Routines to make you go...OH YEAH BABY!

[Jive Brummie]

Hello peeps,

I guess this one is aimed at teachers but please feel free to comment as you all dance them anyway :hug:

Over the next week or two the good lady and I are on a little mini tour of Scotland cover teaching a few ...er...classes and I've been sitting here writing out my routines.

Thought I'd share the fact with you that I'm 'dead' chuffed with them and can't wait to teach them.

Am I a bit sad for getting excited about work?

Anyway, please feel free to comment, teachers, if you have also experienced this rather strange phenomenon...

Everybody else, well you can share your own opinions on the subject here as well....


James x x

p.s. *blatant plug - on* if you'd like to see for yourself the routines I've just taken hours constructing...you can. We'll be at Glasgow on the 10th & 16th and Perth, as usual on the 11th & 18th. *blatant plug - off*

p.p.s. I told you it was only a mini tour :wink:

[ducasi]

Hi James,

I think it's great that you get excited by your job teaching, and I'd hate to be taught by anyone who didn't. Teaching is the sort of job where it's bad for both you and the people you're trying to teach if you don't have an enthusiasm for the subject.

So a big clap-clap :clap: for all enthusiastic teachers everywhere!

Looking forward to seeing you in Glasgow, and I might just make it to Perth during my own mini-tour of Scotland later in the month!

Cheers! :cheers:

[MartinHarper]

What excites you about these routines?

[Peaches]

I think its great that you are so excited and enthusiastic about your work. :clap: Long may it continue because we all benefit in our happy Perth class. :grin: : :grin: But as you know I am away for the next 2 weeks and although I'll be doing lots of dancing I am gonna miss these exciting routines :tears: :sad: so when I get back you and Melanie will have to give me and Petal a wee private showing. :kiss: :hug: Fiona x

[Jazz_Shoes (Ash)]

We'll be at Glasgow on the 10th and 16th Shant be there on the 10th, but i'll be there on the 16th!...maybe someone could show me what I missed? I'm looking forward to seeing these routines, it all sounds very exciting :yum: It'll be good to meet you too! I'll come and introduce myself :grin: And I think it's great that you get excited about your job-it'll surely come across in your teaching, I think most Ceroc teachers must feel the same :D

See you soon,
Ash x

[Jive Brummie]

I tend to get excited about all my routines, but for some reason, as I've put four together today, it kinda overwhelmed me a bit...they just seemed to rattle off, one after the other.

I love my intermediate routines. I love the fact that they're a little piece of me that I, with the aid of Melanie can give to my class. I love the fact that despite some of the moves being that wee-bit challenging ( :whistle: ), with some extra help and guidance, my class will be able to achieve them. I get excited by the fact that I only teach 3 moves in my intermediate class and so I can go into far more detail on each move to ensure that practically everyone can do the move first time round! I love the fact, and get excited by the idea that my routines aren't boring and they encompass quite a lot of movement for both the woman and the man without being too static. I get excited by the idea of seeing my class successfully completing the routines and then seeing them with big cheesy grins all over their faces at the end because despite what they watched during the demo and then thought to themselves that they may not be able to do this or that, they have, and they're well chuffed with themselves.

I get excited by the fact that the routines I construct are routines and moves that people can dance with anyone after the class, carry them out well and hopefully put a smile on the recipients face as they're moves that aren't taught that often.

I get excited by the fact that I try to make my routines completely original and quirky with an added twist of something different to ensure that the people who pay their hard earned to come to one of my classes go away feeling like they've achieved something and can dance that tiny bit better than they could before they came to one of my classes.

I get excited by all of these things, and if I may, I can pretty much guarantee that every teacher up here feels exactly the same way about their own individual teaching and so produce classes of the very highest quality.

So in short...Big-up to the Scotland massive and all who sail in her :worthy: Today is a good day.

J.

p.s. hope that answers the question why I get excited about my routines :flower:

[Jive Brummie]

And another thing,

I get excited by the fact that I am pretty fearless in wanting to push my class to their limits and help them to achieve everything they want to, without too much mutual back slapping and plastic grinning.

And finally, I get excited by the fact that I'm putting moves into my routines that could quite easily go into some competition preparation for those taking part...if, for example, there was a competition coming up soon....maybe...possibly

J.

[drathzel]

JB, its fab to see a teacher get as excited about teaching i do about learning :flower: ! shall look forward to your classes in glasgow :hug: :clap:

[Daisy Chain]

Are you the James who taught the lesson at Blitz Bowden last Tuesday? Someone said that you were just passing through...

It was a fab lesson :flower: Lovely moves that flowed well and were leadable. If it was you, I loved your lesson. If it wasn't you, I still loved the lesson...

Couldn't believe my luck that night, good teacher, one of my favourite DJs (Rak) and lots of lovely men.

Daisy

(An Appreciative Little FLower)

[MartinHarper]

Would it be fair to say that it's the three moves in each routine that excite you, rather than the routines themselves? Or are there things about the selection and ordering of moves in a routine that raises it above the sum of its parts? If so, what are they?


I get excited by the fact that the routines I construct are routines [...] that people can dance with anyone after the class

Normally I find the selection of 3-4 complex moves in a typical MJ class are too complex (and, frankly, too tiring) to be danced "straight", and I need to dilute them with lower energy moves in order to work well in freestyle, particularly when dancing with newer dancers or faster music. How do you construct routines that are, as you say, suitable to be danced after the class "as is"?

[Jive Brummie]

Martin,

you are more than welcome to come to the Perth class and experience it all for yourself :flower:

James.




Would it be fair to say that it's the three moves in each routine that excite you, rather than the routines themselves? Or are there things about the selection and ordering of moves in a routine that raises it above the sum of its parts? If so, what are they?



Normally I find the selection of 3-4 complex moves in a typical MJ class are too complex (and, frankly, too tiring) to be danced "straight", and I need to dilute them with lower energy moves in order to work well in freestyle, particularly when dancing with newer dancers or faster music. How do you construct routines that are, as you say, suitable to be danced after the class "as is"?

[MartinHarper]

You are more than welcome to come to the Perth class and experience it all for yourself :flower:

You're very kind. Thank you.

----

Perhaps I could throw the question open to the other teachers? What makes a great teaching "routine", aside from great moves?

[John S]

I get excited by the fact that I only teach 3 moves in my intermediate class and so I can go into far more detail on each move to ensure that practically everyone can do the move first time round!
I think this is an important point. From what I've seen over the years when an intermediate class finishes, the new moves that have just been "learned" are often (usually?) absent from most people's following freestyle sessions.

Speaking for myself, the reason is that even though I've enjoyed and been able to get through the new routine in the controlled class atmosphere, it isn't yet in my muscle memory. So however much I might want to practice the new routine, the mental effort of remembering it all AND fitting it to the music AND flirting with my partner (or at least remembering her name!) is all beyond me and I fall back on the tried and trusted yo-yo.

By limiting to three the new moves he teaches in his class, James has far more chance of getting at least one or two of them to stick - at least that's my opinion!

(But I won't be at Perth tomorrow to see if the theory works - sorry!)

[Dreadful Scathe]

Normally I find the selection of 3-4 complex moves in a typical MJ class are too complex (and, frankly, too tiring) to be danced "straight",

Thats cos you're rubbish :)


or perhaps you need my new patented Special Dance Energy Formula

Guaranteed to keep you up all night.

:)

[Donna]

Am I a bit sad for getting excited about work

Doesn't mean you're sad at all...if it's dance related then hell no you're not sad. :nice:

Hope you enjoy your little tour by the way. It'll be a great experience plus you'll get to meet loads of peeps. I'm sure you'll be fine with all 4 routines so long as you don't forget them. Have fun with it!! If you make it look like you're having fun, then so will everybody else.

Donna :flower:

[BeeBee]

Hi James

Its great to hear that someone who is teaching week in week out has not become jaded, tired, bored, whatever. I imagine it must be all too easy to get fed up repeating yourself to punters so its refreshing that your energy and enthusiasm for the job is still going strong. And that energy seeps over the 'footlights' to the class! Are you sad for enjoying your work? NO!! Strange maybe . . . :whistle: :D

Cheesy grins on the faces of the punters? Thats the best part - when I've danced it through, not fluffed it, its challenged me a wee bit and especially if its done in freestyle - then the grin-o-meter goes into orbit!! :D

Long may it continue! :clap:

cheers
Linda :flower:

p.s. love the avatar by the way - makes me laugh every time!

[Donna]

Hi James


Its great to hear that someone who is teaching week in week out has not become jaded, tired, bored, whatever. I imagine it must be all too easy to get fed up repeating yourself to punters so its refreshing that your energy and enthusiasm for the job is still going strong. And that energy seeps over the 'footlights' to the class! Are you sad for enjoying your work? NO!! Strange maybe . . . :whistle: :D


Makes me wonder as well how teachers don't get bored of teaching all the time as well.

[angelique]

And another thing,

I get excited by the fact that I am pretty fearless in wanting to push my class to their limits and help them to achieve everything they want to, without too much mutual back slapping and plastic grinning.

And finally, I get excited by the fact that I'm putting moves into my routines that could quite easily go into some competition preparation for those taking part...if, for example, there was a competition coming up soon....maybe...possibly

J.
If you are the James and Melanie that taught at Southport then wooooo hooooooooooo :clap: :worthy: to all those people up there that will be attending your classes on your mini tour!
Your class was fab at Southport and keep on feeling excited....more dance teachers need to feel like you and not like it's a "bore" to be there with us minions!
:flower: :worthy: :flower:

[Jive Brummie]

Hi guys,

Have only just caught up with this thread today, so apologies for not responding.

Have so far taught 2 of the 4 routines that I've been getting excited about. And to be honest, it's not just the punters who learn from the routines...it's me and Melanie too. With each and every routine we both learn something new...basically what does and doesn't work for different people and also ways in which we can make things easier or clearer.

Have enjoyed both of them to date and look forward to doing the other two on tuesday and thursday.

Oh yeah and we are the James and Melanie from southport...thankyou for the kind comments :flower:

Busy weekend ahead now with a busk tomorrow, followed by Glasgow party then teaching a beginners workshop on sunday...

*dream mode on* Maybe soon I'll be able to give up my day job and start doing this full time :whistle: *dream mode off*

James x x

[Dance Demon]

If you are the James and Melanie that taught at Southport then wooooo hooooooooooo :clap: :worthy: to all those people up there that will be attending your classes on your mini tour!
Your class was fab at Southport and keep on feeling excited....more dance teachers need to feel like you and not like it's a "bore" to be there with us minions!
:flower: :worthy: :flower:

:yeah: :yeah: :yeah: ...........I've always enjoyed watching James & melanie teach, right from when I went to Perth one night, just after James Qualified. Routines always have a quirky edge to them, and James has a great way of putting things accross. Long may it continue, and great to see such enthusiasm :waycool: