Riot and Frolic

Stop Taking Private Lessons

This is what is called "click bait" in the internet age.  

Aimed mainly at my dearest dear darling collegiate students and suspiciously self-sufficient amateurs, this one's for you.

Things you can learn the week of a competition

What times do I dance?

What does the floor look like in the ballroom?

Who is judging?

What particular outfit from my competition gear am I choosing?

When am I doing my hair and makeup?

Who is doing my hair and makeup?

Who is videoing my dances?

What restaurants and coffee shops are nearby?

What time does the closest bar close?

Where is the restroom closest to the ballroom?

Where’s the practice room?

Where’s the changing room?

Where should I park?

 

Notice that none of those things started with “HOW”.

I love you, but stop taking lessons the week before your event.  Well, stop taking your only private lessons of the year the week before you compete.

You know when you’re dancing in an event months, or at least weeks, in advance.  TAKE YOUR PRIVATE LESSONS THEN.  

The week before you dance an event, if you haven’t been taking private lessons previously or consistently, you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to tell you some nice performance tips like: stand up straight, look up, smile, etc.  While that CAN be helpful, you’re not really learning anything, just being reminded of things you already know to do.  Which again, CAN be helpful.

BUT.

Are you going to learn any terrific technique that you can apply in less than six days?  Are you going to learn any new figures that you are going to make look nice, well-rehearsed (aka, like you know what you’re doing), and correct in less than six days?

NO.

I’m sure you’re thinking, “But I will practice them and I’m really quick at picking up new what’s-its and this will totally be worth my time and money”.  

IT WILL NOT BE.

It takes about 300 repetitions of something to make it “learned”.  Yes, yes, you might know what you’re supposed to do, but knowing and doing are two very different things, my friends.  And if you can crack on with 300 repetitions of each new thing you’re told within a week of your performance event, you are a better person THAN EVERYONE ON THE PLANET.

Teachers will often ask what kind of information you’re looking for, if you’re taking a lesson with them for the first time: something along the lines of “this weekend” information, “next month” information, or “one year” info.  Roughly, they’re wondering what can they tell you that you can apply immediately (smile when you are in left side position; say “purple hippopotamus” when you bow), what can they tell you that takes a bit of practice but won’t explode your brains (follows do two toe releases on feather finishes; here’s a simple Silver routine), or what is some great information for you to practice for the rest of your dance life (LATIN MOTION or Standard Foxtrot “basics”).

And private lessons are the BOMB when you’ve been taking group classes as your primary form of instruction.  The generalized form of instruction provided in groups is GREAT for learning patterns and broad rules of movement, but are not specific to you, your physiology, your partnership, and your talents.   So, stop taking private lessons right before an event and start improving your dancing… sooner. Like now.  GO NOW.

 

 

The Right Tools for the Job: Ballroom Dance Shoes with Flow Chart

Hey babes,

I'm going to leave this here and then come back later with OPINIONS and FACTS.

Go forth and practice.

The Perfect Storm : a Group Class

I have taught many group classes.  I've underestimated it to be around 3,000 group classes.  Beginners to advanced, 3 to nearly 300 people, teacher training, formations, weird gigs at corporate events, high schoolers, collegiate... you name it.

And like a sailor at sea, there's calm days that go according to plan, and there's disasters that you train for, and then.  There's the perfect storm.  The class that you knew existed and had heard of in legends, but never experienced yourself.  

Until now.*

*Yes, all of this really happened. No, you weren't in it. It happened years ago and I've had notes on it forever.  

I was teaching a beginning level class that had a modest turnout most weeks.  Most participants were taking private lessons, so the group class was mostly focused on reinforcing the basics. 

This week, I had noticed a few unfamiliar couples hanging around in the lobby before class, so I was expecting some absolute beginners.

Possibly to my detriment, I feel very comfortable teaching beginners because I've taught so many over the years.  I teach at a local university's ballroom dance club and have experimented on them for 10 years to see what methods get the majority of attendees moving and grooving in the least amount of time.  

[YES, THE GIG IS UP. I'VE USED YOU FOR RESEARCH. SORRY, LOVVE YOU, UMNBDC! KATE, OUT!]

Getting large groups of people DANCING and figuring out what "takes" is fascinating! I've honed and edited and perfected and had good results. In other words, my confidence going into class was unshaken by the circumstances. 

Back to class, my regulars show up, along with a few new couples.  I start class.  

It's Swing, btw.  Just single time swing.  [NO, THAT'S NOT LINDY.]

I literally have always started classes by walking. Forward, back, side steps.  Boom.  Done.  EASY.  Sighs of relief all around.

My general formula for class is:

• walking
• foot placement (side, side, back, forward) - everyone is dancing with themselves 
• timing (slow slow quick quick, but with synonyms! one two, one two, one one; one two, three four, five six; sl-ow, sl-ow, quick quick; side, side, rock step; boop-shoopy, dop-shoppy, bip bop; etc.) - still dancing with themselves
• demonstration of the subject at hand
• quick tips for great success 
• partner up! giddy up!
• dance a lot with music and switching of partners
• troubleshoot, then dance some more
• do a move by starting the whole process over (skipping the walking bit)

We begin doing the basic.   

Six people walk in.  

Not one or two, which I'm used to.

SIX.

Cool cool.  The ocean is getting a little rough, but nothing I haven't seen before.

More basics, but let's count out loud together!

We partner up. 

There's more guys than girls, but that's no problem.  I tell the leads to do their part as if a partner was in front of them.

OH, that guy in the corner is NOT getting it.  Like, NO. NOT DOING IT.

And this guy, right here, dancing with me, THINKS he's got it, but like, NO.

And his wife leans over, from where she's dancing with someone else, to tell me, that he doesn't got it.

WE'RE TAKING ON WATER, SAILORS.

"GENTLEMEN ON YOUR SIDE! LADIES ON YOUR SIDE!" I yell to bail out water.

Let's go back.  The basic needs some work. 

But no one wants to feel like they're being remedial.  Or remediated?  The seas are taller than my boat, but I am undeterred.

So I disguise more basics as "adding rotation".  But MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE TO ROTATE IF YOU'RE WORKING ON MOVING YOUR FEET IN GENERAL.

We count together.  

We stomp our feet in rhythm, to make sure we're doing weight transfers.

We partner up.

I'm playing fun music REALLY LOUD and counting people in TOO QUICKLY after switching partners, so a different lady doesn't have enough time or volume to teach each one of her new partners.  I am sailing into the eye of the storm.

Everyone I dance with is smiling and having a great time, but holy crap, it's still a mess out there.  

One guy cannot hear the music.  Or my very loud voice counting, which seems impossible. I tell the guys to copy off their neighbors, or at least pick a rhythm and stick to it.  I have made it through the eye, but now am into the other side of the storm.  I AM NOT AFRAID. 

That first guy is not going to get it.  I've made peace with that. I'll tell everyone how to cheat and still make their partner happy.

I did three other exercises I'd never done before to get across the point of the basic (aka: move your feet).

Guys.

We are 25 minutes into class and still doing the basic.  

I decide to move on, because sometimes the next challenge solidifies the previous one as "easier".

We do the underarm turns.  Literally 8 times for the ladies.  And another 8 times for the men.

I don't know if you're recalling the lead's part for underarm turns in Swing, but it's the basic... while lifting one arm.

Yes, I made them do MORE basics.

We made it to shore. It was glorious.  The fact that I tricked them into more basics, not the actual basics themselves.  Those were still mediocre.

At the end of the 50 minute class, everyone was doing... something to music.  It might not have been exactly Swing, but they were having fun and didn't want to stop when the music did.  And while I'm a sucker for righteousness in the ballroom, I'm also a fan of having a good time. 

"More" Dancing

I've noticed a phenomenon in syllabus levels of ballroom dance competitions where a couple (or a student, in a pro-am situation) will make several cuts in competitive events and as they get closer to the final, their dancing changes. 

Their dancing becomes MOAR.  

MOAR ARMS.

MOAR SMILES.

MOAR HIPS.

MOAR BIG.

MOAR DANCING.

And this is generally unfortunate, because the dancing that they had done up to this point was the dancing that made them make those substantial first cuts.  

The thing is, in the lower syllabus levels, you don't know how to do better dancing.  You don't know where to put the more into your dancing to make it even worthier of marks, awards, and finals.

So, you end up putting energy into your arms (and they get disconnected from your movement), or you put more pep in your step (and you get off time with the music, or you bump into your unsuspecting partner), or you emote so much you frighten the otherwise unflappable judges.

Doing more is not what you think it is.

In other words, you start dancing worse. 

Your dancing is lovely.  It's what got you into the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final.  Stopping doing something different! (Smiling moar is always a good choice, though.)

What is Ballroom Dancing

Happy Blogday (like Happy Birthday, but for the birthday of my blog).  

11 years ago when Gordon was at Emerald Ball, I decided to start this ol' thing.  And just because I haven't posted for a second doesn't mean I have any less thoughts on what happens on the dance floor. 

So let's get basic:

What is ballroom dancing?

While the saying goes “it goes without saying,” in my experience as a teacher, business owner, and mom, NOTHING goes without saying. So here we go…

Poetically, it’s two people dancing as one.

Specifically, it’s two people who are performing the complementary prescribed foot placements in a specific rhythm synchronized to music.

• Foot placement is where your foot goes relative to yourself: forward, back, side, together, and any variation of those positions.
• Rhythm is a repeated pattern of sound: ie, SSQQ, 2 3 4&1, etc.
• This definition holds for most people for most of their dance eras.
• At some point in some people’s dance journey, you don’t always do prescribed foot placements, but you will always do some steps with a rhythm, and ALWAYS synchronized to music. This is called ad-libbing… or choreography.

These two people are considered a partnership with complementary jobs: there is a leader in charge of timing and direction (or “when” and “where” as I like to say) and the follow is in charge of connection (or “how much”).

To lead, one MUST MOVE THEIR OWN BODY in those prescribed steps and rhythms AND in a way that facilitates the movement of, but DOES NOT ACT DIRECTLY UPON upon their partner.  

How does one not act directly upon their partner when they’re more or less attached to them?  With skill, dollface.  But no matter what your hilarious-and-untechical (note that doesn’t say “unethical”) beginning group class instructor [it’s me; I say that] might say, leads never “push” or “shove” their partners.  They use perfected tone and proper biomechanics to guide their follows to their desired destination.

To follow, one must take the initiation of movement and fulfill its destiny. ITS DESTINY.

To do that, follows need to have knowledge of the prescribed foot placements and rhythms.  One does not “just follow”.  It is a skill (not an instinct or responsibility of the lead). The more possibilities followers are aware of, the more likely we are to not resist new (or familiar) patterns and figures.

No one is a born leader on the dance floor.  This is NOT an instinct.  No woman should expect a man to “know how to lead” because it is a skill that needs to be built along with knowledge that needs to be acquired to perform a desirable result, aka a fun and enjoyable dance.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, EVERYONE needs move properly (with good posture and Goldilocks tone [which is malleable according to your partner and circumstance] and correct biomechanics) embracing their role in the partnership. 

Mwah.  Get it, dance babes.

 

THAT is ballroom dancing.