Yet another foot-back thread

[Franck]

Moved from the pet hates thread - DJ

The women get taught in exctly the same way as the men and are told when to step forward when to pivot, turn, etc. You end up with a group of ladies who anticipate every move

Yeah, just like when the teacher tells all the women to step back on a specific foot, whether it is led or not!

[Andy McGregor]

Yeah, just like when the teacher tells all the women to step back on a specific foot, whether it is led or not!

Thankfully, I teach the guys how to lead the correct foot and I teach the ladies to step back only when they are led back

[Lou]

Thankfully, I teach the guys how to lead the correct foot and I teach the ladies to step back only when they are led back

If only more teachers did that. Very few do teach the lead, though. The vast majority just tell people to step back (be it a specific foot, or not, Franck! ) For example, these phases might sound familiar from many a MJ class...

"Semi-circle and step back"
"Lower the hand & step back"

[Franck]

If only more teachers did that. Very few do teach the lead, though. The vast majority just tell people to step back (be it a specific foot, or not, Franck! )

Many teachers I know teach the lead for the step back, but very few will teach men to control which foot the lady steps back on. For example, some good teachers in MJ (like Andy ) will talk about frame, connection and describe the lead to get the lady to step back, but I would like to hear from Andy which technique(s) he uses to teach the leads so the ladies step back on a specific foot?

Thankfully, I teach the guys how to lead the correct foot and I teach the ladies to step back only when they are led back

I know it's possible and I often do it in workshops, but I wonder what technique you use to teach the guys to 'lead the correct foot' in your regular classes?

[David Bailey]

If only more teachers did that. Very few do teach the lead, though.

Argh!
If I see one more post on the feet thing, I'm splitting the thread.

[Andy McGregor]

but I would like to hear from Andy which technique(s) he uses to teach the leads so the ladies step back on a specific foot?
I know it's possible and I often do it in workshops, but I wonder what technique you use to teach the guys to 'lead the correct foot' in your regular classes?

I can claim no credit for how I do this. I was taught by Roger Chin (therefore it works best if you're 5'7" or shorter ). I only give this tip every month or two as you can tell people things too often. What I say to the guys is that, in the open hand hold, we need the lady to step back right on beat 1 and that we need to get the lady's weight onto their left foot on beat 8 of the previous musical phrase to do that. I explain that we need to lean to the right and that will naturally take the lady's weight onto her left foot. From there a subtle pressure into the lady's hand will get her to step back with her right foot. When I teach it this way it always seem to work.

[Lou]

Argh!
If I see one more post on the feet thing, I'm splitting the thread.

Don't you get it? The specific foot thing here isn't important. It's the fact that a teacher is teaching someone to LEAD their partner to STEP BACK.

We're not discussing which foot it should be - but the means of teaching the technique to lead a move. I would've thought that would have interested you enough not to do some random splitting?

[David Bailey]

Don't you get it? The specific foot thing here isn't important. It's the fact that a teacher is teaching someone to LEAD their partner to STEP BACK.

I do indeed get it.

But it's not really relevant.

Plus, it's boring.

Plus, I'm power-crazed mwaahahahahahaha.

Oops, did I say that out loud?

[Lou]

We're not discussing which foot it should be - but the means of teaching the technique to lead a move. I would've thought that would have interested you enough not to do some random splitting?

Obviously not.

Why do I bother?

[Lou]

Plus, it's boring.

OK. So talking about dance technique is boring? Fair enough.

[David Bailey]

OK. So talking about dance technique is boring? Fair enough.

Technique is obvious - the leader leads the foot, the follower follows the lead. Not sure what more needs to be said...

How that happens, is exciting, of course.

But either way, it's nothing to do with pet loves / hates, it's a different discussion.

[Lou]

Technique is obvious - the leader leads the foot, the follower follows the lead. Not sure what more needs to be said...

How that happens, is exciting, of course.

But either way, it's nothing to do with pet loves / hates, it's a different discussion.

No it isn't.

How many MJ classes have you been to where the teacher actually teaches someone to lead the lady to step back?

OK - so Franck, Drathzel & Andy Mc do. But they are in the minority here.

As a follower, I really appreciate those teachers who make a difference. And as a member of this forum I would like to be able to discuss it in the correct thread, instead of some random one that you have created.

Please move my posts back.

[Andy McGregor]

Please move my posts back.

Minus the "please"

[Lou]

Minus the "please"

I'm nicer than Andy McGregor, and more evil than DavidJames. Not many people can say that....

[Steven666]

Don't you get it? The specific foot thing here isn't important. It's the fact that a teacher is teaching someone to LEAD their partner to STEP BACK.

My hand seems to magically semi-circle by itself half the time during lessons. I've just given up explaining that I should be the one doing the semi-circling. It's even funnier when it semi-circles the wrong way as the follower pre-emps and leads the semi-circle the way the teacher is explaining to the lead (being the opposite direction).

I just cba to correct people now.

[robd]

Moved from the pet hates thread - DJ

oooh, toying with the big boss man's posts - brave move

I feel a revolution coming - down with the King

[Amir]

I think most posts here should be split to a thread on 'when should threads be split' since they have nothing to do with which foot you step back on. (To which the answer is obvious. You step back on the foot you are not standing on.)

[Lou]

I think most posts here should be split to a thread on 'when should threads be split' since they have nothing to do with which foot you step back on.

Quite right.

Here's an idea. Why not move the first few posts back to the old topic, and - Lo! here's a suitable thread for off-topic rantings about inaccurate moderation! And no one will read it, as the title suggests it's about "boring old footwork".

[Andy McGregor]

I'm nicer than Andy McGregor, and more evil than DavidJames. Not many people can say that....

I can only say that I'm nicer than a Smurf but more evil than Lou - who isn't even a man

[MartinHarper]

How many MJ classes have you been to where the teacher actually teaches someone to lead the lady to step back?

OK - so Franck, Drathzel & Andy Mc do. But they are in the minority here.

The JazzJive teachers seem to too. Though they suggest a different technique - slightly rotating the follower to encourage her to open out on the appropriate foot.