Eye Contact

[David Bailey]

Originally Posted by Yogi_Bear

Well, eye contact isn't something that is discussed or encouraged in other styles of dance, either.

Mmm.... I think it's briefly touched on, at least culturally in salsa - the different styles do have different implicit conventions for eye contact.

And head position / direction of eyes is also covered explicitly and regularly (if not consistently), in Tango classes.

[Lee Bartholomew]

Originally Posted by SeriouslyAddicted

I am very aware that I have been bad at making eye contact in the past so I conciously make an effort to look at my partner lots now - unless I feel really uncomfortable with the person I am dancing with. I have also been told that I look miserable when I am dancing so please if I dance with any of you don't take it personally - I am probably loving the dance I have just got my concentrating face on! Trouble is until someone tells you, a lot of people probably don't realise that they aren't smiling or making eye contact so I would suggest a light hearted comment to anyone who isn't might just be enough to make them aware it.

You always look scared when we dance? Whys that?

[SeriouslyAddicted]

Originally Posted by woodface

You always look scared when we dance? Whys that?

Can't imagine

[Gav]

Originally Posted by woodface

You always look scared when we dance? Whys that?

Originally Posted by SeriouslyAddicted

Can't imagine

I've seen the video clips, I'd be scared Mind you, you might have trouble throwing me around like that!

[Lee Bartholomew]

Originally Posted by Gav

I've seen the video clips, I'd be scared Mind you, you might have trouble throwing me around like that!

I'd be willing to give it a go. How brave are you?

[Gypsy Rose]

Originally Posted by Yogi_Bear

...... You don't need much eye contact to dance modern jive, but you won't see it encouraged as part of the dance any more than you will see other important aspects covered in normal classes, thinking here of footwork, connection, frame, lead and follow, compression, tension, musicality, posture and so on......

I have to say that all of the above are taught at every class in my area! I think much of this is more important than the actual move. The above are the bits that make the dance enjoyable and feel like dancing. How can anyone learn how to dance without first learning about lead and follow and tension!!!!!

[Gav]

Originally Posted by woodface

I'd be willing to give it a go. How brave are you?

Only if you work on your eye contact first

[Yogi_Bear]

Originally Posted by Gypsy Rose

I have to say that all of the above are taught at every class in my area! I think much of this is more important than the actual move. The above are the bits that make the dance enjoyable and feel like dancing. How can anyone learn how to dance without first learning about lead and follow and tension!!!!!

then you have been very fortunate, I should have started to learn MJ where you are...

[Lee Bartholomew]

Originally Posted by Gav

Only if you work on your eye contact first

Gav, if I danced with you I would be able to do nothing but make eye contact with you.

[Gav]

Originally Posted by woodface

Gav, if I danced with you I would be able to do nothing but make eye contact with you.

So you'd just stand there and stare at me. Unusual dancing style, but it takes all sorts I suppose!

[Lee Bartholomew]

Originally Posted by Gav

So you'd just stand there and stare at me. Unusual dancing style, but it takes all sorts I suppose!

Apart with the odd spin or 7 thrown in.

[StokeBloke]

With my new found confidence I made loads of eye contact last night. I found it improved my dancing ten fold - not hard I know! I could not believe the difference something so simple can make. I wasn't dancing around holding some one's hand, I was dancing with them.

It seemed to help the girls better work out what I was doing, it made all the moves easier, created giggles in the comb parts - which became much more fun, and I found the ladies became soooo much more forgiving! I wouldn't be as crass as to say they were like putty in my hands.... but they kind of were

If you are hesitant, clumsy and a bit shy like me, all I can say is... just do it! It makes everything just so much easier and oodles more fun. All this stuff about looking at the bridge of their nose and things.... forget it... just look at your partner as they whizz past your ear with a grin and they seem more than happy to smile back in return (or were they grimacing... oh my!). If you are at a loose end tonight, why not come to Stafford and dance with me, I promise to give you lots of spins, smiles and I'll try not to tread on you

In summary then. Scattered smiles, with outbreaks of giggles spreading from the south.

I love dancing

[Lee Bartholomew]

Been working on eye contact but no one really done it back.

Took a lesson from Strictly Sinful's Mikey yeasterday (was pretty lame though) and eye contact wasn't mentioned once!!??

[David Bailey]

Originally Posted by woodface

Took a lesson from Strictly Sinful's Mikey yeasterday (was pretty lame though)

Good grief, you realise you're agreeing with Andy McGregor there?

And you're dicing with Death, or at least Fletch, if you diss Mikey

[Lee Bartholomew]

Originally Posted by DavidJames

Good grief, you realise you're agreeing with Andy McGregor there?

And you're dicing with Death, or at least Fletch, if you diss Mikey

Didn't realise that. I take it all back.

not dissing him. He took a class on behalf of a local teacher and was prob asked to tame it down (average age of 90 odd). Will def try and get to some more of his lessons as i enjoy something diffrent from time to time.

[Trouble]

Originally Posted by woodface

Been working on eye contact but no one really done it back.

Took a lesson from Strictly Sinful's Mikey yeasterday (was pretty lame though) and eye contact wasn't mentioned once!!??

if there is one thing Mikey isn't its lame. Even i would be bashful about making eye contact with him... well thats actually a lie but you get my point.

[Lee Bartholomew]

It was a little more spicy than your average class but nothing risque or even bordering on naughty. The only move that was slightly naughty involved rubbing a hand down ladies thigh.

I know that his classes are normally alot better than that but as I said, I expect he was asked to keep it tame due to the classes being made up of a very high percentage of pensioners.

[Mythical]

I try to make eye contact when i'm dancing. I've found that I felt most comfortable when it was a case of just catching your partners eye every once in a while.
A couple of times, I've found the person I'm dancing with looking right through me, spending the whole dance fixated on someone in the opposite corner of the floor, or with a grim expression on their face. I'm pretty sure I'm not THAT bad...even for a total beginner!

The best dances I've had have always been with guys who were smiling, so I try to emulate them in that respect and let the eye contact thing do as it may!

[Jhutch]

Originally Posted by Mythical

I try to make eye contact when i'm dancing. I've found that I felt most comfortable when it was a case of just catching your partners eye every once in a while.
A couple of times, I've found the person I'm dancing with looking right through me, spending the whole dance fixated on someone in the opposite corner of the floor, or with a grim expression on their face. I'm pretty sure I'm not THAT bad...even for a total beginner!

It is possible that they are just concentrating (dont know if your last line was supposed to be serious or not )

[Mythical]

About Smiling? Yeah, totally serious!

About the grim expression and not being that bad, partially. I could well be THAT bad! Wouldn't expect a Taxi dance to be deep in concentration on beginner moves, though! (though he could be concentrating on remembering who was in the revue class and who his next vict....errr....partner is, I guess!)