To Draw or not to Draw the semi circle....

[TheTramp]

Originally Posted by Gus

Dunno ... you try teaching compression and 'lead and follow' to intermediates and see how far you get

Ah. But maybe, if they got taught it right at the beginning, then it'd be easier for them to pick up?? It's a lot easier to pick something up at the beginning, rather than learn one way, then try to unlearn to learn another way. Not that there's anything wrong for most people the way that they do it of course....

Just a thought

Trampy

[The Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by Jive Brummie

The Pilgrim....I am open to suggestions.

I favour a lean. By preceding all movement with a lean, you decrease the potential for false anticipation by your partner and build her confidence in your ability to lead. The amount of lean directly corresponds to how large or how small the step will be (depends on the music).

Leading and following is all done through that elusive thing called "connection". Professionals talk about making the three connections: with your partner, with the music, and with the floor. Connection is a magic that happens through the physical contact between two dancers and their common interpretation of the music that makes the two individuals dance as one unit. Eventually the leads get so subtle that it seems that just a thought carries the couple through a dance, in directions neither had thought of before.

Magic? No, just something that we wish we could do on every dance.

Have you ever been fortunate enough to dance with a real dancer?

...a woman with such wonderful connection that, without ever saying a word, you can have an entire conversation with her through your fingertips?

...a woman who will bring a huge smile to your face almost immediately, because you can "feel" that she's there and moving with you; not moving on her own or wrestling with you?

...a woman with who, using only one or two fingers as your entire connection, you can lead nearly ANYTHING and have it appear in her body as if she was reading your mind?

Those magic moments and feelings of connection are a big part of why I dance. (Of course when I dance with women who are that good, I tend to focus on all my faults, which suddenly become very evident to me )

----------------
"A seeker of truth is no stranger to controversy."

[Emma]

I'll get my coat....

[filthycute]

Originally Posted by The Pilgrim

Have you ever been fortunate enough to dance with a real dancer?

"A seeker of truth is no stranger to controversy."

Of course he has

filthycute x x

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by Jive Brummie

The reason for the semi circle is,

Spot the CTA graduate

[Andy McGregor]

Originally Posted by Emma

I'll get my coat....

.. you've pulled


Just couldn't resist

[Tiggerbabe]

Originally Posted by Andy McGregor

.. you've pulled

Shouldn't that be "leveraged"

[TheTramp]

Originally Posted by Sheena

Shouldn't that be "leveraged"

Or compressed??

Trampy

(10 more to go)

[Mary]

Originally Posted by The Pilgrim

rin: )

----------------
"A seeker of truth is no stranger to controversy."

I cannot disagree with any of this post, and also agree with the poetic sentiment of it. So WHO IS THE PILGRIM??? I have my thoughts. What does anyone else think?

M

PS Couldn't work out how to snip, but I was referring to The Pilgrims last post.

[Emma]

I think The Pilgrim is having lots of fun winding people up by not letting on who s/he is.

PS Mary, you just add {b}~snip{/b} into the place where you deleted all the quote, but use square brackets instead of curly ones!

[Mary]

Originally Posted by Emma

PS Mary, you just add {b}~snip{/b} into the place where you deleted all the quote, but use square brackets instead of curly ones!

OK thanks moderatrix - I THINK I've got that, now I just have to remember.


M

[MartinHarper]

I came to this thread looking for ideas on alternative ways to start dancing that aren't staring at each other waiting for the guy to move his hand... thanks folks, you've not let me down.

Originally Posted by eastmanjohn

What happens if only the man steps back on the first beat. If this creates enough tension is the lady then ready to move forward on either foot for whatever follows?

So, a normal first move goes something like:
1. both step back.
2. both step forward, woman on man's right.
3. twist out.
4. etc

You're proposing changing this to start
1. man steps back, woman looks cool.

That'll certainly work, and there's nothing wrong with leading that way, I reckon, provided your partner can handle such unexpected things. You could also have neither partner stepping back, or one partner stepping back and the other forwards, etc, etc.

[Gadget]

Originally Posted by MartinHarper

I came to this thread looking for ideas on alternative ways to start dancing that aren't staring at each other waiting for the guy to move his hand...

Personally I start before we've found a place on the floor to dance - a simple walk, comic book tango, hand-in-hand stroll, arm over shoulder,...

I may also turn her into the space I want to claim as my dancing space for a starting move (assuming it's not occupied ) Or if it's a complete begginer start with hands moving side to side with the beat and then continue one of the side movements into a move... and we're off.

[MartinHarper]

From elsewhere:

Originally Posted by ChrisA

If a girl cranks my arm round in a semicircle for me during the class, it doesn't make it any more likely that I'll be gagging for a dance with her later

I confess that, like Chris, I dislike it when I get backlead a semi-circle during a class... but it doesn't really effect who I ask to dance, because it seems to be a class only thing. I've never had anyone attempt to backlead me a semi-circle during freestyle.

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by MartinHarper

I confess that, like Chris, I dislike it when I get backlead a semi-circle during a class... but it doesn't really effect who I ask to dance, because it seems to be a class only thing. I've never had anyone attempt to backlead me a semi-circle during freestyle.

Let me attempt to categorise...

There are the ones that don't back-lead semicircles at all. They are usually beginners who haven't learned any bad habits yet. Sometimes, of course, they are very nice dancers.

Then there are the ones who have been dancing a while, and are expecting a semicircle, and I detect just a hint of one, instantly suppressed, when I don't do one.

And then there are the ones that crank my arm round in a determined way, with a large force if I'm foolish enough to resist. They also often tend to be the ones that yank me from side to side from some time even before the 5,6,7,8.

Now, note that I said

Originally Posted by ChrisA

If a girl cranks my arm round

I was referring to the third category, and it's a very good indicator in my experience of the likelihood of getting seriously yanked in a freestyle dance.

They're the ones that injure me during freestyle, since not only do they backlead, they do it in a determined, forceful way, often pulling me off balance when they turn, and making it completely impossible to lead them in any direction except the one in which they're determined to go.

They are exclusively intermediates (any forceful beginners can easily be persuaded out of being so in a very short time), and have invariably been dancing for some time. I tend not to ask people in this category to dance, simply out of self-preservation.

Now, I would add that mostly I blame over-forceful blokes for originally creating the conditions where the ladies have to protect themselves, and so the ladies get into the habit of applying too much force themselves.

But it doesn't make it any nicer

Chris

[DavidB]

Originally Posted by ChrisA

They also often tend to be the ones that yank me from side to side from some time even before the 5,6,7,8.

Like the semicircle, the 'side to side' movement before the start of a class routine never used to happen.
Usually I'll just go with the flow. But if the lady takes that as a cue to backlead everything, I can recommend the following actions:
- Move side to side, but in the opposite direction
- Take a very light handhold, and as she moves her hand, just let her hand go
- Move her double or half speed

But if you do this, you had better be confident that you can lead the rest of the move properly...

[Andy McGregor]

Like DavidB, I use a few tactics to avoid having to go along with someone else's bad habits. To me it feels like it would if you thought it was a quickstep and they thought it should be a foxtrot. They're both still partner dances but they're different ones.

If my usual efforts to lead normally fail my most common tactic is to go along with it. Just relax, let them do their stuff without hurting me - it's a sort of shared lead situation - and it's only a few minutes. Then I heave a mental sigh of relief at the end of the track.

[baldrick]

Having made a great effort to learn to lead 'light', if my partner is determined to go her own way- she does, just without me.

[johnthehappyguy]

Wow !

I had danced with a certain beginner lady on one previous occaison. The dance was ok, but nothing spectacular.

After a class, in freestyle, I asked her to dance, and once we got onto the dance floor I was just ready to start when she screamed


"GO HORSEY"





johnthehappyguy

[jockey]

Originally Posted by Ronde!

We do the semicircle motion here, too; and it's even "officially" called "The C for Ceroc" by many teachers.

I always use it to start, even though I've been dancing a while now. The primary reason is courtesy, as most of the ladies here have learned to follow the C as their lead-off, and I love partnering beginners and making them feel good about their dancing! So one of the alternative starts would be inappropriate in this situation.

However, all the teachers here discourage "bopping". Such behaviour includes: continually jiggling handholds in time to the beat (including repeatedly doing the "C"), constantly bobbing your head as you dance, marching with the feet instead of keeping them near the floor. These things make dancing a lot less stylish and reduce the clarity and quality of leads.

I got all the way down this thread writing notes and, blow me down, if this Aussie hasn't stolen my thunder and made all my points for me! Does one say 'good on ye, mate'? In Le Roc we do a semi circle and step back (G. Leclerc teaching and he's on the panel..). In Ceroc dancers make a meal of it and you come off like you've been ten pin bowling after a break of 10 years. (Not all of course.)
Anyway - hurrah! Now I know how to spell 'ronde'. Now, friend, is it 'rip curl' or 'rip cord'?