Does it seem strange...

[Mythical]

To go on a 'normal' night out (by that I mean normal for the majority of the population, and which doesn't involve partner dancing) to see people out suffling about on the dancefloor, rather than twirling and spinning and leading moves that generally look impressive!
I may have to go to a wedding at the weekend, which is likely to be just as described above, and whilst I usually love weddings for the cheesy music and copious amounts of alcohol and 'free' food, I'm actually dreading the prospect of not being able to get up and dance!

[Blueshoes]

I went to a wedding last year on my own, apart from me there only muggles in attendance. Of course there was a dance floor and music (of sorts). Inbetween YMCA, the birdie song and Amarillo there was the odd track I was dying to get up to and strut my stuff. It was made worse that several people there knew I danced and were exhorting me to do so whilst I was busy trying to explain I needed someone to dance with that knew what they were doing.....

It was a very frustrating experience for me.

[Mythical]

exhorting me to do so whilst I was busy trying to explain I needed someone to dance with that knew what they were doing.....


The answer to this is:
"Sure....I'll show you a move, then you try and lead it in time to the music"

Or is that just too evil?

[Frankie_4711]

I went to a wedding last year where I was the only 'dancer'. So I just picked some random drunk woman who seemed game (you know, the one that goes around chatting to everyone and hugging complete strangers!) and led her through a few Beginner moves. She loved it and said she was going to go home to Newcastle and join up! Don't know if she ever did.

[SeriouslyAddicted]

I was at my works Christmas do and we had a live band that was perfect to MJ to, but no men to lead me. I have completely forgotten how to "dance" on my own:sad:

I can now lead, but don't think my female work collegues would understand that is perfectly acceptable for two women to dance together!

[Lory]

I have completely forgotten how to "dance" on my own:sad:



:yeah: Weird isn't it... although, in saying that, alcohol always seems to help! :blush: :rofl: I usually end up trying to grab the person who's in front of me's hand :really:

I'm afraid that since i've been doing Ceroc, everytime I go to a 'muggle' do, I can't help thinking how stupid they all look, dancing on their own :na:

[MartinHarper]

If you're not comfortable using your MJ experience to solo dance, then dance with an imaginary partner.

[Sparkles]

The worst thing for me about going to a 'muggle' do is that at least some of the people there know I dance, and so they all say "oh, you should get up and dance, go on..." etc etc etc
The problem is that I PARTNER-DANCE and feel like a complete idiot when I try and dance on my own; it's like half of me is missing and the half that's left can't function independantly!
So they all have these expectations of someone who 'can dance' and then see me making a total fool of myself :blush:.

Maybe partner dancing ruins your ability to dance on your own? :what:

[Twirlie Bird]

Maybe partner dancing ruins your ability to dance on your own? :what:

I have found that since starting Ceroc my 'normal' dancing has improved. I think it's got something to do with the amount those dance muscles are being used now, the way my hips have loosened up and my better understanding of music. I go clubbing every Friday and Saturday and I have to admit that for the first 30 minutes I SO want to Ceroc. It doesn't help that my everyday partner is with me so in theory we 'could'!!!!!

[Groovemeister]

Dancing is about fun bottom line isn't it it's dissapointing that learning to dance a partnered dance has taken away the fun element from dancing on your own.

Personnally I have found that certain things such as musical interpretation has become easier when I dance on my own. I was explaining this to some one the other week that what it teaches you is to dance in certain ways to certain music. If it's disco dance in a disco style, if it's rock dance in a way that goes with the music improvise and have fun.

People may look at you funny as they shuffle around but if they ask you can always answer them by telling them you do dance lessons.

I would have thought most followers after compaining about leads would jump at the chance to do what they want to do :wink:

[Jhutch]

The worst thing for me about going to a 'muggle' do is that at least some of the people there know I dance, and so they all say "oh, you should get up and dance, go on..." etc etc etc
The problem is that I PARTNER-DANCE and feel like a complete idiot when I try and dance on my own; it's like half of me is missing and the half that's left can't function independantly!
So they all have these expectations of someone who 'can dance' and then see me making a total fool of myself :blush:.



:yeah:

Not sure that i ever could dance on my own anyway, but over Christmas i had all my mates taking the p*ss out of me when we were on a dance floor - i tried explaining that i did partner dancing, not solo dancing but they still seemed to expect me to dance like a boy-band wannabe:what: Maybe i should have tried to lead one of them:rolleyes: but i don't think that sort of thing would have gone done well in the place we were in:D

[Rachel]

Dancing is about fun bottom line isn't it it's dissapointing that learning to dance a partnered dance has taken away the fun element from dancing on your own. ...The reverse is true for me - I can't, don't and won't dance on my own (I mean clubbing/social dancing, not ballet/tap classes).

So discovering modern jive has meant that I can actually get up on a social dance floor and have fun. I still have odd times when I feel nervous and self-conscious but I've learnt that people are not looking at me, pointing and laughing, and it's brilliant!!

Rachel

[Lee Bartholomew]

I guess it's harder for women than it is for men as we can just grab any lass and at least give it ago, where as you girls have to find a man that can lead.

It is great going clubbing with other MJ'ers and dancing. It's the best way to develop your dancing.

[whitetiger1518]

I hate disco dancing - I was brought up ceilidhing and country dancing so the majority of my friends and family can do one or both - All I have to do now is have a party where hopefully a few of you good leads turn up and I "Should" be able to add Ceroc to their list of styles....

I wonder how my work colleagues would react? There are a good few guys in one of the departments that I work with - Now to introduce the subject :devil: :rofl:

Whitetiger

[Sparkles]

There are a good few guys in one of the departments that I work with - Now to introduce the subject :devil: :rofl:

Introduce the subject asap! Not only could we always do with some more men on the MJ scene (to stop the '339 women on' scenario :rolleyes: ) but you'll be surprised at how much fun you have.
I work in a mostly female environment, but a group of us (men and women) went out salsa dancing one night and had an absolute blast! Only two of us knew how to salsa, everyone else picked it up as they went along. My plan is to get them to come with me to Ceroc next :devil: :grin:

[Gav]

Introduce the subject asap! Not only could we always do with some more men on the MJ scene (to stop the '339 women on' scenario :rolleyes: ) but you'll be surprised at how much fun you have.


Or even better, some of the ladies over come to Argentine Tango so we don't have men over!

[Frankie_4711]

{SNIP}My plan is to get them to come with me to Ceroc next :devil: :grin:

I've actually managed to get a group of work colleagues to come to a Ceroc class with me in a couple of weeks. They keep trying to wriggle out of it, regretting having agreed to go, but they're coming (one has threatened to stand at the bar all night!)! It wasn't actually even my idea. We were all going to go out for a post Xmas drink or meal and one of them said "why don't we be healthy and go dancing instead"! She's been really popular since, but can't even remember suggesting it!!!! Glad I had a witness! Only problem is that it's an all female group. Oh well, can't win 'em all!

[Baruch]

I guess it's harder for women than it is for men as we can just grab any lass and at least give it ago,
I thought that too until I actually tried it at a work "do". It brought home to me that following takes skill, and those who haven't learned to follow are extremely difficult to dance with. The couple of dances I did have (at their request, not mine - they know I dance, so wanted to have a go with me) were quite difficult even just to keep on beat while doing two or three basic moves.

To go back to the original question, yes it does seem strange to me when I'm at a muggle event and people just shuffle around the floor. Before I learned MJ I found it an intimidating atmosphere as I didn't dance. Now I just find it boring, especially when what is on display is lowest common denominator, just-shift-your-weight-from-one-foot-to-the-other-repeatedly-until-the-music-stops kind of dancing.


It is great going clubbing with other MJ'ers and dancing. It's the best way to develop your dancing.
Oh, I don't know. I can think of better ways, most of which involve a dance floor with room to move.

[Groovemeister]

The reverse is true for me - I can't, don't and won't dance on my own (I mean clubbing/social dancing, not ballet/tap classes).

So discovering modern jive has meant that I can actually get up on a social dance floor and have fun. I still have odd times when I feel nervous and self-conscious but I've learnt that people are not looking at me, pointing and laughing, and it's brilliant!!

Rachel

My wife is the same she won't come to Ceroc due to the social element of the dancing and quite often when we go out to clubs she will not come on the dance floor. Mainly because she is to self concous. This is despite her having dance lessons for 15 years and being a good dancer.

[Little Monkey]

I went to a wedding last year on my own {snip}... It was made worse that several people there knew I danced and were exhorting me to do so whilst I was busy trying to explain I needed someone to dance with that knew what they were doing.....

It was a very frustrating experience for me.

I hate this! I get it all the time, too! 'Come on then, Cathrine, show us what type of dancing you do! Come on then, you're the one who loves dancing, why are you not on the dance floor?' etc. I hate muggle dancing!:mad:


:yeah: Weird isn't it... although, in saying that, alcohol always seems to help! :blush: :rofl: I usually end up trying to grab the person who's in front of me's hand :really:

I'm afraid that since i've been doing Ceroc, everytime I go to a 'muggle' do, I can't help thinking how stupid they all look, dancing on their own :na:

Yes, I need to be very drunk to do muggle dancing.... Mostly so that I won't think about how stupid both I and everyone else on the floor look, shuffling around on the spot!

[TurboTomato]

To go back to the original question, yes it does seem strange to me when I'm at a muggle event and people just shuffle around the floor. Before I learned MJ I found it an intimidating atmosphere as I didn't dance. Now I just find it boring, especially when what is on display is lowest common denominator, just-shift-your-weight-from-one-foot-to-the-other-repeatedly-until-the-music-stops kind of dancing.


:yeah:

[Phil]

Going back to the original thread for a mo.
I have been faced with the same problem, i.e. being invited to a function where you know that there just aren't goning to be any jivers there and having to sit it out when a good track comes on that makes you want to dance.
I found a solution to this problem. All I did was ask someone from my local venue, whom I knew very well to accompany me to the said event, stressing that all I wanted was someone who could dance and socialise with and nothing more.
Having laid that on the line and being up front and honest about it I rarely found myself being refused.
After all, we're all adults and there's no harm in asking.
If you don't ask you'll never know.

[Icey]

The reverse is true for me - I can't, don't and won't dance on my own (I mean clubbing/social dancing, not ballet/tap classes).


:yeah: Not a chance.

Mr Darcy and I went to a wedding last summer and were the only "partner-dancers" there. We did get quite a few people pointing and watching open mouthed - like we were doing something off Strictly :rofl:

Unfortunately I had dodgy bridesmaid shoes on that I couldn't spin in and the floor was filthy :sad:

[Ghost]

I thought that too until I actually tried it at a work "do". It brought home to me that following takes skill, and those who haven't learned to follow are extremely difficult to dance with. The couple of dances I did have (at their request, not mine - they know I dance, so wanted to have a go with me) were quite difficult even just to keep on beat while doing two or three basic moves.

But they can have learnt to follow from any style of dance which makes life easier ie I can lead Ceroc on someone who's only done salsa etc. Likewise there's a certain degree of fun to be had in completely ignoring the people watching and "swapping" moves on the floor eg
"This is how an open neckbreak works"
"Cool. Do you know this one? Well you lead me round like this and then you...."
and then you start chatting with the couple next to you and swapping moves with them....
:D