To Freeze or Not to Freeze

[Minnie M]

Another one of those lovely polls coming up

Taken from the 'bounce' thread :-

......... You manage to recognise that a break is coming, and time the move perfectly for a freeze in time with the music, but they insist of trying to dance/jiggle during the break

)

AFAIK it is only in MJ that you actually FREEZE in the break - ALL other styles use the time for free expression

Have you ever looked at the expression on MJ dancers when the do actually freeze Personally I think a sexy wiggle is far better

[SteveK]

Have you ever looked at the expression on MJ dancers when the do actually freeze Personally I think a sexy wiggle is far better

I love sexy wiggles!!!

Is a slow wiggle better than a quick wiggle?

[straycat]

Another one of those lovely polls coming up

Taken from the 'bounce' thread :-

)

AFAIK it is only in MJ that you actually FREEZE in the break - ALL other styles use the time for free expression

Have you ever looked at the expression on MJ dancers when the do actually freeze Personally I think a sexy wiggle is far better

For me, it just depends on the music and our moods (regardless of the dance)... but yeah - a break is just a chance to mark a change in the music, whether it be by freezing, or some other kind of fun improvisation.

Although I don't do wiggles, because when I do them, they're not sexy

[Trouble]

i like to freeze and when its going back into the music, i like to do something, either slow wiggle or i dont know something that i think looks good but probably doesn't but i dont care cause it feels ok. move..... to lead me back into it depending on what the man is doing.

[ducasi]

To follow-up from Steve K's original post...

I find it is the hand-bouncers (that I dance with anyway) who are more likely to self-propel themselves into the next move when I'm trying to lead a pause for a break.

I figure there's two reasons for this – first, because they are bouncing their hand(s) they are less likely to be able to "hear" my lead; and second, because they have the beat in their head (or more correctly, in their hand) and have to keep moving to it – what the music is doing is irrelevant.

[DS87]

Personally I feel that you should freeze for at least 1 Beat (depending on the music this might be longer) in order to accent the break. After that I think that movement of some description (wiggles, slowly walking out of the move) is needed to fill the time before the phrase change. Otherwise the dance looks amazingly like partnered musical statues

[robd]

After that I think that movement of some description (wiggles, slowly walking out of the move) is needed to fill the time before the phrase change. Otherwise the dance looks amazingly like partnered musical statues

Which assumes people who hit breaks always begin dancing again at the start of the phrase............

[DS87]

Which assumes people who hit breaks always begin dancing again at the start of the phrase............

Which in turn begs the question - Should they?

[robd]

Which in turn begs the question - Should they?

Maybe I should differentiate between 'start dancing again' and 'start a new move/pattern'. If the latter then, according to Jordan & Tatiana in their final class at Southport, the answer is most definitely yes. I suspect the concensus of respecteded opinion would back this view.

[Gav]

I don't see why some people get so het up about freezing. A break is a chance to do something different to mark the change in the music. Freezing can get a bit boring and isn't always the best thing to do (especially if it's a long break!).

I do appreciate followers trying to help by responding to the break coming up in case I've missed it, but it's really frustrating being forced into a freeze by a follower when I had something else in mind.

In fact, if I realize a break's coming too late, I'd rather just sail through it and apologise than to freeze in a daft position or rush to a posing position.

[Franck]

I don't see why some people get so het up about freezing. A break is a chance to do something different to mark the change in the music. Freezing can get a bit boring and isn't always the best thing to do (especially if it's a long break!).

I agree that freezes are not necessarily the most musical or stylish response to a musical break, but I can understand why they are so important.

Dancing musically is not all about hearing the music recognizing patterns, breaks, etc. It involves control in your lead & follow (and over your own body too). If you don't have subtle and timely control over your partner (it works both ways, not just the leader controlling the follower) then you won't be able to dance the way you hear the music.
The most basic form of control (beyond simply leading the next move) is to stop and start the dance at the right time, so I would say it is a very important step in anyone's journey towards better dancing and musicality.

[straycat]

Which in turn begs the question - Should they?

To my mind, the only 'should' (which I think is a bad, bad word**) is that a leader leads the break clearly, so the follower knows the leads intentions. Other than that, there really shouldn't be any 'should'***

If you want to freeze a move in the middle to hit a break, then carry it on at the end, that's fine.
If you want to dance right through a break, ignoring it completely, that's fine too.
If you want to hit the break dramatically at the end of a move, then start a new move when the break ends, that's fine.

The most important thing is simply to start being aware of the breaks, then to start letting 'em affect your dancing in ways that suit you. All else will come from there.*****

In my own fevered opinion.

SC
**And it needs spanking at every opportunity****

***Wow. I can contradict myself with just four words

****Ignore that. I worry me sometimes.

*****Or not. Who knows?

[MartinHarper]

AFAIK it is only in MJ that you actually FREEZE in the break - ALL other styles use the time for free expression.

All competent dancers I've seen, in any dance form, will aim to freeze in breaks where there is no sound. Stopping when the music stops is pretty much standard. Mind you, there is a certain challenge in keeping dancing and trying to still be on beat when the music kicks back in.

If the latter then, according to Jordan & Tatiana in their final class at Southport, the answer is most definitely yes

.... in West Coast.

[CJ]

Silence is a valid musical expression.

It is, therefore, a valid dance expression, too.

For it to work, however, the dancer must "mean it".

Should?!? It comes down to personal responses to a musical stimulus. Any musical decision is the right one.

[TA Guy]

All competent dancers I've seen, in any dance form, will aim to freeze in breaks where there is no sound. Stopping when the music stops is pretty much standard. Mind you, there is a certain challenge in keeping dancing and trying to still be on beat when the music kicks back in.

I agree with this. Argghhhh!
I prefer, the music stops, you stop. Applies to breaks, the end of the whole song and exploding DJ consoles

Music builds to a crescendo, then 'breaks', but continues in a different, usually lighter, often slower vein, my preference is the dance should match. Even it's only a move from (what would prolly be faster) more complex moves to (what would prolly be slower) simple moves. Contrast is half the battle

[Minnie M]

Another one of those lovely polls coming up

Taken from the 'bounce' thread :-

)

AFAIK it is only in MJ that you actually FREEZE in the break - ALL other styles use the time for free expression

Have you ever looked at the expression on MJ dancers when the do actually freeze Personally I think a sexy wiggle is far better

Sorry - could a mod please change the last poll option, it is the same as the always freeze one please remove or change to always wiggle - thanks (created the thread in a hurry this morning before going to work)

[Minnie M]

All competent dancers I've seen, in any dance form, will aim to freeze in breaks where there is no sound. Stopping when the music stops is pretty much standard. Mind you, there is a certain challenge in keeping dancing and trying to still be on beat when the music kicks back in..

Depends if stopping at the break and freezing mean one and the same

A short break (stop) for one beat (when the music tells you) is not quite the same as the 'freeze' method that lots of MJ dancers tend to do. Some even do a little 'jump' before statue freeze when they know the track

[Raul]

I often freeze on a music break when i cannot think of what to do - which is happens very frequently, anyway.

Some people even think that in doing so, i am adding style to my dance - therfore by sometimes freezing even when there is no music break i am therefore adding even more style.

[Jamie]

I love sexy wiggles!!!

Is a slow wiggle better than a quick wiggle?

Body Rolls ftw

[Gav]

Body Rolls ftw

, can't do them myself, but