Beginning the dance smoothly techniques?

[DundeeDancer]

This is a real beginners question which I'm a little embarrassed to ask but better to be a little embarrassed once and learn what to do right rather than going wrong for longer than necessary. Well that me excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I'll explain what's happening at the moment as it's quite comical.

When I take a lady on the dance floor for some freestyle we usually pick a nice space to dance in, the music is already pumping out so my partner usually starts swinging back and forth in time with the music, swinging there hand to the left and right. I usually join in a little to pick up the beat of the music and when I'm ready I signal I'm starting the dance by doing the arc with my leading hand and stepping back.

Quite often instead of my follower stepping back they do another swing or two with there wrist while standing where they were.

In that split second I normally have a little panic and think I haven't lead the start strong enough, I'll need to step in and go through it again!

While I'm stepping in the follower is usually half way stepping out.

So I then get the strangest look from the follower.

So the follower steps back in and we try again to start the dance again.

Sometimes I even get a second false start! ++

The follower must be thinking, god I have a good one here.

I just give in with the starting arc thing at this point and take there spare hand and start on the arm-jive to get the momentum of the dance going and after that I'm fine.

Is it just me having all these false starts?

Any hints for making the start of the dance more smooth and easier would be appreciated.

Thanks DD

[Caro]

The easiest thing I can think of at beginners level to make those starts smoother would be to use a double handed move (i.e. you take both the ladies hand before you start dancing), typically an armjive (not that I am a fan...) or an in-and-out. They would both allow you to move the follower when you want it, and have some time to get in tune with the beat before you start the dance with the next move.

[Martin]

I take her right hand in my left hand, push out to my left and do a return.

Then you are into it.

[ducasi]

How to start a dance – the easy and cool way.

1. Walk onto the dance floor holding the lady's hand.
2. Lead the lady where you want to go to dance.
3. Continue that lead into a turn or spin.
4. Keep dancing!

How's that sound?

[DundeeDancer]

Good suggestions so far, will try them all out on Thursday night

Any more from anyone else?

[Beowulf]

How to start a dance – the easy and cool way.

1. Walk onto the dance floor holding the lady's hand.
2. Lead the lady where you want to go to dance.
3. Continue that lead into a turn or spin.
4. Keep dancing!

How's that sound?

That's usually what I do.. I tend to only use the "Semi circle" during classes.. I normally (normally? I haven't been dancing in months!) lead them onto the dance floor then lead them into a turn or a spin (or man spin / step across / whatever I feel like) and bingo we're off !!

[Gav]

How to start a dance – the easy and cool way.

1. Walk onto the dance floor holding the lady's hand.
2. Lead the lady where you want to go to dance.
3. Continue that lead into a turn or spin.
4. Keep dancing!

How's that sound?

That's cool as hell and I saw it suggested before, however, when I tried it 3 of 4 times as I turned the lead into a spin to start the dance, every single lady I tried it with just let their arm flail around their body and looked at me like I was mental.
There's only so much public humiliation I can take so I gave up on that.
Now I either start with an arm-jive variation , or a return.

[Double Trouble]

or a return.

I hate it when you do that, as you always start with a clockwise return and it drives me absolutely flippin mental. Please stop.

[Gav]

I hate it when you do that, as you always start with a clockwise return and it drives me absolutely flippin mental. Please stop.

So help me & DD out and tell us what you'd rather we did?

(it's anti-clockwise btw )

[killingtime]

How to start a dance – the easy and cool way.

1. Walk onto the dance floor holding the lady's hand.
2. Lead the lady where you want to go to dance.
3. Continue that lead into a turn or spin.
4. Keep dancing!

How's that sound?

Yeah, I'd suggest the same. I'll often start with a return or a man spin. I might even make the walk itself part of the dance. I don't use the semi-circle thing outside the class (or even in the class often).

As for the question Dundee Dancer, I wouldn't be embarrassed about it, seeing that there is an area that you can improve in your dancing and asking for advice to improve that isn't something to be embarrassed about.

[Double Trouble]

(it's anti-clockwise btw )

No it isn't...it's clockwise and that's why I hate it. You just go straight in to it, and it's only that i know its coming that you don't do my shoulder in. I HATE IT....!

Don't ask me to tell you an alternative. You are supposed to be leading me, not t'other way round.

[Lynn]

This is a real beginners question which I'm a little embarrassed to ask but better to be a little embarrassed once and learn what to do right rather than going wrong for longer than necessary. Well that me excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Lots of good suggestions from others on the actual techniques, I just wanted to add - don't be embarrassed asking questions like this. This is the perfect place to ask those questions, everyone on here has had to work through these things, we've all been beginners. And there may be other beginners reading this thread, having the same problems, being too shy to ask anyone and thinking 'I'm so glad they asked that'.

[Gav]

Don't ask me to tell you an alternative. You are supposed to be leading me, not t'other way round.

I don't want you to tell me what to do, I just thought there might be a way that other guys start a dance with you that you like and that you could suggest to DD to help him?

[David Bailey]

No it isn't...it's clockwise and that's why I hate it.

OK, how do you do a clockwise return then?

I don't want you to tell me what to do

I believe you Gav

[Double Trouble]

OK, how do you do a clockwise return then?

Exactly...! It's all arse about face, it's a contradiction and its a pile of crap.


Am I making myself clear yet?

[tsh]

I have never managed to make the 'semi-circle' work in freestyle. arm-jive worked very well for me to start with, I tend to use a travelling return sort of thing more often now.

[Gav]

I take her right hand in my left hand, push out to my left and do a return.

Then you are into it.

I tend to use a travelling return sort of thing more often now.

[David Bailey]

Am I making myself clear yet?

About normal I'd say.

[Chef]

If You know your follower well enough you can start in a side to side position with your right arm around her waist and your right hand on her right hip. Walk with her onto the dance floor in this side by side position (just like the open position of a first move) and when you are ready to start use your right hand on her hip to move her weight onto her left foot and then as your body moves backwards for you to do a rockstep then your hand (moving backwards with your body) will cause her to do a rockstep. Finish the move off as you would do for a first move.

I feel that this would offer the following

1) When you walk onto the floor both of you are walking forwards and so you are less likely to bump into people on the floor

2) It is something different to standing opposite each other and doing the semi circle

3) It doesn't give your follower the opportunity to start the dance by completely ignoring your lead and twisting from side to side (which presumably you are not leading).

4) You can get a feel for the beat of the music by gently pulsing up and down in time with the music and you can feel if your partner is in time with you and the music before you lead the rockstep.

There are many ways of skinning a cat so I just offer the above as an option that you may like to consider.

[whitetiger1518]

I'm just wondering, but for the slower tracks (more bluesy) and / or with followers you know well, how about the classic Blues hold? Or maybe a variation of the comb - where you get the follower to trail their hand down your arm into your hand - would that give you both enough time to feel the beat?

If all else fails a cheeky smile and / or laugh never goes amiss... Some of the best dances I reremember time and again are ones where the moves went wrong, but the sense of humour kept going

Whitetiger