Timing

[Groovemeister]

I was wondering how acceptable it is to tell people that their timing is all over the place.

I generally don't have a problem with timing unless I am trying to concentrate on other things but I know there are times when for other people particularly begineers it is the last thing on their mind.

At the point though when somebody is reasonably competant at the basics there must be a time at which there natural rythum takes over.

My sister used to be a nightmare with timing and in the end I had to have a word with her as she used to be all over the palce. Once I had said a few things about trying to hear base lines and beats it wasn't long before she got it infact that same night.

I wonder if this is true of a lot of people in that they hear music in a certain way and it takes someone to say to them you should be listening to this part to hear the beat it then all clicks in to place.

We all know how sometimes it can be frustrating and painfull to dance with partners that are all over the place on timing how do you think people would react to being told ? What would be the best way to do it ?

[Ghost]

I was wondering how acceptable it is to tell people that their timing is all over the place.

The big problem I can see with this is there's no easy fix for the person.

You have BO - ok get deorderant
You're gripping too hard - hold looser
Stop doing UCP moves please - stop doing them

But "Your timing is all over the place" -

Be Well,
Christopher

[Gadget]

perhaps turn up for the start of the beginner's class and go through the "essentials"?

If you're in a class, point out that you're not doing it at the same time as everyone else?

[MartinHarper]

What would be the best way to do it?

I recommend bouncing your hand in time to the music when dancing with these women. It'll "disconnect" you from your partner between each beat, so she'll have no choice but to follow your lead only around the beats. This will also force you to stick to simple moves and thus allow your partner to concentrate more on the music.

[Green-eyed Monsta]

I have cr@p timing
I have had awful timing in rock'n'roll, latin american, ballroom, ceroc, ballet....the list goes on (and on and on.... )
BUT...I am better if the man leading me has good timing and I do try hard to follow obediently. If the man gets flustered and loses his timing because of me it's a disaster. I find the hand bouncing thing helpful, also helpful if they keep me in close to their body so I can "feel" their steps, and some music is better than others for me to be able to keep the beat. Medium paced is easiest for me. And for heaven's sake PLEASE don't let go of my hands and expect me to "do my own thing"

[Genie]

I remember a thread about 'bouncy hands' being bad. What happens when you're with a lead with no sense of rhythm, because they can be so very difficult to follow properly. I have danced with a few of these and I hated it.

But I can't quite bring myself to say "by the way, you need to get rhythm in your life."

[Freya]

What about us girls that have to try and cope with a guy bouncing his hand to feel the beat but in actual fact isn't!

I just grin and bear it as I don't feel I know any of these kind of guys well enough to say...Your timings off!

Is it the responsibility of the taxi dancer to bring this up in the revision class?

But what about those that have passed onto intermediates already?

[peppercorn]

As a girlie with a guy that has no timing I generally hold back a little... the prob with telling someone that they have no rhythm is that you could end being know as "the guy who thinks he knows everything" I hate being patronised even if I am all over the place! (I generally apologise if I know I've danced badly) I guess if you feel that they really need some help you could ask a taxi dancer to have a dance and suggest some tips or be really really really really really tactful!

[Listener]

I think its easier to comment during the lessons than freestyle and probably depends on how often you dance with people/how well you know them.

I guess also, depsite being told I have good rhythm, there are some songs I find really hard to keep rhythm to and so just because someone you dance with doesn't seem to have rhtyhm it may be a song-specific difficulty not a general problem.

That said I've never quite plucked up the courage to pass comment on anyone but then I've only been dancing 10 months so probably don't feel qualified.................

Oh the complexities of etiquette!