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View Full Version : Showing off can be dancing for your own enjoyment



Cornish Pixie
26th-November-2004, 02:32 PM
May get flamed here but here goes!

In many posts i have read people say that it is better to dance for yourself and not care about style or how your dancing looks to jugdes or audiences. However i find that doing moves stylishly and making them look good to people watching adds more enjoyment to your dancing.

Theres nothing better than someone who was watching complementing you on you dancing. I know most of you will say theres nothing wrong with that but do you think it is right to show off to them just to impress?

Stuart M
26th-November-2004, 03:06 PM
Theres nothing better than someone who was watching complementing you on you dancing.
Oh yes there is - being complemented on your dancing by the person you just danced with! :grin:

I know most of you will say theres nothing wrong with that but do you think it is right to show off to them just to impress?
It's not wrong to show off, but you will invariably end up with a reputation (particularly if you're a bloke) as being in love with yourself. And I think if you go to the level of actively seeking eye contact with people who might be watching, you should go get a room and a mirror...

bigdjiver
26th-November-2004, 03:21 PM
Oh yes there is - being complemented on your dancing by the person you just danced with! :grin:

It's not wrong to show off, but you will invariably end up with a reputation (particularly if you're a bloke) as being in love with yourself. And I think if you go to the level of actively seeking eye contact with people who might be watching, you should go get a room and a mirror... Surely it is OK to sometimes show off as a partnership?

Stuart M
26th-November-2004, 03:28 PM
Surely it is OK to sometimes show off as a partnership?
Yes, I think so. But only sometimes.

I was looking at wurli's original premise from the POV of being a bloke at a freestyle night, and spending most of the time dancing with relative strangers. We all know some guy who spends most of their time on the floor in "Look at me" mode, regardless of who he's dancing with.

Dreadful Scathe
26th-November-2004, 04:11 PM
We all know some guy who spends most of their time on the floor in "Look at me" mode, regardless of who he's dancing with.

..and wears really tight porn star trousers :D

Bangers & Mash
26th-November-2004, 04:19 PM
Theres nothing better than someone who was watching complementing you on you dancing. I know most of you will say theres nothing wrong with that but do you think it is right to show off to them just to impress?

I wholeheartedly agree. Dance is a form of expression and as such is your opportunity to show how good you and your partner can look.

Take a look around at people when they are sat down before the dancing starts and then the same people during the dancing. It always amazes me how "plain" and "ordinary" people can suddenly light up the dance floor and this all comes from expression, exhuberance and "showing off".

bigdjiver
26th-November-2004, 04:20 PM
Every first-timer that comes to a lesson can see the potential of MJ for musical speed-dating, and as a friendly social occasion. The full potential for athletics, acrobatics, artistic expression and as a spectator entertainment are not usually visible. We may lose, perhaps temporarily, some potentially great dancers who cannot see beyond the social scene.

Normally I dance for my partner, but I do have a policy of trying to show off, with willing partners, some of the potential of the dance. "Artistic" I am not designed for, but I can show off some of the athletic and entertainment aspects, and I do.

It was because I have been demoing some of what I would describe as "Male" moves (e.g. lifts, partner through my legs, partner wrapping legs around my waist) that set me to wondering about the consequences for the venue ethos, and initiated my male/female moves/styles/venues thread.

Stuart M
26th-November-2004, 04:22 PM
..and wears really tight porn star trousers :D
Dance competition. Not guilty, m'lud. :na:

Well, OK, I wore them on one other occasion by special request... :blush:

Besides my days as the Trousers on this Forum are numbered, aren't they? We actually have someone called Trousers now...

philsmove
26th-November-2004, 05:11 PM
Theres nothing better than someone who was watching complementing you on you dancing. I know most of you will say theres nothing wrong with that but do you think it is right to show off to them just to impress?


No there is nothing wrong provided your partner is happy with this

and by "complementing you" you mean, both of you

jockey
27th-November-2004, 02:54 AM
I have some views on this topic which I shall rephrase (is that ok?): is it a good thing to dance for an audience or a bad thing?

For me dancing for an audience is something I'm working on because the audience likes to be included and because. personally I'm not very good at dancing for the judges and I want to improve this essential part of competition technique.
During DWAS at Britrock I did a drop and shot a glance at one of the circling judges and got an immediate and impromptu smile - fab! That could have been an audience member - fab again. Is that showing off? No, it's entertainment. Look at top dancers - do thay dance in a little shell? No! They are giving, giving, giving..
OK so some comp dancers turn it on somewhat artificially for the judges and switch off when they dance with you (if you are lucky) but a stage smile is better than nothing.
I'm not sure what people mean when they use the term 'showing off' (except it is clearly derogatory). Big moves? (what's wrong with big moves - if you've got it, flaunt it?) Sexy moves ? (ditto). You could say MJ is all about 'showing off' to an audience or to your partner and if they respond to you your confidence grows and you get better (thinks - must be doing something right they like me).

What I dont like to see is a smile of self satisfaction (arnt I great..) and arrogant body language - are these easy to confuse with the gay smile and confident extraversion of a couple dancing a storm, loving every minute and communicating their love of the music to an audience be it a panel of judges or that girl over there.. I dont think so.

Clayton Tubbs is a wonderful example of a dancer who pleases the judges - he just exudes all the right stuff.
Yeah, it's ok to dance for the audience in my book. :clap:

djtrev
27th-November-2004, 01:00 PM
Sorry but I totally disagree with most of the replies.I just dance with my partner to the music to the best of my ability and try to make it as pleasant as possible for my partner.If somebody happens to watch and admire your dancing fair enough;they might even ask you to dance later in the evening;but to actually "show off".NO THANKS.We have already discussed "hotshots"and how much we dislike them,well "show offs" in my book are pretty close to them.We had one of these "show offs" at our club the other night and I have to say that by the end of the night she had really got under my skin.The moves that her and her partner were performing were excellent but,oh dear,"look at me aren't I good".As if to make things worse they both tend to assume a "hotshot" status.

Rant over!!

Magic Hans
27th-November-2004, 03:09 PM
Sorry but I totally disagree with most of the replies.I just dance with my partner to the music to the best of my ability and try to make it as pleasant as possible for my partner.If somebody happens to watch and admire your dancing fair enough;they might even ask you to dance later in the evening;but to actually "show off".NO THANKS.We have already discussed "hotshots"and how much we dislike them,well "show offs" in my book are pretty close to them.We had one of these "show offs" at our club the other night and I have to say that by the end of the night she had really got under my skin.The moves that her and her partner were performing were excellent but,oh dear,"look at me aren't I good".As if to make things worse they both tend to assume a "hotshot" status.

Rant over!!
I hear what you're saying, and the point is made well. However, I wonder if there is a distinction between:
a) expressing myself exuberantly, and the way I feel, and
b) impressing others (or trying to), and getting noticed and applauded for being so much better than anyone else!

Personally the more someone tries to impress me, the less impressed I am!

Although I imagine these two feel very different on the inside they may appear quite similar on the outside.

Self expression is very high in my list of deeply held values, and I hope that, by being vulnerable, risking, and playing when I dance ... that maybe some others might be inspired by my example .... thus overcoming any fears or self-consiousness to risk expressing from the heart.

[I can alway live in hope!!]

Ian

PS .... anyone done any of Gabrielle Roth's 5 rhythms dancing at all??

djtrev
27th-November-2004, 06:24 PM
Yes I agree Hans there is a very definite distinction between a: and b:

Its the b: that we are talking about.I have no problem with someone who is dancing for himself AND his partner its the ones who are dancing to the crowd all the time-invariably on the edge of the floor nearest the bar area.