Ceroc Scotland Forum

angelblue wrote:BE A DANCE TART!!! DANCE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN

I do that as much as possible, but by the end of the evening, I start getting that familiar feeling of burnout, my attention starts wandering, I begin to recycle the same moves again and again...and it's time to go home.

Just adding a bit more to the private lesson concept. The huge benefit at this point is that you can basically go to a teacher who's good at xxx and book a lesson to improve your xxx (or if you're completely foxed, you can say you want to improve your dancing - they should be able to work out what that means by talking to you, especially if it's your regular teacher.)

The private lesson then basically gives you your own personalised lesson plan for the next few months on how best to improve it. They'll go through the concepts, motions and exercises at the time. You then go away with the video and work on it.

I'd advise trying one and see if that method of learning works for you. If it doesn't, well you can always try "having fun"

(NB you'll probably need to supply your own video /dvd recorder, camera, mobile phone etc)

Ghost wrote:Just adding a bit more to the private lesson concept. The huge benefit at this point is that you can basically go to a teacher who's good at xxx and book a lesson to improve your xxx (or if you're completely foxed, you can say you want to improve your dancing - they should be able to work out what that means by talking to you, especially if it's your regular teacher.)

The private lesson then basically gives you your own personalised lesson plan for the next few months on how best to improve it. They'll go through the concepts, motions and exercises at the time.

Yep, private lessons can give plenty of things to work on. I would recommend having an idea of what you want to work on before you go for your lesson, and sometimes in selecting who to have a lesson with. Makes it much easier for the teacher if you have some idea - rather than 'I want to dance better'. I booked a private once at a Jivetime weekender and was given a handout before the lesson with tips for how to get the most out of a private lesson, which was a fab idea. (I already knew what I wanted to work on, and selected, with the help of Minnie, a teacher that would be able to give me focused advice on that subject).

Privates are expensive, but in terms of what you can get out of them, well worth it IMO - if you select a teacher that is appropriate and if you have some idea what you want to get out of the private.

Lynn wrote:Yep, private lessons can give plenty of things to work on. I would recommend having an idea of what you want to work on before you go for your lesson, and sometimes in selecting who to have a lesson with.

What, you mean, like a... learning plan?

Crazy idea, it'll never catch on.

DavidJames wrote:What, you mean, like a... learning plan?

Carzy idea, it'll never catch on.

Ok
Put these in order of priority

Beginner moves
Balance
Timing
Posture
Connection
Frame
Musicality
Fluidity
Intermediate Moves
Specific Advanced Moves


So let's just say you're top 3 were

Connection
Posture
And how to lead a Corkscrew

Let's say for arguements sake that you're really good at connection but clueless about how to lead a corkscrew (but really want to)

Now you've got a choice. You can either focus on the the one(s) at the top of the list. So for Connection you might try Amir or Franck.

Or you can focus on the one(s) you're bad at, so for the corkscrew you might try Val and Dave.

I'd suggest that "dance" is simply too big for someone to become good at everything. So you have to chose how focussed you want to be. A Learning Plan is basically a way of stating what you focus is and a way to help you decide where you want to apply your resources (time, energy, money etc). So you may feel that floorcraft is important, but that you're not interested in going beyond your current level.

I think it was Julia Cameron who said
"You can have anything you want, but you can't have everything"

It also let's you further divide things - so say you want to improve Connection

To the music
To you partner
Through hand hold
Through body leads
Through frame

So let's say you want to concentrate on connection through frame
Then look at different ways you could practice

Stationary
Leading walks
Leading ochos

So say you lke leading walks because it's going to be practical in freestyle too

Then look at ways to work on connection in walks with frame

Being able to maintain it with your eyes closed
Being able to maintain it with her eyes closed
Being able to maintain it with both your eyes closed
etc etc

And again you can prioritise.these

So you may end up with

Learning Plan
Aim: Improve connection

Specifically through frame

Practice leading walks with a partner in frame

1. Being able to maintain it with her eyes closed
2. Being able to maintain it with your eyes closed
3. Being able to maintain it with both your eyes closed

In freestyle lead walks in frame focussing on connection

DavidJames wrote:What, you mean, like a... learning plan?

Carzy idea, it'll never catch on.

I like Carzy ideas.

Lynn wrote:I like Carzy ideas.

Not sure that what i am able to do would persuade anyone that my way of learning is the best way but i normally trying to learn/improve on thing each time i go dancing. Have tried the approach where i try and make a conscious effort to improve everything at the same time but surprisingly enough that didn't work

Learn to know your centre and stay balanced

Never look down

Get up and dance dance dance

David Bailey wrote:Do you have one?

If so, how's it organised?

Any tips? Do's and don't's?

A slow afternoon at work giving me chance to read through old threads, I thought I'd reply to this one, any good criticism/advice appreciated as always

My main plan is to dance as much as possible, - but in order to improve I do have a bit of a plan in my head. This I'm sure will change in time, but this is where I am at the moment:

(Maybe you will think i'm taking this far too seriously! In my defence I am finding that the more I improve the more fun I am having!



Goal
My goal is have the freedom to move & dance as an automatic reaction to the music, my partner & how I'm feeling, - without having to concentrate or think too hard.



#1
Using movements instead of moves.

Learn new moves from classes, workshops & watching, - then continually trying to improve my execution of them, & practicing them so they become second nature during freestyle.

Learn lots of variations of moves I know as a way of understanding the different components of the moves & how they can be changed & interlinked with other moves/movements.

Watching others dance.

Trying to use certain individual components of a move instead of the entire move (finding this difficult to learn myself, I've only managed to do this by copying others so far).

Relax into the dance, feel the music & try not to think too hard.




#2
Footwork

Keeping my feet close to the floor when moving.

Keep my feet close to each other as they pass (when stepping etc).

Practice footwork steps of moves I know at random times during the day with my invisible Follow!

Get friend to video me dancing.

Ongoing awareness of how big my steps are.

Awareness of always transferring my weight when stepping.

Awareness of where both myself & partner are travelling, avoid doing slotted moves in rotation.




#3
Posture

Reading putting into practice various advice from this forum.

Feedback.

Get friend to video me dancing.




#4
Lead

Advice from forums, DVDs and private 121 tuition.

Feedback from social follows & teachers.




#5
Leading & feeling the weight transferance of my partner

Learning off my "own bat".

Snippets of advice from online resources and class instruction.

Trying to find a workshops that will help me with this.




#6
Musicalilty

Trying to find a workshop.

Thinking less about moves & more about music & movements - this goal is somewhat dependent on #1.

Putting in the odd request to the DJ of tracks I love dancing to.




#7
Fluidity, style & smoothness.

Watching other dancers I'd love to dance like & plagurising bits of their dancing that I like.

Get friend to video me dancing.




#8
Spinning

Read advice & watch videos on technique.

Practice on my own at random times during the day when appropriate.

Adding more free spins into my freestyle.

Video playback.