Tips sought - dancing in time

[DavidY]

Originally posted by ChrisA
For now, you need to find some tracks with a strong beat, expressed clearly in the bass and/or the drums, and learn to hear the four beats per bar. If you need help from someone to do this, then get it - but do it as far from the dance floor as you can. You want a low-pressure learning environment, IMHO.

How about next time you're stuck in a traffic jam (not hard to find in the W Mids when you have the M6, M42 etc., at your disposal) sitting in the car, listening to the radio, just tapping your fingers on the steering wheel in time with the music?

Also (and this may be a totally rubbish idea ) try keeping time with one hand, turn the radio off/right down for a few seconds so you can't hear it, turn it up again, and see if you're still in time with the music.

[Chicklet]

ooh ooh, and sing too and pretend you're a star panelist on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue!!!
You could also get carried away and have a game of Patience Mornington Crescent, not convinced that will help your dancing ALL that much but!

Originally posted by Rougeforever
[b]Hello twoRIGHTfeet !

Glad to see another local. Have you tried Solihull or Leamington yet ?

Solihull was where I started and to say I have problems with the teacher there would be an understatement! I don't like her either as a teacher or as a person. My personal favourite right now is Jaguar - less crowded, better dance floor, instructions I can understand, better thought out choice of intermediate moves, less rushed feel, attention payed to if people have actually understood before moving on, etc.

Leamington is a bit far (and I understand its currently the same teacher as sollihul).

Originally posted by Rougeforever
[b]Hello twoRIGHTfeet !
I am fairly beatless.

Hey maybe should dance with each other sometime if we can get to the same venue? It might not help us much, but if neither of us can tell where the beat is does it matter if we miss it? (Half joking, half serious).

[Emma]

OK, would like to suggest that Rougeforever wears large carnation on Thurs at Solihull, and unregistered carries a copy of Punch. Alternatively I can provide pics of Rouge (nice ones!!)

Do *please* report back, I want to be a matchmaker when I grow up (apologies to Matt though - it's only dancing, babe and anyhow I know GIRLS I can fix you up with )

Should probably check with the red one before doing any matchmaking! Not sure about going to Solihull again anyway, see comments elsewhere. I might consider it though if the red one thinks it a good idea, though maybe only once.

[DavidY]

Originally posted by Chicklet
ooh ooh, and sing too and pretend you're a star panelist on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue!!!

Curses!! The source of my suggestion is revealed! (although it was meant as a serious suggestion).

[DavidY]

Originally posted by twoRIGHTfeet
My personal favourite right now is Jaguar - less crowded, better dance floor, instructions I can understand, better thought out choice of intermediate moves, less rushed feel, attention payed to if people have actually understood before moving on, etc.

Is that the Jaguar Sports and Social club in Birmingham (Ceroc) on Wednesday?
Or the Jaguar Sports and Social club in Coventry (Blitz) on Thursday?
(Or somewhere else?)

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally posted by Emma

Do *please* report back, I want to be a matchmaker when I grow up

I like the mint flavour ones think you'd be more of a strawberry

[Rougeforever]

Originally posted by Unregistered
Hey maybe should dance with each other sometime if we can get to the same venue? It might not help us much, but if neither of us can tell where the beat is does it matter if we miss it? (Half joking, half serious).

That would be fun

Seriously though, sounds like you need the fun putting back into your dancing - and I'm all about laughing at myself !

Come to Solihull on Thursday. You'll be able to tell who I am a mile away. I'm the tallest, fattest (but most lovely !) lady there !

We'll have a couple of dances ! Come to the beginners review session - the solihull ones are the best I've been to.

[DavidY]

Originally posted by Rougeforever
Come to Solihull on Thursday.

Were you at Solihull this week (1st April)?
I was in Birmingham earlier in the evening so went along (didn't get there till 9:15 ish though).

[Rougeforever]

Originally posted by DavidY
Were you at Solihull this week (1st April)?
I was in Birmingham earlier in the evening so went along (didn't get there till 9:15 ish though).

Sadly I was in London on Thursday, and didn't get home in time to dance

I didn't dance on Monday either at Leamington because of a horiffic cold.

I'm sure I've forgotten every move I've ever learnt now.

Still, will dance Monday and Thursday this week and try to remember some of them

Was supposed to be starting intermediates a couple of weeks ago - but saw the demo of the class and went and hid in the toilets with terror.

Originally posted by DavidY
Is that the Jaguar Sports and Social club in Birmingham (Ceroc) on Wednesday?\

That one

Originally posted by Rougeforever
Was supposed to be starting intermediates a couple of weeks ago - but saw the demo of the class and went and hid in the toilets with terror.

I'd try a different venue to start intermediates with. Lynn's routines would probably be classed as advanced if such a level officially existed (intermediates is everything that isn't beginners. Some of the moves I've seen her teach are as complex as all three taught elsewhere put together! Some intermediate moves are actually easier than some beginners ones, they're just not on the list of beginners moves to keep the size down.

Alternatively try a workshop, I've not done an intermediate one yet, but supposedly they teach you the basic intermediate moves. If you've done (for example) a pretzel by itself you're more likely to understand instructions which include 'its like a pretzel, but you do this instead and then do something else as well.'

[Sheepman]

Originally posted by Rougeforever
I think Black Velvet isnt the easiest song to tap a beat to.

I would say that it is just the speed of this song that can make it tricky.

To help find the beat, how about counting out the number of beats per minute for familiar tracks? (It needs a clock/watch with a second hand, and a fair amount of concentration when you start). Counting in groups of 8 should also help with phraseology at a later stage, so count and tap, 1 -and - 2 - and - 3 etc. then doubling the number of counts in a minute will give you the bpm. For most popular Ceroc numbers this will be between about 120 and 150.

8 months may seem a long time to still be struggling with this, but persevere! I know several dancers who have struggled for much longer than this, but who came through eventually.

Greg

[thewacko]

??<i]Originally posted by Rougeforever [/i]
Heh, if you've read my journal you'll know that I already hassle taxi-dancers
I know I have to start asking more men to dance - but at the moment I've only been asking my fellow beginners. I'll get onto it.
Honestly I will. It's just that some of them are just so *good* !

I'm usually open-mouthed with awe! [/quote]

ok so we had a laugh on another thread about emma's paintings, but this is getting serious so, as promised, get your ass down to Charlton. I am certain emma will play a tune you feel at home with and this taxi dancer will be more than happy for you to hassle him (even though I am officially off duty at Charlton as I taxi at Greenwich - but for you

Oh my god I hope Emma doesn't see this, else my reputation for being a bad boy is going down the pan

[Rougeforever]

Originally posted by thewacko

ok so we had a laugh on another thread about emma's paintings, but this is getting serious so, as promised, get your ass down to Charlton. I am certain emma will play a tune you feel at home with and this taxi dancer will be more than happy for you to hassle him (even though I am officially off duty at Charlton as I taxi at Greenwich - but for you

I will certainly get my ass down there once I come back from holiday I've not had an offer as good as that in *years* !

Hope it's ok to bring my feet as well as my ass, they improve my spins no end !

[thewacko]

Originally posted by Rougeforever
I will certainly get my ass down there once I come back from holiday I've not had an offer as good as that in *years* !

Hope it's ok to bring my feet as well as my ass, they improve my spins no end !

bring the rest of you as well, as that makes it more pleasing to the eye

just ask emma and i am sure she will point me out

look forward to seeing you - have a nice holiday

[Rougeforever]

Originally posted by thewacko
bring the rest of you as well, as that makes it more pleasing to the eye

You clearly haven't met me

[Emma]

Originally posted by thewacko
Oh my god I hope Emma doesn't see this, else my reputation for being a bad boy is going down the pan

Sweetheart, the bad boy rep has been down the pan ever since you stopped dismantling your trousers and wearing them on your head (Liz, I think you need to know what you're getting yourself into here! )