I need a moves toolbox, where can I get one?

[martingold]

I usually need oxygen after it....It's around 170 BPM...

The secret is to join it halfway through.....or Hide when you hear the opening bars

SPROGGS

shhhhhh dont tell the ladies our tricks

[Lee Bartholomew]

Are we talking about dancing or wrestling here?

Dancing. Just if done nicely, the whole body is used for the dance. It makes one hell of a difference. It will become less like wrestling and more like dancing. Also if you use body leads as opposed to arm leads, you will end up with a much smoother, less 'beaty' dance. Come along on Thursday and you will see what i mean.

I am also interested in what this ("or something") is as well

I couldn't remember the exact phrase.

[DavidY]

The In and Out might be one of the most basic moves ever - but it's nice and short, so if musicality is your aim, it can be a handy move to fill some time so you can hit a musical break with your next move.
I still do them, anyway.

Me too .

Except, over time mine has become a push-pull thingy, without any of the circular arm motion. No-one tells me I'm doing an in-and-out wrong, so I guess I must be leading it well enough.

I forgot to mention the circular arm motion - I don't do it and am fortunate that at my regular Ceroc class, the In and Out is taught as a straight push-pull, with no circling. I'd forgotten there was any other way to do it.

I suppose it's not really a move at all, just a time-filling, breather thingy.

I think my point is that time-filling is exactly what you need sometimes to dance musically, even if it's not a "breather".

[Lee Bartholomew]

I am trying hard to visualise how Gene Kelly would dance to "Sexy back"

SPROGGS

Firstly, I think Gene Kelly would have to go to a venue that played Sexy Back. If he lived in Hastings, he would have bit of a drive. Secondly, Im sure he would give it ago. I could imagine him dancing to it.

[Daisy Chain]

The trouble with tool boxes is that no matter how many tools you put in them you always end up using a hammer...


[/COLOR]

Quite. I've no idea what to do with my spoke shave.

Daisy

(A Tooled-Up Little Flower)

[Feelingpink]

DD, have you ever thought of dancing to a track (with a suitably sympathetic partner who likes playing) without any 'moves'? Musicality and generosity win every time with me over any move (as long as he doesn't stand on my feet)

[Easily Led]

Some of my favourite dancers make up moves that just make the dance flow rather than just sticking to recognised moves. It is the lack of absolute rules that I love about MJ/Ceroc - to some extent you can just do whatever feels natural (as is said about the footwork generally).

It seems to me that it is not accident that the best dancing countries are the ones that are not strictly adherent to rules - didn't we make up more rules for Latin American dances? Do Rio carnival dancers stick to rules and set moves?

[Agente Secreto]

Some of my favourite dancers make up moves that just make the dance flow rather than just sticking to recognised moves. It is the lack of absolute rules that I love about MJ/Ceroc - to some extent you can just do whatever feels natural (as is said about the footwork generally).

It seems to me that it is not accident that the best dancing countries are the ones that are not strictly adherent to rules - didn't we make up more rules for Latin American dances? Do Rio carnival dancers stick to rules and set moves?

This hits the nail on the head for me. Sometimes I'll be half way through a move and the music starts going somewhere and I'll simply swap in mid-flow. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but usually it is accompanied by a little gasp of surprise by my partner.

I don't have a toolbox - I have started to teach so have had to follow the discipline of actually writing down moves and the problem is that after a while they all seem to blur into one another. I suppose what I do have is a sort of rolling list of moves of which 10-15 are my regular repertoire and get swapped in and out as my poor fuddled mind works its magic and my partner inspires me

[bigdjiver]

...The first thing that pop's into my head is a toolbox of moves. ...

Come to think of I do have primitive toolbox. Moves for nervous beginners who are taking it to seriously, e.g. Basket peek-a-boo. A move to travel and improvise walking - if it has a name I do not know it. Then there are moves for ladies much shorter than I, moves to get partners attention, moves to impress etc.

It could be a good theme for a workshop.

[DundeeDancer]

Come to think of I do have primitive toolbox. Moves for nervous beginners who are taking it to seriously, e.g. Basket peek-a-boo. A move to travel and improvise walking - if it has a name I do not know it. Then there are moves for ladies much shorter than I, moves to get partners attention, moves to impress etc.

It could be a good theme for a workshop.

Sounds great think you can come run the workshop in Edinburgh?
Cheers, DD

[Gadget]

Have a look at my "Moves, moves, moves" on-line workshop thingie; your basic beginner moves are your toolbox.

But as the saying goes: a bad dancer blames his tool... or something like that It's not the tools you use, but how you use them - which is why everyone seems to be recommending classes on technique and musicality.

[Gus]

Sounds great think you can come run the workshop in Edinburgh?
Cheers, DD

Doesn't Ceroc run intermediate plus workshops that 'add to your toolbox'?

[dep]

Doesn't Ceroc run intermediate plus workshops that 'add to your toolbox'?

I've enrolled for three "style" workshops and all have been canceled.
I did an intermediate workshop. But the thirty moves shown over a 4hour period was so mesmerising that I retained just one move, which I still do to this day.

Workshops are fine if that is how your brain learns.
I do by practicing and repeating until it gets ingrained into the memory (both muscle and brain).

Hi Gadget,
is that link to pdf dated 16/2/2005 the current version?
Thanks for all the effort compiling that document entailed.

[DundeeDancer]

Doesn't Ceroc run intermediate plus workshops that 'add to your toolbox'?

With the old management in the Edinburgh area they were always cancelling courses, I think the new organisers will offer a much better service.

So Franck when can you run your favourite moves workshop?

DD

[killingtime]

So Franck when can you run your favourite moves workshop?

Announcement: Move Focus workshop. Franck will take you through some of his favourite comb variants. This intensive, 6 hour, workshop will focus on leading the comb and its variants well. It will teach how the lead can lead the follower into these and how the follower can style while in combs. Book now to avoid disappointment!

[Franck]

With the old management in the Edinburgh area they were always cancelling courses, I think the new organisers will offer a much better service.

So Franck when can you run your favourite moves workshop?

DD

Well, I run my favourite moves classes / workshops every Wednesday night in Edinburgh (or Glasgow Tuesdays / Inverness Thursdays). All the moves I teach tend to be based around lead & follow so that you can lead them on 'everyone'.
Having said that, we will be running a Sunday 'Focus Workshop' in Edinburgh on Sunday 20th April 5.00pm to 6.30pm followed by a chilled-out dance from 7.00pm to 11.00pm (with Tiggerbabe @ the decks). I'm also planning a similar one (with a different topic) in Glasgow soon after that.

I would also recommend you consider the next 'Technical Bootcamp' week-end in Kirriemuir (Friday 6th June to Sunday 8th June), where a limited number of dancers stay on site in the "Royal Jubilee Arms Hotel", all inclusive Dinner, Bed & Breakfast with 5 Focus workshops over the week-end concentrating on the technical side of the dance, allowing everyone to become better leads / follows. The workshops are particularly good because we can progress together over the course of the week-end and we also have a great time dancing late at night (now with 2 rooms!).

You can book online here, but make sure you don't delay as the last one sold out quickly (even for men). The full inclusive price (hotel, dinner B&B, workshops and all freestyles + Welcome Punch on arrival ) is currently only £114 for early birds...

Announcement: Move Focus workshop. Franck will take you through some of his favourite comb variants. This intensive, 6 hour, workshop will focus on leading the comb and its variants well. It will teach how the lead can lead the follower into these and how the follower can style while in combs. Book now to avoid disappointment!

You got me going there for a minute! What a fantastic idea for a workshop though

I haven't decided on the Focus Topic yet for the above workshops but will keep you all updated very soon on the forum, website and in the weekly announcement leaflets...

[robd]

The full inclusive price (hotel, dinner B&B, workshops and all freestyles + Welcome Punch on arrival ) is currently only £114 for early birds...

What about fit birds, Franck? Are there any discounts for them?

[Franck]

What about fit birds, Franck? Are there any discounts for them?

Sparkles is always more than welcome at all our week-enders, though there might be a surcharge if you were coming along too...

[robd]

Sparkles is always more than welcome at all our week-enders, though there might be a surcharge if you were coming along too...

Ceroc using financial might to muscle out the competition again eh?

[DundeeDancer]

Well, I run my favourite moves classes / workshops every Wednesday night in Edinburgh

Sounds fantastic, I'll be there tomorrow night for sure

And with the way my rep is at the moment I think it will be just me and you big boy

Tomorrow then.

DD