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Andy McGregor
23rd-June-2005, 12:31 PM
Something Zebra Woman said on the first move right/left foot thread got me thinking. I'm often asked by beginner followers how you do that skippy thing that some of the experienced women do. I tell them to be patient and it will come to you - because it does seem to. But it's not come to me and I'm really pleased that ZW has written it down. All I need to do now is shadow ZW to get the move.

Here's how she described it (IMHO brilliantly) as part of a first move.


This what I think my feet do these days:

1 - I end up going back on my left foot by doing a right kick ball change (weight seems to go left, right, left, with tiny point of the right foot along the floor with right foot)
2 - Step onto left in place
3 - step forward right
4 - step forward left (to join right)
5 - step back right (pivoting on left)
3 - step forward right
4 - step forward left (to join right)
5 - step back right (pivoting on left)

Martin
23rd-June-2005, 12:45 PM
Something Zebra Woman said on the first move right/left foot thread got me thinking. I'm often asked by beginner followers how you do that skippy thing that some of the experienced women do. I tell them to be patient and it will come to you - because it does seem to. But it's not come to me and I'm really pleased that ZW has written it down. All I need to do now is shadow ZW to get the move.

Here's how she described it (IMHO brilliantly) as part of a first move.

Tis funny, this is one of my pet hates, as a leader, while they are doing the kick ball change thing, I then have to wait for them and sometimes abandon my next move to the music, Pause, take a deep breath, then bring them back in when they are ready.

Ok sometimes, very annoying if they do it every time.

It makes me feel like I am dancing with a Kangaroo (and yes folks, Kangaroos wander down the streets of Sydney, tis true I tell you...) :yum: :blush:

Yliander
23rd-June-2005, 01:04 PM
I have to say that I find the kick ball change in Modern Jive ugly when over used.

It has a place and uses and can be lovely - but when used all the time it tends to look to me that it the girl is getting wrong footed somewhere along the line and is sorting her feet out.


It makes me feel like I am dancing with a Kangaroo (and yes folks, Kangaroos wander down the streets of Sydney, tis true I tell you...) :yum: :blush:FIBBER :na:

David Bailey
23rd-June-2005, 01:08 PM
Tis funny, this is one of my pet hates, as a leader, while they are doing the kick ball change thing, I then have to wait for them and sometimes abandon my next move to the music, Pause, take a deep breath, then bring them back in when they are ready.

Ok sometimes, very annoying if they do it every time.
Presumably, only if it's done wrong.

Assuming that's what ZW is doing (I had 4? 5? dances with her last night, I still can't remember - but in my defence I wasn't looking at her feet :drool: ), it's smooth and elegant - certainly I never have to wait around for her to change weight, it all happens sooo smooooothly.... :flower: ... OK, I'm back.

Anyway, this definitely shouldn't interrupt the flow of dancing. So I suspect the people you've been dancing with have not been doing it well. And my default position is that anything ZW does, is done pretty darned well. Ooops, I'm off again... :grin:

Dizzy
23rd-June-2005, 01:33 PM
As a relatively new intermediate compared to the majority of forumites, I have not really developed using snazzy stylish moves yet but I know that i do unconsciously use a kick all change during moves like the catapult when moving behind the man. I feel it does slow the move down slightly but it is necessary for me to change feet.

Hopefully with me dancing as much as possible, I will be able to develop these more stylish methods. :clap:

Will definately try out ZW first move method. :worthy:

Andy McGregor
23rd-June-2005, 01:42 PM
I agree with Martin and Yiliander. This move is over-used by some women. They seem to do it on every single step back. My only defence is to abandon all moves that have a step back in them and keep my partner coming forwards.

Robin
23rd-June-2005, 01:43 PM
I have to say that I find the kick ball change in Modern Jive ugly when over used.

It has a place and uses and can be lovely - but when used all the time it tends to look to me that it the girl is getting wrong footed somewhere along the line and is sorting her feet out.


Hmmm... not sure I agree. From my perspective behind the decks you do get to "survey" a little ; it appears to me that the more advanced MJ'ers tend to use the kbc (kick ball change) far more often, but use it more as a style/weight shift so its not really apparent as a kbc. I suppose that this applys more to guys than girlies.

IMOHO done in this fashion you can use it as much as you like. - Have to say I'm not even sure that dancers are aware when they do it !
Had to think whether I do it and I do and its more of a knee shuffle ,knee shuffle leg thing ! :grin:

El Salsero Gringo
23rd-June-2005, 02:20 PM
Hmmm... not sure I agree. From my perspective behind the decks you do get to "survey" a littleYou see that's the massive advantage of being behind the decks and not putting up a pre-selected playlist and going off to dance - you get to contribute to this kind of thread!

David Bailey
23rd-June-2005, 02:57 PM
You see that's the massive advantage of being behind the decks and not putting up a pre-selected playlist and going off to dance - you get to contribute to this kind of thread!
Has anyone posted "live" then? I guess there's no reason why not... in 10 years' time, we'll get live coverage of tonight's dancing on our phones :)

Zuhal
23rd-June-2005, 03:10 PM
I am really pleased that this has been raised.

I tried a while back http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4939

In future I think I will just ask Mr McGregor to raise it while wearing a dress and banging a drum :devil:

Bound to get discussed then :flower:

This was my question

"Does anyone else have a strategy for copying with a dance partner who evolves from a smooth dancer into a 'skippy' 'jumpy' for ever on the wrong foot, dancer after a workshop.

If they skip all the time then thats OK because you know which foot they are on and can adjust the moves accordingly.

My conspiracy theory is that they want to give me something else to have to think about."

Zuhal

Robin
23rd-June-2005, 03:26 PM
You see that's the massive advantage of being behind the decks and not putting up a pre-selected playlist and going off to dance - you get to contribute to this kind of thread!

Ahhh The Ass returns... the witty eloquence .... the cutting edge replies.. the suntan ? .... the thread hijacking !!!

Welcome Back ... we all missed you !
:wink:

El Salsero Gringo
23rd-June-2005, 03:55 PM
Ahhh The Ass returns... the witty eloquence .... the cutting edge replies.. the suntan ? .... the thread hijacking !!!Dear Pot,

Thank you for your kind letter.

-Kettle.

El Salsero Gringo
23rd-June-2005, 03:57 PM
"Does anyone else have a strategy for copying with a dance partner who evolves from a smooth dancer into a 'skippy' 'jumpy' for ever on the wrong foot, dancer after a workshop.Yes. Amputation. If they only have one foot you know which foot they're going to be standing on at any given time. Seriously - it's the way forwards.

MartinHarper
23rd-June-2005, 03:59 PM
Anyway, this definitely shouldn't interrupt the flow of dancing.

In my experience, it works something like this...

F: I think I'll throw a kick-ball-change in here. Takes the same length of time as a rock step, so it shouldn't disrupt anything.
L: Huh? What's she doing now? I guess she must be "playing" - I'd better not lead anything or else I'll be one of those "control freaks" I read about on the forum.
F: Oh... he's not lead me to go anywhere. Odd. I guess I'll keep doing these skippy kicky things until he starts leading again.
L: Hasn't she finished playing yet? It's not like she's doing anything particularly clever. What does she expect me to do - stand and watch? Boring!
F: Why's he rolling his eyes at me? I can't follow him if he won't lead!
L/F (together): I hate you!

Trousers
23rd-June-2005, 04:00 PM
Yes. Amputation. If they only have one foot you know which foot they're going to be standing on at any given time. Seriously - it's the way forwards.
Hmmm echo's of Pete n Dud here.

"I have nothing against your left leg. Unfortunately neither have you!"

Little Monkey
23rd-June-2005, 05:10 PM
Hmmmm...

I tend to do a kick-step (not quite the same as the kick-ball-change taught in ceroc) when dancing to faster, swingy or rock'n'roll style music, on the back step. But it's done within the beat where you normally just step back, and does not slow down the dance, use extra beats etc. It's just something it's hard to get rid of after having done rock'n'roll and rockabilly style dancing..... :blush:

I don't use kick-steps when dancing to slower music, bland pop, latin type music etc, as it just doesn't fit in. It would just look really naff!

I do the kick-step without thinking, not as an elaborate footwork thingy that takes up extra time and space. I have seen some women doing it in a quite "laboured" way, using too much time and legs everywhere.... Please clobber me over the head with a banana if I do this!

Skippety-Hoppety Monkey (But I'm Smooth to Blues! :cool: )

bigdjiver
23rd-June-2005, 05:53 PM
Ahhh The Ass returns... the witty eloquence .... the cutting edge replies.. the suntan ? .... the thread hijacking !!!

Welcome Back ... we all missed you !
:wink: :devil: but we're reloading ... :devil:

Mr Cool
24th-June-2005, 05:56 PM
I have to say that I find the kick ball change in Modern Jive ugly when over used.

It has a place and uses and can be lovely - but when used all the time it tends to look to me that it the girl is getting wrong footed somewhere along the line and is sorting her feet out.

FIBBER :na:

I agree kicky and bouncy kick ball changes look manic and ugly having watched many good dancers struggle with this move. ( I confess i hate all bouncy kicky moves) I believe a smoother more acceptable version is slide the left foot forward or sideways, change your weight onto to your left foot. Slide your right leg forward or sideways. :waycool: :waycool: :waycool: :waycool: