Helping The Men

[Chicklet]

We've done this before a bit - but time for an update

*sets the scene* last night at Eds, purely by chance, I asked up 3 first night beginners. I didn't know they were first night beginners but I don't ever think of this as a negative point.

All had 4 moves from the class to try. I was smiley and I think encouraging as all three asked me to stay up for another and one wasn't for letting me go at all!!

I "commented" / encouraged them to firm up a little so that I would know more easily where they wanted me to go and pointed out that taking the girls' left had a lot was not something most would be expecting

They had learned the basket and I was so bold as to show that this position could also be used to do a little walk rather than coming straight out.

Other than that - MEN - what could / should I have done?

Can y'all remember what helped you?

And while we're there - any experiences to relate that def did NOT help???

ta
C

[Dance Demon]

Originally posted by Chicklet

I "commented" / encouraged them to firm up a little so that I would know more easily where they wanted me to go

Wow Chickie......thats way above the call of duty ....so where did you want them to go after they'd firmed up a little......

oops...hope this doesn't end up upstairs

[Chicklet]

haha, I'm tired and not tiping my worms properly obviously cos unlike SOME I didn't get to SLEEP in the car on the way home last night!!!

For the record DD, that kind of thing never even entered my eensy weensy chickie head last night!!!

Far too busy delicately sucking the salt and vinegar off those peanuts

Now stop corrupting my nice thread ya bugger!

[xSalsa_Angelx]

I also help out the men chickie.

My b/f tends to miss a few classes also by working away alot, so he misses out on all the fun classes, So I am used to showing him some new slick moves.

I have been teaching him some salsa moves to incorporate into ceroc. (but he needs more)

Had a class last night and danced with some old man, who would not bend his arms to do a return, feels very strange when he did not bend his arms, and I also had to teach him how to do a push spin properly cos he was lifting his hand up as if he was doing a return.

Hope he appreciated my nice charms and did better by the end of the night, shame i never managed to catch up with him for a dance later to see.

Ive helped out a few beginners in the past, and now they always ask me in class for a dance and are becoming much better dancers now.

wander if it Was it the xSalsa_Angelx charm that helped them?

[Bill]

Was taxi-ing last night and had to say to one new man to loosen up a little as the woman he was with clearly didn't enjoy the armjive he was doing.

Getting feedback from experienced women certianly helped me but too many differing messages could lead to confusion. I was telling the men, and the women, to ensure they had enough tension in their arms to be able to lead or followand I think the most common fault in new men is probably being too rough and holding hands far too tightly.

Sounds like you did a grand job and can't wait for my next dance so you can tell me if I'm firm enough

[xSalsa_Angelx]

Originally posted by Bill
most common fault in new men is probably being too rough and holding hands far too tightly.

Andy's not new and he's rough, he managed to knock my clips out my hair, almost knock off my glasses, get my hair tangled up, smack me on the back of the head and almost snot on me and that was all just in one dance.

[Chicklet]

Originally posted by Bill

Sounds like you did a grand job and can't wait for my next dance so you can tell me if I'm firm enough

Can honestly say I have never ever felt reason to complain of anything floppy of an evening in your company Mr F, the occasional slippy when wet moment perhaps, but those are to be savoured eh??

And I guess it must be Friday, all bursting to get upstairs so early in a nice thread!!!!

[spindr]

Originally posted by Chicklet
Can y'all remember what helped you?

Everyone who danced with me; especially anyone prepared to dance two in a row!

Smiles and patience

Any lady prepared to grit their teeth and follow off-time --- and ready to stop/restart frequently to try and find the beat again. Sometimes you're concentrating more on feet and trying to lead than being on time, or trying to hit a break.

Anyone prepared to help me learn a move by being manhandled about off of the dance floor -- to help me sort out my right hand from my left hand, anticlockwise from clockwise, etc. Sometimes you need to train you muscles as well as your mind.

SpinDr.

[Pete]

What really helped me was experienced dancers and taxis giving me the right ratio of praise and suggestions-for-improvement. For me the ratio needed to be about 10 parts praise/encouragement to 1 part suggestions I felt a right idiot for a quite a while (still do on occasions) and wouldn't have stuck with it otherwise.

[Sheepman]

Chicklet, I think if something like that had happened to me as a beginner, I would have been instantly hooked, rather than have a long struggle, and a take it or leave it attitude to dancing.

But it reminds me of a story of a friend who did similar things with beginners, also someone who "gives her all" to a dance (no I'm not talking about Wendy here ) One guy was obviously so struck with her that he quickly got the wrong idea and became a pest. OK it was just one guy out of dozens, but how do you ensure that people realise the extra attention is only about dancing?

Greg

[Bill]

Originally posted by xSalsa_Angelx
Andy's not new and he's rough, he managed to knock my clips out my hair, almost knock off my glasses, get my hair tangled up, smack me on the back of the head and almost snot on me and that was all just in one dance.

Wow............very impressive............. can he show us that so we can demo on stage...... a man multi-tasking

[xSalsa_Angelx]

Originally posted by Bill
Wow............very impressive............. can he show us that so we can demo on stage...... a man multi-tasking

LOL ....... I bet he could not do it again if he tried


(sucks finger) hehehe you know where this goes do you?

[The Wizard]

When I look back now to when I first started, just over a year ago, and I am describing to a man, who either does not partake of the noble dance form that is Ceroc, MJ etc. or is just starting, it is perseverance that counts.

"What?" they ask, "You mean, I've got to learn the dance and lead it?"

The possibility of making an idiot of yourself in front of women is something men are just not use to!

Thank God for those patient ladies!

[Bill]

Originally posted by The Wizard

The possibility of making an idiot of yourself in front of women is something men are just not use to!

yes that's right........men never make a fool of themselves in front of women

[Martin]

Just keep doing what you are doing Chicklet

We have just had a new venue open up (actually a change in venue location) in the last 3 months and there are lots of beginners.
A core of the more advanced are making this their regular and we have set ourselves (leads and followers) the task of dancing with at least 3 beginners each.
The odd wisper of "done my three, onto number four" as we pass each other

It's that number 3 again...

For the girls, they encorage the guys to do the beginners routine over and over, and then if confident enough to mix the moves up, or maybe slip in a move from last week.

For the guys, beginners routine a few times and slip in one or two more beginner moves, then mix them up.


Venue doing well, and satisfying to be encoraging the superstars of the future.

[Lynn]

A friend of mine came along to the class for the first time last night - we have a short freestyle (only about 20 mins) and I spent a fair bit of it going over the moves with him, stopping at any points he was confused with and working through the move. Yes, a part of me wanted to be dancing with the more experienced dancers (esp as I have to miss the next two weeks ), but we don't have taxis and I know that someone needs to be doing this with the beginners. There were only two dances left when we had finished and he didn't get up with anyone else. I just hope that I've given him enough confidence - with smiles and praise where due (he actually was leading me well, just in the wrong direction sometimes!) to encourage him to come back again.

[Yogi_Bear]

Originally posted by xSalsa_Angelx
Andy's not new and he's rough, he managed to knock my clips out my hair, almost knock off my glasses, get my hair tangled up, smack me on the back of the head and almost snot on me and that was all just in one dance.

Quite an achievement with just an arm jive.....mus have been an arm jive aerial.