Moving on....

[LMC]

It's only once in a blue moon and when there's a Z in the month that numbers are exactly even for classes...

Which rotation method do you think is best?

To make this vaguely scientific, please vote on the assumption that the teacher has explained the method correctly and that it is the normal rotation method at that venue, so most people are used to it. I've assumed extra women because that's normally the case.

Bad old way = moving a queue of 947 women :non-existent yawn icon

Scatter method = extra women EVENLY distributed between couples, e.g. one 'spare' woman for every four couples

What I'm going to christen the 'split' method - extra women are divided into two or more queues and assigned specific rows to rotate around as per queue method - explained properly here

Other method - please describe...

[WittyBird]

Gotta say since Finchley where i first experienced the scatter and Luton on Tuesday its the preferred one for me

Scatter method = extra women EVENLY distributed between couples, e.g. one 'spare' woman for every four couples

It feels as if you are more involved than just stood there in a queue as if your waiting for your pension.

[El Salsero Gringo]

If it's explained clearly, and everyone knows what to do then it doesn't really make any difference.

Slotting people in between couples works, until some idiot decides not to move on because that would (quite correctly) leave them dancing with an empty space, and they're either too important or too stupid to have to wait out a turn like everyone else. And you need to have a good eye to judge where to slot extra people in, I think it's quite hard to get it roughly even.

Having more than one queue (i.e. one for each row) means that when you get to the start of the row you probably don't have any idea how many people waiting there are ahead of you before you can join the row, so moving on sounds like a nightmare.

Personally I prefer the nineteen-ladies-on (it usually is ladies) method.

[LMC]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

Personally I prefer the nineteen-ladies-on (it usually is ladies) method.

It is the simplest - but I *long* for the teacher to yell at them to hurry up in some venues!

[Gill (Norwich)]

I experienced the scatter method at Letchworth Moday and thought it was great.
Tonight I explained it to the teacher at CerocAnglia, and she seemed very keen to try it.

[filthycute]

I saw this being done at a large venue and the results weren't pretty. The dance floor was packed.....then they brought on all the extra ladies to stand inbetween making it nigh on impossible for the other couples to find space to dance. It looked a bit messy......then....

then i saw it done at another, less packed venue it it worked out fine.

I guess it's all down to each classes circumstance. I like the 'move x ladies around' method. It makes people on the floor easier to see and stops the wimmen chit chatting whilst the teacher is talking.

fc x

Originally Posted by NewKid

Scatter method = extra women EVENLY distributed between couples, e.g. one 'spare' woman for every four couples

[Whitebeard]

Originally Posted by wittybird

..... just stood there in a queue as if your waiting for your pension.

They lob mine straight into my bank account!

But I agree, even as a feller, with your preferred method of rotation. So much quicker, and it copes automatically with late-comers to beginners and droppers-out in intermediate.

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by filthycute

I saw this being done at a large venue and the results weren't pretty. The dance floor was packed.....then they brought on all the extra ladies to stand inbetween making it nigh on impossible for the other couples to find space to dance. It looked a bit messy......then....

then i saw it done at another, less packed venue it it worked out fine.

The scatter method doesn't work well in a very large class or a crowded class. I left a class once that was using this method as I knew I was going to get squashed, stood on or bumped into when I found myself in a small 'space' with couples all around. In a circle it works well as you can stand back 'outside' the circle to have safe space. And if for some reason someone doesn't move on when they should and you find several woman in a gap together, some can just move on and create a few more 'gap' spaces. Its the only rotation method I have seen used in salsa classes, but they do tend to have a lot of extra ladies.

[Whitebeard]

Originally Posted by Lynn

..... but they do tend to have a lot of extra ladies.

Even that isn't going to get me to one of those Salsa nights.

They must learn more about marching than dancing.

Have you seen the chaos on those rare and invariably temporary occasions when there are more men than women? Fancy expecting men to count as well as learn moves!!

[WittyBird]

Originally Posted by Whitebeard

Even that isn't going to get me to one of those Salsa nights.

They must learn more about marching than dancing.

Have you seen the chaos on those rare and invariably temporary occasions when there are more men than women? Fancy expecting men to count as well as learn moves!!

thats why they only ever move 10 on at a time and why men stand with their hands behind their backs ( so u cant see them using their fingers to do the counting)

[David Bailey]

Originally Posted by Lynn

Its the only rotation method I have seen used in salsa classes, but they do tend to have a lot of extra ladies.

The salsa class I went to last week had several men over ( ), but the teacher still moved women on. I guess he figured (correctly) that us men were too dumb to be able to move on.

The scatter method is harder work to explain (and to train the class to do), takes a few weeks for people to get used to, and is messier, but I think it gives more teaching time. In a packed venue, or where there are only 1 or 2 women over, it's probably more hassle than it's worth though. Certainly, it's nicer now in the class at Finchley not to have to faff around "directing traffic" - there's always some woman who decides to go up instead of down a row

Like all these things, there's probably no best method, it all depends on the class size, the venue, the ratio, etc. But the fact that there are other methods is something all teachers should be aware of.

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by DavidJames

The salsa class I went to last week had several men over ( ), but the teacher still moved women on. I guess he figured (correctly) that us men were too dumb to be able to move on.

I don't know what it is with salsa here but there are often twice as many women as men. When there is some MJ I have often had more men than women, we had more men in our Lindy class this week - but the guys just don't seem as keen to wiggle their hips in salsa!

[Baby Peaches]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

If it's explained clearly, and everyone knows what to do then it doesn't really make any difference.

"Slotting people in between couples works, until some idiot decides not to move on because that would (quite correctly) leave them dancing with an empty space, and they're either too important or too stupid to have to wait out a turn like everyone else."

Personally I prefer the nineteen-ladies-on (it usually is ladies) method.

Yes I have been in this situation a couple of times when a lady has decided she doesn't want to move on. You kind of look at the guy with a "what's going on?" look who looks back with an apologetic, slightly awkward look and she doesn't even acknowledge that you are approximately 1cm from her face trying to be extremely calm and polite by letting her know she should move on. Really you just want to shove her out the way mainly for being so ignorant . I find this method makes me feel kinda desperate.


My prefered choice would have to be the "let's move 46 ladies round please" method.

[bigdjiver]

I remember a large class at Ashtons where a lady decided that she was not going to move back to sitting out. The teacher did not notice the pile up at the back, and moved on again. The situation thus changed abruptly to men moving on. Some men, and some women dancing as men did, some did not. Some women moved on too. Some women from the jam tried to rejoin the class. There was a blind guy in the middle of this, with a few people guiding him in different directions. The class collapsed in complete chaos. "Grab a partner, twice through, and into freestyle."

[Dazzle]

I have voted for the "slotted" method but it depends on the numbers to be moved. Before I explain further the venues I teach at are used to both methods I am going to describe.

If I have up to 8 spare people (usually ladies but I have had 12 spare men before now! ), I use the train method, 8 ladies on. More than that I use the split method, however, I only use it on the outside rows and don't place spare people on the inner rows as it can put them in harms way when performing the moves.

Overall I would say one system can go as wrong as any other and the problem is it only takes one complete muppet to kybosh the whole lot!

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by Dazzle

More than that I use the split method, however, I only use it on the outside rows and don't place spare people on the inner rows as it can put them in harms way when performing the moves.

That makes sense!

Originally Posted by Dazzle

Overall I would say one system can go as wrong as any other and the problem is it only takes one complete muppet to kybosh the whole lot!

[Almost an Angel]

Originally Posted by LMC

Which rotation method do you think is best?

Depends on the venue, the amount of people you have in the class and somewhat on the teachers preferred method.

I've used several methods, but it depends upon each situation. If I'm teaching up on stage the queue method (boring old nineteen ladies on) tends to be easiest to manage. Luckily I've not had to deal with there being an extraordinary number of women whereby slotting them in at the front of each row - I''m not sure I can manage this. I have seen people who have made this work and kudo's to them, but i've also been part of classes where this has failed miserably.

If the room allows I prefer to be teaching on the floor, with the people around us in a circle, it's a variation of the 'scatter' method where spare women are slotted in around the circle at various intervals.

I don't think there is any right or wrong rotation method - it depends upon the situation.

[Yogi_Bear]

Originally Posted by Baby Peaches

My prefered choice would have to be the "let's move 46 ladies round please" method.

One drawback to this is the sheer amount oftime it can take to rotate people round to the correct spot, especially when some coming off are coming straight back on, when partners drop out, or when the numbers moving or the direction of movement varies from the previous time...

For me it's the 'scatter' method every time. The scattered people can move quickly to their partner, they can see and practice the move or steps more easily.....and things flow better.

[MartinHarper]

For prior discussion (sadly without the excellent poll on this thread):
Rotate or Scatter?

Unlike folks here, I'm frequently at classes where the numbers are even or very close to even - a fringe benefit of having a significant number of women who can handle both roles.