Miscellaneous Dance Tips

[robd]

One in an occasional series.

If you
* have an embarassingly old fashioned brick-like mobile
* like to dance in close hold from time to time (not sure of the attraction of this myself :whistle: )

then please remember to remove your phone from your trouser pocket before commencing dancing.

Not all partners will be familiar enough with you to not mind asking 'just what are you rubbing against my thigh?' :rolleyes:

Robert













Yes, I know there's an old Tips thread that this could have been added to but since that's on Intermediate Corner and only about 3 people read that forum I didn't bother.

[Sparkles]

If you have 2 1/2" or 3" heeled dancing shoes, buy some heel guards ('Freed' sell them, as should most dancing shoe shops). They might take a little while to get used to but they significantly reduce the damage caused if you tread on or kick someone whilst dancing.

[Cruella]

then please remember to remove your phone from your trouser pocket before commencing dancing.

Not all partners will be familiar enough with you to not mind asking 'just what are you rubbing against my thigh?' :rolleyes:


No, but some girls are clever enough to be able to dial home on it! :rolleyes:

[straycat]

Robert
No, but some girls are clever enough to be able to dial home on it! :rolleyes:

Although when they then try to have a conversation over it, their actions are sometimes ... misinterpreted. :whistle:

[2leftfeet]

Although when they then try to have a conversation over it, their actions are sometimes ... misinterpreted. :whistle:

That could explain the large amount of wrong numbers!!!:innocent:

[Andreas]

No, but some girls are clever enough to be able to hit home on it! :rolleyes:
:eek:

[Yliander]

If you have 2 1/2" or 3" heeled dancing shoes, buy some heel guards ('Freed' sell them, as should most dancing shoe shops). They might take a little while to get used to but they significantly reduce the damage caused if you tread on or kick someone whilst dancing. tread or kick yourself ...

[straycat]

One I know to my cost:

Keep your elbows tucked in, rather than sticking out.

Leads particularly are prone to this (esp. with things like comb variations)

A lot of people have been elbowed in the face by people forgetting that one :(

[Sparkles]

tread or kick yourself ...

:tears: I'd rather not, if you don't mind...

[Yliander]

:tears: I'd rather not, if you don't mind... I don't kick or tread on others often - but to have a very bad habit of doing it to myself :blush: :( :blush:

[Nick M]

One in an occasional series.

If you
* have an embarassingly old fashioned brick-like mobile
* like to dance in close hold from time to time

then put it in vibrate mode, for added excitement

[MartinHarper]

One I know to my cost:

Keep your elbows tucked in, rather than sticking out.

On the other hand, I've heard dance teachers commenting that followers should keep their arms out and available so that they can be caught and led more easily. Seems like a difficult balancing act to get right. Any tips?

[Gadget]

Any advice about arms out for catching would only be applicable for free-spins; any turns or assisted spins I would always advise the followers to have elbows in (or leads if they are spinning ;)).

I think it's up to the lead to pick up the elbow from a free-spin, but to make it easier, I would recommend concentrating on the lower half of the body rather than the upper half; finishing the spin with feet together, hips square to your partner, before taking a step back.

Lead should aim to catch the hand (or elbow) as soon as possable - while the follower still has roughly a quarter turn left. The last bit of the turn can be used by the lead to slow the follower and provide support/ direction/ control for their step back.

The main problem with elbows is normally the follower's 'blind' elbow - the one that comes round first. If the follower is using arms to 'wind-up' and gain momentum from their top halves, then the elbows will have a tendancy to come up (and out) to just below shoulder height. It's the height rather than distance from the body that makes it dangerous. If followers keep their elbows out a little bit, but low, it can help leads to catch from a free-spin.

Another peice of following advice that may help is that elbows should never go behind shoulder level; that's the point where the shoulder/torso should start to move back/rotate. If you are generating momentum for a spin from the upper torso, then it will be really hard to follow this advice.

Hope this is of some use :flower:

[Nick M]

On the other hand, I've heard dance teachers commenting that followers should keep their arms out and available so that they can be caught and led more easily. Seems like a difficult balancing act to get right. Any tips?


Elbows in, but hands above waist level. That's what they teach in salsa - elbows in for safety, hands above waist level so they can be caught more easily.

[Trouble]

its not feet, elbows or anything like that that can cause damage, I have had womens long hair flick into my face and cause damage to my eyes and create a sort of whiplash effect about my head. Most dangerous are the pony tails.... :rolleyes: as for the mobile phone...you should see the look on blokes faces when i leave mine in my pocket and they do some hip on hip roll action :whistle:

[David Bailey]

On the other hand, I've heard dance teachers commenting that followers should keep their arms out and available so that they can be caught and led more easily. Seems like a difficult balancing act to get right. Any tips?
Yes, as said, I think the classic Ceroc advice to followers when turnjing / spinning is to keep your elbows in, but your hands high (around chest level?), so that the leader can easily re-take the hand.

And I say "chest" because that also helps avoid, ahem, inappropriate contact - there's another dance tip for you, ladies :whistle:

[Gadget]

Yes, as said, I think the classic Ceroc advice to followers when turnjing / spinning is to keep your elbows in, but your hands high (around chest level?), so that the leader can easily re-take the hand.

And I say "chest" because that also helps avoid, ahem, inappropriate contact - there's another dance tip for you, ladies :whistle:

:what: So this encourages guys to 'look' for a hand at that level?!? Have to wholey dissagree with this - it also is a confusing height: should it be shoulder height or waist height? Follower's hand should always -reset- to waist height. If it's put high, it will drop to this height. Leads should always start with hands at this height and catch at this height.

Technically, a raised hand above the height of the elbow means that any latteral pressure in the lead will bend the arm at the elbow, raising the hand more*. If the hand is level with the elbow (or slightly lower), then lateral pressure will lead the elbow back (and so the arm, and so the body).
*Unless the follower has tension in it, in which case, it will probably lead to excess resistance and a really 'stiff' woman to lead.

Hands at chest level: bad idea in my opinion. :(

[David Bailey]

:what: So this encourages guys to 'look' for a hand at that level?!? Have to wholey dissagree with this - it also is a confusing height: should it be shoulder height or waist height? Follower's hand should always -reset- to waist height. If it's put high, it will drop to this height. Leads should always start with hands at this height and catch at this height.
I dunno, I think it's easier to lower your hand to catch the leader's than to raise it - also looks better - so having your hands a bit higher may be useful from that point of view. Depends on the relative height differences of course.

Also, I think hands at waist level looks a bit less stylish - higher can look nicer IMO.

[Blueshoes]

The choice of clothing for the evening out is very important - ladies should dance test anything they're planning to wear (skirts that raise to waist level when spinning are very nice to look at from a male perspective :grin: but could be a trifle embarrassing :o, whilst tops that have straps which have to be put back on the shoulder after every turn are frankly annoying :sad: ) and a little tip for those men contemplating wearing a see through vest; nothing with an intellect higher than a dyslexic parrot finds them remotely sexy :(.

[TheTramp]

and a little tip for those men contemplating wearing a see through vest; nothing with an intellect higher than a dyslexic parrot finds them remotely sexy :(.

Damn. Guess I'll have to rethink my new dance wardrobe then!! :whistle:

[straycat]

Damn. Guess I'll have to rethink my new dance wardrobe then!! :whistle:

You don't like parrots? :rolleyes:

[NZ Monkey]

{DJ and Gadget debating spinning}Just to add even more contradicting advice....:devil:

I was taught to keep the elbows fairly close in with the hands about waist height. The reason for that was firstly safety (hard to elbow someone in the face that way), but secondly because the waist is around where the centre of balance is. The closer you get your arms to that level the less likely they are to cause you to tip if you're not perfectly balanced through the whole spin. Gadget said something pretty similar to this.

I'd also been taught for the spinner to have their lead hand palm outwards in a hook grip. That means all the leader has to do to ''catch'' the hand is aim somewhere along the spinners forearm and let their hand slide down to the hook. It's smoother than trying to actually catch a spinning hand and it's much easier - especially with multiple spins.

[drathzel]

Just relax and enjoy yourself.:D

[mikeyr]

Just relax and enjoy yourself.:D

:yeah: Thats the best advice.

[bigdjiver]

http://xkcd.com/c162.html