The dancer and choreographer Angela Trimbur may qualify as New York’s most whimsical dance teacherspinph, with more than 100,000 followers on Instagram alone watching her get silly and spin. Her classes and recitals draw dancers with little experience — and those burned out on the rigors of formal (read: judgmental) training. The ethos is that movement should be accessible and fun for everyone, no matter whether you can tell a box step from a pas de bourrée.

“People hold themselves back because they think that dance has to look a certain way,” Trimbur said. But no one palms a basketball presuming they’re going to make a LeBron James dunk. “Why do we care about so much about what we look like against Beyoncé’s backup dancers?”

Her advice? “Get past the idea of perfection, to do something that brings you joy.”

With the festive season upon us, we asked Trimbur to teach us some simple moves — especially for the awkward moments: how to fill a wide-open party floor; let loose when your boss is watching at the office soiree; and meet the midnight countdown.

question 1

The dance floor is a ghost town. How can I start the party?

TRIMBUR: We’ve all been there — a huge open dance floor. Everyone’s waiting for someone to get out there and kick it off. You could be the one!

Start with simple moves. You want the energy to be at a five-point-five. You don’t want to go full out, intimidate people.

You’re going to want to seem inviting.

60 solid seconds of bold dancing is infectious. It can feel like a long time — but it’ll be worth it. Just hold your breath and dive in.

And when in doubt, make eyes with someone and go for the fishing rod. Reel them in.

question 2

I’m at the office bash. How do I dance while the boss is watching?

TRIMBUR: Let’s be real, your boss is always assessing if you should be on the payroll. So consider this an audition. High energy! You’re going to get the job done.

Do task-oriented dance moves: You’re going to type that proposal! Send that message off. Woo! You’re a go-getter!

Side-to-side is a classic dance move — but what your boss sees is negativity. “No, I won’t train that intern. No, I’m not a team player.”

You want to be a “Yes Man.” Bring that positive energy.

You got the promotion!

DebunkBot, an A.I. chatbot designed by researchers to “very effectively persuade” users to stop believing unfounded conspiracy theories, made significant and long-lasting progress at changing people’s convictions, according to a study published on Thursday in the journal Science.

That sentiment struck a chord with Chancellor Banks. A series of wide-ranging corruption investigations have enveloped City Hall in recent weeks, ensnaring many top members of Mayor Eric Adams’s administration, including the chancellor; his partner, Sheena Wright, the first deputy mayor; and his brother Philip B. Banks III, the deputy mayor for public safety.

question 3

10, 9, 8 … How do I welcome the New Year?

TRIMBUR: The last few minutes are crucial. It’s a whole dang year in the can! But people spend them planning: How much time is left? Where’s my Champagne? Who am I going to kiss?

Let go of the anticipation of midnight. You are pushing through the entire year.

Let your limbs go wild. You’re so out of breath, you can barely count down. Jump, spin, go hard.

jackpot crush

Go full out, so that 12:01 of 2025 is euphoric. It’s almost an exorcism. That’s the best way to start the year.

Video backgrounds, from top: Do Diligence Inc./Image Bank Film, via Getty Images; Toshi Sasaki/Image Bank Film, via Getty Images; Sony Pictures Entertainment/Getty Images; SchulteProductions/DigitalVision, via Getty Images; John P. Kelly/Image Bank Film: Signature, via Getty Images; Photolibrary Pty Limited/Oxford Scientific Video, via Getty Images; Pigeon Productions Inc./Verve, via Getty Images; ApexStock/Image Bank Film, via Getty Images.

Produced by Alicia DeSantis, Jolie Rubenspinph, Melena Ryzik, Tala Safie and Arjun Srivatsa.