Should you dance to the style of the music?

[Gadget]

Been thinking on this for a while and digging around in the archives came upon a thread that reminded me of it:*

When dancing to a track with a particular latin flavour, should you change your dancing to have a more 'latin' feel? Perhaps add a bit of Tango or Salsa styling?
Or should you contrast the music with some 'funky' moves and style?

If a blues track comes on, should you dance blusey to it? Or treat it as a double beat and put in some fast 'swing' style?

If the "flavour"/"styling" of the dance is done with timing and musical expression that matches the track, does it matter?

{* that thread is here: Does music define the dance?}

[LMC]

I try to follow the lead

I have a nicer dance if leads take some notice of the music as a whole, rather than just charging through a series of perfectly executed moves, on the beat, but with no real consideration of lyrics/tune/"feel" of the track. I'm even getting to the point now where I occasionally want to "style" and it mildly annoys me when the leader doesn't let me

But I do try to follow the lead, rather than the music - although I don't think Mr Bouncy Hand man was very impressed at my finally deciding to try Missy D's following techniqe during Shania Twain's "You're Still the One..." (serves both him and Shania right)

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by LMC

although I don't think Mr Bouncy Hand man was very impressed at my finally deciding to try Missy D's following techniqe during Shania Twain's "You're Still the One..." (serves both him and Shania right)

which is? I'd be interested to learn it - especially if it upsets Mr Bouncy hand and Shania - 2 birds / one stone!

(from an ex Miss Bouncy Hand)

I can feel a new Mr Man and Little Miss Book coming on - when they meet Mr Delicious Hands hot off the Caribbean Cruise!

[LMC]

Credit where it's due...

[Yliander]

dance to the style of the music!!!!! – there is nothing more disturbing than watching a couple dance to a lovely latin style song doing all funky breaks and locks – well actually there is something more disturbing dancing with a lead that does this?!?!

I am amazed at the number of high level dancers – who dance the same styling to every song – if you are watching them on video, turned the sound off you would have no idea that the music has gone from a smooth latin song to something funkier - as they look the same which ever song is playing

and this all works the other way around - latin styling to funk music

[Trish]

Originally Posted by Yliander

dance to the style of the music!!!!! – there is nothing more disturbing than watching a couple dance to a lovely latin style song doing all funky breaks and locks – well actually there is something more disturbing dancing with a lead that does this?!?!

I am amazed at the number of high level dancers – who dance the same styling to every song – if you are watching them on video, turned the sound off you would have no idea that the music has gone from a smooth latin song to something funkier - as they look the same which ever song is playing

and this all works the other way around - latin styling to funk music

Although I couldn't say my funky styling (leading or following) is all that great ! - I'm better at the smoother stuff I think. I do give it a go though!

[TiggsTours]

Originally Posted by Gadget

Been thinking on this for a while and digging around in the archives came upon a thread that reminded me of it:*

When dancing to a track with a particular latin flavour, should you change your dancing to have a more 'latin' feel? Perhaps add a bit of Tango or Salsa styling?
Or should you contrast the music with some 'funky' moves and style?

If a blues track comes on, should you dance blusey to it? Or treat it as a double beat and put in some fast 'swing' style?

If the "flavour"/"styling" of the dance is done with timing and musical expression that matches the track, does it matter?

{* that thread is here: Does music define the dance?}

Confused. Is it possible to not do that?

[TheTramp]

Originally Posted by TiggsTours

Confused. Is it possible to not do that?

Ummm. Yes. Ask (conservative estimate?) 70% of the people who do modern jive.....

[Dizzy]

Originally Posted by LMC

I try to follow the lead

I have a nicer dance if leads take some notice of the music as a whole, rather than just charging through a series of perfectly executed moves, on the beat, but with no real consideration of lyrics/tune/"feel" of the track. I'm even getting to the point now where I occasionally want to "style" and it mildly annoys me when the leader doesn't let me

I do find that I have a better dance when the leader adjusts the dance to the style of the music and add little things to keep it interesting . I have reached the stage now where I find it really annoying to dance through breaks in the music and will often let my partner know of the break if he decides he is ignoring it

[Sparkles]

No, absolutely not.
I think you should ignore the music completely and just move your body however and whenever you feel like it. If your partner can keep up with you so much the better.

[foxylady]

Originally Posted by Sparkles

No, absolutely not.
I think you should ignore the music completely and just move your body however and whenever you feel like it. If your partner can keep up with you so much the better.

Thats why you get so many dances !!! I'll have to give it a try

[TheTramp]

Originally Posted by foxylady

Thats why you get so many dances !!! I'll have to give it a try

Nah. I think that she gets so many dances because she's so fab.

Of course, that goes for you too!!

[Andreas]

Originally Posted by Gadget

Been thinking on this for a while and digging around in the archives came upon a thread that reminded me of it:*

When dancing to a track with a particular latin flavour, should you change your dancing to have a more 'latin' feel? Perhaps add a bit of Tango or Salsa styling?
Or should you contrast the music with some 'funky' moves and style?

If a blues track comes on, should you dance blusey to it? Or treat it as a double beat and put in some fast 'swing' style?

If the "flavour"/"styling" of the dance is done with timing and musical expression that matches the track, does it matter?

{* that thread is here: Does music define the dance?}

Of course you should! That is part of musicality, grasping the mood of the music. Style is part of the 'mood' as far as I am concerned.

Finding pauses in all the right places alone does not a dancer good in musical interpretation. Just picture somebody skipping and jumping in Latin Jive style to a Salsa-ish tune. It'd look just completely out of place. You could argue the 'interpretation' part to be individual but you'd also have to draw a line somewhere.

[Andreas]

Originally Posted by foxylady

Thats why you get so many dances !!! I'll have to give it a try

Just be careful who you choose as the victim of your excesses.

[Gadget]

OK, so where does the "style" of your MJ dancing end and you actually start doing a version of the dance dictated by the song? (eg a Salsa track comes on - should you stop dancing MJ and start dancing Salsa? A Tango track comes on - do you attempt to dance Tango, or continue dancing MJ?)

In all tracks, there are highlights in the music. Isn't a highlight a highlight? Does it matter if you accent a stop with a shoulder pop or finish of a smooth leg sweep? Does it matter if a slide in the music becomes a smooth dip or a funky slide-appart?

How can you tell if a dancer is dancing the same way to every track if their musicality matches the song?

[Geordieed]

The term used for this is Characterisation and is a logical step once you feel more comfortable with Musicality which is one of the fundamentals in dance.

[Sparkles]

Originally Posted by foxylady

Thats why you get so many dances !!! I'll have to give it a try

We could try it together and see how well we get on...

[TiggsTours]

Originally Posted by TheTramp

Ummm. Yes. Ask (conservative estimate?) 70% of the people who do modern jive.....

I was being sarcastic.

[TiggsTours]

Originally Posted by Gadget

OK, so where does the "style" of your MJ dancing end and you actually start doing a version of the dance dictated by the song?

Erm, when you're not doing things like the correct footwork, dancing on the correct beat, including the correct moves, you can dance the "style" of a dance to the correct music, without actually dancing the dance.

[Minnie M]

Originally Posted by Gadget

........When dancing to a track with a particular latin flavour, should you change your dancing to have a more 'latin' feel? Perhaps add a bit of Tango or Salsa styling?

If I remember right, we had several dances at BFG doing just that, i.e. changing the look and style of our dance to match the music ............ and it was FAB I loved every dance

I find it extremely difficult to dance MJ to a Rock 'n' Roll or a Swing type track, I have to block the music out and follow - which is such a shame because part of the enjoyment is the music