying to grow it to be THE place to come country dance in Atlanta. But the music IS different right now than 25+ years ago,,, the music FEEDS the dancing. Many of the current country music DOES lend itself to the "country swing". In the 90s every other song WAS a two step song or chacha, etc,, right now,, it maybe one out of every 20 country songs now is a good two step song. I mean for NEW country music,, which the younger people tend to listen to. If the country dancing was there, tied to country dancing, then the younger people prob would come out.. Some are coming. We're taking baby steps at our dance,, Anthony, you came to our Atlanta Country Nights. We had our BIGGEST crowd yet, early in Feb. While many of the long time dancers in the area came out that night, there WERE some younger people too. That is part of the feeder system too for country dancing. Getting younger people involved. I THINK we can get there over time, like the next 2 to 5 years. It has to be a mix of us 50+ dancers that still want to dance and the 20 to 45 year olds there with them, learning the traditional styles BUT also doing their thing too,, the country swing, etc. I think if we DONT (here in Atlanta), country dancing will be dead within 10 years. I'm HOPING the music will swing back to more like we had in the 90s,, and there is some signs of that,, just GOOD two step songs,,etc. The avg 30 year old could may not want to dance to George Strait all night,, but more like Luke Combs ..... Its a delicate balance to try to get to where ALL of it is growing. Club dancing, avg Joe dancing to competition dancing. And one note that,,, IMO and many that know me,, feel the UCWDC HAS lost their ROOTS,,, seem to cater to ballroom dancers more than REAL country dancers. I have no problem anyone from anywhere coming to country dancing,, but dont come to try to CHANGE it. Learn it and learn to love it to. And YES, there ARE dancers at UC... events that HATE country music. Well, for ME,, if you HATE the music, then WHY are you dancing to it.....that thought is my love for country music, what I do for a living and wanting to protect REAL country music, thus goes with the dancing.... Well,, I could go on a ton more,, but great job guys, bringing up great points that NEED to be addressed and if ALL of us work together, we can get there. Thanks, Dan Seals / Georgia-Country.com / Atlanta Country Nights.
Dan, how did we know that you'd have this opinion? ;-)
Thanks for joining us and contributing to the conversation!
Neat experience watching this interview😊 Hope to meet Robert one day! Thanks for the shout outs!
Robert is one of those people that you feel that you've known for years from the moment you introduce yourself :-)
Yup, it was lots of fun dancing in the UCWDC in '89 - '92, but I saw changes coming and the crowds diminishing, too bad... So why was Santa Rosa such a hot source of UCWDC couples in 1990? Because we could go to lessons followed by dancing 4 or 5 nights a week, and there were 2 home dance studios to rent for practice - this is the environment that spawned Tony & Yvonne and many other competition couples. We also had many UCWDC competitions locally that are mostly gone now - the North Bay, Sacramento, Reno, South Bay, Fresno, and the end of year regionals - and there were only 4 divisions, now there's 30 or 40 divisions, and I ask, how can an event promoter have time for 30 divisions in a single weekend? It seems there are so many divisions that everyone gets a trophy! And finally, let's not forget that competition dancing is an expensive endeavor in terms of both time and money - lessons, practice time, costumes, travel, entry fees, hotel, etc.
I would really like to see a community where Robert & Anthony bring their passions together. I believe it would breathe new life into for the country dance world.👍
There are many many country dancers that are dying to bring country dance back into the spotlight. We'd love to help bridge the divide between social and competitive country dance.
@@countrydancex I am so on board with this man. i have been saying we need to bring back honky tonk to comps
The dancehalls are truly the life blood of country dance. It’s how it started and where it’s heart is.
There are still people in CA that will judge a contest. Temecula Stampede could be place to light the country dance fire again.
We've been to the Temecula Stampede several times. Always a great time
I’ve been dancing & teaching since 1982. I really enjoyed Robert and Laureen’s classes back in the early 90’s, at the Portland event. Their youth and personalities reminded me of our friends, Scott & Cheryl. Lindberg.
I’ve never been a fan of contests mainly because the number of divisions drives me crazy. It’s also just not my style. I dance to enjoy the music, not to entertain or draw attention to myself. I have no desire to perform.
All of that said, can we talk about waltz just a bit? You all want to say things like, “There’s no such thing as country waltz, just poor waltzing done to country music.” I beg to differ. I have absolutely no desire to make a spectacle of myself, to dance ballroom waltz, but I can still enjoy dancing gracefully to a 3/4 song. I COULD dance a ballroom waltz, but I would laugh hysterically if expected to tilt my head and take on the lean and contortions of a ballroom waltz. Dancing a nice rise and fall in a forward motion without all the tilting, lilting, hovering, and zig zagging is perfectly okay, I will continue to teach it even though you “UCWDC types” think it is “bad” dancing. The “no such thing as country waltz” attitude creates a chasm. You can’t blur the lines between social dancing and competition dancing while insulting social dancers. Country waltz is vastly different than “competition” waltz which looks like ballroom, which I find a little embarrassing. To each his own. Dance is about self expression, about enjoying music, moving to music, making music a visual art. Most dancers in my community are like me, too humble for the pretentious look of formal waltzing. There can be more than one style of waltz just like there are many styles of two step and swing.
Thank you for your, and Rose’s and Robert’s, contributions to swing & country dancing, to SOCIAL dancing.
Thanks for being here and for contributing.
I believe you may be confusing styling with structure. We would never dance full arm styling and shaping at a bar haha. It is unfortunate that you felt offended, but the truth is that waltz is waltz and the structure doesn't change regardless of what music is playing or the setting in which it is danced. "Country Waltz" is American Style Smooth Waltz danced at Silver level and above (danced with feet passing). If Waltz were danced in any scenario (country or otherwise) in a straight line "dip and step" incorporating Two Step movements and elements, it would still just be bad waltz.
No worries. It’s a discussion. I’m not offended because I am comfortable in my skin. But, the insinuation that a ballroom syllabus is the end all be all for dancing to 3/4 or 6/8 music is not welcoming.
What’s “wrong” with giving a new name, “country waltz,” to a new style of waltz? Is there a single acceptable style of WCS? Is it like saying the GSDTA is the only acceptable style of WCS? Or maybe the Arthur Murray or Fred Astaire syllabi are the only WCS styles that are acceptable? (Lord help us if so.) Is Lindy a bad WCS? (Facetious) The Imperial, Shag, Balboa, DC Hand dancing, etc. bad swing dancing?
This is a sincere question. I see hypocrisy in the statement “bad waltz” statement.
By the way, a country waltz does not include a dip, just my opinion. The reach on 1 creates the “fall.” Sort of like the soft knees on a ballroom waltz. Reach 1, rise 2, settle 3. And two step moves aren’t in a ballroom syllabus, but many work with a 3/4 song. We’ve been doing them well since 1982. The turn technique has evolved as it has in two step and swing as well. Calling it “bad waltz” is condescending.
My husband was never as skilled in his waltz or WCS as he was in two step, lindy and ECS, but I would never call his dancing “bad.” Just different; his own style. He would not have scored points in a contest, but his partners still enjoyed the dance. It wasn’t “bad.” In my opinion, “bad” dancing means it’s either out of sync with the music or uncomfortable for the partner.
In this video you and Robert speak of competitors in the 90’s having individual style. You lament the competitors now all being a cookie-cutter style. Isn’t that what you’re doing with your opinions of waltz? When I have ballroom dancers waltzing at my dances, their style often doesn’t match the flow of the song, sometimes it does. It causes dissonance to watch them do a powerful “2” when the song has a powerful “1.” Style matters. As long as there is a variety of musical styles, there should be a variety of dance styles . We see variety in 4/4 music, why not 3/4?
Just points to ponder. That’s what you’re trying to do, right? Listen to more than UCWDC judges, right? Why stop at swing and two step?
Don’t even get me started on NC2. Hahaha. My husband was a drummer. I wish more people would listen to the song before starting their NC2. Do what matches the song (1&2 or 1, 2&) What are the drummer and vocalist doing? What matches?
Anyway. My daughter has lived in SA since 2017. We have been terribly disappointed in the dance scene there. I’m hoping your visits help them join the rest of the country. Hahaha You dance to the beat, that would be progress for SA. Hang in there. 🤗
This is a serious question ... are you talking to me? I think that may be worth exploring as it seems that you may be debating (defending against) someone who isn't present here. Who hurt you? haha
My background: my husband started at the age of 9 at Deb’s Danceland, Arlington TX. I started at 21 in WA. After we married, we moved to Denver for work and started teaching for Becki and Charlie’s Country Dance School. Hahaha
Our brush with fame was with Scott & Cheryl Lindberg, In Denver in the 80’s. Scott was already competing in bar contests and Cheryl started in one of our classes at a huge dancehall, the Four Seasons. Cheryl had not met Scott yet. She and my husband really hit it off. She was very talented in that first class. Her then boyfriend was more typical. He asked, “How do I slow down her turns?” My husband responded, “You don’t. You learn to control that energy.” So fun. Anyway, she wound up teaching for Becki & Charlie as well. Then she and Scott met, were introduced to the UCWDC with the first Denver event (‘86?), they connects with Jack and Sue Waggoner and the rest is history.
I totally agree on the statements of country coming from clubs, but today, as opposed to 15 years ago, most country clubs no longer cater to country dancers but instead cater to drinkers. Sadly, there are few places I can go in the Western US where I can reliable have some good country couples dancing. I also agree on the responsibility of the dances to a certain extent, but sadly, most Pros no longer go out social dancing as opposed to 20 years ago. Now UCWDC spends so much time dealing with Pro-Am and no time working on social dancing.
It's a tricky combination of several things. We get that event directors need to bring in revenue to pay for the events and that pro-am is a good way to do that (and to assure that the pros can make a living)... on the other hand, the gain is short term thinking as it has the opposite effect on growing the dance community in which the competitions rely on for growth. The current model is unsustainable and has been for quite some time.
We could talk all day about pro dancers not going out social dancing. It is certainly the norm it seems... but it's ironic that the people who don't go out dancing to contribute to the dance communities are the the same ones that complain about how people dance in those communities.
The good news is that change is coming.
Part of that issue is the MUSIC today. Must of today's country may be a good song,,, but its almost NOT danceable. In the 90s, almost EVERY song that came out was a song you could dance to,, two step, CC, the swings, waltz, etc,,,, or line dancing. Now,, its HARD for a club to survive relying on country dancing, at least east of the Miss.river.... Till the MUSIC changes back to like what we had in the 90s or at least swings that way some,, its a hard club. If Luke Combs or Morgan Wallen, etc,, came out with a song that ALSO had a great dance with it, or people wanted to dance to it,, its hard. Even though not a "fan" of his music style,,, Walker Hayes' "AA" is a good chacha song,, so maybe something like that will get people on the floor.
Ouch! I need some ice for that burn! Serious question though: we shouldn't allow people who aren't fans of country music?
I kinda feel like this doesn’t really capture the spirit of the message
dance put on by the pros butt no pros dancing .whats the point of new showing up if there it no chance of placing
they need out side judging when a club puts on a competition and there club wins everything why show up
Sorry, I don't understand.