# Upholding the Art and Essence of Dance: Highlights from the Lene James Masterclass

> Season 1 — Technical Qualities · Featuring Lene James

_How do we progress without losing sight of the technical roots and the soul of our art form? Lene James opened the inaugural NTA MasterClass with an unflinching answer._

In an era where the evolution of competitive dance races ahead at a breakneck tempo, the dance world faces a pivotal question: How do we progress without losing sight of the technical roots and the soul of our art form? This pressing challenge took center stage at the inaugural NTA MasterClass, led by renowned expert Lene James, whose insights resonated powerfully with dancers and teachers alike.

## Revisiting Fundamentals: More Than Just Technique

Taking the virtual stage with a blend of humility and authority, Lene James reminded attendees that while “technique is not everything, but without technique, everything is nothing.” These words set the tone for her exploration of technical qualities—a topic too often brushed aside in favor of flamboyance or fleeting fashion.

James challenged participants to reconsider terms like “technique,” “mechanics,” and “fundamentals,” drawing careful distinctions. Technique is the most efficient way to do anything, from lifting a cup to accenting a chassé. Mechanics are the coordination and interlocking of movements—the puzzle that brings technique to life. Fundamentals are the core movements and figures that define the character and musicality of each dance.

There was no ambiguity about her stance on the essentials. “If I see a couple who are not showing these fundamentals through their competitive choreography, I find it very difficult to judge,” James explained, recounting with candor her own adjudicating dilemmas in competitions where basics disappeared beneath surface glamour.

## The Pitfall of Fashion, the Weight of Authenticity

The masterclass didn't shy away from controversy. James critiqued the trend of forsaking fundamental actions—like the lockstep in cha-cha or delays in rumba—for mere visual appeal, warning that “doing something for a reason” is too often sacrificed for doing something that merely looks good.

With illustrative anecdotes and detailed footwork demonstrations—blue socks and all—she dissected how flawed practices propagate, from solo dancers in China to competitions in Denmark. Her message was direct: without clear weight transfer, authentic timing, and meaningful partnering, even the most athletic displays risk becoming empty gymnastics rather than Latin dance.

## Partnering, Musicality, and the Teacher's Role

Perhaps most provocative was James' stance on partnership—a true litmus test for the Latin dance tradition. “If you cut out the partner, you can do all these things you want. Doesn't matter,” she observed, echoing a palpable concern that competitive trends may erode what makes Latin American dance unique.

Equally, she championed the necessity of dancing in the music, not just to the music—lamenting the creeping presence of techno-inspired competition tracks and urging teachers to instill good musical taste and genuine rhythmic understanding in their students.

## The Value of “Old School”—and Its Future

For all her devotion to tradition, James is not nostalgic for nostalgia's sake. “I'm not old-fashioned, but I am old school, and I can only stand behind that 100%,” she insisted. Emphasizing that personal style must be the outgrowth of deep skills, not shop-bought aesthetics, she encouraged dancers to allow their artistry to develop out of practiced fundamentals and self-awareness.

Her closing invocation, quoting Victor Sylvester from nearly a century ago, encapsulates the core dilemma for contemporary dancers: “The basic principles are fundamental and cannot be changed. They are as permanent as the law of gravity.”

---

_More than a technical tutorial, Lene James's masterclass is a clarion call to anyone who cares about the future of Latin dance—as an athletic discipline, an expressive art form, and a living tradition. Whether you seek to become a better dancer, a more thoughtful teacher, or simply reconnect with the reasons you first fell in love with dance, the full masterclass is a treasure trove of wisdom, encouragement, and—above all—a challenge to do better, and to be better._