Stringing moves together, help!

[marko]

Hi All

OK SO I'm an 8 week beginner, been to a Beginner+ workshop which was great. If I write down all the moves we have been taught we are up to nearly 50. Problem is, when dancing my mind keeps going blank. What next? I just don't remember what I can do next. If I sit down I can reel off the moves dead easy. On the dance floor, I keep going blank and just resort to a first move, boring..

Is this normal? Do guys get this on the learning curve or am I just c**p?!!

Any advice on braking through this mind-blank?

Many thanks
Mark

[dep]

Upto and including week 8, all I could do/remember were the four moves taught that night.

Week nine, I remembered a previous beginners' move, making five to play with that night. Week ten I was upto six moves in total.
Week eleven, moved up to intermediate. Oh dear!

If you have already got to 50 moves then it sounds like you could back to the beginners' classes and relearn the 19 beginners' moves and learn to do them well and as near automatic before adding a move or two a month to your repertoire.

[ducasi]

First thing... 50 moves in just 8 weeks?? That's way too many to be trying to remember as a beginner. Concentrate on the basic 10 or so beginner moves.

As to what you do when your mind goes blank – well, this isn't unusual. I had this problem a lot when I was a beginner...

Easiest thing to do is have 2 or 3 filler moves – one for each of the different hand-holds you'll typically find yourself in.

So, a right-hand move... Maybe a back-pass, or a yo-yo.

Left-hand... A man-spin, or maybe a first move.

Both hands... An in-and-out or an octopus.

Work on these moves and have them always ready when you can't think of anything else.

If in doubt, you can do an in-and-out from any hand-hold.

Three years on from when I was in your position, I still have "fall-back" moves which I will do if I can't think of anything else.

Hope this helps!

[DavidB]

It took me three months before I could dance freestyle. I had exactly the same problem you had - I could do the moves in the class, but I couldn't think of any to do in freestyle.

In the end I just simplified things. I tried to remember 10 moves, not 50. I had 4 that started with my left hand, 4 with my right hand, and 2 double-handed ones. Then when I finished a move, I'd just pick one of the moves for the hand I ended up with.

Don't worry about doing a lot of beginner moves. After 20 years of dancing, the First Move, Yoyo and Travelling Return make up about a third of my moves in an evening.

[StokeBloke]

Really just echoing the advice that's been given here. I just want to add one thing. I assume you started dancing to have fun. Don't lose sight of that! Stop beating yourself up, it will slowly gel. Stick to the simpler stuff and as it starts to come more easily to you on the dance floor you'll be able to take the 1st move you were about to do, and turn it into a 1st move lever or something.

It will slowly grow. Be a little patient, enjoy it and smile

[Martin]

50 already!

I would say learn the basic beginner moves well.

16 to 20 basic beginner moves.

I do not know where you dance, some places stick to 16 to 20 some places do up to 60 beginner moves

I used to write down left hand moves, right hand moves, 2 hands moves, and study them.

Spend a lot of time in "beginners" coz most advanced dancers still use those beginner moves...

8 weeks in, keep going, most of my dancing is still beginner moves based, with variation, and I have been dancing for a while now.

Get 4 or 5 moves down well, repeat them, and sometimes put in another move.

do not get put off, it is worth it in the end

[FoxyFunkster]

Originally Posted by Martin

50 already!

I would say learn the basic beginner moves well.

16 to 20 basic beginner moves.

I do not know where you dance, some places stick to 16 to 20 some places do up to 60 beginner moves

I used to write down left hand moves, right hand moves, 2 hands moves, and study them.

Spend a lot of time in "beginners" coz most advanced dancers still use those beginner moves...

8 weeks in, keep going, most of my dancing is still beginner moves based, with variation, and I have been dancing for a while now.

Get 4 or 5 moves down well, repeat them, and sometimes put in another move.

do not get put off, it is worth it in the end

it`s not about amount of moves it`s more how you dance them.....

[bigdjiver]

Aa above plus get your partner into the basket position and walk around chatting. It really helps to fill in the time.

[Lost Leader]

also from me.

What you are doing is understandable. Nearly everyone starts off thinking they need to learn lots of moves in a relatively few weeks and nearly everyone initially has problems remembering and stringing together moves in free style. Is it possible that you are making the second issue worse by trying to learn so many moves?

Everyone on this forum that has been dancing for a while will give pretty much the same advice. Start off with just the basic beginner moves and really learn how to dance them correctly and smoothly. That means doing the refresher class (assuming you have one at your venue). There is a lot more to the beginner moves than you might initially think and they are a vital foundation to so many other moves. If you can lead these moves clearly, correctly and smoothly all your partners will certainly appreciate it and you will then be able to start adding in one or two additional moves to gradually expand your reportiore.

One of the mantras you hear a lot from followers is that they would much rather dance with someone that can lead just a few moves really well than someone who tries a greater number of moves but executes them poorly. You should bear this in mind because it happens to be true.

One last thing - you are certainly not crap. I stayed in the beginner class for 12 weeks before I even attempted an intermediate class and my early efforts at freestyle were really pitiful. However I just stuck at it because, in spite of moments of self-doubt, it was just so much goddam fun. I still often do the beginner class now, after two and a half years, and I still pick up little things from time to time to improve and finesse the execution of those moves.

[Double Trouble]

Originally Posted by FoxyFunkster

it`s not about amount of moves it`s more how you dance them.....

I'd rather a lead repeated 4 moves and did them well rather than try and fit 20 moved in to a 3 minute dance.

I don't know if this will make sense, but my advice would be to make a move last longer to give you time to think about what to do next. For example, if you have your follower in a close move or in a side by side position, hold it there and experiment a bit...a wiggle here, a play there. It makes so much difference and gives you time to plan your next move.

Hope that helps/makes sense.

[Martin]

Originally Posted by Double Trouble

I'd rather a lead repeated 4 moves and did them well rather than try and fit 20 moved in to a 3 minute dance.

Pure Gold...

Mark, get a few moves down well, and enjoy.

Most followers, simply love the fact that you are trying and that you will develop as you learn more. Smile, have fun and enjoy.

[Lost Leader]

Originally Posted by Double Trouble

:For example, if you have your follower in a close move or in a side by side position, hold it there and experiment a bit...a wiggle here, a play there

Leading him astray already DT . Seriously though this is also good advice. Nearly all relative beginners, myself included, whiz through their moves too quickly initially. Slowing down is however quite a hard thing for beginner leaders to do, but it creates so many opportunities for fun - as well as increasing your thinking time.

[Jive Crazy]

First of all welcome to mj you are lucky you discovered this forum so soon as I have danced for years and only just have. I think that the best thing to do with dancing is not to worry just go with the flow. I tend to follow no particular format and just let the music lead the moves.

Steve R

[Martin]

Originally Posted by Lost Leader

Leading him astray already DT . Seriously though this is also good advice. Nearly all relative beginners, myself included, whiz through their moves too quickly initially. Slowing down is however quite a hard thing for beginner leaders to do, but it creates so many opportunities for fun - as well as increasing your thinking time.

This is stage 2.

Stage 1 is being able to lead a few moves...

DT is obviously looking to the future

[Nessiemonster]

Originally Posted by marko

On the dance floor, I keep going blank and just resort to a first move, boring..

Bear in mind that just because you find it boring, because you're currently struggling to remember other moves in freestyle, the follows are dancing with a variety of people, who all have different styles (the same move feels different led by different people), so they are unlikely to be feeling bored.

As a follow I dance with plenty of leads who can maybe only remember the 3-4 moves taught that evening. It really doesn't matter, and I don't get bored.

As a lead, well I have my favourite 'filler' moves I resort to. It used to be a first move, but now I seem stuck in a yo-yo rut. Then I get bored with my own leading and go back to following (which I'm better at anyway, having had much more practice).


(Though please don't take that as a suggestion to start learning to follow at this point in your dancing life. I'm a follower who starting learning to lead about 2 years ago due to the lack of men and having to spend so much time off the dance floor in class. Keep at the leading - you'll soon gain the confidence to string more moves together and make up variations you've not been taught. And we really love good leads!)

[Agente Secreto]

Originally Posted by marko

Hi All

OK SO I'm an 8 week beginner, been to a Beginner+ workshop which was great. If I write down all the moves we have been taught we are up to nearly 50. Problem is, when dancing my mind keeps going blank. What next? I just don't remember what I can do next. If I sit down I can reel off the moves dead easy. On the dance floor, I keep going blank and just resort to a first move, boring..

Is this normal? Do guys get this on the learning curve or am I just c**p?!!

Any advice on braking through this mind-blank?

Many thanks
Mark

Lots of good advice already. Echoing what others say you're just the same as most of us. Every once in a while all of us find a plateau in the learning curve so don't beat yourself up about it - sometimes easier said than done though. After 2 years I still have nights now where it doesn't come together, I've just learned (mostly) to live with it.

My advice:

1. If something doesn't quite work out in freestly then follow the rule of Italian motoring - 'what's behind you doesn't matter' and just move on.
2. If you've had a problem in freestyle then go speak with the teacher/taxi on the side and they'll help you learn the best way to do the move.
3. Don't try to learn every move you're taught in class, none of us can assimilate eight new moves a week. Pick a couple that you like the most and make sure you learn those. What I do when I go to lessons at other venues is to write brief descriptions of the moves I like to help me remember.
4. For now - get yourself completely familiar (and confident) with 2 or 3 moves each for LH, RH and double hand. Absolutely nothing wrong with these being all beginner moves. Make sure you're able to get from LH to RH, RH to LH and LH to double hand (if nothing else you can do all of this using a return with suitable hand juggling as you go). All you need for a good night's dancing is 5 or 6 moves that you can mix and match confidently.
5. DT's advice is good that most follows would rather you danced a few moves well than dozens badly. A cautionary note is that sometimes you'll dance with a follow that is not as supportive so if this happens and you feel the weight of judgement descending on you then back to 1.
6. Have fun, if all else fails and the moves don't work then if you're enjoying yourself this tends to be infectious and the follow just might too - all any of us can hope for is fun on the dance floor.

I reckon it took me 3 months before I was fairly confident mixing and matching 8-12 beginner moves with a few cool 'n confident mixed in as well. If you can remember half of the 50 moves you're doing better than I did at that stage.

Pete

[CheesyRobMan]

I am a geek. When I started dancing I therefore became a dance geek. I have a purple notebook in which I write down dance moves as I learn them, so I can remind myself later on, and when I got to the point the original poster described (took me about 6 months instead of 8 weeks... but hey ) I made a big list of all the moves I could remember, and then noted down beside each one which hand they started with, and which hand they finished with. So for example:

Armjive Swizzle (L-B) - ie starts with left hand, finishes with both

I could then think a bit more about which moves would fit together and which would not. It helped me to start thinking ahead instead of getting to the last beat of a move and then thinking "right, I've got my right hand, what can I do with this - hmm, another yoyo..."

As others have said it's also a good idea to have a fallback routine if your brain goes blank or you can't think straight because your partner is so flipping sexy (it happens) - mine is first move, shoulderslide or manspin, yoyo and shoulder drop. It gives me time to think about what I can do next and repeat "good thoughts in, bad thoughts out" a few times!

[TheTramp]

Only 50? For good grief man, what are you playing at, you should be up around 200 by now. And doing them all, every dance.

By the time you've been coming for 3 months, most women will be expecting at least 500 moves in each 3 minute dance. And if you can't provide, then they simply will not dance with you. Ever.

I suggest practising for 3 hours per day. Before breakfast. Then, getting onto some really serious practise times later on in the day.

[ducasi]

Originally Posted by CheesyRobMan

I am a geek. When I started dancing I therefore became a dance geek. I have a purple notebook in which I write down dance moves as I learn them [...]

Call yourself a geek? And you used a notebook? How 20th century?! I documented my moves in my blog!

[CheesyRobMan]

Originally Posted by ducasi

Call yourself a geek? And you used a notebook? How 20th century?! I documented my moves in my blog!

Blog? Blog?! Luxury! When I were a lad we had no such blogs. We had scraps o't'wood from t'fire, and we had to get them out with our bare hands. And then we had to write on them using fingernails. Spent many a dark evening picking splinters from under nail, we did.