Body isolations

[LMC]

As Jayne said in the last post of this thread (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=414), I can do isolations in my head. How to translate them to the rest of me is the problem.

The linked thread is actually on body rolls - but isolations have to come first. I've known for a few weeks that I need to work on these, but it was forcefully brought home to me at last night's AT lesson just how awesomely cr@p I am at isolation.

Short of suggesting I volunteer to be a magicians assistant and sawn in half, has anyone any (further) useful advice/comments/exercises to improve isolation please?

Thanks in advance :flower:

[Tessalicious]

Oooh, very tough to do without being able to demonstrate. My body rolls and other isolations are by no means perfect, but I have been taught the principles at various salsa and WCS classes:

The standard 'talk-through' for a downwards body-roll is "shoulders, chest, hips, knees" which describes the bit that ought to be brought forwards from the rest of the body at each stage. The trick is not to overcompensate by sending the other parts back from your main axis - that just looks like you're being tickled. Practise it in slow motion, in steps and then fluidly, in front of a mirror and with no-one watching. Then try using it during a dance, and don't panic if it doesn't work the first few times.

Another useful isolation to learn is to be able to stand up straight with your knees slightly bent, and flex each foot to change your weight distribution over your feet and bring one leg straight and the other leg more bent, without allowing your overall height to change, or any extraneous movement above your hips. This is great for developing the muscles everywhere below your knees, making it more possible to control your poise and balance.

Re-reading that, I'm not sure I'd know what I meant if I hadn't written it (if you know what I mean) but as I said, I will show you when I see you.

[Dizzy]

Oooh, very tough to do without being able to demonstrate. My body rolls and other isolations are by no means perfect

The standard 'talk-through' for a downwards body-roll is "shoulders, chest, hips, knees" which describes the bit that ought to be brought forwards from the rest of the body at each stage. The trick is not to overcompensate by sending the other parts back from your main axis - that just looks like you're being tickled. Practise it in slow motion, in steps and then fluidly, in front of a mirror and with no-one watching. Then try using it during a dance, and don't panic if it doesn't work the first few times.


:yeah:

As I am sure you have seen me do them on numerous occasions, there is not much that I can add to that except that the best technique I have developed is while doing the body rolls, I also circle my foot in a clockwise movement with my knee bent slightly, which initiates the movement in the rest of my body.

I know that sounds slightly confusing written down but in practice it works!!!

[Sparkles]

It might be a good idea to start off by learning to isolate the different parts of your body before you start to do body-rolls or ripples.
Obviously you know that your arms, legs, head, hips etc. can all move independantly of each other, the trick is remembering this while you're dancing. It's all too easy to get caught up in the flow of the dance but if you can use the parts of your body that are not currently occupied in the movement you're doing to accent the tune you're dancing to musically it's really very effective (the spare arm is always a good place to start).

As for advice on body-rolls, the key is to practice in front of a mirror, start very slowly and gradually try to get faster (as Tessalicious has already said :flower: ) - and whatever you do don't get angry with yourself if you can't do it at first because it's tricky!
... or you could ask Zebra Woman and I for a master class, right Clive?! :whistle: :wink:

[Mary]

I thought I could do body rolls.

Then I was in a studio (that had mirrors) with Kate (Hargreaves) and she showed me hers .....:tears: :tears: :tears: :tears:

:rolleyes:

M

[Donna]

The standard 'talk-through' for a downwards body-roll is "shoulders, chest, hips, knees"

And of course the standard 'talk-through' for an upwards body-roll is "knees, hips, chest, shoulders! I think the easiest way to do these is to imagine that you are a snake. Ssssssss. ;) Same with side rolls only these are easier because all you have to imagine is a very low arch on one side of you and start to duck under it side ways - head first, then your shoulder follows your head, then your hips and furthest knee should be in line with the tip bit of your body. So your weight should now be on the foot in whichever direction you were doing a body roll.

Going back to the forward roll, I was alway told my line dance teacher to imagine you are throwing up.:rolleyes:


Practise it in slow motion, in steps and then fluidly, in front of a mirror and with no-one watching. Then try using it during a dance, and don't panic if it doesn't work the first few times.

Good point! Practicing it in slow motion and in a mirror will help it to become second nature so then you can feel what you are doing and so will no longer need help from watching in the mirror anymore.


Another useful isolation to learn is to be able to stand up straight with your knees slightly bent, and flex each foot to change your weight distribution over your feet and bring one leg straight and the other leg more bent, without allowing your overall height to change, or any extraneous movement above your hips.

A bit like '2 left feets' avatar?:rofl:

[David Franklin]

Going back to the forward roll, I was alway told my line dance teacher to imagine you are throwing up.:rolleyes: Seriously? Because one of the bits of advice Nina gives is to be careful, otherwise it looks like you're throwing up...

[Donna]

Seriously? Because one of the bits of advice Nina gives is to be careful, otherwise it looks like you're throwing up...

Seriously?:rofl: :rofl: Maybe she meant not to pull funny faces at the same time! I was told when I started practicing them years ago, that when I was concentrating so much on the side ones, my jaw used to go in the same direction too! Oh dear!:sad: I got out of that habit after, but hey it really helped!

[Tessalicious]

It might be a good idea to start off by learning to isolate the different parts of your body before you start to do body-rolls or ripples.Quite possibly - I had never even thought that body isolations were things that normal people could do until I was taught body rolls at salsa though. Since, I've picked up other stuff, but that's the one that is taught most I think, because that's what most people want to be able to do.

Whether it works to learn it that way round is probably quite individual-specific. But as always, I bow to Sparkles' superior knowledge of the way things ought to be done, she knows way more about that than me. :worthy:
And of course the standard 'talk-through' for an upwards body-roll is "knees, hips, chest, shoulders! I think the easiest way to do these is to imagine that you are a snake. Ssssssss. ;) Same with side rolls only these are easier because all you have to imagine is a very low arch on one side of you and start to duck under it side ways - head first, then your shoulder follows your head, then your hips and furthest knee should be in line with the tip bit of your body. So your weight should now be on the foot in whichever direction you were doing a body roll. True, but sideways rolls are (I think) harder to use in freestyle partner dance than forwards ones. I could be wrong, but somehow it just doesn't seem like it would fit unless being led, which is very rare.

A bit like '2 left feets' avatar?:rofl:Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! :eek:

[Mary]

Seriously? Because one of the bits of advice Nina gives is to be careful, otherwise it looks like you're throwing up...

Yep, I've heard this caution as well.

One teaching tip I heard for the ladies is to imagine you are standing in front of Viktor and you want to let every inch of the front of your body to touch him in the roll, like a body caress. But that would be after you've fought your way through the scrum of ladies all waiting to dance with him!

M

[Andreas]

Forwards rolls can be practiced by imagining rising at the other side of a horizontal bar, like in gymnastics.

Anyway, the ways of practicing isolations that worked best for me are:

- sit on a chair and shift various parts of your torso
- lie on bed and do micro-movements

Quite frankly, if you are trying to do micro-movements (small amplitude motion) you will be much less likely to develop bad habits because you don't actually 'see' what you are doing but have to 'feel' it. Thus you will (should) automatically concentrate more on the separation itself than the result. Looking at a mirror can be useful but also very deceiving. :flower:

[LMC]

Great stuff so far thanks :grin: - at the moment, it's definitely the isolations I'm interested in - body rolls are obviously far too advanced :blush:

Thanks to all those who have offered demonstrations, will take you up on that...

Will belly dancing classes help? - I remember feeling that the one at SP in September did, a bit. Unfortunately, there was so much to bring home from that one that that particular bit kind of got lost...

Mary - me like :devil:

[El Salsero Gringo]

As Jayne said in the last post of this thread (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=414), I can do isolations in my head. How to translate them to the rest of me is the problem.Curiously, I have no problem with the four-minute mile in my head. (Heck, in my head my time to beat is two minutes 22). I'm also working on the translation thing.

[Donna]

True, but sideways rolls are (I think) harder to use in freestyle partner dance than forwards ones. I could be wrong, but somehow it just doesn't seem like it would fit unless being led, which is very rare.

Your obviously going to do more forward body rolls as you are mainly facing your partner, but sometimes he may do a man stance whereby he leads you to face side on and freeze...then there's your chance to do a side body roll!:)

[Donna]

Yep, I've heard this caution as well.

One teaching tip I heard for the ladies is to imagine you are standing in front of Viktor and you want to let every inch of the front of your body to touch him in the roll, like a body caress. But that would be after you've fought your way through the scrum of ladies all waiting to dance with him!

M


I hope Viktor sees this! It'll make his day mary!:D

[LMC]

Your obviously going to do more forward body rolls as you are mainly facing your partner, but sometimes he may do a man stance whereby he leads you to face side on and freeze...then there's your chance to do a side body roll!:)
Don't confuse me with advanced stuff please :tears:

More on isolations please? - I am getting this in my head but I'm still disconnected.

[Andreas]

True, but sideways rolls are (I think) harder to use in freestyle partner dance than forwards ones. I could be wrong, but somehow it just doesn't seem like it would fit unless being led, which is very rare.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! :eek:
I'd argue that point. It is not so much a matter of being led into them but a question of how you move, forwards or sideways. If you decide to walk forwards at all times you will indeed only have limited application for it. I deliberately say limited because there is always space for small lateral rolls ;)

I often combine forwards with lateral rolls because always forwards is boring after a while :devil:

[Andreas]

More on isolations please? - I am getting this in my head but I'm still disconnected.
Sit on a chair and do rib shifts forwards, backwards and to the sides w/o moving your bum and shoulders. That will be a bit hard work to start with. If you get sore then you'll be doing it right :D In my opinion rib shifts are THE essential exercise to do decent body rolls.

[LMC]

Anyone else wishing to try the above excellent exercise: probably best not in the office, or a helpful colleague might tell you that you *can* go to the bathroom :rofl: :blush:

I'm sure such reactions will be less likely if I can get to doing the isolations properly, it'll just take longer than 15 minutes :rolleyes:

[Andreas]

Anyone else wishing to try the above excellent exercise: probably best not in the office, or a helpful colleague might tell you that you *can* go to the bathroom :rofl: :blush:
That'd mean you are not doing it right. I do that frequently on the bus to and from work and don't get weird looks because people don't see it. After all, you are not moving your bum or your shoulders. The amplitude of the motion is small enough to be more or less invisble. ;)


I'm sure such reactions will be less likely if I can get to doing the isolations properly, it'll just take longer than 15 minutes :rolleyes:
Correct :D But if you, as mentioned above, keep it small nobody will notice.

[Msfab]

Anyone else wishing to try the above excellent exercise: probably best not in the office, or a helpful colleague might tell you that you *can* go to the bathroom :rofl: :blush:

I'm sure such reactions will be less likely if I can get to doing the isolations properly, it'll just take longer than 15 minutes :rolleyes:

Some just said to me 'becoming stevie?' Im looking like stevie wonder at the piano!:o

[Clive Long]

<< snip >>
... or you could ask Zebra Woman and I for a master class, right Clive?! :whistle: :wink:
I am still in a state of near rapture because of the selfless dedication of ZW and Sparkles to help me achieve some style in my Blues dancing.

I fear it may take many such lessons before I become really competent. I suppose I will have to try .... :sigh:


Clive

[Andreas]

I am still in a state of near rapture because of the selfless dedication of ZW and Sparkles to help me achieve some style in my Blues dancing.

I fear it may take many such lessons before I become really competent. I suppose I will have to try .... :sigh:


Clive
You are just pretending to be such a slow learner to enjoy more of that visual ... :drool: Bad Clive! :rofl:

[pjay]

...sideways rolls are (I think) harder to use in freestyle partner dance than forwards ones. I could be wrong, but somehow it just doesn't seem like it would fit unless being led, which is very rare...

But they can look so nice when a couple is working together on these :)



One teaching tip I heard for the ladies is to imagine you are standing in front of Viktor and you want to let every inch of the front of your body to touch him in the roll, like a body caress.

And if you can't find a Viktor (or are struggling to get through the girls to get to him) then there is a fridge or a doorway that you can use in a similar fashion (also gives you the ability to do this in private if you so wish).

In terms of upward rolls I could never get them to feel comfortable until after doing them in a class that Trampy was teaching where I had a girl in front of me (both facing the same direction, with body contact head to heal (well close enough to), and had to do an upwards roll, I found that the connection provided helped me with learning the feeling of what they're like - these days I'm confident that they don't look tooooo terrible!

[Gadget]

Found this old thread:
Body Rolls (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=414):flower:

[David Bailey]

Found this old thread:
Body Rolls (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=414):flower:
Errr... isn't that the same as the one quoted in the first post?

[Gadget]

:shrug: you think I read every word of every post? :what:

[David Bailey]

:shrug: you think I read every word of every post? :what:
Not any more :rofl:

[Zebra Woman]

You are just pretending to be such a slow learner to enjoy more of that visual ... :drool: Bad Clive! :rofl:

Er ...It wasn't visual...it was very physical, you know very 'hands on'.

Clive was tightly sandwiched between Sparkles and I as we forced him to follow our groove.

What can I say? Yeah, he was a very slow learner. :whistle:

Next time we will be much more strict with him, in fact it might just help if Sparkles wears her librarian outfit.


(OK OK, I'm just thinking of me there)

ZW:devil:

[azande]

Er ...It wasn't visual...it was very physical, you know very 'hands on'.

Clive was tightly sandwiched between Sparkles and I as we forced him to follow our groove.

What can I say? Yeah, he was a very slow learner. :whistle:

Next time we will be much more strict with him, in fact it might just help if Sparkles wears her librarian outfit.


(OK OK, I'm just thinking of me there)

ZW:devil:
Are you two accepting new students? :innocent:

[Sparkles]

Are you two accepting new students? :innocent:
Of course... Anyone whishing to enrol please form an orderly queue :whistle:

[azande]

Of course... Anyone whishing to enrol please form an orderly queue :whistle:
... unfortunately they will have to wait for a while since I'm a very slow learner...

[Sparkles]

... unfortunately they will have to wait for a while since I'm a very slow learner...
In that case, is there anyone wishing to jump ahead of azande in the queue...? :rolleyes:

[azande]

I thought it was on a first come first served basis

[Tessalicious]

Of course... Anyone whishing to enrol please form an orderly queue :whistle:Oooh can I have a lesson please, ladies? :drool:

[Sparkles]

Oooh can I have a lesson please, ladies? :drool:
Something tells me you'd be teaching us a thing or two :whistle:

[Andreas]

In that case, is there anyone wishing to jump ahead of azande in the queue...? :rolleyes:
I could volunteer but my vision is pretty bad so I'd have to gt pretty close to see anything. :whistle:

[pjay]

I could volunteer but my vision is pretty bad so I'd have to gt pretty close to see anything. :whistle:

I'm pretty much blind, so I think I should get to go first - you know, disabled people and all... will have to do it all by touch...

:waycool:

[Groovy Dancer]

In that case, is there anyone wishing to jump ahead of azande in the queue...? :rolleyes:


I'll jump ahead of Azande. I am in need of a lesson or two!!:drool: :whistle:

[Donna]

If you get sore then you'll be doing it right

This is definately true! I've done a few moves where you have to isolate certain parts of the body and believe me, until you get used to it, you know about it when you wake up the next day! :tears: When you first start performing such moves, you are working muscles deep in the body that you hardly ever use...even at the gym. It's a blummin good work out though and best of all, it keeps you fit! I don't seem to suffer pain anymore as I practice them nearly everyday.

[Andreas]

I'm pretty much blind, so I think I should get to go first - you know, disabled people and all... will have to do it all by touch...

:waycool:
Friggin' side board passengers :rofl:

[pjay]

Friggin' side board passengers :rofl:


In that case, I'm deaf too, so it will definately have to be by touch, cause smell and taste probably wont work so well.

What did I do with that sixth sense?

[Zebra Woman]

I thought it was on a first come first served basis

Yes I think it is....

You take your time Azande :whistle:

Perhaps before we do Tess and GD, Andreas could give us a master class in body isolations? I can see it now - he is sandwiched tightly between Sparkles and I while we all practice those .....

....what did he call them?

Micro movements?

Yes, that sounds like a plan.:drool:

ZW

[Andreas]

Perhaps before we do Tess and GD, Andreas could give us a master class in body isolations? I can see it now - he is sandwiched tightly between Sparkles and I while we all practice those .....

....what did he call them?

Micro movements?

Yes, that sounds like a plan.:drool:

ZW
Yeah, I can invisage that, too. :drool: :whistle:

Your next move, Jarred? :rofl:

[Msfab]

Can we please try and keep this thread about dance from ending up upstairs?

:innocent:

[azande]

Yes I think it is....

You take your time Azande :whistle:

ZW
I'll make sure I do! :innocent:

[Andreas]

Can we please try and keep this thread about dance from ending up upstairs?

:innocent:

What do you mean? I am an :innocent: ! Ask my mother!! This is a purely technical discussion about body isolations on the dance floor. What you do with the learnt content off the floor is something else but we are talking purely dance here. Right Alison? :D

[Sparkles]

Can we please try and keep this thread about dance from ending up upstairs?

:innocent:
Sorry Miss :blush:

... actually it's a very useful exercise to practice body rolls with someone who can already do them. It's all very well to try and do everything we've all said, but theory and actually achieving a fluid body roll are two seperate things. It can look quite 'uncomfortable' if you're not moving fluidly :sick:.

When I was at Uni we used to have wiggling and body rolling/rippling competitions in the on-campus bar - hours of fun :rofl: - plus somehow it (strangely) makes you feel much less self-concious about trying to body roll if you have someone else doing it with you; especially if there's a group of you and you're all having a laugh. :flower:

[pjay]

... somehow it (strangely) makes you feel much less self-concious about trying to body roll if you have someone else doing it with you; especially if there's a group of you and you're all having a laugh. :flower:

You've just given me a fantastic idea for next time I want to teach body rolls... we could have like a big circle of sandwiched people body-rolling as one :clap: (I wonder how much trouble I could get myself in if I do this?!)

[Andreas]

You've just given me a fantastic idea for next time I want to teach body rolls... we could have like a big circle of sandwiched people body-rolling as one :clap: (I wonder how much trouble I could get myself in if I do this?!)
We tried that in NZ with Lambada. From my limited experience with OZ dancers I'd say you will also run into the same sort of problems: self-concious people. The problem will most likely not be the actual motion but the proximity.

What does work rather well, at least in the classes I taught it did, was to use body rolls and Merengue turns (rolling hips) as part of the warm-up. That way people only do them for a short while and their reservations fade with every class you teach. After about four or five classes I noticed several people throwing them into their freestyle, which was nice to see.

[pjay]

We tried that in NZ with Lambada. From my limited experience with OZ dancers I'd say you will also run into the same sort of problems: self-concious people. The problem will most likely not be the actual motion but the proximity.

What does work rather well, at least in the classes I taught it did, was to use body rolls and Merengue turns (rolling hips) as part of the warm-up. That way people only do them for a short while and their reservations fade with every class you teach. After about four or five classes I noticed several people throwing them into their freestyle, which was nice to see.

Maybe I should try it soon, I think I've managed to get most of my regular students a little out of the self-concious huge personal space issue - have played the everyone sit on each others knee thing a bit, and they seem to be ok with that.

[Andreas]

Maybe I should try it soon, I think I've managed to get most of my regular students a little out of the self-concious huge personal space issue - have played the everyone sit on each others knee thing a bit, and they seem to be ok with that.
Good on ya. Would be interested to see how it goes. :cheers:

[Zebra Woman]

You've just given me a fantastic idea for next time I want to teach body rolls... we could have like a big circle of sandwiched people body-rolling as one :clap: (I wonder how much trouble I could get myself in if I do this?!)

This has just reminded me of the Love Train. Have you ever done that?

I've only ever done it once. It was at Rock Bottoms, Asif, Miss Conduct and a few others were involved. We had all been blues dancing as pairs when we started to link up in a very close chain boy/girl/boy/girl.... I don't think we had it quite right as Miss Conduct was in the middle and had two men facing her...She didn't complain:rolleyes: .

Anyway we enjoyed some very amusing moves including body rolls that rippled through the Love Train like Mexican Waves. JB even played 'Love Trian' in response to the action. :rofl:

I think the love train is supposed to have every one facing the same way except one. I'm sure Asif knows.

ZW

[Donna]

It's all very well to try and do everything we've all said, but theory and actually achieving a fluid body roll are two seperate things. It can look quite 'uncomfortable' if you're not moving fluidly :sick:.

:yeah: Especially if you stand opposite them and pretend it's you in the mirror, or..both stand in front of mirror until you look the same as the person who CAN do it.:grin:


When I was at Uni we used to have wiggling and body rolling/rippling competitions in the on-campus bar

Now that sounds great fun!:clap:

[LMC]

...both stand in front of mirror until you look the same as the person who CAN do it.:grin:
It can be very difficult to "translate" from someone who is standing opposite you, so that idea I LIKE - nice one!

I can isolate my hips OK (I've even had the occasional compliment on my wiggle) and can do ribs side-to-side (I think) but am still having problems isolating my ribcage backwards and forwards. Looking forward to buttonholing some of the kind people who have offered help, thank you :flower: :nice:

[Donna]

I can isolate my hips OK (I've even had the occasional compliment on my wiggle)

I find isolating hips far easier than isolating the top half of your body. Keeping the bottom half still and moving the shoulders side to side or backwards and forwards is ok...still requires a lot of concentration until it becomes second nature though! As for wiggling, it means having to keep your top half as still as possible, and when wiggling your hips it's always better in a figure 8 shape but for this, it's a case of using a lot tension in the legs and using your knees and ankles properly as you push into the floor. Very tricky and you can actually feel your muscles burning! which indicates you are doing it properly. It really works on the stomach muscles too! So if you want a six pack...ya know what else to do apart from tummy crunches!

[Lynn]

This has just reminded me of the Love Train. Have you ever done that?

I've only ever done it once. It was at Rock Bottoms, Asif, Miss Conduct and a few others were involved. We had all been blues dancing as pairs when we started to link up in a very close chain boy/girl/boy/girl.... I don't think we had it quite right as Miss Conduct was in the middle and had two men facing her...She didn't complain:rolleyes: .

Anyway we enjoyed some very amusing moves including body rolls that rippled through the Love Train like Mexican Waves. JB even played 'Love Trian' in response to the action. :rofl:

I think the love train is supposed to have every one facing the same way except one. I'm sure Asif knows.Sounds like what we did in the hotel about 3am Mon morning at Scarborough last weekend. Five of us in a row (it started with Marc and I having a dance as we hadn't got one earlier then others joined in behind me). It all sort of came apart though when we tried to do a group mambo step! :rofl:

[pjay]

This has just reminded me of the Love Train. Have you ever done that?

I've only ever done it once. It was at Rock Bottoms, Asif, Miss Conduct and a few others were involved. We had all been blues dancing as pairs when we started to link up in a very close chain boy/girl/boy/girl.... I don't think we had it quite right as Miss Conduct was in the middle and had two men facing her...She didn't complain:rolleyes: .

Anyway we enjoyed some very amusing moves including body rolls that rippled through the Love Train like Mexican Waves. JB even played 'Love Trian' in response to the action. :rofl:

I think the love train is supposed to have every one facing the same way except one. I'm sure Asif knows.

ZW

Unfortunately I don't know either the song or the "action" although I'm sure I could give it a go :)

[Zebra Woman]

Unfortunately I don't know either the song or the "action" although I'm sure I could give it a go :)

(Correct me if I'm wrong Asif....)

I think the way it was supposed to be done :rolleyes: was with the lead couple facing each other dancing close, then behind the woman the other couples join on, male, female, male, female etc.

Body ripples and other stuff can be led from the lead couple and ripple down the line. It was just for a laugh really :blush: . The problem we had at Rock Bottoms that time was that the moves were being initiated from both ends of the line! :eek: :rofl:


ZW

[Almost an Angel]

One teaching tip I heard for the ladies is to imagine you are standing in front of Viktor and you want to let every inch of the front of your body to touch him in the roll, like a body caress. But that would be after you've fought your way through the scrum of ladies all waiting to dance with him!


I remember Viktor and Lydia teaching a class a few years back, where Lydia was saying the best way to practice body rolls/ripples is by using a wall (it helps honest- I've tried it) The problem was she was up on stage and had no wall to demonstrate this with so she turned Viktor around so his back was facing her and demo'ed how you ripple down and up the wall ensuring every inch of your body rolls down the wall.

Cue several v slow demos from Lydia later.

Followed by Viktor very sheepishly stating 'He didn't want to be a wall anymore' :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[LMC]

This is another idea I like - my wall at home was a bit cold last night, a wall substitute would be much easier... any volunteers? :devil:

[Donna]

I remember Viktor and Lydia teaching a class a few years back, where Lydia was saying the best way to practice body rolls/ripples is by using a wall (it helps honest- I've tried it) The problem was she was up on stage and had no wall to demonstrate this with so she turned Viktor around so his back was facing her and demo'ed how you ripple down and up the wall ensuring every inch of your body rolls down the wall.

Cue several v slow demos from Lydia later.

Followed by Viktor very sheepishly stating 'He didn't want to be a wall anymore' :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


i got steve to use the wall once. Got some very strange looks!:rofl:

[Ghost]

Just on isolations -

Imagine someone very gently and slowly bringing an ice cube closer and closer until it touches between your shoulder blades - assuming you're in a strappy dress or something so it actually touches you rather than just makes your t-shirt damp. (There's at least two other similar analogies that work better, but I'll let you figure them out :devil: ) At this point pretty much the whole of your body except that area should kinda cease to exist - ie your awareness is zoomed in there. The next trick is to practice the flinch away movement just as the ice cube touches. Then, hone it back 'till it's just the essence of the motion (and feels pleasant "there's a fine line between pleasure and pain" - Bryan Adams).

Repeat with ice cube on lower back etc.

Body rolls - slide the ice cube down (or up) in one fluid motion
Hope that helps,
Christopher

[Miss Conduct]

(Correct me if I'm wrong Asif....)

I think the way it was supposed to be done :rolleyes: was with the lead couple facing each other dancing close, then behind the woman the other couples join on, male, female, male, female etc.

Body ripples and other stuff can be led from the lead couple and ripple down the line. It was just for a laugh really :blush: . The problem we had at Rock Bottoms that time was that the moves were being initiated from both ends of the line! :eek: :rofl:


ZW

Yes, the only 'problem' with being body rippled from both the front and the back at the same time is that all you can do is stand still & brace yourself... :blush:

[Donna]

Yes, the only 'problem' with being body rippled from both the front and the back at the same time is that all you can do is stand still & brace yourself... :blush:

This sounds like a lot of fun and a good idea!

[Piglet]

I'm just pulling this thread back up because its full of really useful advice and I want to say a big thanks to LMC for starting it up.

Now to practice some of the advice....

[David Bailey]

I was dancing with a lovely lady last night at Ashtons (Marianne, I think - but I'm useless at names), she did so many lovely body rolls, they came naturally as part of her dancing, it was both a pleasure to watch and to dance with her; it smoothed the dancing out wonderfully.

Hmmm, maybe I should learn this roll stuff - at the moment I kind of rely on standing there and attempting to look cool whilst the ladies do their thing :blush:

[ducasi]

Victor included a body roll as part of a move he taught in the "fun class" at the Friday freestyle at Blackpool. Even managed to do it once or twice...

Funny how it can actually be easier with a woman clamped to your back... Actually, now that I think about it, maybe the times I managed it, it was because she was leading me... :blush:

[Donna]

Victor included a body roll as part of a move he taught in the "fun class" at the Friday freestyle at Blackpool. Even managed to do it once or twice...

Funny how it can actually be easier with a woman clamped to your back... Actually, now that I think about it, maybe the times I managed it, it was because she was leading me... :blush:


:rofl: It does take some getting used to and when you do get used to it, you're able to do it more positively..ya know...a bit more power into it. Should work!

[Paul F]

Ah well, I have posted more in the last 2 hours than I have in the last 2 months so im going to blanket bomb all threads before I retreat back into my torture shell of ballroom :rolleyes:

My favourite body wave is the corkscrew with a triple weight change.
Essentially it is a side wave starting from leverage beginning on the right foot transferring L/R.
The wave is initiated side on to your partner and is performed as you slowly turn to face. Its subtle, very subtle but looks immaculate when done correctly slow or fast.
Its important to just do 1 wave from head to a hip push and no more otherwise it's too busy.

[robd]

{complicated body roll stuff}


If ever a post needed a video accompaniment, Paul, that was the one :grin:

[Paul F]

If ever a post needed a video accompaniment, Paul, that was the one :grin:

Sorry. I had to post it before my boss walked past again.

Im not going to cover every nuance af leg flex and foot angle but essentially it goes like this.

(this is all very subtle. No big movements)
-----

Stand upright feet 12 inches apart and weight ever so slightly on the right leg - very small flex in the R knee.

N.B.Dont ever lock both legs. This isnt latin. I took it from two-step.

Following the principle 'weight follows frame' take the shoulders to the right JUST BEFORE you transfer more weight over the R flexing the knee further.

As the wave progresses down your right hand side (rib cage to the right)you gradually transfer weight back onto the left leg turning 45 degrees to the left - dont forget to send the shoulders first before the rib cage and the change of weight.

After the rib cage has made its way fully to your left hand side you should have turned nearly a quarter turn to face your partner and all the weight is on your left leg - knee slightly flexed.

From here you use a hip push to accentuate the end of the move by transferring the weight back to your right foot (no turn) and pushing the hip out behind and to the right - not too much.

You end with your R foot behind L - weight over R.

-----

Its important not to commit all of your weight over a supporting leg. When I say 'all your weight' over your left you have to keep some spare over your right as an escape route!! (well, actually as a stabilising force) V. v. important.

Hope that makes more sense.