How many moves do you know/lead?

[Steven666]

How many moves do you know and how many do you actually lead?

Is it better to do fewer moves well than doing loads of moves moderately?

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As for me, I'm currently creating a list of what I know and use. I could potentially be in the 100's & 100's if you count minor variatins from one move to the next. Can't really give a total at the moment. But I do think it's best to do fewer moves better anyway.

[Ghost]

How many moves do you know

I stopped counting when I hit 100

and how many do you actually lead?

Depends entirely on who I'm dancing with

Is it better to do fewer moves well than doing loads of moves moderately?

Yup

As for me, I'm currently creating a list of what I know and use.

First move
First Move Fairy Tale
Fairy Tale Hero
Armjive swizzle - double travelling return
- teapot
Slo comb ignore
Slow neckbreak
- Alice’s neckbreak
- Sparkles' Neckbreak
- Sara’s Neckbreak
- Penny’s neckbreak
Blues shield first move
Fast and the Furious
Rotating armjive
Octopus – basket comb
- swizzle
- octopull
- half slingshot – Dizzy Blonde
Figure of 8
Accordion – double spin
- Freya’s Move
- Comb – no hand walks
- Jango comb
- Flamenco walks
Reversed armjive
Walks - dragon, monkey
False pretzel
Nigel’s swizzle - barrida
Sara’s Confusion
Sway – bounce out
- front sway
- walks
- spin out
- Falling Angel (thanks Gadget )
- crucifix - shimmy
Eskimos - linear boleo - Tango lunge - gancho / crouch
Slo manspin
Manspin - Polly's manspin
Frontpass
First move – tango slide
Fast and the Furious
W Manhatten – traverse
E Manhatten
Sparkly boleos
Tango side lunge with barrida.
Yo-yo

Jango stuff on specific people

I update it every few months, more to see how my style's evolving than anything else. I'm quite happy just dancing manhattens and sways and chatting

[MartinHarper]

How many moves do you know?

I don't think that's a useful question for folks who've danced more than a few months. Instead, I wonder, how many styles of Modern Jive dancing do I know?

competent:
Jive-ish with Triples
Manhattan-based
Ceroc Classic

not so competent:
Open Slotted Marching
grindin'
cha-cha-ish
jango-ish

how many do you actually lead?

I estimate that there are a dozen or so moves I lead regularly, which represent about 50% of my dancing. The other 50% is... miscellaneous stuff.

Is it better to do fewer moves well than doing loads of moves moderately?

It doesn't matter. Dancing isn't about leading moves well (though leading moves painfully is bad), not is it about doing loads of moves (though doing only one is bad).

[David Bailey]

How many moves do you know

I've learnt... ooh, God knows, hundreds certainly. Do I know them? Depends on your definition - mainly if I see someone do a move I recognise, I can repeat it.

and how many do you actually lead?

In terms of your actual recognisable Moves, I think I do about 3 - 6 normally, depending on how you define "Moves", and depending on who I'm dancing with.

I'd guess the West Manhattan, the Sway, and a variant Manspin are the Ceroc ones. I've also got a few cross-body lead moves I've imported from salsa, which may or may not have official MJ names. Otherwise, I just make it up as I go.

However, if I'm dancing with a relative beginner, I'll use more actual moves, as they're more easy to follow.

Is it better to do fewer moves well than doing loads of moves moderately?

My opinion is that it's best to do zero moves.

[Gav]

My opinion is that it's best to do zero moves.

Funny how we spend years trying to learn as many moves as we can, then once you know hundreds you start trying to dance without moves.

[Steven666]

I estimate that there are a dozen or so moves I lead regularly, which represent about 50% of my dancing. The other 50% is... miscellaneous stuff.

In terms of your actual recognisable Moves, I think I do about 3 - 6 normally, depending on how you define "Moves", and depending on who I'm dancing with.

Is that excluding say basic moves?

Also what are your thoughts on repetition in a dance? - I try to steer away from it but if I'm not concentrating or dancing with a beginner than I sometimes can't help it. But I do annoy myself if I repeat a move in a dance (or even two) with a good follower.

[dave the scaffolder]

Aye aye i know quite a few but only use about 10 in a night.

XXX XX DTS Dave

[stewart38]

Aye aye i know quite a few but only use about 10 in a night.

XXX XX DTS Dave

Im known as 8 man Stew

Respect to one that knows so many

[dave the scaffolder]

Im known as 8 man Stew

Respect to one that knows so many

Well to be honest it is 5 moves with 2 different endings to each move.

XXX XXX DTS Dave

[Beowulf]

How many moves do you know and how many do you actually lead?

A handful.. and all of them !!

I've actually been taught.. and subsequently forgotten probably in excess of 20 to 30 times the number of moves i actually know !!

basically my "repertoire" consists of the basic 12 moves and about 3 simple intermediate moves. Not bad going for someone who started dancing in 2003

(note I said STARTED DANCING in.. and not DANCING SINCE.. there is a subtle difference in meaning.)

[Steven666]

(note I said STARTED DANCING in.. and not DANCING SINCE.. there is a subtle difference in meaning.)

Good point although I was the same. Well started in 2004 have done no dancing whatsoever at all. Not even in nightclubs.

But do put people here still use beginners moves after so long in their basic form?

[David Bailey]

Is that excluding say basic moves?

Nope, that's pretty much it

I can do basic moves, but I'd only really use them as a confidence-building thing for my partner - the better my partner is, the less "moves" I'd need to do.

Ooh, I forgot the Travelling Return

OK, make that 7 moves. Wa-hey, one more and I'll be at Stewart38-level, there's something to aim for

Also what are your thoughts on repetition in a dance?.

Doesn't matter. I don't think most followers really care that much about variety, it's not as if they keep a mental notebook of which moves you do or something.

I've done dances with some top-class followers (e.g. Cinders) which are at least 50% travelling returns - it seems to work.

[Beowulf]

But do people here still use beginners moves after so long in their basic form?

I do.. But I do do them exceedingly well

[Steven666]

Are my the only one then who has 49 (& counting) variations on the humble first move, never mind other moves?

O_o

[Ghost]

Are my the only one then who has 49 (& counting) variations on the humble first move, never mind other moves?

O_o

Technically Gadget probably has more...

This might be worth a look
http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/i...ore-moves.html

[David Bailey]

Are my the only one then who has 49 (& counting) variations on the humble first move, never mind other moves?

Possibly

Whilst I realize that learning moves is an essential part of learning to dance, it's not the only part of it. In fact, it's not even the most important part of it, even in MJ.

I'd seriously recommend that you stop learning moves at this point, and start to focus on technique. The amount of work needed to get a single step done correctly staggers the mind - you could spend years trying to get it right (I speak from experience here).

[Steven666]

Possibly

Whilst I realize that learning moves is an essential part of learning to dance, it's not the only part of it. In fact, it's not even the most important part of it, even in MJ.

I'd seriously recommend that you stop learning moves at this point, and start to focus on technique. The amount of work needed to get a single step done correctly staggers the mind - you could spend years trying to get it right (I speak from experience here).

My steps are sound and correct and my technique has been added unknowingly it seems. I got the steps right very early. Also I simply don't just stand there and do the moves like a rigid robot needing oiling!

[David Bailey]

My steps are sound and correct and my technique has been added unknowingly it seems. I got the steps right very early. Also I simply don't just stand there and do the moves like a rigid robot needing oiling!

Fair enough - as I've not seen you dance, I couldn't possibly comment on your technique. Although I believe that technique is something that requires classes, practice, feedback and so on, I'm aware that some people do indeed have natural technique.

Personally, my steps are nowhere near correct, and I've only realised my deficiencies over the past few years. I thought I was hot stuff 10 years ago - now I think that I've got masses to learn before I can call myself competent.

[MartinHarper]

What are your thoughts on repetition in a dance?

The music repeats itself.
Much like me.
Dance to the music.

[Steven666]

The music repeats itself.
Much like me.
Dance to the music.

Does it really? I rarely here the same song twice.