Degender Dance – Details, episodes & analysis

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!

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!

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!

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!

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💕

Hey dancers! Welcome back to The Degender Dance Podcast.In this episode, we’re diving into a big, messy, important conversation: what it means to be white dancers running a dance business centered around African diaspora partner dance forms. Spoiler alert—it’s complicated, and yes, it’s problematic.We’re talking about whiteness, cultural appropriation, accountability, privilege, and what it means to be in integrity with the communities and histories these dances come from.We don’t have all the answers, but we’re ready to get uncomfortable.So if you’re into unpacking hard stuff with honesty and care—tune in.5, 6, 7, 8!

Hey dancers! Welcome to The Degender Dance Podcast. This whole thing actually started in Lou’s Subaru—after dance class, talking for hours- we figured why not hit record! In this little intro episode, you can get to know your hosts—Kate and Lou. We’re dance buddies who love talking about gender, movement, queerness, dismantling the patriarchy, and all the weird stuff in between. You’ll hear how we met, what we’re into, and probably a few tangents along the way. 5,6,7,8!

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/

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.

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🪩