Control

[Lynn]

Apologies if there is already a thread on this or if it seems like an obvious question, but is there anything you can do to improve your control – I mean of your own body weight and momentum? I know it is an important part of good dancing but I’m not sure how to achieve it!? I also know that it will improve as I dance more but anyone got any tips or exercises that might help? Thanks

Lynn

[JamesGeary]

Watch people with good control and try and imitate it.

I like watching tai-chi. Amazing control.

Or swap between dancing with someone with great control and someone with no control, several times, and feel the difference, then try and apply that understanding to your own dancing.

i.e. placing your hands and legs rather than putting your hands and legs

Its like an ice skater with great control makes no noise as they skate because each skate touches or is placed on the ice (the skate has no velocity at point of contact), rather than is just stamped there. Beginners stomp their skates on the ice and you can hear the difference.

Try going through part of a move in real slow motion while maintaining control throughout the entire movement.

If you're balanced and in control then you should probably be able to stop the movement at any point, almost instantly with no wavering. Amir was teaching an exercise in musicality using this approach.

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Lynn
but anyone got any tips or exercises that might help?

Balance is very important - especially for spinning, which a lot of relatively new dancers have problems with.

You might try standing on one leg (with the other foot only just off the floor). If you can stay absolutely still on either foot, try the same exercise standing just on the ball of your foot, with the heel only just off the floor, and again the other foot only just off it.

I could spin to the left Ok, but was crap to the right - and discovered it was much harder to stand on my right leg than my left. So I practised both, and it made quite a difference.

Credit for this tip to Amir, from whom I shamelessly plagiarise as much as possible

Chris

[JamesGeary]

Originally posted by ChrisA

You might try standing on one leg (with the other foot only just off the floor). If you can stay absolutely still on either foot, try the same exercise standing just on the ball of your foot, with the heel only just off the floor, and again the other foot only just off it.

And if you have to do something to keep yourself occupied, then while doing this, lower yourself as low as you can go over half a minute, while staying upright, then raise yourself back up over half a minute.

FEEL THE BURN!

[Lynn]

Thanks guys, these are the sort of things I need to try and practise. I will put those suggestions into effect (just tried the standing on one leg bit at my desk). I did find spinning more difficult at first - lost my balance after every catapult the first week I tried it, can usually manage it now with no probs - but I did practice spinning at home.

I have watched others with good control (eg salsa teacher last night) but don't know how they achieve it. They were able to stop at any point in the move so I will try that as well.

I know its about balance rather than weight (I'm only about 7 1/2 stone) and I know it will be better for guys I dance with if I can control my own momentum and weight rather than them having to 'catch' me (not that I fall over, I'm not that bad! I just want to improve.)

Ta,
Lynn

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by JamesGeary
FEEL THE BURN!

Whew...

... the 20 seconds in the middle are BAAAAAAAAAAAAAD.

And if you practise this at the bus stop or the train platform often enough, you will never feel embarrassed doing anything else ever again....

Chris

[Franck]

Originally posted by Lynn
I know its about balance rather than weight (I'm only about 7 1/2 stone) and I know it will be better for guys I dance with if I can control my own momentum and weight rather than them having to 'catch' me (not that I fall over, I'm not that bad! I just want to improve.)

You already got some great tips from James and ChrisA, well worth practising the standing on the ball of one foot for as long as possible, will strengthen your leg muscles and help your spinning.

To help with general control balance, you might have to shift your focus slightly during the dance and rely less on your partner. Many Beginners rely on their partner's strength (pull / push / hold / momentum) to travel / get into positions, and this causes many problems, worst of which is stiff arms / yanking etc...
I recommend you practise 'air' dancing, where you follow your partner (pick a reasonably good lead for this exercize) without actually holding their hand, but keeping your hand an inch away from theirs at all time. This will make you much more aware of how you move, and force you to take responsibility for your own momentum.
Another (similar) exercize recommended by DavidB, was to use a 5 pound note instead of hand contact, trying to maintain a connection without tearing the note!

Good luck,

Franck.

[Lynn]

Originally posted by Franck
Another (similar) exercize recommended by DavidB, was to use a 5 pound note instead of hand contact, trying to maintain a connection without tearing the note!

That could be an expensive exercise! Unless we used the plastic £5s that one of the NI banks uses!

[Franck]

Originally posted by Lynn
That could be an expensive exercise! Unless we used the plastic £5s that one of the NI banks uses!

True

I accept no responsibility / liability for any loss incurred while practising the above exercize!
Feel free to blame our oracle and ask him for monetary reparation (or maybe payment in kind with a dance or two would be more worthwhile )
Alternatively, a trip across the pond to Scotland for one of our week-ends would be the best thing you could do... loads of friendly dancers to practise with, great teachers etc...

Seriously, any piece of paper will do, and the exercize is well worth doing!

[TheTramp]

Originally posted by Franck
Alternatively, a trip across the pond to Scotland for one of our week-ends would be the best thing you could do... loads of friendly dancers to practise with, great teachers etc...

Whee. Franck is turning into Adam!!

Steve

[Gadget]

Good tips above. I also heard of using an elastic band instead of the fiver (what can I say - how many elastic bands can you buy from a fiver? )
Most controll comes from knowing your own body and it's center. Most sports teach balance and counterbalance - I'm sure that ridgid forms of dance teach it as well. It is most evedent in martial arts where the ebb and flow of movement & form should always be centered in the practicioner's body.

A few minor things that can help ballance are things like putting on your shoes without sitting down, (doing things on one leg helps balance) switch light switches on with your elbows (body and spatial awareness) Walk allong the kerb stones of the pavement (balance and movement) Close drawers, cupboards and doors with just enough force to close them (control of force)

You also get "Balance Boards" and "Balance training tools" that are designed to improve balance (never tried one, but could be fun)

[Lynn]

Originally posted by Franck
Alternatively, a trip across the pond to Scotland for one of our week-ends would be the best thing you could do... loads of friendly dancers to practise with, great teachers etc...

Seriously, any piece of paper will do, and the exercize is well worth doing!

Planning to be at the BFG in Sep!

Will try the paper exercise (maybe not with a fiver though!)

Originally posted by Gadget
A few minor things that can help ballance are things like putting on your shoes without sitting down, (doing things on one leg helps balance) switch light switches on with your elbows (body and spatial awareness) Walk allong the kerb stones of the pavement (balance and movement) Close drawers, cupboards and doors with just enough force to close them (control of force)

Didn't think of that - I sometimes open doors by the handle/close drawers etc with my feet if my hands are full (though tend not to do this in public and esp not if wearing a skirt! ). I just need to practise some of these exercises!

[Chris]

Originally posted by Lynn
Apologies if there is already a thread on this or if it seems like an obvious question, but is there anything you can do to improve your control – I mean of your own body weight and momentum? I know it is an important part of good dancing but I’m not sure how to achieve it!? I also know that it will improve as I dance more but anyone got any tips or exercises that might help? Thanks

Lynn

Learn salsa?




ps - someone's just pointed out to me that learning Blues would work just as well - could take a bit longer though

[Lynn]

Originally posted by Chris
Learn salsa?

Yup, already doing that. Started MJ and salsa about the same time (last Oct). Nowhere that I know of here to learn blues, don't even know what it is or looks like!

[Yogi_Bear]

Originally posted by JamesGeary
Watch people with good control and try and imitate it.

I like watching tai-chi. Amazing control.

I.

first time I've seen tai chi mentioned here - interesting as I practise tai chi myself. I think the mental attitude it promotes is helpful in general. The balance involved could be useful at times - though standing on one leg has its limitations for practical applications. But it does certainly promote a calmness of mind - maybe it has reduced any tendency I might have had to be frenetic in my dancing. And looking at it another way, some of the jazz steps I know actually make it easier to learn a few tai chi sequences.

[Yogi_Bear]

Originally posted by Lynn
Yup, already doing that. Started MJ and salsa about the same time (last Oct). Nowhere that I know of here to learn blues, don't even know what it is or looks like!

Blues is growing in popularity in England (at least) thanks largely IMHO to Nigel and Nina....now quite a few teachers across the jive and swing spectrum offer classes in blues. Nigel and Nina say it is learning to dance to slow music. Others may have different approaches.

[Bill]

Originally posted by Yogi_Bear
Blues is growing in popularity in England (at least) thanks largely IMHO to Nigel and Nina....now quite a few teachers across the jive and swing spectrum offer classes in blues. Nigel and Nina say it is learning to dance to slow music. Others may have different approaches.

Also very popular up here in Scotland as well..............thanks to N & N and to those who have been to workshops and who enjoy the UCP and 'bluesy' moves and music.

Lot of very good dancers and teachers around doing UCP and 'blues' classes but still reckon as a team N & N are the top.

[Yogi_Bear]

Originally posted by Bill
Also very popular up here in Scotland as well..............thanks to N & N and to those who have been to workshops and who enjoy the UCP and 'bluesy' moves and music.

Lot of very good dancers and teachers around doing UCP and 'blues' classes but still reckon as a team N & N are the top.

N&N - I agree!

[Sheepman]

Originally posted by Yogi_Bear
- though standing on one leg has its limitations for practical applications.

Not if your Missy D, such poise! Which brings me to a serious point, IMHO it is those dancers which have good posture that also have good control. For years I've been trying to break the habit of the Lindy posture, as that is where I started dancing, and I'm glad to see the more relaxed style of Lindy that is now more prevalent, rather than the almost bent over double style I was taught. I presume work on the posture would come out of Tai Chi (which I've never done), and certainly from Pilates.

Greg

[Yogi_Bear]

Tai Chi should help - but I have to be careful too...often when dancing at Ceroc venues a partner will say "you do Lindy, don't you.."