Beginner class or intermediate class?

[sway]

I've been going 7 weeks and am moving up to the Internemediates next week. Feel a little intimadated, but I guess I can mix it up and switch between the Beginners and Intermediates.
People should be allowed to go at their own pace and not get ''forced' or coerced into stepping up when they don't feel confident.

dont feel like you are being pushed up (it linzi from kidderminster by the way) you are a very good dancer and you dance like you are and intermed dancer so have a go but if you dont like it stay down stairs and do the beg class next week ill be there so grab me for a dance ok

[purplehyacinth]

Sorry if this is too late to be of any use.

I'd say give the Intermediates class a bash. Don't worry if the routine looks scary - the question is not how hard it looks, but how hard it is for you to follow!

If you are a good follower, then odds are that you will probably have been doing quite a few of the "intermediate" moves in freestyle anyway. Once leaders find a good follow, even if a relative newcomer, they generally don't restrict themselves to the beginners' moves!

Remember - it's not about learning the moves or the routines (unless you want to go on and dance as a leader) - if you are sticking with dancing as a follower for the moment, all you need to learn to do is how to follow the moves.

Hope it goes well.

[Almost an Angel]

... maybe do the intermediate class 1-on-1 with a good leader you 'get on with', instead of 'rotating' up and down the lines with all and sundry ?
Most would be flattered if you asked. Maybe an off-duty taxi ?
Someone you are happy to lead you through intermediate moves in freestyle ?
Some teachers/venues may not like a line of 'fixed couples', but it is a good way to get started in intermediates ...

I often advise beginners to do this especially when just moving up to the intermediates - As long as you make it clear you are not in the rotation - staying over to one side or the back the teacher shouldn't object.

As Jamie and EricD said it's a great way to build confidence in yourself.

I also advise couples who want to advance to the intermediates together to do this - especially when I feel they are not getting anything out of the repeat class - even if they stay together out of rotation and only get one of the moves it's one more than they would have learnt in the repeat class.

Angel xx

[JCB]

- it's not about learning the moves or the routines (unless you want to go on and dance as a leader) - if you are sticking with dancing as a follower for the moment, all you need to learn to do is how to follow the moves.

(my emphasis)
If you have been told that you are a competent follower by a taxi, then get yourself in to that intermediate class! Here are two good reasons:
1) too long spent on the same 4 moves in beginners' review class, and you will get bored, and go into autopilot, ( a very bad habit, in case you hadn't noticed the few posts scattered on here complaining about it!)
2) A good follower who doesn't know the moves is much more helpful to an intermediate leader than a follower who knows the moves, and goes into autopilot, or even "smooths over" the rough edges of a sloppy lead. My husband is a newbie in intermediate class. He hates it when a new move is being taught, and he thinks he has led it correctly. But then, (cue ominous music), "one lady on"...., and he finds out that lady no.1 was on "autopilot", and he has to try to catch up with the follower who is actually following what he is leading
Please bring your sense of humour with you. Lurking in the intermediate lines is the occasional macho, face-saving reaction: the castigating look that says without words: "the last lady followed just fine! What is wrong with you." Ignore him! (Better yet, picture him in a grass skirt and coconut-shell bra) I am developing a belief in Karma: as often as not, the next leader floats me through the complex move as though I'd practised for years.

[happygoldfish]

(Better yet, picture him in a grass skirt and coconut-shell bra)

Is it only us goldfish who can't read words in LemonChiffon colour?

[whitetiger1518]

Is it only us goldfish who can't read words in LemonChiffon colour?

Nope none of us has exray eyes Try highlighting the line and then it shows up almost as good as black and white

Whitetiger

[happygoldfish]

My goldfish-friendly computer highlights everything in yellow, so that just makes it worse!

(And everything that isn't highlighted in yellow is highlighted in white!)

[LuLu Baby]

Hey all, and thanks for the replies and advice

I went to ceroc last night, and gave the intermediate class a try. It looked hard, but I remembered what it was like wathcing the beginner routine for the first time and how hard that looked, and it's so easy now. I was never going to know if I could do it or not if I didn't take that first step. The routine last night was particularly hard, I wasn't the only one saying that. But, I managed it. I also practised it with a couple of guys in freestyle afterwards, and was fine with it by the end of the night. So, I suppose the more you practice the better you get. I'm glad I gave it a shot, and it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be

I did think about asking one guy to go through the whole routine, but everyone seemed to be rotating partners, there was no-one with a "fixed" partner. If there had been, then I would have asked.

Thanks again everyone, much appreciated

LuLu xx

[Rogboy]

...So I stepped up to intermediate at Kiddermister on Weds....and promptly hurt my back! Felt a ''twinge'' that night and then at Worcester
last night it played up big time.
Managed to get through 3 moves on Intermediate last night, but the last one nearly ripped me in two! Managed to dance a cpl of times but had to sit out for the most part.

Oh well resting up this weekend (well as much as you can wth a rampaging 6yr old wanting to perform karate / ninja moves on my person!)