Took the liberty of copying the pertinent points from the PlanetJive website
Quote:
The partner of modern jive promoter Colin Shaul has been left with a serious back injury after a rogue dancer threw her into a "drop" move.
Now Colin is appealing for an end to dancefloor "madness", and drops expert Peter Phillips is offering free lessons in a bid to improve safety.
Colin Shaul's partner Colleen was injured by a visitor to one of the LeRoc dance nights the couple run in Surrey. "It wasn't a member of ours," said Colin. "It was a visitor to one of our dances, and he did it after he was told Colleen didn't do drops. I cannot and never will understand men even doing these moves on crowded floors. I am already aware of many girls who have long term back problems. A few years back a male idiot did a drop on a girl placing his knee as a brake in her back. The result was a broken vertebrae. And it's likely to happen again."
Colin is urging male dancers to take more care with drops. "The message needs to go out before something serious happens. Please do something to help control the madness that's going on out there," he appealed. "Let's keep modern jive fun."
Moron
Drops expert Peter Phillips condemned the dancer who injured Colleen as a "moron who threw her into drop without a thought for her welfare". Peter is preparing a dos and don'ts guide for drops and seducers, which will be free to all organisers.
He added: "I am also prepared to give a free drops and seducers class with emphasis on safety, at any venue, for any organiser throughout the South and beyond
Nottingham jive teacher John Sweeney said: "Many men try to perform drops without understanding the basic safety aspects, and many ladies who haven't been taught how to protect themselves during a drop finding themselves being forced and twisted into drops by men who are relying on strength instead of technique. But it is not just the men. A lady who is lacking in technique and who throws too much weight in the wrong direction at the wrong time can badly damage a man's back. Like Pete, I perform and teach an extensive range of drops and seducers and would, likewise, be prepared to teach a free lesson at your weekly evening class if it will help everyone to do drops more safely."
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Couple of points;
1) This is not the first such incident. IÕm aware of something very similar when an independent dance teacher was allegedly dropped badly by a senior instructor of a well know large dance organisation. Legal proceedings ensued (IÕve no idea of the outcome).
2) The offers from drop ÔexpertsÕ to teach safe drops is encouraging but there are a few questions ... like who classifies ÔexpertsÕ? IÕve seen many drops workshops by ÔexpertsÕ and have seem some horrendous drops taught with little real understanding of what will happen on the dancefloor.
Put it this way, Ceroc teacher training is regarded as the best Modern Jive training bar none ... and even we are not allowed to just go and start teaching drops striaght off! I have seem complex double neck drops taught in mass classes to dancers who I wouldnÕt have trusted to catch a pudding never mind a badly trained woman.
In short, if you want to learn drops, PLEASE consult your Ceroc teacher first. They may not be the best person to teach drops but they will always know someone who can (I only teach beginner and intermediate drops myself, I leave the advanced stuff to experts like Jump'n'Jive). Remember, Ceroc teachers are professionally trained by the CTA, many so called teachers are self-taught. There is an infinity of difference between being able to do a drop and being able to teach one well ... who would you trust.
Please understand that IÕm not dissing instructors like Peter and John. They are both accomplished dancers in their own right. What I am saying is that get advice from your local CTA teacher first!