Common bad habits

[Tessalicious]

Originally Posted by Clive Long

Miss (I'm sorry I have a cold)
Can that inclusion of smilies only be achieved by putting in that "href" link ????

e.g. href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner= ... in this case ??

CRL

Hmm they showed up on my screen, but I guess you have to have the program installed. Sorry.

[robd]

Originally Posted by Tessalicious

Hmm they showed up on my screen, but I guess you have to have the program installed. Sorry.

I'm seeing them OK and I don't think I have the program installed (not that I actually know what the program is )

Robert

[ducasi]

Well do they work without the HREFs and as vBcode?





Seem to....

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by Cruella

Well i did turn down two men over the weekender. They weren't postponed. I didn't want to dance with them, as i had danced with them the night before and been uncomfortably yanked around. Does that make me a bad person?

Only if you failed to tell them why

[Cruella]

Originally Posted by ChrisA

Only if you failed to tell them why

So you wanted me to tell them they were yankers?

[El Salsero Gringo]

Originally Posted by ducasi

Well do they work without the HREFs and as vBcode?





Seem to....

how about this?

These are cute too:

[Tiggerbabe]

Now, that tigger is WAY cute

[robd]

Originally Posted by Cruella

So you wanted me to tell them they were yankers?

Tell them they smell - they may be less offended

[Ghost]

Originally Posted by El Salsero Gringo

The one I've noticed most commonly is actually the habit of complaining to all and sundry about how bad other people's dancing is - especially "beginners."

Looking past "beginner" type habits you start with eg death grips, and considering the bad ones you pick up as you go along, or the useful beginners habits which don't always get dropped after they've outlived their usefulness

1)

Originally Posted by Lynn

Marking the beat with hand bouncing

I've experienced beginners who didn't do it when they started Ceroc, gradually start doing it after a while because that's how the demostrators demonstrated the moves.

Though to be fair I do know one lady who somehow manages to dance this Tigger style superbly. I couldn't tell you how, and it doesn't work if I actually try and lead a bouncy dance, but provided I dance normally, she bounces and the whole dance flows incredibly smoothly.

2) Always doing move A followed by Move B (Perfectly reasonably for beginners, but I suspect probably something to grow out of) *

3) Working out lists of moves in your head as you dance. (Again, no problem with beginners doing this - or trying to, mind going blank syndrome - but as you get more proficient you're giving up a lot of your ability to respond and react to the music and your partner, not to mention what do you do if she sabotages the thing half way through) *

(* Ok there's a few reasons for using these habits. You want to practice a routine, you want to learn a new move and you want some safety moves around it etc. What I'm saying is the difference between conciously using them for a specific circumstance rather than a background habit which you're no longer aware of. But hey, if they work for you, it's all good )

4)

Originally Posted by TiggsTours

The one I'd add would have to be lack of spacial awareness, and those around you (surprised nobody else has mentioned it!) Last Friday I was having a very lovely WCS with Rythmn King, and he lead me into a lean, I didn't even move my feet, and when he brought me back to standing, there was someone in the space my left foot had momentarily raised 2 inches from!

Again not something I have a problem with when it's beginners (I vividly remember thinking "I want to move away from these people who are crowding me - How do I do it? ) or someone dancing with a beginner (There's some wiggle room, but if you're leading / being led up and down in a slot there's not much you can do if others still try and crash into you. )

But...
"If you're good enough to dance intermediate / advanced moves, then you should be good enough not to dance them into me" ~ me

Also the strange habit of seemingly following another couple around the room so you can crowd them.

5) Abandonning your own style to dance "Ceroc" style. Does this make sense? There are women who dance identically, always style their hand the exact same way, not because they want to, but because the teacher goes "You can style the move this way" and somehow they hear it as "You must style the move this way". It's strange but it feels like the lady is kind of in a straight jacket from an energy / connection viewpoint as she's dancing the way she's 'supposed' to rather than expressing herself freely.

6) Dancing beyond the ability of your partner because you're "better" than them. I'm not saying that you should only dance beginner moves with beginners. If you can dance advanced moves with a beginner that's fine if they can comfortably dance them with you (in which case ).

I really dislike it when this happens instead...

Originally Posted by Rougeforever

Please, gentlemen. Please. I'm imploring you:

If you ask a lady to dance, please have some regard for her dancing, and don't just throw your favourite intermediate moves at her until she is so dizzy she can't even remember her name.

Please.

I danced with a lovely chap at a venue in the Midlands tonight.

He threw some intermediate moves at me. I fluffed them. (I've only done about 5 intermediate classes).

He then threw some more at me. I fluffed them too.

Then, for a bit of variety he threw a little manspin in, followed by some more intermediate moves I didn't know.

I was very relieved at the end of the dance. I even joked with him 'Can't we do the armjive for three minutes ?'.

Maybe I should have been more vocal in telling him he was confusing me. Maybe I should have said "lead beginner moves only!".

Sadly this dance really knocked my confidence (when you spend nearly a whole track getting it wrong and looking like a one-legged prawn it happens) and I ended up rather more upset than I should be. (I'm VERY insecure about my dancing, and how I don't seem to be able to improve).

Don't let it come to this, gentlemen ! (I'm sure you don't).

Please, try and make your partner feel comfortable. I like dancing with men who throw in the occasional strange move - (maybe one move in 8 - gives me the other 7 to settle) but this was ridiculous.

7) Getting used to dancing with a specific person(s) and then not taking this into account when you dance with someone else.

8) Women leading their own drops and men stepping back to watch as they plummet towards the deck

9) Always doing the same style/interpretations to a specific song / Always ending a song with a dip

10) Doing moves based on their "flash factor" rather than by how well you can actually do them. Not appreciating "simple" moves. Seriously guys, get a really good lady dancer and just dance a few returns with her and watch how she moves. Then try and remember to when you first started Ceroc (Turn her anticlockwise ?? Which way is anticlockwise ?! ) Ditto the beginners moves - they're a pleasure to watch if the lady is
a) dancing them smooth as silk
b) smiling

Take care
Christopher

[robd]

Originally Posted by MartinHarper

What bad dancing habits are there that are particularly common amongst MJers?

The 'round and round we go' dancing in a clockwise circle is something that I am becoming more and more aware of and would like to lessen, if not stop completely.

[New_to_London]

Originally Posted by robd

The 'round and round we go' dancing in a clockwise circle is something that I am becoming more and more aware of and would like to lessen, if not stop completely.

I was doing this for a while, myself. I picked it up when an instructor told me to do it. I only stopped after a lady pointed out that it was an issue. For a man, I think the best way to stop doing it is by substituting moves that will place you into other locations, such as man-“travelling” versions of moves, man-returns, step-across, etc. This keeps you moving about, without the constant rotation.

Originally Posted by Ghost

6) Dancing beyond the ability of your partner...

I have been guilty of this--I need to watch myself. On a few occasion, the lady has complained of becoming dizzy from all the spinning. And, just after getting back from Southport, and dancing with so many advanced dancers, I danced with a woman who complained that my moves were “freaking her out.” (even though she was able to keep up). Presumably, I was leading too aggressively--she was still somewhat of a beginner.
I find it really helpful if a lady tells me she is a beginner, as then I am much more gentle. Otherwise, I have only 30 seconds to gauge her skill level, and sometimes I am wrong.

[TA Guy]

Stooping = guilty.
Hand beat = guilty.
Rotation = guilty.

God, I must be crap. LOL

In my defense, I don't think I've turned down eight ladies asking for a dance in ten years of dancing (P.S. I do get asked despite the stoop, rotating and hand-beating!!!).

[SilverFox]

Originally Posted by TA Guy

In my defense, I don't think I've turned down eight ladies asking for a dance in ten years of dancing

We really do need that *yawn* smiley....

[TA Guy]

Originally Posted by SilverFox

We really do need that *yawn* smiley....

Naw, what we need is a 'lighten up' smiley.

[Lucy Locket]

Originally Posted by Tessalicious

How about this:
<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZNfox000' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_28_120.gif' alt='Boring' border=0></a>

or even 'Blah blah blah'
<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZNfox000' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_11_16.gif' alt='Blah Blah Blah' border=0></a>

like them

[Mostlysane]

Eating garlic before going dancing?

[CeeCee]

Originally Posted by Mostlysane

Eating garlic before going dancing?

Oh my goodness, of course.

I spoke to a guy about this once at my regular venue as he was so guilty, week after week of garlic breath. I got away with it because he actually thanked me and hasn't been guilty since.

[Gadget]

Originally Posted by MartinHarper

What bad dancing habits are there that are particularly common amongst MJers?

I can only comment on myself, but the current list of habbits I'm trying to break myself of are....

• doing the same combination of moves all the time - especially with some "trademark" combo's. {Ie ones that I like to think that I came up with and no-one else does... don't disillusion me - I'm happy }
  
  
• stooping/slouching - generally moving from the shoulders/chest rather than the abdomen and 'center'; shows it's self in leaning too much, having to step lots to maintain ballance and chin down.
  
  
• taking millions of shuffling steps and movements - much crisper, decisive and generally looks better when steps are placed and moved with the same flow and precission that is used to lead the lady.
  {Much though I hate to admit it, and it pains me greatly to do so, footwork is the equivelent of your feet leading your body as your hands lead the lady. It can be done smoothly or with bounce; it dosn't have to be spot on to get the desired results, but when it is done well the difference is noticable.}
  
  
• dead hand - that off-hand. What to do with it? I've taken a couple of tricks from watching some of the 'masters'; follow the lady's body with it, transfer hands often, use lots of two handed moves, mirror the lady's styling, position it for the next move, place it on your own body... but I still catch myself with a 'dead' hand too often.
  
  
• Contortions - Just now I'm very guilty of twisting and turning and bending into weird shapes while dancing. I'm sure that if I was more elegant, took more time and had more precission about it, it may look... well... better. But I think that I may look like I'm trying to escape from a straight jacket. Not pretty. Need to slow it down and give it more definition.

Other than these, the most common thing I see in others is people not transferring weight throught moves. eg. the first move; on the step back, actually step back so that your hip is over your foot. On the swizzle; the arm to the side should lead the lady (and man) to transfer weight to that foot.

There's a couple of things about spinning too, but I think that's just practice, balance and experiance.