What to do if you get out of time?

[Achelous]

Being a relative beginner (started January) now that I can do the basic moves and half a dozen of the easiest intermmediate moves can anyone make any suggestions on what to do when I get out of time - apart from going into an armjive?

I can sense when it's happened from the worried look on my partner's face and the immediate feeling that something is wrong but getting back onto the beat seems to be really difficult once you have got off it. I had one dance last week with a lady I hadn't danced with before (first dance after the end of the beginner's lesson) and never got onto the beat the whole way through. Going into an armjive didn't seem to work - I was pretty embarrassed by the end - (that's someone I can never ask to dance again) and once that's happened you feel like siiting out the rest of the evening or leaving and never coming back.

[Ghost]

Originally Posted by Achelous

Being a relative beginner (started January) now that I can do the basic moves and half a dozen of the easiest intermmediate moves can anyone make any suggestions on what to do when I get out of time - apart from going into an armjive?

Originally Posted by Ghost

Step Across - It's a nice recovery move if you or the lady has lost your balance; a really easy way to get back in time with the beat is to extend the arc in the middle as you step past and when the beat occurs, make that the apex. It's also a good move to set up more complicated moves eg Pretzel as it naturally flows into a nice clean lead in. Be aware of how the height difference between you. It's better to use a different bridging move eg manspin than to have to bend your knees because the lady is small as it may well make her feel self conscious.

Originally Posted by Gadget

Any move can be used as a 'filler' to regain posture/balance/beat... tips for the Step Across are to make sure that you start the follower moving forward before raising the hand and make sure that your hand is above your head when you turn and not in limbo between you.
Another thing I do is to use my right hand (thumb down) to 'guide' the follower's right hip past you - this eliminates any missunderstanding and can be used to prevent the follower from turning when they shouldn't.

An alternative is to just lead the start of a slow comb but don't lead the wiggles! Then wait. The lady will wiggle herself in time with the music, push off, step back on her own, still in time with the beat and you're now back where you want to be

Hope that helps,
Christopher

[Clive Long]

Originally Posted by Achelous

Being a relative beginner (started January) now that I can do the basic moves and half a dozen of the easiest intermmediate moves can anyone make any suggestions on what to do when I get out of time - apart from going into an armjive?

Tap your feet, nod your head. Forget about doing moves. Disco. Just feel the beat in your body. Ask a DJ whose music you enjoyed one evening for the playlist - or at least some suggested tracks - get them - play them at home and just move to the music when you are doing the ironing or the cleaning.
Find people you trust, explain your concern and ask for their help. Be prepared for contradictory suggestions.

Originally Posted by Achelous

<< snip >> I was pretty embarrassed by the end - (that's someone I can never ask to dance again)

Nah. Go and talk to her saying how you felt and ask her again to dance. She has probably forgotten about the dance. If she makes you feel bad about your dancing then maybe she is best avoided. If you are making yourself feel bad about your dancing then ask yourself do you want to be admired as a dancer or do you just love the sensation of moving your body in time (more or less ) to music?

Originally Posted by Achelous

and once that's happened you feel like sitting out the rest of the evening or leaving and never coming back.

If you really don't enjoy dancing at all then maybe the best move - but even if you get snatches of pleasure from dances then it will grow.

I hope you overcome this mini-crisis. There is much joy to be had from dancing at whatever level you engage with it.

Good luck

Clive

[spindr]

Easiest idea is just to stop -- take a breath -- and then try and start back in time.

SpinDr.

[Caro]

Originally Posted by spindr

Easiest idea is just to stop -- take a breath -- and then try and start back in time.

SpinDr.

and then try a very simple move to catch the beat again, like an 'in an out' and then a basket walk....

but I think the most important seems to be here to relax - because the more you worry about being in the beat, the more anxious you will be and probably the less likely you'll be to find it again! Or simply ask your lady to back lead you a little bit (for example in the 'in and out') because you're struggling to get back in the beat... I'm sure they'll be happy to help!

Good luck!

[Gadget]

Originally Posted by Achelous

Being a relative beginner (started January) now that I can do the basic moves and half a dozen of the easiest intermmediate moves can anyone make any suggestions on what to do when I get out of time - apart from going into an armjive?

Look at your partner's feet. Try to match her steps so that you both impact the floor with matching feet at the same time. Once this is done, the rest just seems to follows on.

{I was "muggle dancing" at a wedding last night and remembered this technique from the dim and distant past - best way to seem to be dancing "with your parnter", even if they are the ones out of time }