knowing when it's time to take a break?

[Jon L]

From mid February until now I have almost stopped dancing. I have done one or two evenings but no where near what I was doing at the end of last year where I was out an average of 3 - 4 times a week.

The reason for this dear friends was that I suffered a kind of jive "burn out". In other words I was not enjoying what I was doing. Therefore I felt right to cut back and focus on some other things which I had let slip, relationships with other friends being one of them. Although I also went skiing

Now though I am about to re-emerge on the floor, I hope I am not too late for the ceroc champs.

But that leads me on to a question, have any other of the regulars experienced a 'burn out'?

[Bill]

Several times...................... every time I reach a plateau and feel I'm actually going backwards in terms of moves and style and often after a comp with the anti-climax and the need to 'rest'. (mentioned this on another thread).

I only dance once/twice a week on average and a couple of party nights a month and need some workshops to get my 'zest' back - as with David and Lily a few weeks ago.

However, have London, Southport and then Beach Boogie to look forward to and then the Scottish Comp so can have a wee break somewhere in there.

[Jayne]

Originally posted by Jon L
But that leads me on to a question, have any other of the regulars experienced a 'burn out'?

Absolutely!

I barely danced at all last year, apart from the cabaret that we took down to Hammersmith. I went to the odd party night but only danced about half the tracks, did the occasional workshop and went to about half a dozen classes all year.

Then I moved to London and discovered a fresh group of fab dancers and got all enthused again (but moving somewhere new isn't something I'd really recommend just to get back into dancing!)

It's completely normal Jon!

Welcome back to the dance floor!

J

[Jooles]

Funnily enough, I was talking to a MJ friend about this only last night.

I was saying that I just couldn't imagine a day when I wouldn't want to dance. I've been cerocing now for about two and a half years. He said that he felt it was a bit different for guys because, in his case, he had reached a stage when he had about twenty moves and didn't seem to be able to add to his repertoire, but could see a time when he would get fed up with only doing those moves over and over again.

Whereas for us girls, if we dance with a variety of men everytime we go dancing, we get to do a variety of moves.

Hope this makes sense ....

[Peter]

Originally posted by Jooles
he ... could see a time when he would get fed up with only doing those moves over and over again.

Whereas for us girls, if we dance with a variety of men everytime we go dancing, we get to do a variety of moves. ....

I regularly get fed up with my moves ... that signals time to go to the bar or, if REALLY bored, its time to go home ...

[Jon L]

Originally posted by Jooles
Funnily enough, I was talking to a MJ friend about this only last night.

I was saying that I just couldn't imagine a day when I wouldn't want to dance. I've been cerocing now for about two and a half years. He said that he felt it was a bit different for guys because, in his case, he had reached a stage when he had about twenty moves and didn't seem to be able to add to his repertoire, but could see a time when he would get fed up with only doing those moves over and over again.

Whereas for us girls, if we dance with a variety of men everytime we go dancing, we get to do a variety of moves.

Hope this makes sense ....

Yes it makes a lot of sense - I probably know a 150 odd moves that I could recall out of my brain plus about 30 - 40 drops. So I have been through the stage where a class goes in one ear and out the other. Viktor and Nigel are the exceptions.

[Lynn]

Originally posted by Bill
Several times...................... every time I reach a plateau and feel I'm actually going backwards in terms of moves and style...

Sadly I feel like this most weeks (sigh). (And a bit frustrated as still doing mainly beginners moves and only about 20 mins freestyle, this is because of current class structure and the teacher is trying to remedy this. OK - moan over.) I haven't yet got to the 'having several months break' stage but there have been a few occasions with a gap of 2 or 3 weeks - must admit I usually enjoy it even more when I get back to it!

I think taking a break like Jon did can be a really good idea, when you go back to it you have renewed enthusiasm.

Hope you enjoyed your 'sabbatical' Jon - now get back to that dancefloor!

[TheTramp]

Originally posted by Jon L
But that leads me on to a question, have any other of the regulars experienced a 'burn out'?

Not yet. But I don't go that often!!

Trampy

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Jon L
I probably know a 150 odd moves that I could recall out of my brain plus about 30 - 40 drops.

So where do you recall the 30-40 drops from then?

[Stuart]

I find that when I feel as though I am reaching "burn out", a change of venue will often do the trick and rejuvinate me.

Somebody also told me once at a workshop that researchers have discovered there is a finite limit to how many moves the brain can retain. Obviously it varies from person to person, and I'd put myself towards the bottom end of the range!

[Dance Demon]

My problem has never been so much burn out, more boredom. If you are going to the same venue all the time, it can start to get that you feel " here we go again, dancing with the same people, to the same music". I was starting to feel that way before I went to Blackpool, but i had a great weekend, and danced as much as i could during the freestyles, to different music, with different people. so i think I am just as enthusiastic about dancing, but the change was good.

[Andy McGregor]

Originally posted by Jon L
But that leads me on to a question, have any other of the regulars experienced a 'burn out'?

Not personally, but I know people that have. And I think a break, or cutting down could help.

Speaking personally, when I find myself getting bored I go dancing MORE, I go to more venues, dance with more people, learn more moves, etc, etc, etc.

[Alfie]

Hi all,
I've been at the severe boredom phase a couple of times and stopped going to M.J classes all together.
A change of venues helps or a complete change of dance, we went to ballroom classes for a while and this helped with my dancing in general but gave us a total break.
It only takes one good workshop or a fab freestyle to get back into it.
If I feel my dancing becomming jaded, I try a complete change of style ( change being as good as a rest ) and dance to music I would not normally dance to.
I also look for something to stretch my abilities a little or try travelling out of my local patch to dance with new people.
Welcome back to the floor and have fun.

[Jon]

When this happens to me I do as Andy does and go out dancing even more but to venues I rarely go to. In fact I've got 1 venue that I goto about every 2 months or so or at the point I feel I'm getting bord. I know that none of my regular crowd will be there and the lesson will be challenging which is what I need at that point and every time I have been I've had a fab time.

[Andy McGregor]

Originally posted by Jon
When this happens to me I do as Andy does and go out dancing even more but to venues I rarely go to.

Does anyone else find that there is a significant difference in styles between venues? When I visit some venues a huge proportion of women dance the same way as each other. The other thing that happens when I visit a new venue is that some women ask me what kind of dancing I'm doing

Last night one guy even told me that I frequently looked like I was nearly dropping my partner and asked if that was by accident or on purpose as she was laughing the whole time and didn't seem at all scared (no, I checked my flies)

[DavidB]

Originally posted by Andy McGregor
The other thing that happens when I visit a new venue is that some women ask me what kind of dancing I'm doing

Don't worry - I get this comment even at venues I go to every week.

[spindr]

Originally posted by DavidB
Don't worry - I get this comment even at venues I go to every week.

Hmmm, can't beat that...
...but it's not surprising to get that comment if their dance "vocab"'s based on what's danced at a particular (single) franchise/venue. Teacher's are surely only likely to teach their more favourite moves, and then leaders at that venue will further subset them -- again based on preference, frequency, etc.

I managed to put one follower off on Friday by doing a spin -- she was completely unused to leaders spinning.

SpinDr.

P.S. Of course, I sometimes forget to dance only regular MJ moves -- I remember one partner asking me "How many styles was that?" as we finished a couple of bars of polka'ing.

[Jon L]

Folks,

I have been off the dance floor too long, the last events I did were The stomp on 28th March. Although a nice evening it was a bad night for me - i got a foot infection afterwards! so that out me out of dancing for a week after.

Next night back on was Friday 16th April in London. this has to be the lowest amount of dancing I have done in three years, but I have found the rest good,.

Now it's time I turned my attention to Southport.

I have missed some of you and look forward to joining you again for a dance.

[Lynn]

Welcome back Jon! See you in Southport.

I am going to have to take an enforced MJ break after that as the teacher announced last night it was the last regular class until September And there are no other venues for MJ so it will be a real break. (though some of the class are hopefully going to get together for some dancing, BBQ etc over the summer.)

Ah well, will give me a chance to get back into the salsa.

[Yogi_Bear]

Originally posted by DavidB
Don't worry - I get this comment even at venues I go to every week.

Well, if that is true for Andy and David B then there is hope for me yet - I'm glad I'm not the only one. Maybe it's because I see most if not all MJ moves as simply a basis for improvisation (with the music)......and variation.