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Thread: Do not dance with beginners ...

  1. #41
    Registered User Whitebeard's Avatar
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    Re: Do not dance with beginners ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post

    As a female follow, I would state that even on your FIRST night as a beginner, with the right lead (no, not another beginner) you can have the dance of your life. :
    Yes, I've seen it locally time and time again as the teacher or DJ/organiser plucks a beginner lady onto the floor from the sidelines and makes her look like a real dancer. For me, it is not so easy: I find some beginners very heavy going indeed; so, mucho respect, and all hail to these positive and dedicated leaders.

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post

    What's it like for the beginner men?
    Much, much, more difficult I would say. Particularly in my case as a geriatric very, very, slow learner.

    In the early weeks or months it's really all psychology I believe, and dancing with fellow beginners, messing it up, having a laugh, relating to each other, forming a possibibly quite long-lasting (dancing) relationship and friendship is what matters. At this stage, can an experienced follow actually teach me much; I doubt it. By default I am supposed to be the leader and expected to initiate the moves, lead from start to finish. Is the stress of trying to live up to the unachievable expectations of an experienced follower really going to be of help.

    But progress does occur imperceptibley and, later on, I was fortunate in that one particular more experienced lady repeatabley asked me to dance when I was, frankly, absolutle crap. I owe her a debt. But, one day, I managed to string together a decent dance and we've been regular, once or twice a night, partners ever since. I like to surprise her now and then with a cheeky cheesecakey payback.

    So, nearly four years later into the MJ scene where do I stand. Definiteley not an intermediate as I do not have even imperfect mastery of the armtwisty dippy droppy seducery mean. An imperfect improver perhaps ??

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    Re: Do not dance with beginners ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Whitebeard View Post
    Yes, I've seen it locally time and time again as the teacher or DJ/organiser plucks a beginner lady onto the floor from the sidelines and makes her look like a real dancer. For me, it is not so easy: I find some beginners very heavy going indeed; so, mucho respect, and all hail to these positive and dedicated leaders.
    Could this explain the higher retention rates of female beginners?

    As for the beginner men -
    Much, much, more difficult I would say. Particularly in my case as a geriatric very, very, slow learner.

    In the early weeks or months it's really all psychology I believe, and dancing with fellow beginners, messing it up, having a laugh, relating to each other, forming a possibibly quite long-lasting (dancing) relationship and friendship is what matters. At this stage, can an experienced follow actually teach me much; I doubt it. By default I am supposed to be the leader and expected to initiate the moves, lead from start to finish. Is the stress of trying to live up to the unachievable expectations of an experienced follower really going to be of help.
    Last edited by Astro; 3rd-October-2007 at 06:41 PM.

  3. #43
    Registered User Ghost's Avatar
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    Re: Do not dance with beginners ...

    I think it also depends on what the guy wants out of it.

    I had many lovely dances when I started that were frankly very simple. But I'm perfectly content with that* and will still happilly do simple dances. So all I needed was a follow who could relax and follow and was happy with a simple dance.

    "You're not like the other guys here. They do stylish moves, but you're gentle"
    Pretty much summed things up

    But if you wanted to be doing drops, aerials and looking fantastic, then I suspect the beginning would be very rough indeed .

    * provided the follow is. Some follows find simple = boring.

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    Re: Do not dance with beginners ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Raul View Post

    Because you are all very new, for the first few weeks you will be dancing like Pinnochio but you will soon get past this stage. I would encourage you to dance as much as possible with more experienced dancers. When dancing with other new beginners you will be like Pinnochio and his girlfriend, not knowing who is doing what and why.
    I love this quote Raul
    It will scar me for some time, while I imagine Pinnochio, when looking at some beginners!

    My son when he first started, danced almost exclusively with advanced follows (thanks girls for looking afer him ) - it helped him a lot, and he soon became a good lead.

    When I started I was fortunate to have charitable more experienced follows who wanted to encorage me and asked me to dance every week.

    I have now moved to the gold coast and they are super friendly here - a lot of it, I believe, coming from the example of the teachers/owners of the dance company. I do the beginners class and chat to everyone, then I seek out the beginners who have half a clue (to encorage them and have a laugh together) and the most advanced (for my play time).
    Thinking about it, I do not dance much with the intermediates.

    One girl who came for the first time Friday, I danced with 3 times, and she made the comment... "My theory was right, given the right partner, I can dance"

  5. #45
    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: Do not dance with beginners ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Martin View Post
    One girl who came for the first time Friday, I danced with 3 times, and she made the comment... "My theory was right, given the right partner, I can dance"
    Definitely. A dance with a more experienced lead when you are a beginner can make your evening, leave you floating thinking 'I can do this'. I remember a few of those and they were fab!

    But that is a good reason for beginners to dance with experienced dancers - but not a reason to actually avoid dancing with other beginners.

  6. #46
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    Re: Do not dance with beginners ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Ghost View Post

    "You're not like the other guys here. They do stylish moves, but you're gentle"
    You are definately one of the gentlest leaders. Also Ghost can do steps, he doesn't just shift from one foot to the other. [quote]

    Quote Originally Posted by Martin View Post

    My son when he first started, danced almost exclusively with advanced follows (thanks girls for looking afer him ) - it helped him a lot, and he soon became a good lead.
    Plus he would have had you to practice on?

    When I started I was fortunate to have charitable more experienced follows who wanted to encorage me and asked me to dance every week.


    Thinking about it, I do not dance much with the intermediates.
    Do you dance with the advanced ladies on the Gold Coast?

    One girl who came for the first time Friday, I danced with 3 times, and she made the comment... "My theory was right, given the right partner, I can dance"
    Or, much later, when she can dance, she may say, "given the wrong partner, I can't dance"

  7. #47
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    Re: Do not dance with beginners ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post


    Plus he would have had you to practice on?
    True, but normally when at home and we are talking about a move and have no ladies around. - And yes I am sure it looks well funny us dancing together. If at a venue, I would normally leave it up to an advanced lady

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post

    Do you dance with the advanced ladies on the Gold Coast?
    Yup, as I said, mostly beginners in their first 5 weeks, then the advanced dancers.
    I still dance with intermediates , but have little time left to dance with many, after the beginners and the advanced.

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