Body rolls

[Jayne]

Right, after the Victor & Lydia workshop at the weekend I'm DETERMINED to get body rolls working! Can anyone offer advice??

Lydia said that the way to do it was to start with shoulders back, chest out and bum back. I can get that bit. What then follows can probably be best described as "having a fit", which is then followed by giggling... Apparently I should be sitting on an invisble chair instead...

Is it better to try and exaggerate the movement (ie make it bigger)? I think I'm trying not to, which is why it ends up as looking like a fit...

Also, once I've sat down on my invisible chair - what then? just pop back up again?

I figure I've got a flexible body so I should be able to do this...

Anyone got any handy hints???

Cheers!

Jayne

[Stuart M]

Originally posted by Jayne
Anyone got any handy hints???

I'm sure the bum thing Lydia taught helps improve the flexibility which is vital for body rolls, so maybe you should practice that.

[Graham]

Originally posted by Stuart M

I'm sure the bum thing Lydia taught helps improve the flexibility which is vital for body rolls, so maybe you should practice that.

So are you disputing the following?

Originally posted by Jayne
I figure I've got a flexible body so I should be able to do this...

[Stuart M]

Originally posted by Graham

So are you disputing the following?

Of course not - but extra practice never hurt anybody (well, OK, maybe me if I keep up this level of cheek...:sorry )

To be serious for a wee minute, you really have to be very flexible to make a body roll look good. I tried practicing them in front of a mirror on Sunday and looked like a right pillock. Still, I'll persevere (prepare to have a right good laugh on Wednesday, Graham!)

[Jayne]

But I've got a flexible body so I should be able to do it! Can YOU stand on one foot and put the other on your head? So why can't I body roll???

Jayne

[filthycute]

Originally posted by Jayne
But I've got a flexible body so I should be able to do it! Can YOU stand on one foot and put the other on your head? So why can't I body roll???

Jayne

Now this is my subject!

Hunt me down on Saturday Jayne and we'll get you all fixed in no time

filthycute x x

[Graham]

Originally posted by Stuart M
I tried practicing them in front of a mirror on Sunday and looked like a right pillock.

Good grief! I'm impressed - you're a much braver man than me! Call me an ostrich, but I'd rather pretend not to know that I look like a pillock when I'm dancing (I say pretend, as certain helpful taxi-dancer-type individuals generously keep me informed ). I therefore shun the use of mirrors, videos etc. (at least for the time being - maybe when I'm more confident!)

Originally posted by Jayne
Can YOU stand on one foot and put the other on your head? So why can't I body roll???

No, but to be fair, your feet are nearer you head than mine Anyway, I'm not sure I believe you without a demonstration (I seem to have gone all distrustful all of a sudden )

[Jayne]

Originally posted by filthycute


Now this is my subject!

Hunt me down on Saturday Jayne and we'll get you all fixed in no time

filthycute x x

Cheers FC!

Jayne

[Stuart M]

Originally posted by Graham
Good grief! I'm impressed - you're a much braver man than me! Call me an ostrich, but I'd rather pretend not to know that I look like a pillock when I'm dancing

There's an old quote from a US baseball player called Satchel Paige, which goes:

Work like you don't need the money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.

My dancing improved, I think, when I started to understand that last line. I'm not so sure about the first one, though...

[Jayne]

Originally posted by Stuart M

There's an old quote from a US baseball player called Satchel Paige, which goes:

Work like you don't need the money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.

My dancing improved, I think, when I started to understand that last line. I'm not so sure about the first one, though...

Wasn't that in the Baz Luhrman Sun screen song a few years ago?

Did he give any advice on body rolls???

Jayne

[Stuart M]

Originally posted by Jayne
Wasn't that in the Baz Luhrman Sun screen song a few years ago?

What's the "Sun screen song"? Interesting because I hunted the internet this morning for 5 minutes - been too busy posting to the Forum otherwise :sorry - about this quote. It sounds too much like song lyrics for a baseball player, but I couldn't find another source.

Did he give any advice on body rolls???

=Given that Mr.Paige was a pitcher, he'd have been pretty flexible (ever seen how they wind themselves up to pitch?). So he probably would have.

Haven't a scooby what it was, though

[filthycute]

Originally posted by Stuart M

I tried practicing them in front of a mirror on Sunday ...

Yep your on the right track Stuart.
Ok Glasgow party...class starts at 10 sharp in the corridor for people interested Great fun to practice with a partner aswell if you don't mind getting up a little close

filthycute x x

[Bill]

Originally posted by Jayne
But I've got a flexible body so I should be able to do it! Can YOU stand on one foot and put the other on your head? So why can't I body roll???

Jayne

With FC's help you'll manage :p She's the queen of the body roll.

But one foot on your head ..........now that I've got to see. What a useful skill that must be

[DavidB]

Originally posted by Jayne
I'm DETERMINED to get body rolls working! Can anyone offer advice??

This is how it was explained to me. Stand facing a wall, with one foot touching the wall, and the other about 6 inches away. Put your weight on the front foot, and get your legs, hips, chest and head all touching the wall.
Then imagine someone is moving their arm down between you and the wall. So you have to move your head out of the way, then your shoulders, your chest, stomach, hips and knees. You should finish with all your weight on your back foot.

The wall just gives you something physical to relate to - ie you need to move your chest back and leave your stomach and hips still touching the wall.

You can do the same thing in reverse, and also facing the other direction, but be careful you don't headbutt the wall!

The other thing that is supposed to help is doing isolation exercises. Think of moving each of the major parts of your body (head, shoulders, chest, hips and knees) without moving any other part. Try to move each part forwards, backwards, left and right, up and down.

(Despite this, I still can't do body rolls!)

David

[Gadget]

Originally posted by Stuart M
What's the "Sun screen song"? Interesting because I hunted the internet this morning for 5 minutes

Artist: Baz Luhrmann
Album: unknown
Song: Everybody Is Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

http://www.reallyrics.com/lyrics/B003300010001.asp

I especially like;
"Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone "
and
"Dance
Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room"

[Jayne]

Originally posted by DavidB
This is how it was explained to me. Stand facing a wall, with one foot touching the wall, and the other about 6 inches away. Put your weight on the front foot, and get your legs, hips, chest and head all touching the wall.
Then imagine someone is moving their arm down between you and the wall. So you have to move your head out of the way, then your shoulders, your chest, stomach, hips and knees. You should finish with all your weight on your back foot.

The wall just gives you something physical to relate to - ie you need to move your chest back and leave your stomach and hips still touching the wall.

You can do the same thing in reverse, and also facing the other direction, but be careful you don't headbutt the wall!

The other thing that is supposed to help is doing isolation exercises. Think of moving each of the major parts of your body (head, shoulders, chest, hips and knees) without moving any other part. Try to move each part forwards, backwards, left and right, up and down.

(Despite this, I still can't do body rolls!)

David

OK, I just tried this in the office.

Looked more like a seal than a fit this time... I'll keep practising though - it amuses the people I work with...

As for the foot on the head - you never know when you might need it...

FC - look forward to the masterclass!

Jayne

[Jayne]

DavidB: I tried this at home last night and it was really good advice! I can now do it against a wall, so if I get a partner who can end his comb or shoulder roll with me against the wall I'll be fine....

I'll keep practising....

Jayne

[Graham]

Originally posted by Jayne
DavidB: I tried this at home last night and it was really good advice! I can now do it against a wall, so if I get a partner who can end his comb or shoulder roll with me against the wall I'll be fine....

I'll keep practising....

Jayne

I could bring a sheet of plywood to the class if it would help

[Bill]

Originally posted by Jayne
DavidB: I tried this at home last night and it was really good advice! I can now do it against a wall, so if I get a partner who can end his comb or shoulder roll with me against the wall I'll be fine....

I'll keep practising....

Jayne

Well if I make it on Saturday I'll try and find a wall for you do it against

Would that be a left or right handed comb - or would it matter?

[Jayne]

You're both too kind!!!

Bill: left-handed comb would be preferable

Jayne