Was the intermediate class tonight at that place in W5 too complex??

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Daisy
You know you love a woman that fights back!

Mmmmm......

Chris

[Daisy]

Originally posted by ChrisA
Mmmmm......

Chris

Is that a horny little devil after your name there Chris?

Ooops a Daisy

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Daisy
Is that a horny little devil after your name there Chris?

Ooops a Daisy

Is there another kind?

C

[Daisy]

Originally posted by ChrisA
Is there another kind?

C

I guess not unless you want to play 'devils advocate'.....that would be 'unofficial' of course.

Ooops a Daisy.

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Daisy
I guess not unless you want to play 'devils advocate'.....that would be 'unofficial' of course.

Ooops a Daisy.

Unofficial?

Surely everything should be above board, not under cover?

[Boomer]

I didn’t do Wednesday’s intermediate class, – as Daisy said, ‘space was at a premium’, and I get a bit ratty being hemmed in - so this is all based on observation and general experience. From what I saw, some of the class seemed simple enough and yes, some seemed to me to verge on the impossible, but nothing I saw would have prevented me from doing the class, except the hordes of people on the floor.

As long as a move, or a series of moves is physically possible then I am not yet sure if a lesson can be too complex. Even if I finish a lesson clueless as to how a move is done, the fact that it has pushed my boundaries and my comfort-zone is beneficial in of itself. An integral part of learning is being pushed or pushing oneself beyond what you know and are comfortable with. I think leaving a class knowing all the (new) moves is less important than leaving a class having learnt something...and they not necessarily the same thing.

A 3 minute dance with Mary during a very challenging track (for me) taught me more about MJ and what I can do than the last 4 weeks of classes, and this is no slight to those classes and their teachers. From what I saw, last-nights class wasn’t too complex, it was just complex enough...just wish there was enough space to do it.

I’m doing next Wednesday’s class, so I off course reserve the right to change my mind

[Will]

Originally posted by DavidB
You also have to remember that Will has problems doing a simple return, and took weeks to master the yoyo.

(When I say master, I mean managing to stay vertical throughout the move, and with the lady in one piece)

DavidB (who is still smarting from the Head butt he received from Andy Mac after I told Andy that I saw DavidB smoking a spliff at Hipsters last night) may well have a point about the lack of quality and safety in my dancing, but if there is one but I would still argue, it is that a woman is still safer dancing with me that she is playing football against the dirty cheating fouling Leeds Utd football team! ( who will be relegated at the end of the season)

[Chris]

Originally posted by Boomer
. . . ‘space was at a premium’, and I get a bit ratty being hemmed in

As this is a common one at some venues I wonder when organisers will consider using an extra room for overflow on the busiest nights. Extra cost yes (both for the room and the DJ) but I reckon it would pay off in the end, especially in the likes of the Casbah or Marcos, where there are definitely second rooms that might be negotiated.

[Andy McGregor]

Originally posted by Daisy
What is wrong with sitting out of the lesson if you so wish?!

Were you one of those sitting out the lesson Daisy?

You do what you like, Daisy. I wouldn't dare criticise you as I've heard your 'naughty boy voice' and it scares me. I just can't understand the thinking of people who do it though - turn up in time for the lesson, pay for it, don't do it But I suppose on Wednesday we, at least, weren't paying.

Also, Wednesday was an exception because it was so crowded. It was good of some people to volunteer not to make the dance floor any more crowded So, on this occasion, Saint Andy forgives you.

But, in general, I see doing the lesson as the same as dancing with beginners. It's essential if we want to have partners in years to come. Think what a mess the beginners lesson would be if it was everyones first night? Lessons need experienced dancers in the class - they don't work without them. And I always get something out of the lesson, even the beginners lesson. At the very least it's a nice, gentle warm-up for us people who need it.

And the worst thing about the people who sit out is that they make some of the less confident people in the lesson feel nervous. Consider a beginner who doesn't think they're very good, let's say the Boomster, he's doing the lesson and things are going badly for him. He hears laughter from the people sitting behind him and thinks it's directed at HIM. It's probably laughter as part of the conversation - but perception is everything. Boomster thinks he's being laughed at feels self-conscious and stupid and gets flustered and gets even more wrong Then he drinks beer to drown his sorrows, wakes up in a ditch having had his shoes stolen, misses a lecture and gets sent down, is late for work and loses his job. And all because he thought someone laughed at his dancing - which you would think he'd be used to

Originally posted by Daisy
[/B] One of these days your halo is going to fall off...... Saint Andy![/B]

There is already a Saint Andrew, but I think Saint Andy is available. I don't like the idea you have to die to get it but I expect the Patron Saint of Cross Dressing slot is still up for grabs

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally posted by Will
but I would still argue, it is that a woman is still safer dancing with me that she is playing football against the dirty cheating fouling Leeds Utd football team! ( who will be relegated at the end of the season)

superb reply 10 out of 10

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Boomer
As long as a move, or a series of moves is physically possible then I am not yet sure if a lesson can be too complex. Even if I finish a lesson clueless as to how a move is done, the fact that it has pushed my boundaries and my comfort-zone is beneficial in of itself. An integral part of learning is being pushed or pushing oneself beyond what you know and are comfortable with. I think leaving a class knowing all the (new) moves is less important than leaving a class having learnt something...and they not necessarily the same thing.

It's starting to look as if I will just have to stay up _all_ night to keep up with this forum

But this is absolutely spot on. Gawd, I wish I'd realised this a lot earlier... I'd have put meself under a lot less pressure.

I reckon on taking one move per class max out of the lessons, and making sure I can lead it later on.

Even so I end up doing beginners moves more of the time than not these days.

Chris

[Andy McGregor]

Originally posted by ChrisA
I reckon on taking one move per class max out of the lessons, and making sure I can lead it later on.

Same for me, if I'm lucky.

Originally posted by ChrisA
Even so I end up doing beginners moves more of the time than not these days.

Chris

What matters is how you do it not what you do. So, for me, beginners moves are easier to lead and it's all about how you do them and how it fits the music.

[Neil]

Originally posted by Andy McGregor
What matters is how you do it not what you do. So, for me, beginners moves are easier to lead and it's all about how you do them and how it fits the music.

Absolutely. I agree 100%, St Andy. So why are we spending all this time and effort learning complex moves that we never do?

(being slightly ODA-ish here )

Neil

[Boomer]

Originally posted by Neil
Absolutely. I agree 100%, St Andy. So why are we spending all this time and effort learning complex moves that we never do?

(being slightly ODA-ish here )

Neil

Because every now and then, when the mood is right, when one has the right amount of 'not concentrating', and one hits the beat at the precise moment, one of 'those' moves just flow out, and that's what makes them special, not their complexity...guess it's a Zen thing Man, I love it when the 'Arm-Jive' justs floooows

[Jon L]

Much better class tonight by Viktor tonight. He cut the number of moves down to three and said this was an advanced jive class.

As I mentioned previuously, twas not the difficulty but the number of moves in the time that I found difficult last time.

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Jon L
Much better class tonight by Viktor tonight. He cut the number of moves down to three and said this was an advanced jive class.

He also said that he wouldn't expect everyone to get every move he taught in an advanced jive class.

You should have seen the version of that class he taught last night at Bisley.

Don't like words like "better" in this context, sorry. It's different strokes for different folks.

I was particularly impressed, though, with the way he emphasised the requirement for "no pain"

Chris

[Divissima]

Originally posted by ChrisA
the requirement for "no pain"

Yes, Viktor is very good at teaching potentially painful moves so that the men understand the correct technique. I really love those moves he taught tonight - and several men led them or a variation on them in freestyle

[Dan]

Originally posted by Divissima
Yes, Viktor is very good at teaching potentially painful moves so that the men understand the correct technique. I really love those moves he taught tonight - and several men led them or a variation on them in freestyle

Well put Divissima! we are good at finding variations on Viktor's moves! You cannot imagine the effort and application that we put into this!



Andre