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Pammy
20th-October-2003, 01:36 PM
Just wondered if any of the forumites were musically gifted.

Does anyone play any instruments?

Aleks
20th-October-2003, 01:56 PM
Originally posted by Pammy
Just wondered if any of the forumites were musically gifted.

Does anyone play any instruments?

I can play the fool......................................and the piano.

TheTramp
20th-October-2003, 01:58 PM
Studied voice while doing a music degree at Cardiff, also play (and have taught) the piano.

Steve

ChrisA
20th-October-2003, 03:01 PM
Originally posted by Pammy
Just wondered if any of the forumites were musically gifted.

Does anyone play any instruments?
This is two quite separate questions...:D :D

I used to play the violin in a past life; more recently (though not for a while) I've been a bit of a closet blues guitarist.

Chris

Chicklet
20th-October-2003, 04:18 PM
eensy bit of piano but learning as an adult very hard on the left hand after a childhood in treble clef only on the flute.

Geordieed
20th-October-2003, 05:13 PM
Does anyone ever relate that dancing is like playing a musical instrument. Instead of struggling and following the music join in and become one of the musicians and try to add to the music while you are dancing to it. Don't be a slave to the music.

Or is that a bit spaced out for some folk.

Lorna
20th-October-2003, 08:03 PM
Hello,

I am a secondary school music teacher. I play several instruments including the piano, violin, voice and percussion. These were my main studies but I can also play a bit of guitar, bass guitar and flute. I am so grateful to my parents for making me go to those lessons every week.

Lotsa love Lorna x-x

Alfie
20th-October-2003, 10:56 PM
WOW!!!!

All you really talented people on the forum. I got the sack from the triangle in the school band. No timing, no rythm, cant follow a beat, can't create a beat. Dead loss as a musician really:tears:
I really envy anyone who can play any thing:wink:

Chris
21st-October-2003, 09:11 AM
Originally posted by Geordieed
Does anyone ever relate that dancing is like playing a musical instrument. Instead of struggling and following the music join in and become one of the musicians and try to add to the music while you are dancing to it. Don't be a slave to the music.

Or is that a bit spaced out for some folk.

Definitely not too spaced out - I can really relate to that. It sounds straight out of kinetic (dance) imagery - something I have found a huge inspiration and help.:grin:

bigdjiver
21st-October-2003, 10:42 AM
Originally posted by Geordieed
Does anyone ever relate that dancing is like playing a musical instrument. Instead of struggling and following the music join in and become one of the musicians and try to add to the music while you are dancing to it. Don't be a slave to the music.


I have seen on a swing forum described as "dancing in the music". As in jazz, where one player does something different from the other musicians, which complements what they are playing, then rejoins them. This takes real understanding to do as a couple.

Geordieed
21st-October-2003, 01:34 PM
That swing forum sounds great. Do have a link. I have been watching Lindy and West Coast Swing as well as basic swing from around the globe and their techniques for dealing with music leaves me speachless.

DavidY
21st-October-2003, 02:55 PM
Originally posted by Alfie
No timing, no rythm, cant follow a beat :confused: :confused: Alfie, I think you're being too modest - whenever I've seen you dance you seem to have plenty of timing & rhythmn and follow the beat just fine...

bigdjiver
21st-October-2003, 04:00 PM
Originally posted by Geordieed
That swing forum sounds great. Do have a link. I have been watching Lindy and West Coast Swing as well as basic swing from around the globe and their techniques for dealing with music leaves me speachless.

No, I do not. I lost it after a computer crash. I have not tried very hard to refind it. I got a very hostile reaction there after I tried to tell them about modern jive, and it acting as an introduction to swing dancing in the UK.

I could do with learning some of the style and break techniques from swing. Altough, after a while I realised that, for many, their cool moves were just as repetitive as the arm jive for most Cerocers. However, their gods do seem to be real gods.

Geordieed
21st-October-2003, 04:08 PM
:yum: Yes their gods do seem to reach some unbelievable heights. Shame they had a bug inserted about your approach. Some forms of dancing get a little precious when it seems that's all they have got. Look at the top layer of great dancers of any dance form and they will happily mix. This forum is a good example of how this is the case.


Alot of god like status seems to eminate from our cousins across the pond.

Pammy
21st-October-2003, 04:13 PM
Originally posted by Geordieed
Shame they had a bug inserted about your approach.

bug, Bug, Did someone say BUG? Hey Barry S. you're squashing capabilities are required again! :wink:

Geordieed
21st-October-2003, 05:22 PM
I would love to know who you were trying to contact. Can you get in touch and let me know.

bigdjiver
21st-October-2003, 07:11 PM
re: link

I did find this page of links to swing and other dance forms:

http://www.mjames.org/linkhtml.html

He has identified those with video clips

Boomer
24th-October-2003, 10:39 AM
Just giving the topic a passing nod of recognition:D I have been known to toot on my harmonica....its not talking to me at the moment though:sad: she's a bit jealous of all this dance stuff I've been doing.

Chris
27th-October-2003, 12:26 PM
Originally posted by Geordieed
Does anyone ever relate that dancing is like playing a musical instrument. Instead of struggling and following the music join in and become one of the musicians and try to add to the music while you are dancing to it.

I've just thought of another analogy and background idea.

Mostly we think in terms of ideas (ie in words, or almost in words) and the words relate to each other logically. But though there might be a 'logic' to music, it seems that most notes relate to each other just by the feel of one note to another. Similarly we 'feel' and respond to music. (Maybe like the way a painter responds to colours.)

It reminds me of a girl I used to have a wonderful dance connection with for a while. One of the things that fascinated me about her and which I admired was that she appeared to think in terms of pure feelings, relating feelings to other feelings the way musical notes relate to each other. She went on to become a fantastic dancer (I won't embarass the lady by mentioning her name but if I say she has nice knees she will know who I mean)
:wink:

Geordieed
27th-October-2003, 12:50 PM
I like that explanation alot. The thing I like about it the most is that you have found something very personal to you. We all see things in different ways.

I was very lucky to catch a private class with Robert Cordoba last Autumn and he said that he found that lead and follow was like having a conversation where the words spoken and not forgetting how you speak were all done through the connection. Whether we start the connection through hand to hand contact (combat) or shoulder etc we can explore the range of speach and language about the music. Characterisation really.

What do you think.

Chris
27th-October-2003, 02:54 PM
Originally posted by Geordieed
I like that explanation alot. The thing I like about it the most is that you have found something very personal to you. We all see things in different ways.

I was very lucky to catch a private class with Robert Cordoba last Autumn and he said that he found that lead and follow was like having a conversation where the words spoken and not forgetting how you speak were all done through the connection. Whether we start the connection through hand to hand contact (combat) or shoulder etc we can explore the range of speach and language about the music. Characterisation really.

What do you think.

That certainly hits the nail on the head for me - and I agree about finding an idea that works and that you can maybe even build on with your partner.

Cordoba sounds such an intersting character. Don't know if you are into books but wonder if you might also perhaps enjoy "Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance" by Eric Franklin - one of my favourite dance books ever. Lots of 'finding ideas to create ways of thinking about dancing' stuff.

Your conversation with Cordoba also echoes / reminded me in some ways a comment by Patrick Swayze - "Dance should be a communication - it's the base form of communication that was on the planet before language."

Bill
27th-October-2003, 03:22 PM
One of my huge disappointments is that I can't play an instrument because I love music so much :tears:

I did have to play the recorder in the mid 70's when I spent a year on a Primary Teaching course. I passed - but only just and I couldn't read music which was a bit of a handicap. :rolleyes:

Would love to play the piano and possibly the sax.

Dance Demon
27th-October-2003, 05:46 PM
Originally posted by Bill

Would love to play the piano and possibly the sax.

I played Cello at school (a Loooong time ago:D ) and can play a bit guitar.....but piano & sax is probably what I'd most like to be able to play. I remember the first time I read the cover of Mike Oldfields Tubular Bells, and finding out that he played nearly all of the instruments himself, including ones I'd never heard of, and thinking.....it's not fair:tears: :tears:

Twinkle Toes
27th-October-2003, 10:44 PM
I learnt to read music and play classical guitar at school .... yes, last century .... and still do, but not as frequently. Too busy out enjoying myself. Can also play a tiny bit of piano ... and I mean tiny.

TT x

Geordieed
30th-October-2003, 02:51 PM
:kiss: After a really interesting conversation I started thinking again about dancing to the music like you were part of the band. Instead of both following the same elements in the music. Does anyone ever take out parts of the music so you or your partner will opt for the melody and the other will pick out the percussion. It is an idea that has just dawned on me and wonder if anyone else has had the same thought.

Obviously this is danced on top of the moves that you execute. There being a difference between dancing and executing moves that you might have learned from lessons etc...

bigdjiver
30th-October-2003, 08:12 PM
Originally posted by Geordieed
snip
After a really interesting conversation I started thinking again about dancing to the music like you were part of the band. Instead of both following the same elements in the music. Does anyone ever take out parts of the music so you or your partner will opt for the melody and the other will pick out the percussion.


Hmm, I like your thinking.

Lory
30th-October-2003, 09:40 PM
I used to play the guitar at school and I loved it, until my Dad ruined it for me. He insisted that, if I was going to play, I had to learn to play 'properly' (he meant classical, zzzz) all I ever wanted to do, was get the sheet music of the latest pop song, Sing loudly and strum along! I wasn't bad either but every time I started, my Dad would pipe up.....'I can't hear u practising what the Tutor, that I've paid a lot of money for, has told u too! aghhhhh

CJ
6th-November-2003, 01:06 PM
Fairly well documented but as I've been absent for SO long:

Play: gtr, bass, drums, voice and can compose on piano, but not really play it properly.

Play in band. Compose classical chamber peices.

To do list: bagpipes, cello, sax.

bigdjiver
6th-November-2003, 01:50 PM
This thread has been a great disappointment to me. I am a non-musician "in my head" amateur songwriter, and I had faint hopes of finding musicians interested in working towards a Ceroc themed danceable CD. We all can dream ...

CJ
6th-November-2003, 01:53 PM
Covers or originals?
Music styles?
Plenty of musicians here.

U want it? Make it happen.

bigdjiver
6th-November-2003, 03:01 PM
Originally posted by Ceroc Jock
Covers or originals?
Music styles?
Plenty of musicians here.

U want it? Make it happen.

Originals that we can dance to. I dream of a Modern Jive showcase DVD.

All of the local musicians I have approached so far have their own agendas. The only collaborators I have found so far have been over the internet.

CJ
6th-November-2003, 04:10 PM
PM me some serious thoughts...