Intermediates Classes - the plateau

[Andy McGregor]

Originally posted by TheTramp
I suggest that one way of improving, is to watch other female dancers whose style you like, and try to pick up on some of the things that they do.

There are so many good Scottish female dancers that you shouldn't really have any problems in finding them.

In the beginning of NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), they wanted to replicate the results of Fritz Perls, the founder of the Gestalt movement. They copied his behaviours and methods - although they initially adopted his German accent, moustache and chain-smoking they eventually accepted this as unnecessary!

One of the 'presuppositions' or principles of NLP is 'If one person can do something, anyone can learn to do it. We can model our thinking and behaviour on that of people who are already successful in order to achieve similar results.

Often when I'm dancing I'll copy a particular dancer and say to my partner 'who am I now?'. And often they'll get it right. That's because some people have such distinctive styles. The trick to copying them is observation. Look at everything they're doing, even their facial expression. Sometimes I'll be doing a move and I'll realise that for that move I've been someone else, which is spooky. Nowadays I try to copy an aspect of people's dancing. People I currently try to copy are Nigel (musicality), David B (lead), Amir (free hand & gliding across floor), Viktor (smoothness, bendyness) and Lydia (sexy, wiggling). The hardest one is Viktor, how does he bend that way?!

I think props are important. When I wear a hat like Nigel Anderson I think I can dance like him - I can't quite do it yet but I'm sure I'm on the right track, I've entered a competition with Nina, I've got the hat, I've got stalkers...

So my advice echoes the others in this thread. Copy people who's style you like, watch them then try to dance a track pretending you're them. Eventually you will find that you develop your own style within that. And once you've got your own style, you'll find that it changes all the time

Originally posted by TheTramp
I know that it's what I did when I was learning (watched the good male dancers). I still occasionally find myself doing certain moves 'in the style of' someone else

Steve

The Tramp must have watched a lot of King Kong movies while he was developing his style

[Lory]

The problem I have is, i always know what I SHOULD OR COULD have done, after the moment has passed! I get so frustrated with my self! Its rare when a man actually does give u a little space to 'do ya own thang' that i'm so shocked, I Miss it! ARGGGH

[Will]

Originally posted by Andy McGregor
The Tramp must have watched a lot of King Kong movies while he was developing his style

[Forte]

You guys are so helpful....It's funny you should say (Andy) that you ask your partner "Who am I now?" because my ski instructor got me to do that in my last ski trip. We had been skiing as a group for seven days on an intensive course and then one day for fun we had to swop jackets and ski in the style of the person whose jacket we were wearing!! So it must be a bona fide teaching method!!!! (You are not a nutcase after all...)

[Jon]

Originally posted by Andy McGregor
But only if you get more than 26 minutes sleep

Oh I dont know Andy the less sleep you have at Camber the easier it is to dance in the downstairs room

[Rachel]

Originally posted by Forte
I would love to get some answers to my plateau question. After years of single (non partner) dance classes where you are choreographed to the nth degree..even to the precise tilt of your head and angle of your arm etc I am having trouble loosening up and finding "My" style. I have spoken to Brady about this and he knows of another girl with this problem but I didn't really get enough time to ask for suggestions on how to move on from this.

It's like I need to give myself permission to do freestyle with my own little interpretations. I still need and want to be told how exactly to do it. I can dance, am not shy but when I get the chance to do a bit of freestyle I freeze and say to the guy "What do I do now?" It's something I need to solve.
I am better in workshops. I loved Adam's workshop where he choreographed a dance to "Latin Lover". It's as if I need the security of a rehearsed routine but the funny thing is once I know the moves I start adding some pzazz to them and I get praised for it!
How do I start adding pzazz to one-off freestyle dances when I don't get to do it again?

Is it just a confidence thing?

Wow - I could have written that post myself. It's almost exactly how I feel re being choreographed and then not being able to loosen up for modern jive and panicking when a guy gives me the chance to 'do my thing'.

I'm still trying to find the answers ... but I do get huge inspiration from Lily, particularly, and other dancers whose style I really admire.

And I always feel like my best dances are the really silly ones to either comic music or music that's probably unsuitable for modern jive - such as the kind of songs Jon Brett might play as the very last track of the night when everyone's leaving. It's then that I can lose so many inhibitions and mess around without worrying that people might be laughing at me!
Rachel

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally posted by Forte
we had to swop jackets and ski in the style of the person whose jacket we were wearing!! So it must be a bona fide teaching method!!!! (You are not a nutcase after all...)

Youre really reaching if you think a comment made by Andy backed up by a ski instructor in some way proves that hes not a nutcase. Are you a lawyer ?

[Boomer]

Originally posted by Rachel
And I always feel like my best dances are the really silly ones to either comic music or music that's probably unsuitable for modern jive... It's then that I can lose so many inhibitions and mess around without worrying that people might be laughing at me!
Rachel

BINGO! Yep, read that and the penny dropped. I've no idea if this is something that can be seen when I 'dance', but I find that when soemthing is played that's not 'intrinsicaly cool' and a bit light-hearted/humours I've the space in my head to relax and have fun and I feel as if I'm 'dancing' better. As i've said, this could just be my own perception, but la-de-da

[Rachel]

Originally posted by Boomer
BINGO! Yep, read that and the penny dropped. I've no idea if this is something that can be seen when I 'dance', but I find that when soemthing is played that's not 'intrinsicaly cool' and a bit light-hearted/humours I've the space in my head to relax and have fun and I feel as if I'm 'dancing' better. As i've said, this could just be my own perception, but la-de-da

Boomer, we're just going to have to get introduced and have one of those dances at Hipsters one day!
R.

[Andy McGregor]

Originally posted by Rachel
And I always feel like my best dances are the really silly ones to either comic music or music that's probably unsuitable for modern jive - such as the kind of songs Jon Brett might play as the very last track of the night when everyone's leaving. It's then that I can lose so many inhibitions and mess around without worrying that people might be laughing at me!
Rachel

'Comic', 'silly', 'messing around', 'people might be laughing', 'lose so many inhibitions' - that's me

[Boomer]

Originally posted by Rachel
Boomer, we're just going to have to get introduced and have one of those dances at Hipsters one day!
R.

On your head be it young-lady, on your head be it

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Boomer
On your head be it young-lady, on your head be it

Make sure it's a Wednesday - there's no room for drops on a Tuesday.

[Jon]

Originally posted by Rachel
And I always feel like my best dances are the really silly ones to either comic music or music that's probably unsuitable for modern jive - such as the kind of songs Jon Brett might play as the very last track of the night when everyone's leaving. It's then that I can lose so many inhibitions and mess around without worrying that people might be laughing at me!
Rachel

Totally agree, I too tend to have most of my best dances to songs not usually played at moden jive venues. And I find when I've got space around me and dont have to watch where other couples are then everything just flows.

As for messing around and loosing inhabitions I find it's easier with a partner I know but I dont care anymore if someone is laughing/watching etc. as long as my partner and I are having a great time.

[Tazmanian Devil]

Originally posted by Jon
As for messing around and loosing inhabitions I find it's easier with a partner I know but I dont care anymore if someone is laughing/watching etc. as long as my partner and I are having a great time.

I quite agree love, So long as you and your dance partner enjoy the dance thats all that matters!

[Andy McGregor]

Originally posted by Jon
Totally agree, I too tend to have most of my best dances to songs not usually played at moden jive venues. And I find when I've got space around me and dont have to watch where other couples are then everything just flows.

As for messing around and loosing inhabitions I find it's easier with a partner I know but I dont care anymore if someone is laughing/watching etc. as long as my partner and I are having a great time.

I still remember a dance I had about 3 or 4 years ago to 'Remember You're a Womble'. My partner and I had such a great laugh to it, especially as so many people had left the floor because they didn't want to be spotted dancing to such an uncool track

I complimented the DJ in his choice and he told me it was a 'special club version'. Sounded quite normal to me...