That 'safety and etiquette on the dancefloor' issue...

[Gus]

Originally posted by spindr
IP.S. it was a breath of fresh air to go along to a new class and get told on the very first lesson that the leader has a duty of care to lead the follower safely; and that the order of importance was: keep you partner safe, keep other dancers safe; and only then worry about keeping in time and finishing a move. Shame that it wasn't an MJ lesson, but tango

Off thread I know but

....sorry to rain on the parade but I'm sick to the back teeth of telling punters basic safety, ettiquette, relaxed grips etc and STILL see the idiots barging around, wrenching arms etc. etc.

[Lou]

Originally posted by Gus
...and STILL see the idiots barging around, wrenching arms etc. etc.

Tell me about it! I'm still suffering a sore shoulder following Tuesday's class including a full nelson & lasso sway.

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Gus
....sorry to rain on the parade but I'm sick to the back teeth of telling punters basic safety, ettiquette, relaxed grips etc and STILL see the idiots barging around, wrenching arms etc. etc.

Why don't you publicly emphasise that it's a real problem on the dancefloor, and that (the worst of) those people that don't get their act together will be banned?

If it's that bad, maybe more draconian steps are necessary.

The issue isn't that the problem is a difficult one to solve, just that the solution may be unacceptable to too many people.

Chris

[Gus]

Originally posted by ChrisA
The issue isn't that the problem is a difficult one to solve, just that the solution may be unacceptable to too many people.

Chris

Disagree. Its a social event ... you cant impose draconian rules without making it sound like non-fun place .... can you imagine the sight of Taxi dancer patrolling the dancefloor giving out yellow and red cards .... come to think it though .......

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Gus
Disagree. Its a social event ... you cant impose draconian rules without making it sound like non-fun place .... can you imagine the sight of Taxi dancer patrolling the dancefloor giving out yellow and red cards .... come to think it though .......

Sounds like you agree, actually, but that you aren't prepared to implement the solution

The point about draconian solutions is that you don't need to go all the way to the maximum level of draconian before you start to see some benefit.

Long before you got to actually ban anyone you could:

... sound a lot tougher when making the announcements...
... have a quiet word with some of the worst individuals
... offer help to the ones that want to change
... make it clear that the worst of these will be banned if they continue

However you make it sound, it isn't fun if you get injured. Most reasonable people will support you I would have thought.

Chris

[Stuart M]

Originally posted by Gus
.... can you imagine the sight of Taxi dancer patrolling the dancefloor giving out yellow and red cards .... come to think it though .......

On a thread elsewhere I mentioned the idea of police dancers, as a joke. However, I thought about it a bit more and realised it's maybe not so daft.

If you think about what happens when there's a police car on the road (everyone starts behaving themselves, driving at the speed limit, etc), then maybe, handled correctly, it could work. It requires a dance event to have specific people with recognised authority, and for all those attending to be asked to respect that authority. Granted, there's a slight cultural shift required for this to work, but after initial hostility it would.

I'm thinking more about bigger events here like weekenders, comps, and party nights. The teacher at regular dance nights can do this job.

[Gus]

Originally posted by ChrisA
Long before you got to actually ban anyone you could:

... sound a lot tougher when making the announcements...
... have a quiet word with some of the worst individuals

Chris

Been there and done it. Although I may come across as a soft little chap ( ) I have been noted to be somewhat assertive when giving out my Sermons from the Mount ... though maybe I did overstep the mark when I referred to the offenders and "f*wits"

Unfortunately, I'm not the franchisee and I think it is there decision (or the relevant Dance Organisation) to lay out a policy. In truth, I do have a lot of sympathy with what you propose, but identifying the culprits, validating the facts and then the exclusion all need careful though ... and I'm not sure that many franchisees would like to enforce this ..... though I will mention this all to Blitz ... joking aside, I think there may be some merit in the Blitz Jives having some 'referee' type authority/role.

[sars]

ok the reson this still goes on is because alot of people who dance with these that lets say lead a little to forcefully is that the dancers are to worried about saying something incase they offend them! which is yeah a nice thing to do.... well if you say so. i personally think it's politer and alot nicer if you tell this person so you and the rest of the place dont have to put up with it, after all if you hear several people telling you somethings wrong with how you personally are dancing not an instructor standing on stage tellin everyone, because it never applies to you then. Maybe that'd be a good thing for insturctors to put emphasis on that if someone does hurt you to tell them about it instead of avoindin them for the rest of your dancin days. What u think??

[Sheepman]

Originally posted by sars
insturctors to put emphasis on that if someone does hurt you to tell them about it

Sounds fair enough.

And I think Gadget has serious competition for a spelling bee

Greg

[Emma]

In my (fairly limited) experience most of the people I have plucked up courage to *nicely* (well, usually) mention to that they are in danger of breaking bits off me through bending them in the wrong direction have been really OK about it, often a bit surprised( because there is a culture of not saying even if most of us have an extensive list of 'yankers') and sometimes even grateful.

I agree that a teacher could mention this from the stage on occasion...but actually generally go dancing for the fun and not to have a list of dos and don'ts regularly shoved down my throat. Most people will tune it out after the second or third time (it's human nature). I seem to remember there being a discussion back in the mists of time about having a *list* of dos and don'ts (the forum archivist might like to trawl through and find it...) that new members or repetitive offenders might be given/reminded of, which would seem to me to be more effective and perhaps slightly gentler.


Am thinking today - very disturbing, normal service will be resumed asap... This post ought also to be up before the punctuation police

[Jayne]

Originally posted by sars
insturctors to put emphasis on that if someone does hurt you to tell them about it instead of avoindin them for the rest of your dancin days. What u think??

I did this on Tuesday! There was a move in the routine where the girl went from facing and in double hand hold to being wrapped in, in basket position. The idea was to make it *look* sharp - but I ended up with the guy who thought that meant "pull the girl about until she hurts". When he did this an involuntary "ow!" came out. In the past I would have kept quiet but after discussions on here I decided to speak to him. I just said that the lead was too harsh and he hurt me - don't do it like that again. He looked quite taken aback - and didn't ask me to dance that night.

I'm on a one woman crusade against the yankers! Anyone else care to join me?

J

(I too noticed the contender to Gadget's crown, but thought I'd cut some slack given that it was their third post...)

[sars]

people will b taken aback by bein told they hurt especially if they've been dancin yrs an u haven't!

don't worry bout em not askin u to dance that nite they will do eventually men's ego's take a while afta they've had even the slightest dent!! an if they neva ask again well either u go ask or jus think at least u dont have to avoid them because of there harsh grip or roughness!

thanx for the slack but really i can handle it!!!

[Emma]

Originally posted by sars
thanx for the slack but really i can handle it!!!

Careful or we'll set Heather on ya

[Punkfish]

I'm on a one woman crusade against the yankers! Anyone else care to join me?

Ooo...bet u had to be careful with ur spelling on that one

I know men can be terrible yankers at times but some women can be terrible clingers too! I have three deformed fingers to prove it!


x

[Lounge Lizard]

well I have have been known to preach from the stage.
every time I develop a move (not just drops) i try to find what will be done wrong and point out the safe way to do the move,
Then stand on stage wathcing the worst offenders ignore me cos they know best

I have been know to ask an indvidual if they are dancing with the lady or unscrewing their arm - That does sod all good

I have even stopped one guy from coming to my class - then the ladies that complained moaned that he no longer came to the venue

I belive the answer lies with the first lessons as they hang on every word, once the bad habits are settled they are a bugger to remove

If I dance with a lady with a strong grip I just let her hand go and break contact EVERY time she does it - after about four dances in a row she gets the idea.
peter

[Punkfish]

If I dance with a lady with a strong grip I just let her hand go and break contact EVERY time she does it - after about four dances in a row she gets the idea.

Hmm... that sounds like a better tactic than the one I use.... Vaseline on the hand, works a treat but the side effects are not advantageous!

[sars]

Originally posted by Punkfish
Hmm... that sounds like a better tactic than the one I use.... Vaseline on the hand, works a treat but the side effects are not advantageous!

Hey mr.punkfish we dont really wanna no wot u get upto in ur spare time!!! is that wot u really do u normally blame it on sweaty hands!!

[DavidB]

You have 2 problems:

- Many people have bad habits that they don't realise. (I'm assuming that people don't deliberately do something wrong.)
- Many people feel uncomfortable telling someone else that they are doing something wrong - usually because they don't feel they have the experience or the authority to do so.

So here's an idea:
Get together a small group of the best leaders & followers at a venue. Give them T-shirts that say "Blitz/Ceroc/Leroc (delete as applicable) Teaching Assistant". Then during the intermediate class their job is to give people unsolicited advice. Make sure everyone else in the class knows that they will do this.

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by DavidB
So here's an idea:
Get together a small group of the best leaders & followers at a venue. Give them T-shirts that say "Blitz/Ceroc/Leroc (delete as applicable) Teaching Assistant". Then during the intermediate class their job is to give people unsolicited advice. Make sure everyone else in the class knows that they will do this.

Nice one David. But April 1 was a fortnight ago.

Chris

[thewacko]

Originally posted by Jayne


I'm on a one woman crusade against the yankers! Anyone else care to join me?

OOPS sorry thought you said summat else