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ducasi
18th-September-2005, 12:05 PM
This is a question I have been wondering about for a wee while, ever since I saw a sweat-shirt on a web site that had "dancer" written on the back of it, and automatically decided that it wasn't applicable to me.

I, thus, had come to the conclusion that I'm not a dancer, I'm just a guy who likes to dance.

I was reminded of this question when I saw someone say this... (A perfectly valid statement.)

In my opinion, you're only a dancer if you actually dance to the music. So, in your opinion are you a dancer? And what makes a dancer?

KatieR
18th-September-2005, 12:09 PM
This is a question I have been wondering about for a wee while, ever since I saw a sweat-shirt on a web site that had "dancer" written on the back of it, and automatically decided that it wasn't applicable to me.

I, thus, had come to the conclusion that I'm not a dancer, I'm just a guy who likes to dance.

I was reminded of this question when I saw someone say this... (A perfectly valid statement.)
So, in your opinion are you a dancer? And what makes a dancer?

Poll options will be:
Of course I'm a dancer.
I sometimes think I'm a dancer.
People call me a dancer, but I'm not sure.
No, I just dance.
Rhythm is a dancer.
Umm, is that why we're all here?

Hmm, interesting statement. There is also the question of a persons profession.. some people are professional dancers. I am however, an Administrator who happens to love to dance and can dance reasonably okay. I tend to steer away from calling people dancers unless they are top level competitors or professional dancers.

Baruch
18th-September-2005, 12:27 PM
Surely the definition of a dancer is just someone who dances. You can always add in qualifying adjectives such as bad dancer, good dancer, BTC dancer etc, but in my opinion anyone who dances is a dancer. You certainly don't have to be professional to qualify. Or good, for that matter.

ducasi
18th-September-2005, 12:34 PM
Surely the definition of a dancer is just someone who dances. You can always add in qualifying adjectives such as bad dancer, good dancer, BTC dancer etc, but in my opinion anyone who dances is a dancer. You certainly don't have to be professional to qualify. Or good, for that matter. I have been known to sing along with the occasional song while dancing. :blush:

Does that make me a singer?

Piglet
18th-September-2005, 12:39 PM
I don't think I'd label myself as a dancer,
but gee whizz I just love it! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Baruch
18th-September-2005, 12:44 PM
I have been known to sing along with the occasional song while dancing. :blush:

Does that make me a singer?
Yes, of course. Just not a professional singer.

MartinHarper
18th-September-2005, 12:55 PM
Surely the definition of a dancer is just someone who dances.

That's a definition, certainly. However, such words tend to carry stronger connotations than that. For example:

Q: "What do you do?"
A: "I'm a teacher."

Implies teaching as a profession, or at least a serious hobby, rather than a parent who once taught their kid to ride a bike.

Baruch
18th-September-2005, 02:08 PM
That's a definition, certainly. However, such words tend to carry stronger connotations than that. For example:

Q: "What do you do?"
A: "I'm a teacher."

Implies teaching as a profession, or at least a serious hobby, rather than a parent who once taught their kid to ride a bike.
This is true when used in reply to the question, "What do you do?" which implies profession. However, in other contexts, we could all describe ourselves in various ways.

For example, at various times I am a teacher, a dancer, a husband, a shooter, a writer, a poet, a cyclist, a driver, a cook and a musician. I'm a teacher by profession and a full-time husband, so I suppose these two take priority, but all the others are applicable as well, just not as often.

Piglet
18th-September-2005, 04:21 PM
a shooter

as in football or archery or gunman or hitman or terrorist?

Sorry my imagination has gone into hyperdrive - I'm hoping its football, or if it is nasty gun type stuff then its something like clay pigeons rather than anything alive

Or do you like sliding down chutes and forgot how to spell it ? :rofl:

Baruch
18th-September-2005, 04:56 PM
Sorry my imagination has gone into hyperdrive - I'm hoping its football, or if it is nasty gun type stuff then its something like clay pigeons rather than anything alive
What's nasty about guns? They're just tools.

I do mostly clay shooting, though not exclusively. After all, vermin need to be controlled, and I am a meat eater.

Piglet
18th-September-2005, 05:18 PM
What's nasty about guns? They're just tools.
You are quite right and apologise if I've offended you, but they are tools that can be used rather effectively and destructively be some nasty people.

I do mostly clay shooting, though not exclusively. After all, vermin need to be controlled, and I am a meat eater.
I'm glad to hear its clay shooting though. I quite like hairy animals so don't agree really that vermin need to be controlled, but take my hat off to you if you can do so with a gun - you must be very very good aim if we're talking things as small as rats and mice.

If you're shooting to eat then take my hat off again - I wouldn't know where to start with a carcass. Much prefer to use the butcher's shop :wink:

PS isn't the proper term gunsman?? Is shooter a common term?

JoC
18th-September-2005, 05:34 PM
nothing :whistle:

Whitebeard
18th-September-2005, 07:31 PM
..... that vermin need to be controlled .....
Vermin. Not a word I like much either, applied to anything other than the rat. However, having one's garden plauged by rabbits, chomping and digging away, does rather sour one's attitude to these furry animals. Even when, as this year, one pair is busy producing little black bunnies which really do look kinda cute hoppin' about on my excuse for a lawn. Loveable pests perhaps??

Baruch
18th-September-2005, 10:06 PM
You are quite right and apologise if I've offended you, but they are tools that can be used rather effectively and destructively be some nasty people.
True - but the same can be said of knives, screwdrivers, stones, branches, hammers.... the list is endless. If people want to hurt other people they will do so, regardless of what tools are available. That doesn't make guns bad, or the law-abiding majority who own licensed guns. I'm not offended, but as a legal and safe gun owner I do get a bit tired of being tarred with the same brush as the criminal minority who illegally own and use guns. My use of guns is subject to the law of the land, and as a member of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, I'm insured for up to 5 million pounds for any accidental damage I may cause. (I'm pleased to say that I've never had to make a claim.)

I'm glad to hear its clay shooting though. I quite like hairy animals so don't agree really that vermin need to be controlled, but take my hat off to you if you can do so with a gun - you must be very very good aim if we're talking things as small as rats and mice.
Not exclusively clay shooting, I'm afraid. I understand that not everyone agrees with killing animals, but it is necessary sometimes - especially if you eat meat, which I do. "Vermin" is quite a wide term - rabbits, grey squirrels, woodpigeons, crows, foxes and various other species are also classed as vermin, although rabbits (my main quarry when live shooting) are also very good meat. All of them are capable of doing quite extensive damage, and most farmers are quite happy to see their numbers kept down.

If you're shooting to eat then take my hat off again - I wouldn't know where to start with a carcass. Much prefer to use the butcher's shop :wink:
It's a bit different if you've been brought up with it. Preparing my own meat from, say, a rabbit is quite natural and easy for me, as I've been doing it since I was very young. Either way, every time someone eats meat they are responsible for the death of an animal, whether directly or indirectly. The fact that I sometimes prefer to do the deed myself doesn't change that fact.

PS isn't the proper term gunsman?? Is shooter a common term?
I prefer the term "shooter", although "Gun" is a common term. "Hunter" is also used, although in the UK that term is more often used for people who hunt with hounds. "Gunman" is usually only used by newspaper reporters, AFAIK.

Not sure how we got onto this topic in a dance forum, but never mind. I'm not ashamed of being a shooter/Gun/hunter, as it's yet another strong interest of mine.

Baruch
18th-September-2005, 10:07 PM
Loveable pests perhaps??
Yes - especially in a pie :nice:

CJ
19th-September-2005, 09:48 AM
Yes - especially in a pie :nice:

:yeah: :rofl:

It's a great post, but am going to bring this back on thread... :eek:

At the risk of COMPLETE arrogance, I'm going to call myself a dancer, and here is my logic:

I'm not a move monster, and have a limited repotoire (sp?). I don't have much style.

However, what I do do is start one move, then finish another in order to make what I am doing fit to the music. It's the only + of my dancing, but my musicality I have in spades.... So, the fact that I am dancing to that moment in that bar of that tune, IMHO, makes me a dancer.

For the avoidance of doubt, just because you don't do that doesn't mean you are not a dancer. Is just my sadly misguided excuse for calling myself one!! :D

TiggsTours
19th-September-2005, 10:31 AM
Hmm, interesting statement. There is also the question of a persons profession.. some people are professional dancers. I am however, an Administrator who happens to love to dance and can dance reasonably okay. I tend to steer away from calling people dancers unless they are top level competitors or professional dancers.
I prefer to think of "what I am" as where my true passion for life lies, so I'd say that I'm a dancer, who happens to do Project Management.

Trish
19th-September-2005, 11:32 AM
:yeah: :rofl:

It's a great post, but am going to bring this back on thread... :eek:

At the risk of COMPLETE arrogance, I'm going to call myself a dancer, and here is my logic:

I'm not a move monster, and have a limited repotoire (sp?). I don't have much style.

However, what I do do is start one move, then finish another in order to make what I am doing fit to the music. It's the only + of my dancing, but my musicality I have in spades.... So, the fact that I am dancing to that moment in that bar of that tune, IMHO, makes me a dancer.

For the avoidance of doubt, just because you don't do that doesn't mean you are not a dancer. Is just my sadly misguided excuse for calling myself one!! :D

:yeah: :clap:

I guess I'd call myself a dancer for similar reasons to this and what Tiggstours said. Although whether anyone else would is another question altogether!!

Damien
19th-September-2005, 01:19 PM
A couple of years ago my hand was very badly bashed up playing hockey. Although I was unable to participate I attended my next ballroom class just to watch. My teacher remarked what was I thinking of as a 'dancer' playing hockey. I've never really considered myself a dancer but felt really pleased that my teacher should think of me in that way. I still play hockey and dance! Not at the same time before anyone asks.

Dreadful Scathe
19th-September-2005, 01:35 PM
The wording of the original Poll suggests a label you would be happy for other people to apply to you. Putting -er on the end of a word works for some things but not for others. i.e. We would all say we are a "driver" if we drive a car but not a "teacher" just because we explained how the TV control worked to our Granny. "Dancer" is a bit more vague I think. To some it will suggest pro or serious participation, to others the simple act of "dancing" is enough to claim "dancer".

thus I avoid answering the question ;)

Its lunchtime - i had a baked potato with cheese. No animals were shot during the preperation of this meal :)

TiggsTours
19th-September-2005, 02:02 PM
Its lunchtime - i had a baked potato with cheese. No animals were shot during the preperation of this meal :)
I had roasted vegetables with pasta, according to statistics 330 cows were shot during the preperation of my dinner, but none of them ended up in it. :D

CJ
19th-September-2005, 02:05 PM
I had roasted vegetables with pasta, according to statistics 330 cows were shot during the preperation of my dinner, but none of them ended up in it. :D

Thank goodness for that. Multitasking is one thing, but when the chef has a bad aim and all that stuff cross-contaminates... :eek: :sick:

ducasi
19th-September-2005, 02:07 PM
The wording of the original Poll suggests a label you would be happy for other people to apply to you. Partly, but it's more about what label you would put on yourself – e.g. would you wear clothing that said "Dancer" on it?

thus I avoid answering the question ;) Were you another "Rhythm is a Dancer"? I only recently really understood that song.

CJ
19th-September-2005, 02:11 PM
Were you another "Rhythm is a Dancer"? I only recently really understood that song.

What does it mean?!? :confused:

I always assumed it was Wegie speak for magnificent: "Ya Dancer, ye!!"
Therefor, rhythm is wonderful. No?? :D

ducasi
19th-September-2005, 02:21 PM
What does it mean?!? :confused: I used to subscribe to your meaning...

But then it hit me – say if rhythm was a bloke... Then he must be a dancer as only then would he understand what he would need to do to make people dance.

So, Rhythm is a Dancer.

My explanation is no-where near as good as just listening to the lyrics, and really knowing what they're saying. :nice:

(Perhaps in your case we'll have to change the lyrics to "Rhythm is a DJ who can read the floor" ;))

bigdjiver
19th-September-2005, 03:21 PM
I prefer to think of "what I am" as where my true passion for life lies, so I'd say that I'm a dancer, who happens to do Project Management.If you ask someone what they do, they will often reply "I am a ....". Their job is part of their identity. They will even answer "I am a ..." even when unemployed.
I developed a system for a clothes manufacturer. None of the women there was a secretary, seamstress, clerk whatever. They were all "models", "dancers", "actresses", between jobs. All fantasy, I thought. Then I saw many of them rehearsing for a show, and thought a couple had some chance. Then I saw them with the cameras on, and suddenly I believed. I learned a lot about "Professional".

TiggsTours
19th-September-2005, 05:29 PM
If you ask someone what they do, they will often reply "I am a ....". Their job is part of their identity. They will even answer "I am a ..." even when unemployed.
I developed a system for a clothes manufacturer. None of the women there was a secretary, seamstress, clerk whatever. They were all "models", "dancers", "actresses", between jobs. All fantasy, I thought. Then I saw many of them rehearsing for a show, and thought a couple had some chance. Then I saw them with the cameras on, and suddenly I believed. I learned a lot about "Professional".
But maybe they have their priorities in life wrong! Work to live, don't live to work!

Baruch
19th-September-2005, 09:29 PM
Not sure how we got onto this topic in a dance forum, but never mind. I'm not ashamed of being a shooter/Gun/hunter, as it's yet another strong interest of mine.
OK, I admitted I'd got a little off topic, but I don't think I deserved anonymous negative rep just for that. Whoever you are, you might think about just reminding me on the forum to stick to the topic or post in another area of the forum next time. Oh, and if anyone does feel the need to give me negative rep in the future, please at least have the courage to sign it so I know who you are.

Piglet
19th-September-2005, 09:35 PM
OK, I admitted I'd got a little off topic, but I don't think I deserved anonymous negative rep just for that. Whoever you are, you might think about just reminding me on the forum to stick to the topic or post in another area of the forum next time. Oh, and if anyone does feel the need to give me negative rep in the future, please at least have the courage to sign it so I know who you are.
:yeah: You cowardly person! I can see why I was given neg rep but to pick on Baruch when he was simply answering my query is not very nice at all. I've one word to say:

KARMA


And to put this back on thread - tonight I'm not a dancer, but tomorrow I will be, Wednesday I won't but Thursday I will (hopefully, unless I'm knocked down by a bus or something!)

Baruch
19th-September-2005, 10:04 PM
And to put this back on thread - tonight I'm not a dancer, but tomorrow I will be, Wednesday I won't but Thursday I will (hopefully, unless I'm knocked down by a bus or something!)
By the same logic, I consider myself to be a dancer. Whether or not I'm a good dancer is for others to say, though I do constantly try to improve.

As my thoughts often stray to dancing (whenever I listen to danceable music in the car, I find myself mentally freestyling), I'd say that I'm a dancer pretty much all of the time.

Anna
20th-September-2005, 06:07 AM
This is a question I have been wondering about for a wee while, ever since I saw a sweat-shirt on a web site that had "dancer" written on the back of it, and automatically decided that it wasn't applicable to me.

I, thus, had come to the conclusion that I'm not a dancer, I'm just a guy who likes to dance.

I was reminded of this question when I saw someone say this... (A perfectly valid statement.)
So, in your opinion are you a dancer? And what makes a dancer?

In my opinion, I'm a dancer. What makes me a dancer.. It's my life. I go to school, I dance, I eat and I sleep. The end. Some people may see this as a narrow existence.. I however, don't. As there is nothing I would rather be doing than dancing. If someone asks me what I do, I say "what you mean other than dancing and sleeping?" Some people identify themselves by their profession e.g "Me? I'm a lawyer!", some people identify themselves by their sexuality e.g "Me? I'm gay.".. myself.. what I am is a dancer. :D

I agree with what Ducasi said about just being a guy that likes to dance.. often at MJ there seem to be two types of people, dancers and people that like to dance - and I'm not saying that either one of those is better than the other okay? *ducks any rocks being thrown in her direction*

Dancers seem to be the people who's lives are centred around dance. Myself, if I was hit by a bus tomorrow and lost the use of my legs, I would ask the doctors to turn off the life support. No thinking required. A life without dancing is not a life worth living.

"Dance; it is the rhythm of all that dies in order to live again, it is the eternal rising of the sun." - Isadora Duncan.

ducasi
20th-September-2005, 08:05 AM
... I agree with what Ducasi said about just being a guy that likes to dance.. often at MJ there seem to be two types of people, dancers and people that like to dance - and I'm not saying that either one of those is better than the other okay? *ducks any rocks being thrown in her direction*

Dancers seem to be the people who's lives are centred around dance. ... I think it's great that you have such a passion for dancing, but don't get me wrong... At the moment, my life is centred around dancing and work – I love them both.

I think the reason why I don't call myself a dancer is that I feel a true dancer has a much higher level of skill than me – in fact than most Ceroc dancers. I guess I'm thinking of people who have probably trained full-time at one time or other in multiple dance styles, and are probably now performance dancers or teachers – maybe professionally, or just as an amateur...

These are the people whose complete lives are defined by dancing. This is more than just "centred around" – and so I can't include myself, or the majority of the folks that I see at a typical Ceroc class. But if this does describe you, then in my mind, you are a dancer.

And even if it doesn't, but you call yourself a dancer, then that's fine too. It's a free world (mostly) and you can choose to call yourself whatever you want. :flower:

El Salsero Gringo
20th-September-2005, 08:43 AM
Myself, if I was hit by a bus tomorrow and lost the use of my legs, I would ask the doctors to turn off the life support. No thinking required. A life without dancing is not a life worth living.I can't help but hope that if that disaster actually happened to you you'd have changed your mind within about 15 milliseconds (or that your doctors would talk some sense into you.)

David Bailey
20th-September-2005, 08:48 AM
I can't help but hope that if that disaster actually happened to you you'd have changed your mind within about 15 milliseconds (or that your doctors would talk some sense into you.)
Yeah, it's maybe a bit insensitive (taste the irony of me saying that...) - and in fact inaccurate, as I'm sure the guy at London who dances in a wheelchair would tell you.

To paraphrase Nina, "Dancing isn't everything in life".

Clive Long
20th-September-2005, 08:57 AM
<< interesting stuff, beautifully expressed >>
Myself, if I was hit by a bus tomorrow and lost the use of my legs, I would ask the doctors to turn off the life support. No thinking required. A life without dancing is not a life worth living.

There is a chap, Fred, in a wheelchair who dances at at Hammersmith and other London venues. I don't know him but I have said hello a couple of times.

I don't know what physical and motivational struggles he has to cope with ordinary life let alone dance. And he dances skillfully, IMO.

I don't pity him, however, I am humbled by his guts to just get out and do it.

I don't know at what point life would not be worth living for me - but that's another thread. Before, that happens, I hope to be putting in, taking out and shaking about as much as my body and mind can stand.

Clive

Piglet
20th-September-2005, 09:04 AM
There is a chap, Fred, in a wheelchair who dances at at Hammersmith and other London venues.

I'm sure that I've seen him dance in one of the London Champs DVDs and I think its absolutely brilliant (more possibly because it challenges my view of how people can use their mobility in different ways)!! I'd love to dance with him one day.

El Salsero Gringo
20th-September-2005, 09:17 AM
Before, that happens, I hope to be putting in, taking out and shaking about as much as my body and mind can stand.
CliveAre you going to spare a thought for how much of that stuff *we* can stand?

TiggsTours
20th-September-2005, 09:35 AM
In my opinion, I'm a dancer. What makes me a dancer.. It's my life. I go to school, I dance, I eat and I sleep. The end. Some people may see this as a narrow existence.. I however, don't. As there is nothing I would rather be doing than dancing. If someone asks me what I do, I say "what you mean other than dancing and sleeping?" Some people identify themselves by their profession e.g "Me? I'm a lawyer!", some people identify themselves by their sexuality e.g "Me? I'm gay.".. myself.. what I am is a dancer. :D

I agree with what Ducasi said about just being a guy that likes to dance.. often at MJ there seem to be two types of people, dancers and people that like to dance - and I'm not saying that either one of those is better than the other okay? *ducks any rocks being thrown in her direction*

Dancers seem to be the people who's lives are centred around dance. Myself, if I was hit by a bus tomorrow and lost the use of my legs, I would ask the doctors to turn off the life support. No thinking required. A life without dancing is not a life worth living.

"Dance; it is the rhythm of all that dies in order to live again, it is the eternal rising of the sun." - Isadora Duncan.
:yeah: That's how I feel too, apart from the last bit. If I was hit by a bus and lost the use of my legs, I'd throw myself into something else! I'd be skiing, rock-climbing, abseiling, hang-gliding and the like in my wheelchair, and dancing!

bigdjiver
20th-September-2005, 10:26 AM
Ican't dance at the moment, so I will sit down and read about dance, write about dance .... Regardless of talent and experience, doesn't that make everybody on this forum a "Dancer"?

The last three times I have been on the verge of a serious fall the thought that flashed through my mind was "Is this the end of my dancing?"

JoC
21st-September-2005, 01:46 PM
For me I think being a 'dancer' (the way I would define it at this moment in time) is if your body naturally wants to move to music. If you have to make a particularly conscious effort to do so then you probably aren't a 'dancer' (by my interpretation) though you may well dance and may well become fairly proficient at it.

There endeth my brief thoughts on this matter. :)

ducasi
21st-September-2005, 01:52 PM
For me I think being a 'dancer' (the way I would define it at this moment in time) is if your body naturally wants to move to music. If you have to make a particularly conscious effort to do so then you probably aren't a 'dancer' (by my interpretation) though you may well dance and may well become fairly proficient at it. Well my body wants to move to music, it just doesn't have a clue where to move itself to a lot of the time. :whistle:

I've just thought of another way of deciding whether you're a dancer or not – how many pairs of dance shoes you own! :D (Just ordered my second pair yesterday!)

Little Monkey
21st-September-2005, 02:14 PM
There is a chap, Fred, in a wheelchair who dances at at Hammersmith and other London venues. I don't know him but I have said hello a couple of times.

I don't know what physical and motivational struggles he has to cope with ordinary life let alone dance. And he dances skillfully, IMO.

I don't pity him, however, I am humbled by his guts to just get out and do it.


Haven't read all of this thread yet, but had to respond to this.

The very first time I danced tango, I was lead by a guy in a wheelchair. In fact the whole class was a dance class for wheelchair users, and was held in Hamburg, Germany. It was a wonderful experience, and my partner was such a fantastic lead! I'd loved to continue attending those classes, there were so many wonderful dancers there. Unfortunately I was only in Hamburg for a fortnight on holiday, so that was my first and last experience with dancing with a wheelchair user.

I have however had the great pleasure of teaching dance to youth on drug rehab, autistic people, and people from all walks of life ranging from 4-80 years of age. I find that dance is a wonderful way to make people open up, to enjoy life, and to relax. One young man on drug rehab had not let any of the staff touch him or get anywhere near him for the three months he's been at the centre. After half an hour in my dance class, we were holding hands and he was smiling fro ear to ear!

If I lost the use of my legs/ lost an arm or in any other way lost mobility, I'd try my hardest to keep as active as possible. I've seen people without legs go skiing, people with only one arm go rock-climbing, and seen lame people dance. It's possible. It's all about the will to live and to make the most out of what you've got.

I love dancing. I dance around in my studio whilst working, dance with my dog, dance in the park, in the shower, in my living room. I just love it! :D If only the week had more days, I'd do lots more dance classes and styles!

LM

Mr Cool
21st-September-2005, 06:19 PM
Haven't read all of this thread yet, but had to respond to this.

The very first time I danced tango, I was lead by a guy in a wheelchair. In fact the whole class was a dance class for wheelchair users, and was held in Hamburg, Germany. It was a wonderful experience, and my partner was such a fantastic lead! I'd loved to continue attending those classes, there were so many wonderful dancers there. Unfortunately I was only in Hamburg for a fortnight on holiday, so that was my first and last experience with dancing with a wheelchair user.

I have however had the great pleasure of teaching dance to youth on drug rehab, autistic people, and people from all walks of life ranging from 4-80 years of age. I find that dance is a wonderful way to make people open up, to enjoy life, and to relax. One young man on drug rehab had not let any of the staff touch him or get anywhere near him for the three months he's been at the centre. After half an hour in my dance class, we were holding hands and he was smiling fro ear to ear!

If I lost the use of my legs/ lost an arm or in any other way lost mobility, I'd try my hardest to keep as active as possible. I've seen people without legs go skiing, people with only one arm go rock-climbing, and seen lame people dance. It's possible. It's all about the will to live and to make the most out of what you've got.

I love dancing. I dance around in my studio whilst working, dance with my dog, dance in the park, in the shower, in my living room. I just love it! :D If only the week had more days, I'd do lots more dance classes and styles!

LM

That is so wonderful I salute you :flower:
I agree Dance is for everybody and once people get over there shyness most people love it natures ancient and most natural therapy. :waycool: :waycool: :waycool: :waycool:

Piglet
21st-September-2005, 06:25 PM
That is so wonderful I salute you :flower:
:yeah: Me too! Such a heartwarming experience - thanks for sharing it LM :hug:

DavidB
21st-September-2005, 08:49 PM
I don't consider myself a dancer. One of my main reasons for starting Ballroom, and eventually Ceroc years ago was because I wasn't a dancer, I knew I never would be, but I still enjoyed dancing.

To me a dancer is someone who can dance as an individual. Viktor is a dancer. Amir is a dancer. Nina is a dancer.

But Modern Jive (and WCS, Ballroom, Tango etc) is not an individual dance. It is a partner dance. Although there is a lot in common, there are many skills a dancer would have that are redundant in partner dancing. There are also many skills required for partner dancing that are never needed for individual dancing.

So do I consider myself to be a 'partner dancer'?

No, because there are too many things I still can't do. Annoyingly one of the main things I fail on is the one that comes from individual dancing - 'quality of movement'. This is a real problem when you don't move... But at least I'm a lot closer on the partnering side than I was when I started.

David

Wendy
21st-September-2005, 09:23 PM
If you can breathe you can dance IMO. In fact dancing is just breathing but in a more animated way than usual :D I was going to add "to music" but you don't even need music !!!! You can do it alone or with a partner or in a group .. in fact a bit like that other activity everyone has the right to enjoy ;) despite their race, creed, religion, colour, size, sexual orientation, disability, height, accent and all those other things that create barriers between us.

I am a dancer !!! And I think we are all born dancers and then something happens... fear of rejection.. whatever ... so we lose that ability. Luckily some of us get/take the chance to get it back !!! And luckily there are some people out there who encourage us to carry on !!! And that can be with a smile, a look or a kind word. :flower:

(enough of the flowers....methinks some of this might be in the letter I'd like to give out to those sad sods who turned me down at the weekend :mad: )

:flower: ..back to being in a cute mood... it'll never last though :rofl:

Wxxx

Cruella
21st-September-2005, 10:09 PM
I consider myself a dancer. I think to be a dancer you need to dance from the heart rather than the head. Let your body go where the music tells it to. This is hard for a lot of people to do, it takes time to let go of your inhibitions. I think this is why i have my best dances in the early hours of the morning, because i am to tired to put up any barriers so just let myself become more absorbed into the music and my partner. But like everyone there are plenty of times my defences are up and these are the "going through the motions" dances.
I have heard so many people at MJ (myself included) say "I wish i had found this when i was younger". Partly because of the physical restrictions you get as you get older but i also think how wonderful it would have been to have had the feeling of freedom from your inhibitions from a young age. Don't get me wrong that self confidence on the dancefloor soon disappears once the dance shoes are off. :blush:

Rachel
22nd-September-2005, 09:53 AM
I agree with DavidB, particularly:


....To me a dancer is someone who can dance as an individual. Viktor is a dancer. Amir is a dancer. Nina is a dancer.... I get embarrassed when people, e.g. at work, say things like, ‘Well, you’re a dancer …’ All I can think to say is ‘um, well I go to dance classes sometimes …’

When it comes to dancing, I need to be told what to do and therefore could never consider myself a ‘dancer’.

A few years ago, I used to be a dancing member of a musical society (cos I can’t sing or act!). Once a year, we’d go clubbing to celebrate the end of Show Week. Everyone used to look at me in absolute amazement when I told them ‘I don’t dance’ and wouldn’t get up on the floor and solo dance with the rest of them. I was always the one that stayed to look after the handbags!

Rachel

Cruella
22nd-September-2005, 12:26 PM
Before i did MJ i used to love "handbag dancing". But now i can't do it without feeling silly :blush: I miss having a man to tell me what to do :wink: But that's only when i'm dancing!!

foxylady
22nd-September-2005, 12:43 PM
Before i did MJ i used to love "handbag dancing". But now i can't do it without feeling silly :blush: I miss having a man to tell me what to do :wink: But that's only when i'm dancing!!

I still love handbag dancing. Its brillliant ! and thats why I like dancing best with men I can play with as then I am allowed to incorporates the 'n' forms of dance that I have flirted with.... ( :tears: there are not as many men as I'd like that enjoy playing with me :tears: )
I just don't like the places I can go to do handbag dancing - full of sleazy men picking up 16 year old girls...

I would say I am a dancer, because I have to dance (to almost anything) - I just need to hear a catchy tune or beat and I can't help but move - in the supermarket, in shops, to phone ring tones whatever.... My hips just start going almost with a will of their own.

Foxy

FoxyLady's Hips
22nd-September-2005, 02:25 PM
my hips just start going almost with a will of their own.
Foxy :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah:

It's all so true!

David Franklin
22nd-September-2005, 04:44 PM
It's all so true!So, let me get this straight. Foxylady entered the forum in July 2003, and it's taken more than two years for her hips to arrive? :whistle:

I am so dead meat...

Northants Girly
22nd-September-2005, 06:19 PM
I am so dead meat...Naw . . . . . just a chicken . . . . . cluck cluck cluck . . . :whistle: