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Thread: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

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    Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    I exchanged a couple of views on this with an old hand tonight........I've only been dancing a few weeks (7x to be precise), and I find that fast is much preferrable to slow.

    I'm sure its because I don't have time to think about what I should be doing, and that a natural 'following' instinct kicks in. When the beat slows I find that I really have to concentrate on what is coming next....almost trying to anticipate the next move, which in turn makes me falter......

    .....I'm sure that experience is going to iron things out, and I'm certainly not worried by it.....

    ....but any comments would be muchos gracias!

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Genevieve View Post
    I exchanged a couple of views on this with an old hand tonight........I've only been dancing a few weeks (7x to be precise), and I find that fast is much preferrable to slow.

    I'm sure its because I don't have time to think about what I should be doing, and that a natural 'following' instinct kicks in. When the beat slows I find that I really have to concentrate on what is coming next....almost trying to anticipate the next move, which in turn makes me falter......

    .....I'm sure that experience is going to iron things out, and I'm certainly not worried by it.....

    ....but any comments would be muchos gracias!
    Pretty much agree with what you said.

    However......with precision, balance, frame, confidence, connection etc, slow can be

    Something to look forward too

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    I have no idea why, but every beginner I've spoken to, including those who are friends of mine before dancing has said the exact same thing.

    Then a few weeks after, the same beginners want to start learning "latiny things".

    I'm quite sure I did the same, but I wonder... Why??

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Genevieve View Post
    I exchanged a couple of views on this with an old hand tonight........I've only been dancing a few weeks (7x to be precise), and I find that fast is much preferrable to slow.
    That's very normal.

    Speed hides a multitude of sins, and you can just go from one move to another which is comfortable in the early days. When the speed is slower you find you have a lot of time to fill, but don't have the experience to fill it well yet. Slow music is harder to dance in a way that looks and feels good, basically.

    Of course, the same applies to really fast music. You need more skill to dance comfortably at a very fast speed as well compared to the usual MJ range.

    So don't sweat it and try dancing to tracks you'd normally consider to be too fast or too slow when you get the chance. It'll feel weird for a while but once you get used to it you may find you appreciate it a lot more

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie View Post
    I have no idea why, but every beginner I've spoken to, including those who are friends of mine before dancing has said the exact same thing.

    Then a few weeks after, the same beginners want to start learning "latiny things".

    I'm quite sure I did the same, but I wonder... Why??
    Dancing fast gets the heart beating faster which triggers other physiological events, such as as the production of Adrenalin and Endorphins. We are at the same time junkie and pusher. After we have learned the joys of action we start to learn the joys of dance.

    IMO the move to slower, "better" music costs MJ in retention, especially in the younger market. It only needs a couple of short heart pounding tracks to produce adrenalin and endorphin effects.

    It does depend a lot on a beginner, but for those that can react fast enough not having enough time to think (AKA worry) can be a positive benefit.

    Quote Originally Posted by NZ Monkey View Post
    ... Speed hides a multitude of sins, ...
    I am "best seen as a blur"

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Ghost View Post
    Something to look forward too
    Lol, yes thats what was said in the conversation....

    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie View Post
    Then a few weeks after, the same beginners want to start learning "latiny things".
    Not sure how long it will take with me........am a big fan of fast n furious......dancing

    Quote Originally Posted by NZ Monkey View Post
    Speed hides a multitude of sins, and you can just go from one move to another which is comfortable in the early days. When the speed is slower you find you have a lot of time to fill, but don't have the experience to fill it well yet. Slow music is harder to dance in a way that looks and feels good, basically.
    This makes real sense to me.

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver View Post
    Dancing fast gets the heart beating faster which triggers other physiological events, such as as the production of Adrenalin and Endorphins. We are at the same time junkie and pusher. After we have learned the joys of action we start to learn the joys of dance.

    IMO the move to slower, "better" music costs MJ in retention, especially in the younger market. It only needs a couple of short heart pounding tracks to produce adrenalin and endorphin effects.

    It does depend a lot on a beginner, but for those that can react fast enough not having enough time to think (AKA worry) can be a positive benefit.


    I am "best seen as a blur"
    This just about sums it up for me I think......the grin on my face is ridiculous when dancing to a faster track. I can also feel that crawling sensation up the back of my head which gives you a massive rush.

    Oh dear, I'm starting to sound bonkers.........

    Thanks guys, some good responses there :thumbsup:

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by NZ Monkey View Post
    That's very normal.

    Speed hides a multitude of sins, and you can just go from one move to another which is comfortable in the early days. When the speed is slower you find you have a lot of time to fill, but don't have the experience to fill it well yet. Slow music is harder to dance in a way that looks and feels good, basically.
    All very true. The other thing to remember though, (and what it's remarkably hard to get to grips with) is that you don't have to fill that time. There's a whole lot of satisfaction to be gained from simplicity...

    Quote Originally Posted by NZ Monkey View Post
    So don't sweat it and try dancing to tracks you'd normally consider to be too fast or too slow when you get the chance. It'll feel weird for a while but once you get used to it you may find you appreciate it a lot more

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    I often find that when I'm dancing with someone who isn't used to 'slow' that they are rushing madly to take each step, or to turn. so my advice to improve your slow dancing is to try and realise that you do not need to anticipate - find a lead who you can trust to lead you with your eyes closed.
    With faster music, it's much easier to pretend that your are in time with the music, but it's much harder to do well.

    Sean

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Genevieve View Post
    I exchanged a couple of views on this with an old hand tonight........I've only been dancing a few weeks (7x to be precise), and I find that fast is much preferrable to slow.

    I'm sure its because I don't have time to think about what I should be doing, and that a natural 'following' instinct kicks in. When the beat slows I find that I really have to concentrate on what is coming next....almost trying to anticipate the next move, which in turn makes me falter......

    .....I'm sure that experience is going to iron things out, and I'm certainly not worried by it.....

    ....but any comments would be muchos gracias!
    As Jamie said, we're all the same. You'll also find that the fast tracks you love , a year from now, you will despise. The reason you like them now is they are simple and the speed doesn't allow you time to think so you can only do moves and you feel as if you are dancing. You are of course. But a year from now you'll be dancing much better and such simple musical tracks at such a speed will not give you the time to "dance". I used to love Mambo No.5 when i first started

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Fast is not easier, but it kind of feels so, at the start.

    When you start learning to be precise, that has to be learnt at a slow tempo - it's impossible to learn to follow properly at high speeds at the start, and similarly for leading. Slow is also good for balance and so on.

    The difficult part is then to up the tempo, whilst keeping that precision and technique. I'll let you know if I ever get to that point.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    I used to love Mambo No.5 when i first started
    I still do - but then I salsa to it

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Genevieve View Post
    I exchanged a couple of views on this with an old hand tonight........I've only been dancing a few weeks (7x to be precise), and I find that fast is much preferrable to slow.

    I'm sure its because I don't have time to think about what I should be doing, and that a natural 'following' instinct kicks in. When the beat slows I find that I really have to concentrate on what is coming next....almost trying to anticipate the next move, which in turn makes me falter......

    .....I'm sure that experience is going to iron things out, and I'm certainly not worried by it.....

    ....but any comments would be muchos gracias!
    Yet you dance at Stafford where the floor is stooooopidly fast, if not dangerous. Dancing at pace there isn't easy!!!

    I thought that at first and it's only more recently I've got into working with slow tracks. Still prefer the quicker ones though.

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    You'll also find that the fast tracks you love , a year from now, you will despise.
    Really? Ok, I havn't been dancing for a year yet, so you could well be right, but I'm not sure that I (or another beginner, intermediate whatever) will start to despise the fast tracks. Yes, slow tracks often require better dancing to make it work, and so maybe when you finally manage to slow dance properly you'll start to get snobish and refuse to dance to faster, "thump thump" music. In my view, it's quite sad how people who have been dancing for a while change their musical tastes to "more sophisticated", slower, intepretable tracks.

    I think that decent fast tracks have just as much to offer a dancer who wants to make the dance their own. Especially for club-like tracks, the breaks can be very nice indeed, and the regular structure of the music means you can decide what you want to do with much more freedom, you're not a slave to the music. (Maybe this is too much from a leader's perspective, I'm not sure)

    In response to the original post, I'd say enjoy the fast, heart pumping tracks now, while also working towards (if you feel "working towards" is a term that should apply to your dancing) being able to dance to slow tracks. But please don't become a slow music snob when you get there!

    Dan

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by gebandemuishond View Post
    Really? Ok, I havn't been dancing for a year yet, so you could well be right, but I'm not sure that I (or another beginner, intermediate whatever) will start to despise the fast tracks.
    Thats not what I said. I suggested Genevieve would despise the fast tracks she likes now, NOT all fast tracks

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    Thats not what I said. I suggested Genevieve would despise the fast tracks she likes now, NOT all fast tracks
    I don't seee it like that. If you like the fast ones, then the individual track doesn't matter. Maybe I don't appreciate music enough though.

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    Thats not what I said. I suggested Genevieve would despise the fast tracks she likes now, NOT all fast tracks
    I still like dancing to most of the tracks I liked when I was just a beginner – slow or fast.

    Some I've got bored of, but not many to be honest. (Maybe that's because I don't hear them so often – different DJ.)
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by gebandemuishond View Post
    the regular structure of the music means you can decide what you want to do with much more freedom, you're not a slave to the music.
    Seeing people as being 'slaves to the music' is an interesting perspective

    I'm a willing slave.

    Although thinking about it, I'm not sure I could ignore the music, even if I wanted to, so maybe I'm really an unwilling slave?

    Confused? I am!


    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    Thats not what I said. I suggested Genevieve would despise the fast tracks she likes now, NOT all fast tracks
    I agree with you, my taste has changed immensely!
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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Steven666 View Post
    I don't seee it like that. If you like the fast ones, then the individual track doesn't matter.
    That's like saying - if you like 80's music, it doesn't matter if its "Wham"

    Quote Originally Posted by Steven666 View Post
    Maybe I don't appreciate music enough though.
    Probably

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    My taste has changed because of dancing.. I listen to a wider range of music and my "favourite" type of music has now slowed down. Never thought I'd say I like ella fitzgerald!

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie View Post
    Never thought I'd say I like ella fitzgerald!
    And she likes you too

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    Re: Slow vs Fast...is it a precision thing??

    Quote Originally Posted by Steven666 View Post
    Yet you dance at Stafford where the floor is stooooopidly fast, if not dangerous. Dancing at pace there isn't easy!!!
    Coo, thanks........but I always wear sneakers so I'm probably cheating

    I daren't wear my heels yet!

    Quote Originally Posted by gebandemuishond View Post
    ......"thump thump" music....
    Definitely my cup of tea......I'm an original clubbing box-stacker, lol

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