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Thread: Dance Partners

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    107

    Dance Partners

    Like Lyndon mentioned, it is time we returned to more opinionated postings. B)

    After attending many dance venues, I would like to discuss the various types of dance partners I have come across......

    The first being how nice it is to dance with a \"new\" person and
    automatically click with them like you have been dancing together for years. They make you feel very special and confident in your dancing ability.

    The second is the partner who has a slightly different style or technique to yourself but has similar basics eg. backsteps and regular R & R moves, lindy steps etc, so that after a while you get to know each other and the dance progresses reasonably well.

    BUT. . . then there are the others I put totally in a league of their own, I am talking about the dancers that have a completely different style, completely different method and terribly complicated moves.

    A few weeks ago I was approached by a man who danced in what I call \"his own way\"!! This person found it a \"priority\" to try and \"teach\" me his own odd bodd routine the entire time I was dancing with him.

    Now, I am not the kind of lady that doesn\'t enjoy a challenge and is not interested in learning ­ but when you watch this man continually go from woman to woman teaching each one his own \"peculiar\" style it does make me wonder how it could possibly be enjoyable for him or for the partner he is with.

    Personally I believe it creates nothing but a stressful situation when you are thrown into all these unknown, complicated, spaghetti armed, twisted leg, fast moves that are only known to the individual himself.

    I rarely ever say no to any man that has the courage to ask me to dance but...... next time he asks me I will!!!

    More comments please. :P

    From the Smoother Fairer Missy female half of A and A

  2. #2
    Essex Guest

    Re:Dance Partners

    I am relatively ‘inexperienced’ at Rock and Roll and sometimes I feel like I am doing really ok, and other times I feel totally hopeless and out of step.

    It does depend on my partner some men are so good and I really agree with the comment that you are better to know a few moves well, rather than a lot of complicated steps that you are not comfortable with.

    When someone decides to explain the move in great detail on the dance floor it is awful and very often they are not that good themselves. There is one man that never fails to point out what I am doing wrong

    Having said all that, I do pick up a lot of extra moves/steps from partners on the dance floor. It is a great way to learn more than at class and a good partner explains thing very easily and tends to know what you can and canÂ’t do. I notice that an experienced dancer may try a complicated move, but when he realises I do not know it, he tries something I am more comfortable with. Perhaps the next time it will be a move I have done.

    Everyone has to learn – I have a friend that doesn’t know many steps but I still like to dance with him. As long as the people are nice, the music is good and I can sing along (quietly!) I have a good time.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,566

    Re:Dance Partners

    Interesting topic Missy ........

    Perhaps you should have told that fella where to stick it! Hope you only had just the one dance with him. How terribly stressful it would be to have another dance with him. If I understand it right, the normal etiquette in dance circle is no one is required to have more than one dance with the one particular person. So followers please exercise your rights when deem appropriate.

    Back on the topic, all the comments above appear reasonable to me. Not being an expert or very experienced practitioner myself, may I venture by saying that there are definite skills involved in both leading and following. With experience one gets better hopefully. Moves should not be confused with leads. While leads are mainly non verbal, I do find that some verbal leads useful particularly when dancing with a new partner.

    I have, on the rare occasions, received the odd compliments from my dance partners regarding my ability to lead. It\'s a great honour when this happens and it makes me feel proud. Similarly, I would compliment my partner, and thank her, if I found it easy to dance with her and had enjoyed the dance.

    I have also buggered up my dance on occasions either because I had not been concentrating or when my partner is new to dancing or when she tries to \"lead\" me. Nothing worse in dance when having 2 persons trying to lead at the same time. But I would never try to \"teach\" moves on the dance floor unless she requested it. If she can\'t do or understand a particular move or lead then we will get out of it and move on ...... I agree with Mel that a dance even with simple moves, well led and followed, can be just as enjoyable. Not that I have too many \"advanced\" moves myself .......hey, we are at the socials to have fun, and not subject ourselves to mental torture. We get enough of that at work and other places............

    I didn\'t realise there are different R&R styles (unlike Lindy swing) although I have been told that Foremost\'s basic steps (incorporating tap step, tap step, back step) can be viewed as different to the normal social R&R steps?? Would love to hear some comments here ..........

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Ferntree Gully
    Posts
    1,135

    Re:Dance Partners

    FOURMOST STYLE
    FourmostÂ’s basic is Link Back, Tap Step, Tap Step.
    Link = back step on left foot for males, right foot for females.
    Back = return weight to right foot for males and left foot for females.
    Tap (1) = touch toe left foot for males, right foot for females
    Step (1) = step onto left foot for males, right foot for females
    Tap (2) = touch toe right foot for males, left foot for females
    Step (2) = step onto right foot for males, left foot for females

    It is a bugger to convert if you are used to dancing Step, Step, Rock/Step, but after a few dances it is not so hard.

    The extra steps help your muscles and mind to prepare for more complicated moves, beyond simple pub-rock. It obviously works, just look at all the Champion dancers that Kevin and Carol have coached over the years. And for a real treat pay attention when Kevvy and QTPie dance together. You will be able to see them in action during the breaks for social dancing tonight and tomorrow night at the two VRRDA events.

    DANCE PARTNERS
    When I first dance with an unfamiliar partner I like to start with the basic passes and loops while we coordinate our timing. Then I will spin the women to gauge how comfortable she is with this and how strong a lead she needs for this. If we get out of synch I bring us back into a close hold until we are ready to go again. If all is going well I will take us into the various pub rock moves. If we are struggling I will stick with the traditional moves.

    From there I will ask her about progressively more advanced steps, starting with the ones that are easy to lead, eg Lindy Kicks, Toe/Heel and Tunnel. Some moves are known by different names and sometimes have small variations depending on who taught you. Only if both of us are having fun will I keep introducing new moves.

    I will not criticise someone’s dancing, even if she is tearing my arm off. I will just try to lead more firmly. If we are getting on well I will, with her permission, make the odd suggestion. If my partner is really keen to pick up some new move or if there is a step I want her to teach me, and it take a bit more communication than is appropriate on the floor, I will offer to take her to somewhere more quiet (the traditional phrase for this being “Step into my office”) so we can work our way through the move in stages.

    If my dance partner wants only to do the simple stuff then that is all we will do but it so much more fun to get into the more complicated steps. My picture is in the MembersÂ’ Info section. Please ask me to dance if I do not ask you first. Everybody dances a little bit differently and has some thing to show you so it is a buzz to dance with as many different people as possible.
    Rob Ewart
    Victorian Rock'n'Roll Dance Assoc

    www.VRRDA.org.au

    It's your Association, get involved. Good ideas are always welcome.
    Make sure your R'n'R club or dance school is getting best value.

    .

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Ferntree Gully
    Posts
    1,135

    Re:Dance Partners

    Pebblez, never be afraid to ask for dances and never, ever be afraid to ask to be shown a move.

    But never, ever, ever then go back to your squeeze and:
    - Compare his lack of skills with the expertise of some other male dancers;
    - Get impatient because he does not dance at the level of some other males.

    This sort of criticsm can be just as deflating to his confidence as if you were complaining that his doodle was smaller than that of other blokes. It is so much easier for women to dance with more experienced men then it is for men to gain that level of experience. If you want there to be a dependable supply of men to dance with, you have to nuture and support beginners and encourage intermediate dancers.

    The confident dancers who can lead you into just about anything were once anxious beginners too.
    Rob Ewart
    Victorian Rock'n'Roll Dance Assoc

    www.VRRDA.org.au

    It's your Association, get involved. Good ideas are always welcome.
    Make sure your R'n'R club or dance school is getting best value.

    .

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1,566

    Re:Dance Partners

    Yes- the \"D\" word is now officially out of the vocabulary cupboard !! hmy:

    Pebblez - just as a little suggestion. You and partner don\'t have to go to classes to learn new moves although that would certainly help. You can also \"invent\" your own moves with a little imagination and practice. It\'s original and set you apart from the others. So no excuses doing the same moves in future dances ......... B)

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