Teaching YOUR partner

[Paul F]

I was sitting on the train today thinking :what: and I wondered how difficult it would be to teach (from my point of view - a bloke) a lady how to dance if it was just the two of us.

I would like to start dancing on a regular basis with a partner you see but where i live there are no clubs operating for me to ask any ladies and im single so cant ask use that either.
The only answer left would be to maybe ask a girl who has never danced if she would like to give it a whirl.

Do you think it is easy/hard to teach someone one on one with no real-life examples to base your teaching on??

Essentially it would mean me and my partner in a studio and thats it.

Obviously i would be able to teach her the motions and footwork etc but without a demonstration would this be enough??

Would the fact that she wouldnt be able to dance with different people be detremental?

Has anybody else tried teaching someone outside of a club with just the two of you?

Would we end up killing each other :wink:

Would love to hear your thoughts.

[bigdjiver]

I have danced with many ladies who have had no lessons in any form of dance and been able to lead them and teach more than enough to enjoy themselves.

I needed no aids, but the lessons online could help.

http://www.jivebug.co.uk/html/lessons.html


I have tried to dance just about anywhere there is a dance floor, a willing partner and appropriate music, a studio seems like overkill.

[John S]

Hi Paul F

Just for info, if you live in Manchester there are actually quite a few modern jive classes in the area, run by Ceroc, Blitz, SwingRoc and others. Try this website:
http://www.uk-jive.co.uk/region-list.asp?RegionID=5

You don't need to have a regular partner to go along to any of them and learn to dance, and if you're single you may well be in big demand.

Maybe not a good idea though, to let the lady know on your first dance with her that you're keen on doing some 1:1 tuition.
:wink:

[bigdjiver]

Originally posted by John S
Hi Paul F

Just for info, if you live in Manchester there are actually quite a few modern jive classes in the area, run by Ceroc, Blitz, SwingRoc and others. Try this website:
http://www.uk-jive.co.uk/region-list.asp?RegionID=5

You don't need to have a regular partner to go along to any of them and learn to dance, and if you're single you may well be in big demand.

Maybe not a good idea though, to let the lady know on your first dance with her that you're keen on doing some 1:1 tuition.
:wink:

It may not be a good idea either to introduce her to a roomful of other guys, some, perhaps, just as keen on one-to-one tuition.

[Paul F]

Originally posted by John S
Hi Paul F

Just for info, if you live in Manchester there are actually quite a few modern jive classes in the area, run by Ceroc, Blitz, SwingRoc and others. Try this website:
http://www.uk-jive.co.uk/region-list.asp?RegionID=5

You don't need to have a regular partner to go along to any of them and learn to dance, and if you're single you may well be in big demand.

Maybe not a good idea though, to let the lady know on your first dance with her that you're keen on doing some 1:1 tuition.
:wink:

Yeah there are classes but i just didnt want to have to travel as i wanted to practice v v regularly :wink:

ok, ok.... every day!!

i was thinking if i ask a lady/girl who lives in my town then we are both very close (geographically!!) but wasn't too sure if i needed the patience of a saint to teach someone from scratch without the use of demo's, tv etc.

I guess i can only try.

The only venues within the immediate vacinity are, well, not venues i would really go to on a regular basis. I would have to drive to Altrincham or (obviously ) hyde to a venue. The nearest is about 40 mins. On a weeknight, every night , this may be a bit much.

Hmmm, guess i will have to have a think

[Tazmanian Devil]

Originally posted by Paul F
I was sitting on the train today thinking :what: and I wondered how difficult it would be to teach (from my point of view - a bloke) a lady how to dance if it was just the two of us.

I would like to start dancing on a regular basis with a partner you see but where i live there are no clubs operating for me to ask any ladies and im single so cant ask use that either.
The only answer left would be to maybe ask a girl who has never danced if she would like to give it a whirl.

Do you think it is easy/hard to teach someone one on one with no real-life examples to base your teaching on??

Essentially it would mean me and my partner in a studio and thats it.

Obviously i would be able to teach her the motions and footwork etc but without a demonstration would this be enough??

Would the fact that she wouldnt be able to dance with different people be detremental?

Has anybody else tried teaching someone outside of a club with just the two of you?

Would we end up killing each other :wink:

Would love to hear your thoughts.



I have lead many a lady that has never danced MJ before and it was fun to say the least. So long as the lady wants to give it a go then why shouldn't it be fun :wink: :kiss: :hug:

[JamesGeary]

Ceroc originally never had lessons. Just dance nights.

[Tazmanian Devil]

Originally posted by JamesGeary
Ceroc originally never had lessons. Just dance nights.


Sorry to go totally off thread here but i'm sure I know you and have dance with you at Hammersmith last year (christmas time) It's bugging me now please post a pic of yourself in the whos who thread in chit chat so I can put my mind at ease. If you are who I think you are your a lovely dancer :kiss: :hug:

[Paul F]

Originally posted by Tazmanian Devil
Sorry to go totally off thread here but i'm sure I know you and have dance with you at Hammersmith last year (christmas time) It's bugging me now please post a pic of yourself in the whos who thread in chit chat so I can put my mind at ease. If you are who I think you are your a lovely dancer :kiss: :hug:

You MUST know James! He is one of the finest dancers around.

[Tazmanian Devil]

Originally posted by Paul F
You MUST know James! He is one of the finest dancers around.


If he is who I think he is I will agree he is a great dancer. somewhat shorter than myself but that didn't seem to notice through the dance, which is always a sign that the guy is a good lead :kiss: :hug:

[Lounge Lizard]

Yes IMO you can teach your partner - A studio works well but is costly - I advise video everything (we are talking dance here:wink: ) you will do something that works well and struggle to repeat/remember it.
Take your partner to at least two dances a week - she needs to visualise the move or dance style, she also needs to understand different leads and the many interpretations of our dance moves.
In the summer practice in the park/garden etc. great fun.
The obvious hard bit is finding a non ceroc dancer who is as keen as you - we are all keen initially but to practice every night...
If you are partners in more than dance - regular practice often causes problems and can lead to a split and all that practice wasted.
peter

[stewart38]

Originally posted by Paul F
I was sitting on the train today thinking :what: and I wondered how difficult it would be to teach (from my point of view - a bloke) a lady how to dance if it was just the two of us.

I would like to start dancing on a regular basis with a partner you see but where i live there are no clubs operating for me to ask any ladies and im single so cant ask use that either.
The only answer left would be to maybe ask a girl who has never danced if she would like to give it a whirl.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

I have tried to teach my current partner and her sister.Both have never non ceroc/jive etc and both were not enfused when they went to a ceroc event.
I can tell you my partner seems to have no sense of rythm her sister does. Its not 'hard' but if both want to go further they will go to ceroc etc
In you circumstance I wasn't sure why you just don't ask someone at a class if they wanted more 1 to 1 :wink:

[Graham]

I suppose it depends what you're trying to achieve. When I was taxiing a few weeks ago I started chatting to a couple who had been passing the door during freestyle and wondered what it was all about. After a few minutes I offered to dance with the girl, and lead her through a track without problems, despite her not having attended (or even seen) a class. I'm quite sure it would be straightforward to teach a partner to a reasonable intermediate standard without ever going to a club. After this, it would certainly be helpful (for them, not necessarily for you) to see other dancers so they could see style variations, etc. And if they wanted to be able to dance socially it would be useful for them to practice leading/following other people as well as their teacher/partner. However, the bigger question is what would be in it for you - unless you are spectacularly lucky, the chances of your "random" beginner turning out to be someone you really like dancing with every night seem rather low!

[Paul F]

Originally posted by stewart38

In you circumstance I wasn't sure why you just don't ask someone at a class if they wanted more 1 to 1 :wink:

sorry, didnt explain myself to well (whats new!!)

the fact that the classes are that bit too far away means there are no MJ dancers from the immediate area to ask.

If i did ask a complete stranger from my local area they wouldnt be able to get to the venues (unless they really wanted too) thats why i wondered if it would be difficult to train them with no demo's, videos or anything to work with.

Sounds like it shouldnt be too daunting :wink:

[Will]

Originally posted by Tazmanian Devil
Sorry to go totally off thread here but i'm sure I know you and have dance with you at Hammersmith last year (christmas time) It's bugging me now please post a pic of yourself in the whos who thread in chit chat so I can put my mind at ease. If you are who I think you are your a lovely dancer :kiss: :hug:
Taz, would it be rude of me to ask if you could get him to PM his picture to you rather than post it on the forum. He's not the prettiest boy on the block - and I usually look at the forum during my lunch hour.

I thankyou...

[Tazmanian Devil]

Originally posted by Will
Taz, would it be rude of me to ask if you could get him to PM his picture to you rather than post it on the forum. He's not the prettiest boy on the block - and I usually look at the forum during my lunch hour.

I thankyou...


I thought he could post it on the whos who thread, Then that way everyone can see who he is! I mean he is a forum member as well as the rest of us so why not. :confused: And if you dont want to look at him in your lunch hour dont go to that thread :devil:

[Jive Brummie]

Hello Paul F,
personally i think that you shouldn't have any problems in teaching a complete beginner from scratch, providing you ensure the following things;

they have some rythym,
they have some co-ordination,
they've seen ceroc once or twice at a class and know what it's all about,
you make sure they know the beginners moves and can do them well before going onto any intermediate moves. (why teach them to run before they can walk, they'll just look c**p),
you can learn to leave all your disagreements on the dance floor.

FC, in my opinion, taught me how to dance. She did everything that i've mentioned above. I went to a few classes to get a good look and be taught the basics, but it was FC who actively encouraged me to find my own style and taught me how to 'play' with the music. It also helped that i loved dancing.

FC's drawback now is that I know a bit more of what's s'posed to happen and when... which means i can argue back!!!!
:wink: ..... oh, and i've worked out that she's not always right!!!:rofl:

I think you'd be better off finding someone at your class though:cheers:

All the best with your searching

James:waycool:

[JamesGeary]

Originally posted by Tazmanian Devil
somewhat shorter than myself ...a lovely dancer

Short & Lovely. Nah, couldn't have been me. Think 6ft tall and aweinspiring.

[thewacko]

Originally posted by Paul F
I was sitting on the train today thinking :what: and I wondered how difficult it would be to teach (from my point of view - a bloke) a lady how to dance if it was just the two of us.

Do you think it is easy/hard to teach someone one on one with no real-life examples to base your teaching on??


Has anybody else tried teaching someone outside of a club with just the two of you?

Would we end up killing each other :wink:

Would love to hear your thoughts.

I used to practice moves and hence have to teach both my wife and daughter, the wife wasn't the easiest to teach but I must admit my daughter took to it very easily, she's 16 and was probably 14 when I started, and even thoughshe wouldn't be seen dead dancing with her old dad in public, she still dances some moves with me. We used to practice in the dining room on the carpet, not in a studio, with the cd player blasting away.

I have taken her to a few venues, where - because everyone was doing ceroc, she was quite willing to dance even with me.
the other people who then danced with her found it very difficult to believe that she had not done ceroc at a venue before.

So the moral of the story, before you all fall asleep:
yes it is possible to teach on a one to one, and for the pupil to even then go on to dance with other people.

:wink: unless of course it is because I'm a proud dad and think that my girl is special:cheers:

[Chris]

Originally posted by thewacko
:wink: unless of course it is because I'm a proud dad and think that my girl is special:cheers:

Good on you mate! So you should be proud!

:cheers:

[sparkledancer]

Sorry to reply to a thread from ages ago but i just wanted to say that, yes, it is possible...never tried it with Ceroc but its worked for ballroom and latin (well for my partner and i anyway!)

I had a few lessons as a teenager but gave it all up for college, a few years ago i started it up again and was approached by a guy who wanted to partner up. I only knew a bit of both and had no technique. He managed to teach me lots, with no female demo, inc hip rotation (impressive for a guy! :wink: ) We did find that going to socials helped us but most of our time was spend in studios practising.
I suppose it depends on how keen your partner is to learn and how good your teaching style is.....

S. x

[Chicklet]

Sorry to reply to a thread from ages ago but i just wanted to say that, yes, it is possible...never tried it with Ceroc but its worked for ballroom and latin (well for my partner and i anyway!)


Hang that, the rest of us want to know who was the girl round the corner that Paul fancied and what did he do ~every night~ that was so awful he had to bugger orf to India shortly after?

[Martin]

Sorry to reply to a thread from ages ago but i just wanted to say that, yes, it is possible...never tried it with Ceroc but its worked for ballroom and latin (well for my partner and i anyway!)


S. x

Works for Ceroc - I taught my daughter without her seeing a video or the dance...

Advantage I had is that I can do all the beginner and most intermediate moves as a girl and I know the girls footwork. Plus I have been teaching Ceroc for many years.... So if I cannot take a new person, who has not seen the dance, and get them up to speed as a cool dancer... I would be a bit of a crap teacher...:whistle:

[MartinHarper]

I wondered if it would be difficult to train them with no demo's, videos or anything to work with.

Why would you do it without videos? Buy a few DVDs and/or view some dance clips online.

[sparkledancer]

Exactly! We used some fantastic video clips. Found one of an amazing latin couple (unfortunately they are not together now) who demo'd the routine, then taught it from the man's perspective and then the ladies - so easy to learn from! :nice:

S. x

[Paul F]

Wow. This is a blast from the past.

Hope it helps though if someone is considering doing the same thing.

In case they are I thought I would share my thoughts.....again :rolleyes:

My concern was only slightly realised when I tried to do this.

The main reason for my asking the question was due to the fact that there were no MJ clubs near to me at the time. This proved to be the issue that meant my efforts tailed off.
I didnt have a problem with teaching the one and only person who I got in contact with the actual steps. What I did find though is that
1. they couldnt go somewhere and practice without me as there were no clubs
2. they were not exposed to the variety of leads that comes with dancing socially

I have been dancing for over 15 years in multiple styles and teaching for a large bit of that so I generously ruled out the option of my inability to teach :grin:
What I do think though is that any partner needs to have exposure to regular classes and freestyles. Of all the dancing that I do I still have such a massive respect for Modern Jive followers and MJ'ers in general. To develop such a quick and appropriate reaction to what are, lets face it, some dodgy leads out there is something to be proud of. It is a skill that a lot of the professional dancers dont have!

So yes, I think it is possible to teach someone MJ steps but I think that without the ingredient of regular outlets for the dance they will stuggle to become rounded MJ dancers.


As for comment about "the girl round the corner", miss chicklet, I dont know what you mean!