View Poll Results: Are you a 'slave' to the music, willing or not?

Voters
38. You may not vote on this poll
  • I'm a willing slave

    29 76.32%
  • I'm an unwilling slave

    4 10.53%
  • I could ignore the music if I wanted to

    5 13.16%
  • I could ignore it but wouldn't enjoy the dance as much

    11 28.95%
  • I can and do ignore it, so I can enjoy the dance more

    0 0%
  • I wish I could hear what 'others' hear in the music. I'd be a willing slave

    4 10.53%
  • I have no concept of what your talking about!

    0 0%
  • I'm glad I have no idea, what your on about!

    1 2.63%
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Thread: Are you a slave to the music?

  1. #1
    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Are you a slave to the music?

    Taken from the 'Slow vs Fast music' thread

    Quote Originally Posted by gebandemuishond View Post
    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)
    I thought this was an interesting perspective.

    Then I asked myself a question... am I a 'slave' to the music and the answer is definitely yes but what interested me was, whether i'm a 'willing slave'?

    I'd like to say yes but thinking about it, I don't think I have a choice. The music quite simply controls how I dance!

    I've never seen it as a negative before and thats why the differing POV in the above quote, caught my attention.

    So, are you a 'slave', willing or not?
    Last edited by Lory; 20th-December-2007 at 06:51 PM.
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    I think I'm a willing slave. Willing being that the music controls how I dance... and I like it

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    Ceroc N.I. Franchise Owner drathzel's Avatar
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    music take me and do with me what you will :swoon:

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    Registered User Miss Flicts's Avatar
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    I'm a very willing and happy slave to the music. The style of music completely determines how I dance. If the style of the music is very clear, it's as much of a leader for me as my partner is. My best dances are when there is a perfect three-way connection between my partner, the music, and me.

    I'm also a slave to rhythm - if I can hear any kind of rhythm I find it difficult to ignore it, and end up doing things in time with it (walking down the street, chopping veg, whatever..) Even if it's just my car indicators!

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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    I voted that I was a willing slave of the music, as this is the closest option to how I truly feel - but it's not really the case. When dancing to the right music, I'm not a slave - it's a different relationship. The music is a partner, a catalyst, a source of inspiration - it helps take me to places that I could not reach without it, especially when dancing with a similarly inspired follower.

  6. #6
    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    Quote Originally Posted by straycat264 View Post
    I voted that I was a willing slave of the music, as this is the closest option to how I truly feel - but it's not really the case. When dancing to the right music, I'm not a slave - it's a different relationship. The music is a partner, a catalyst, a source of inspiration - it helps take me to places that I could not reach without it, especially when dancing with a similarly inspired follower.
    I completely agree with every word but what I really meant by my question was...

    Can you ignore the music, at will?

    I can't.. to the point, that if the lead is dancing out of time, however much I try to tune into 'him' and ignore the beat, I just can't!

    And if I hear a break or accent in the music, sometimes my body reacts, without even consulting me!

    So, when I say I'm an unwilling slave, I mean, I have little control over being a slave.. willing or not!
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    Registered User Ghost's Avatar
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    Can you ignore the music, at will?
    As long as by "the music" you mean "what the DJ is playing", then yes.

    If however you mean what Lao Tzu called "Music in the soul", then no. If I can't hear that I'm not dancing, I'm just moving around.

  8. #8
    Lovely Moderator ducasi's Avatar
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    When I'm dancing, the music is an equal partner. When we disagree it may be either of ours fault, either deliberately or accidentally. If in doubt, we blame the DJ.
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

  9. #9
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    Quote Originally Posted by straycat264 View Post
    I voted that I was a willing slave of the music, as this is the closest option to how I truly feel - but it's not really the case. When dancing to the right music, I'm not a slave - it's a different relationship. The music is a partner, a catalyst, a source of inspiration - it helps take me to places that I could not reach without it, especially when dancing with a similarly inspired follower.

    Ditto

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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    I completely agree with every word but what I really meant by my question was...

    Can you ignore the music, at will?
    Mmm. I think so... but I cannot see myself ever choosing to do so - waste of a perfectly good song - so does that make me a willing slave?

    On the other hand - I would say that my partner takes precedence over the music. If I'm trying to lead the dance to the music, and she isn't responding, I'll adapt to her, rather than drag her around with me or dance purely for myself. Doesn't mean I'll give up - I'll be trying other ways of getting that musical interpretation in, but at the end of the day, it does take two.

  11. #11
    Registered User timbp's Avatar
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    Quote Originally Posted by straycat264 View Post
    I would say that my partner takes precedence over the music. If I'm trying to lead the dance to the music, and she isn't responding, I'll adapt to her, rather than drag her around with me or dance purely for myself.
    I adjust to my partner. I'm not sure what "dance purely for myself" means for a leader -- in leading, surely you have to give your partner some direction before you make your own move?

    I dance with some beginner women (and, unfortunately, a few intermediate women), where my whole attention is on keeping her from colliding with other dancers; secondarily, I try to keep us both on time.

    With other women, I can lead them while doing all sorts of dancing to the music (dancing for myself?).
    And some women do lots of their own musical interpretation on top of following the basic pattern I lead.

    With a few women, we react to each other's reaction to the music.

    I don't think I'm a slave to the music (except I'm not good a leading half time in high speed tracks -- I slow my own footwork, but expect the follower to keep up with the music).
    I base my dancing on what my follower can read and follow from my lead. And what I my lead conveys is what I can communicate of what the music says to me.

    I think -- given all the subtly described conditions -- I dance to the music according to how I interpret it and how I interpret through the connection what I understand to be my partner's interpretation of both the music and my communication of my interpretation of the music.

    Sounds complicated?

    I dance with my partner to the music at the best of our combined ability.

  12. #12
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    I rely on the music to provide a connection. I am quite happy to deviate from dancing to the most obvious beat in a track, especially if that gives a way of dancing slow to a fast track (or dancing lindy at a speed that I can think at!)

    If the music is dull and un-inspiring, I usually don't bother trying to dance. I certainly don't just do what the music tells me to, but I need some ideas from it. I cannot dance with beginners to simple music, I find they then pay more attention to dancing on their own to the music and I get bored...

    For me, after the repetitive stuff that I just don't bother with, the worst music is a track that swings between a fast rhythm and a slower one without any clear distinction. I find myself being dragged between rock and roll then blues, and end up thinking that neither works. At least if I know where the music is trying to go, I can decide how to work with it.

    Sean

  13. #13
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    Quote Originally Posted by timbp View Post
    Sounds complicated?
    It's very easy to take this stuff completely for granted, and when we've been doing it a while it can seem as natural as breathing. It's when I try to explain it, that I realise just how complex the whole area can be. And just how subjective...

    So yeah - it is complicated - which is why it takes most of us so long to learn. If I could ever learn to explain it in a simple-to-grasp, succinct, crystal clear fashion, I'd be on the way to being the teacher I want to be....

  14. #14
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    Hmm. I agree with everyone who's said they don't ignore the music when dancing, ignoring the music is in my opinion a Bad Thing. When dancing you have two things going on: the music and the dance. The idea is for the dance that both partners have created to reflect the music. With some song/dancer combinations, the movements of the dancers are incredibly locked to the music, and it looks and feels fantastic (e.g. look at Jordan Frisbee dancing, everytime the song 'twitches' he twiches too, which I think is what makes it so good). This could be called being a slave to the music.

    However, with other (some might say blander) tracks, there are less twiches to take advantage of. If you were a slave to the music, dancing to these tracks, the resulting dance would also be fairly bland. I feel that by freeing yourself from the music, interesting and fruitful things can happen. This doesn't mean ignoring the song, just relying on it less for inspiration, using it as a springboard for your own ideas.

    A possible analogy, if you have a castle (interesting song) to run around and play in, then it pays to be a slave to the music. If you have a field full of bricks (bland song) then you can create whatever you like with it, in which case it isn't a good idea to be a slave to the music.

    Dan

    P.S. I don't know if this makes any sense, I'll go dancing on Saturday night and then have a rethink maybe

  15. #15
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    I am not sure if slave is correct. Without doubt it is music that makes me want to dance and the type of music inspires how I dance. Add a good follower who can also play a bit so I can follow too and I am in heaven.

    I love to dance differently to different music. Tango has given me a wide choice. It teaches you listen to the beat, the various instruments, the melody or the voice of the singer. This can be interchanged at anytime in the dance. Add to that, the echo that a good follower gives to your lead giving colour and real power to connect in far more subtle ways.

    Ooha….I need to dance NOW.
    Last edited by Sugarfoot; 21st-December-2007 at 12:30 PM. Reason: typo

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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    There are small sections of some tracks that, for me, when I'm leading, demand a response. Mostly the music is suggestive. Very occasionally it is silent.

  17. #17
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sugarfoot View Post
    I love to dance differently to different music. Tango has given me a wide choice. It teaches you listen to the beat, the various instruments, the melody or the voice of the singer. This can be interchanged at anytime in the dance. Add to that, the echo that a good follower gives to your lead giving colour and real power to connect in far more subtle ways.

    While I've yet to learn to understand tango music, good swing does exactly the same for me - and it's liberating and exhiliarating. Going back to Gebandemuishond's point earlier - with a bland track, yes one can use one's imagination and inject some life into it, but it's so much more satisfying to be able to do that in partnership with the music, rather than doing that independently of the music...

  18. #18
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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    I found this from one of the similar thread thingys at the bottom:

    Quote Originally Posted by MartinHarper View Post
    Excluding the 0.1% of the population who are naturals, good dancing requires competent teaching, but does not require "interesting" music. Real Dancers make the music they are dancing to sound interesting.

    Most elements of good dancing can be learnt whilst dancing to joyously simple music. I guess folks here are taking it as read that "the next level" is going to be musical interpretation. Fair enough.

    The music at standard MJ nights has potential for musical interpretation, for those who care to look, but doesn't force it. What will make someone look? It could be "challenging" music that forces musicality. It could be the inspiration of other dancers. It could be lessons in musical interpretation. Different folks take different routes.
    It seems relevant to me, and I think I agree with it.

    Dan

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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    The music at standard MJ nights has potential for musical interpretation, for those who care to look, but doesn't force it.
    I'd definitely agree with that, and since I expect to dance with anyone wherever I go, I tend to avoid the standard nights. A good partner can sometimes make up for a bad track, but why not start with a good track?

    Sean

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    Re: Are you a slave to the music?

    I voted that I'm both willing and unwilling.

    Sometimes, just sometimes, I'd like to take a break for a track. But the music starts, and I can't help myself ...

    .. two hours later they play the Mavericks and I remember I was bursting for the loo

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