Intermediate class format.

[Franck]

Originally posted by Graham
Here's my suggestion. I think I would be able to get more out of the intermediate class if it wasn't always four complex/new moves, but perhaps two of these, and two which were merely variations of beginner moves, or even actually beginner's moves but with a style component. Although it seems as if you would learn fewer moves, I think you would actually REMEMBER more of them to be able to do in freestyle.

Great idea, and funnily enough, something I was discussing with H on the way back from Aberdeen
He was telling me that, due to popular demand, he had started repeating one of the Intermediate moves from the previous week in hi Intermediate routines! In fact, he had taken it to the next level where the class itself would vote at the end of each Intermediate class, which move would be repeated the following week!
I have to admit I like the idea, and I have been toying with for the last week, so I would be interested to hear all of your views, especially if you have any objections...

Franck.

[Brady]

I also think this would be an excellent idea!!! I know a few of us in Glasgow have discussed this on and off over the past couple of months. After getting to a certain level of proficiency with CEROC, it seems that your brain fills up with moves and it becomes harder and harder to continue to remember all four moves from the intermediate class each week. In addition, it would be great to have a chance to add some style to some of those moves that you already know, but are beginning to bore you to death, but you just can't seem to replace them with a new move. Go for it Franck; give it a go and see how it goes over. You can always revert back to the standard 4 new intermediate moves each night!!!

[Gus]

Originally posted by Franck
Great idea, and funnily enough, something I was discussing with H on the way back from Aberdeen
He was telling me that, due to popular demand, he had started repeating one of the Intermediate moves from the previous week in hi Intermediate routinesFranck.

This is something we implemented for a while at Nantwich, copying the idea from our rivals at Blitz. Worked pretty well. Not sure if the club has continued with it but it does help to build up on a theme. Sometimes we varied it, so if we did Almost Pretzel (1) one week, we might do Almost Pretzel (2) the following week or slightly change the exit.

Good idea ... go for it.

[Tiggerbabe]

Yeh, what a great idea.

Especially for me - I dance the intermediate class as a man but as I don't get the chance in freestyle to dance and practice the moves as often as I would like - (you see I do like to dance as a girl too and challenge the guys to lead me properly into moves I haven't done as a girl ) - I sometimes forget them and if we did at least one of them again then my memory might be better.

Think I'll need to do an intermediate workshop as a bloke



I'm sure it would work for the newer intermediates too - reinforcement a key teaching aid

[Sandy]

Originally posted by Brady
Go for it Franck; give it a go and see how it goes over. You can always revert back to the standard 4 new intermediate moves each night!!!

I agree, you should give it a go and as Brady says if it doesn't work you can always revert back.

It was great to go over some of the moves we did at the style workshop last Tuesday. Seemed much easier 2nd time round.

4 new complex moves can be difficult to remember and as a result as soon as the class is over they are dumped and you revert back to what you know. Not always of course!

cheers

Sandy

[Tiggerbabe]

Originally posted by Sandy


4 new complex moves can be difficult to remember and as a result as soon as the class is over they are dumped and you revert back to what you know. Not always of course!

cheers

Sandy

And it's a real pain being a lady and not being able to lead the guy into a brilliant move you've remembered from last week

[Gus]

Originally posted by Sheena


And it's a real pain being a lady and not being able to lead the guy into a brilliant move you've remembered from last week

Ahem ... I think that the real pain occurs when the lady TRIES to lead the guy into this move ... especially when the guy ain't ready for it

[Heather]

As Sheena points out , it is a real pain being the lady in Ceroc when you remember and like the moves you have learned and the man you are dancing with just reverts to his own routine immediately after the class.
AS the dance is supposed to be male led it really is a moot point whether the woman likes the moves and learns them or not. She is really at the mercy of the man's choice of moves.
I really LOVED one of the moves that was taught by H at the Aberdeen party, but have yet to dance with a man who remembers/ knows it. I really love a couple of moves that I learned at Peterculter earlier this year, and fortunately for me Sheena was dancing as a man that evening, so I get to dance them now and again. (Poor Sheena likes them too but alas for her never has the pleasure of dancing them as a lady).
I'm all for reinforcement of a couple of moves from the previous week. AS a primary teacher I would never dream of doing one lesson on say, multiplication one day, and then move straight onto division the next day.
I say 'Give it a try', it can't do any harm and if folks are not happy, they can always say.


Heather

[Franck]

Originally posted by Heather
I'm all for reinforcement of a couple of moves from the previous week. AS a primary teacher I would never dream of doing one lesson on say, multiplication one day, and then move straight onto division the next day.

So many teachers on the forum I wonder why?
Anyway, I agree that reinforcement is a good thing, and I really appreciate the feedback from everyone. I think I will give it a go and see what happens (as usual, Monday nights in Glasgow will be the test subjects ).

One of the things I am very aware though is that a key feature of Ceroc is that you do not have to go to all the classes! You can pick and choose, switch between classes, miss a few and then go 5 times a week etc... I would hate to jeopardize that, and therefore, while repeating a move, I would not make any assumptions about the moves being already known (though I might add a different key / style point the second week, the target would still be for anyone joining the class to pick up the move as normal even if they have not attended the previous weeks

Franck

[Alfie]

Dear All,
With reference to what has been said so far about the intermeadiate classes. Over the last three years I have demmo'd for alot of the lady teachers in the Midlands, and seen many classes from the stage with a purely objective point of veiw.
I think it is a good idea to review previous moves in the class and not to brain fry the class with four really hard moves every week.
I also think alot of what the teachers teach must be based on the overall abillity of the class. ie- if the majority are very seasoned dancers in the room, it is good fun to be stretched a little occasionally. If there are alot of people new to intermediate lessons or the class has struggled the previous lesson at that venue it is nice to re-visit a harder move from a previous lesson.
Another thing it is useful to do is to gauge the standard of freestyle dancing at the venue. If it is looking a bit stale or jaded to your trained eye and alot of the moves are of a simmilar standard, it is nice to be taught (or retaught) moves that are really usable in freestyle.It does us all good to just do intermediate 1 and 2 moves occasionally as it can improve style and technique and allow you to concentrate on the more technical points of a move that you already know the mechanics of.
Happy dancing
Alfie

[DavidB]

Probably the best teacher I know is a West Coast Swing teacher called Mario Robau. At his workshops he teaches at most two moves. One will be a simple move to get everyone warmed up, and the second will be the one he really wants to teach.

However he will teach 3 or 4 versions of the move. There will be the simple basic move. Then there will be the normal variation. Then the advanced version. And finally the 'show off' version.

Maybe you could extend this idea from week to week. As well as just reviewing last week's move, you could build up the variations over 3 or 4 classes.

David

[Gadget]

Personally I like the way the moves are taught; 1, 2, 1+2, 3, 1+2+3... however most of the 'Style' or tips and tricks are saved for workshops (or up to the dancer to figure out by observation.)

How about doing a mini-basic/style/tequneique workshop on stage (minus speakers) during the first freestyle session?
- The moves from the beginners class can be developed and corrected
- Beginners see what a 'workshop' actually entails
- Advice is given to a larger audience
- Would it interfear with the taxi-dancer's "job" ?
- Would two/three couples want to be grilled infront of the class?
- Would there be a massive demand and the selection have to be a lottery?
- Would more people watch than dance, and so the free-style dance time is lost?
- Would the teachers be willing to sacrifice their freestyle time?
- Would it encourage people to attend workshops, or discourage them?

Thoughts?

[Gadget]

Now that I think about the origional idea, I think that it would depend on the teaching;
When there are references on stage made to '...those who were here last week...' it can make those of us in the throng who had to miss the last week feel a bit excluded.
A good idea, as long as it wasn't mentioned /which/ move was carried over or emphisided that some people have had more experiance at this move, so will be better at it than you.

If the regulars are observant , then they will pick up on what you are doing.

[Bill]

[quote]Originally posted by Gadget
[b]Personally I like the way the moves are taught; 1, 2, 1+2, 3, 1+2+3... however most of the 'Style' or tips and tricks are saved for workshops (or up to the dancer to figure out by observation.)

That's usually the case and it works well but it's interesting that Lorna did add a little bit of style to one of the moves last night and there was a ripple of interest/astonishment through the crowd as we did it because it suddenly looked different but it was just what they were doing.

As she explained it was a matter of sweeping the foot back more for the ladies and the men allowing sufficient room and not crowding her. So some style points can be added during a class and make a huge difference to a move.

But I think doing a move again a week later is good though no doubt there are those who feel they would be losing out ! As Sandy said, it was easier to pick up one of H's moves a few days after the workshop as we'd all gone through it several times and so it was much easier to pick upand remember.