High jacking for beginners

[Night Owl]

While practicing my lead and follow as taught by Franck at the afternoon work shop ,and while on that wonderfull BFG dance floor that evening,Frank picked me up on a good point,well bad point really as while walking backwards i bumped into the couple behind,who wern`t there when i started to move,but any way, that would be a good place for my partner to steal the lead and prevent the collision,just as in other forms of dance.
After all, while driving my car i drive as much in my mirrors as i do looking out the windscreen ,but on the dance floor my rear view is some what limited,but then my partner should be my mirrors,so she should indicate if there is some one behind me,apart from the look of horror on her face may be.

Is this some thing that is taught at any point or some thing you have to sort out for your self, pointers please

[El Salsero Gringo]

I'd like to see some followers (alas, not the ones who are likely to see this post) take a teeny bit more responsibility for their own avoidance of other dancers. If I've lead a double turn or double spin (or even a simple step back on occasion) that means I reckon there's a sensible amount of room to complete it in; it's not carte-blanche to use all the floorspace between me and the nearest wall, irrespective of who else is dancing there!

[doc martin]

While practicing my lead and follow as taught by Franck at the afternoon work shop
Yep, I think there were lots of us doing that:) I got so much from that workshop that it makes me even more enthusiastic about the classes Franck has starting in Stirling next weekend.

,and while on that wonderfull BFG dance floor that evening,Frank picked me up on a good point,well bad point really as while walking backwards i bumped into the couple behind,who wern`t there when i started to move,but any way, that would be a good place for my partner to steal the lead and prevent the collision,just as in other forms of dance.

I have danced with a few ladies who do what you say, taking over the lead a bit by increasing the tension between us. In this situation I did get the message in time so it was very useful.

,After all, while driving my car i drive as much in my mirrors as i do looking out the windscreen ,but on the dance floor my rear view is some what limited,but then my partner should be my mirrors,so she should indicate if there is some one behind me,apart from the look of horror on her face may be.

Is this some thing that is taught at any point or some thing you have to sort out for your self, pointers please
Have you thought of installing some rear view mirrors then? Maybe a baseball cap witha headband holding two of those mirrors you sometimes see on bicycles might work? And I am sure it would look very smart and nobody at all would take the p*ss :whistle:

I'd like to see some followers (alas, not the ones who are likely to see this post) take a teeny bit more responsibility for their own avoidance of other dancers.
There lies the problem, both with leaders and followers. Those who take the time and effort to read the forum are likely to be give some thought to the space they are dancing in after reading many postings along these lines. Those who have never been made aware of any problem existing, even by their multiple collisions, are not going to change.

I would also say that, as a leader, these are the dancers most likely to hurt my shoulders as I try to pull against all of their momentum to stop them going into a space already occupied.

Franck's workshop on framing yesterday tired my shoulders but they are far less sore today than after a nights social dancing where I have danced with a few ladies who believed they could use me as an anchor (note: no w) for their impersonation of a high speed yo-yo. And I will point out that not one of my dances with forumites over the last two days was like that :flower:, so I am in remarkably good condition (by my standards) today.

[Night Owl]

Have you thought of installing some rear view mirrors then? Maybe a baseball cap witha headband holding two of those mirrors you sometimes see on bicycles might work? And I am sure it would look very smart and nobody at all would take the p*ss :whistle:

heh Doc may be we should patent them an sell them on to all cerocers
hell why stop there

all dancers

I can see francks face now in Inverness on thurs when i arrive complete with mirrored baseball cap:cheers:

[ducasi]

Although I've always been aware of the need to look out around me before moving myself or my partner in a particular direction, it wasn't until recently that I really began to do this even half as well as I should.

During the BFG I know that I walked or bashed into people much more than I should have if I had been more careful. Sorry if that included you. :flower:

That said, I was bashed by lots of folks who were invading into my space. Including a guy who dipped a girl right into the side of me. Fortunately it was a more of a near-miss, but I shouldn't feel responsible for injury due to someone else doing potentially dangerous moves on a crowded dance floor. :rolleyes:

[ducasi]

Oh, the other thing I was going to say was that once or twice during the BFG it was my partners that saved me from collisions (irrespective of whose fault it was.) Perhaps these visitors to Glasgow are more used to dancing defensively on crowded dance floors, as it's not something I've noticed as much with local dancers...

[LMC]

An inexperienced dancer like me will also be concentrating on following - and as we are in the "passive" (theoretically, for all you pedants out there) role, our reaction time for Danger may be slower (mine is anyway).

I try to be a light follow - so if I suddenly 'pull' a bit on my partner's hand, that is because they are about to walk into someone (worked at the weekend anyway).

And if a previously smiling follow's look turns to one of fear for no good reason (i.e. you're not about to throw her into a ballroom drop!) - then the reason is probably that you're about to crash...

[TiggsTours]

An inexperienced dancer like me will also be concentrating on following - and as we are in the "passive" (theoretically, for all you pedants out there) role, our reaction time for Danger may be slower (mine is anyway).

I try to be a light follow - so if I suddenly 'pull' a bit on my partner's hand, that is because they are about to walk into someone (worked at the weekend anyway).

And if a previously smiling follow's look turns to one of fear for no good reason (i.e. you're not about to throw her into a ballroom drop!) - then the reason is probably that you're about to crash...
:yeah:

With inexperienced followers, looking around you and indicating danger to your partner, whilst spinning and trying to follow can all be a bit too much! Also, for the more experience follower, you would be tending to lead her into more complicated moves, and quite often at a greater velocity, so its still not that easy all the time!

If you're leading, you do need to take responsibility for where you are leading your partner to, even when walking backwards. Having said that its not all up to the guy, and if a follower sees a collision looming, it is really in their best interest to try to avoid it, and as LMC says, the sudden increase in pressure against your lead is the best way to indicate that, sometimes that's not enough, and the look of fear should really be a dead giveaway!

[Almost an Angel]

:yeah:

With inexperienced followers, looking around you and indicating danger to your partner, whilst spinning and trying to follow can all be a bit too much! Also, for the more experience follower, you would be tending to lead her into more complicated moves, and quite often at a greater velocity, so its still not that easy all the time!

If you're leading, you do need to take responsibility for where you are leading your partner to, even when walking backwards. Having said that its not all up to the guy, and if a follower sees a collision looming, it is really in their best interest to try to avoid it, and as LMC says, the sudden increase in pressure against your lead is the best way to indicate that, sometimes that's not enough, and the look of fear should really be a dead giveaway!

:yeah:

I agree with Tiggs too. Most partners will respond to an increase in pressure and a pull in a safe direction. As a follower you should also take responsibility to avoid crashes (they normally result in bruises which aren't attractive :mad: says the person sporting an excellent bruise from last weekend - UDI's (Unidentified Dancing injuries):blush: ).

As a follower I often find I end up stopping short or just holding when the leader indicates a turn to stop myself from crashing into other people who are not watching their dance space. I know it's difficult leaders but you need to be checking all sides, why do you think people dance at the side of the dance floor - there's less sides people can crash into you on. When I lead why am I at the side of the room, well I know I'd rather be watching 2 or 3 sides than 4. :D

Angel xx

[MartinHarper]

When I lead why am I at the side of the room, well I know I'd rather be watching 2 or 3 sides than 4. :D

Whilst this is standard advice, there is a limit to the amount of space on the edge of the floor, and I think it's best used by those who will benefit from it most: beginners and WCS folks.

Thigh high boots for all.

[Almost an Angel]

I think it's best used by those who will benefit from it most: beginners and WCS folks.


That would be me then (the WCS folk not a beginner!!!) :D

[Petal]

While practicing my lead and follow as taught by Franck at the afternoon work shop ,and while on that wonderfull BFG dance floor that evening,Frank picked me up on a good point,well bad point really as while walking backwards i bumped into the couple behind,who wern`t there when i started to move,but any way, that would be a good place for my partner to steal the lead and prevent the collision,just as in other forms of dance.
After all, while driving my car i drive as much in my mirrors as i do looking out the windscreen ,but on the dance floor my rear view is some what limited,but then my partner should be my mirrors,so she should indicate if there is some one behind me,apart from the look of horror on her face may be.

Is this some thing that is taught at any point or some thing you have to sort out for your self, pointers please

I haven't been taught this specifically, but i try to use "tension and compression" to help my partner avoid collisions on the dance floor, or just warn my partner. :flower: But there are some people who walk right through the middle of a dance floor(not to dance), but that gripe :mad: is on another thread.

[baldrick]

Having had my bacon saved several times at the BFG (which was very crowded and the collision rate seemed very high) I'm greatful to all those ladies who applied the brakes and left someone else un-collisioned (:confused: )