V&L - Dance gods, or just gods??

[TheTramp]

I just have to point out that neither Robert or Adam is in any way paying me for my above comments. Though, they can if they want!

Steve

[Lydia]

Hellooooo everyone!

First time this year that I check out the forum.. boy you guys never rest! Just went thought all the posts on this thread...
Regarding the Being Good looking v Not so good looking on the dancefloor is concerned.... I have one thing to say, it doesn't make a difference! And that's my true opinion.. if anyone has knowledge of the salsa scene there's a dancer/ teacher called Robert Charlemagne and the man is HUGE and I mean HUGE... but you should see him on the dancefloor... everyone stops to watch.. he's agile on his feet (he's dubed the Mambo King!) and a dream to dance with.. not only is he a great dancer but a personality to match.. and that's what counts on the dancefloor.. if you're good looking and don't have the "charisma" to attract attention.. no matter how good dancer you are, people won't see you! Another example.. there's a black girl who goes to my Salsa classes..and she too is big, but I can't stop watching her dance.. she is so confident and cheeky that she shines on the dancefloor.. and she's also VERY popular with the guys! She moves those hips probably even better than any slimline girl could ever do... so no I don't think being good looking is a must have to be a popular dancer!

As far as Robert Cordoba and his partner are concerned.. I have to agreed that they are both AMAZING, I definately look up to them and if they were teaching around here.. it'd be pure bliss. They are the best dance couple I have seen for a while (without including Salsa/Mambo) I had never seen West Coast Swing before and I just loved it.. footwork, music interpretation, the fact that you have plenty of time to play around .. if anyone knows about West Coast Swing classes in London.. please let me know!

Also regarding the does what you wear make you have more dances... Errrrr... from experience.....I wear little tops and things that shows a little bit a skin...OK..lots of skin (I take advantage of it while I can... won't be able to do it when I'm 40-50!!).. and I spend most of my freestyle sitting down! No one ask me to dance.. I don't think I'm scary and I do smile but I still don't get asked... so I don't agree with the skimpier the more dances you get!

I think that's about it for me..got to get back to work!
Hope to see you around sometimes.

Lots of love

Lydia

[Gus]

Originally posted by Lydia
Also regarding the does what you wear make you have more dances... Errrrr... from experience.....I wear little tops and things that shows a little bit a skin...OK..lots of skin
.......and I spend most of my freestyle sitting down! No one ask me to dance.. I don't think I'm scary and I do smile but I still don't get asked... so I don't agree with the skimpier the more dances you get!

Lots of love

Lydia

Good points well made. If someone has an excellent figure I don't see that they should have to walk around in sackcloth and ashes.

Re the not getting asked ... I must admit that I still have to pluck up courage to ask Lydia to dance .... even though she is a total delight to dance with. I think some of it is that at the back of my mind I know I can never satisfy her like Viktor, in the same way that Linda B intimidates me because of trying to live up to her usual partner, Mike Allard. I KNOW thats illogical but maybe its not just me that feels that way. Male egos are a delicate thing etc etc etc:sorry

Oh ... the above doesn't stop me lecturing everyone to dance with all the best dancers they can find .... "do as I say, not do as I do ...."

[Bill]

Originally posted by Lydia
Hellooooo everyone!

and I spend most of my freestyle sitting down! No one ask me to dance.. I don't think I'm scary and I do smile but I still don't get asked... so I don't agree with the skimpier the more dances you get!

Lydia

Well Lydia............... unlike Gus I did pluck up the courage to dance with you when I was at Stockport last year. I've been to several of your workshops and 'plucking up the courage' is the correct term.

Like it or not, when you have the reputation you and V have ( and some of the other top dancers) it's like Gus says..........we can't help thinking that there's no way we can dance like Viktor so you're not going to enjoy it. That's an unfortunate side effct of being considered so good even though having spoken to many really good women they say that they just enjoy dancing - however good the man might be.


The other reason men don't ask you is that they might assume you've been on the floor all night and so need a rest. And of course you've had several injuries over the last year or so and I didn't ask you at one event because you're leg was hurting.

But I do agree about the personality over the clothes issue.

Bill

[DavidB]

Originally posted by Lydia
As far as Robert Cordoba and his partner are concerned.. I have to agreed that they are both AMAZING, I definately look up to them and if they were teaching around here.. it'd be pure bliss. They are the best dance couple I have seen for a while (without including Salsa/Mambo) I had never seen West Coast Swing before and I just loved it.. footwork, music interpretation, the fact that you have plenty of time to play around .. if anyone knows about West Coast Swing classes in London.. please let me know!

Well - funny you should mention that...

Robert is coming to the UK from 25 Feb until 11 March. He will be teaching at a number of venues in and around London. In particular we are running whole day of WCS workshops on Saturday 8th March in North Kensington. This will have Robert teaching three 1.5 hour workshops entitled 'Whip variations', 'Extended Patterns & Variations' and 'Lead & Follow/Playing & Improvising'.

There will also be a free* beginners workshop in the morning to teach the basics of West Coast Swing, taught by myself and Lily. (*Free as long as you pay for at least one of Robert's workshops.)

It now looks like we will be taking him up to Blackpool on 1 March to watch the competition. If anyone is interested in a private lesson with Robert on this day, please let us know and we will see what we can arrange.

A number of private lessons are also available in London throughout his stay. Again if anyone is interested, let us know.

For more details send me a PM.

David

[Lydia]

David you're a STAR !! We luckily don't have any bookings on the 8th of March... could you please let me have all the details as far as booking our space is concerned.. & also the morning lesson with you & Lily! Want to make the most of it!!!!!! If you need my email address just let me know! Thank you for that xxxxx

[Siobhan (Forum Plant)]

Originally posted by Bill
..........we can't help thinking that there's no way we can dance like Viktor so you're not going to enjoy it.

From the female perspective, we feel the same about dancing with godly males. How can they possibly enjoy it when we can't follow their moves with any style or grace, because we're concentrating so hard on not cocking up!

Lydia- you are soooo smooth- how d'ya do it? Tips please. . .

[tubby]

I've just read through all the posts about size, looks etc. I'm not the smallest of girls and I love dancing so I don't wait for the guys to ask me - I ask them! Heck! We all pay to have a good time! If I feel that some bloke doesn't want to dance with me for my looks well that's his loss - I'm not too bad on my feet so I wont waste my time on him.

I have to say though, for personal favourites, I love watching Bill Cooper and Becky Tucker Johnson (Uxbridge) dancing together. Oh and yes, I have to mention Brady dancing with Mhairi(Glasgow).

[Carla]

Being a larger lady, I disagree with some remarks in this thread-they are a bit size-ist!

[Gus]

Originally posted by Carla
Being a larger lady, I disagree with some remarks in this thread-they are a bit size-ist!

Must admit that I wasn't aware that not being an Adonis was a barrier to dancing well!! I think that looking good and dancing good are not always the same thing. There is a chap on the Southern circuit, think his name is Stuart who is decidedly less than petite .... he's very pleased to have lost around 5st ... and he's still well over16st now ... but he's a great dancer, nice to watch and he does moves I can only aspire to.

Size (or lack of it) is about as important as age ... i.e. it ISN'T! Enjoying dancing is about a couple who's lead and follow is more or less together, who enjoy each other moves and enjoy the track they are dancing to ... all else is superflous (IMHO)

[Bill]

Originally posted by Gus
Size (or lack of it) is about as important as age ... i.e. it ISN'T! Enjoying dancing is about a couple who's lead and follow is more or less together, who enjoy each other moves and enjoy the track they are dancing to ... all else is superflous (IMHO)

and I'll drink to that !!!!!

I had several dances with women I hadn't danced with before at the Edinburgh party last Saturday and they were all fun regardless of the woman's height, weight or outfit. Indeed one of the best dances I've had for a while was with a lady slightly older than myself and was wonderfully light on her feet ( sorry I didn't get your name).

As I said earlier a smile and a look of enjoyment is so much more important than anything else and having fun on the floor is what we all go along for isn't it !?

[Dancing Veela]

I think it's one thing to say that enjoying a dance isn't about how anyone looks - it's all to do with how it feels, but let's face it when it comes to competitions looks do come into it - if you are fat and ugly you have to dance better than the beautiful couple to win it!

Let's keep an eye out for it at Blackpool and see how many of the beautiful people win

[TheTramp]

Or how many of the fat, ugly people win

It could just be (of course), that the beautiful people are also the best dancers......

Steve

[DavidB]

Originally posted by Gus
and he's still well over16st now

And what is wrong with being over 16st????

[Gus]

Originally posted by DavidB
And what is wrong with being over 16st????

Oracle, dear chap, what I meant to say is that he doesn't wear it as well as you do ... can't see anyone calling you fat ...wheras I'm afraid with the other chap that word does spring to mind..
..... not that there ois anything wrong with being overweight'..:sorry if I continue digging myself in any deeper I'll soon be in Australia

[TheTramp]

Actually, Stuart is a lot heavier than 16st.

He's heavier than me, and I weigh over 18st.

Steve

[Debster]

Originally posted by Dancing Veela
I think it's one thing to say that enjoying a dance isn't about how anyone looks - it's all to do with how it feels, but let's face it when it comes to competitions looks do come into it - if you are fat and ugly you have to dance better than the beautiful couple to win it!

Let's keep an eye out for it at Blackpool and see how many of the beautiful people win

Well said DV! I entirely agree. Sad, but true.

See you at Blackpool

[Carla]

Originally posted by TheTramp
Actually, Stuart is a lot heavier than 16st.

He's heavier than me, and I weigh over 18st.

Steve

You are not who I thought you were Steve!!!! OOPS...

[Bill]

Originally posted by Debster
Well said DV! I entirely agree. Sad, but true.

See you at Blackpool

Possibly true and I don't think that there can be any doubt about how important 'looking good' is to the Ceroc organisation - and some would argue that there's nothing wrong with that.

However, as others have now said, there are quite a number of dancers who are large but who dance beautifully - male and female. If they dance well and look as though they are enjoying themsleves I think someone who is large and less attractive than some other dancers should still do well.

Maybe it's a coincidence that some of those deemed to be very good, or who win comps are seen as attractive and if you dance a lot there might be more chance of being fitter and slimmer than non- dancers. Then again some dancers are attractive on the floor but might be very 'average' off it - the very act of dancing well can make them appear to be more attractive than they are.

Be interesting to see who competes in Blackpool then..... only 3 weeks to go !

[Sandy]

Originally posted by TheTramp
Actually, Stuart is a lot heavier than 16st.

He's heavier than me, and I weigh over 18st.

Steve

A case of quality and quantity!

Sandy