New & slightly apprehensive...

[Andy McGregor]

I better get in touch with my Fairy Godmother for a potion to turn me into a 5'4" redhead, with amazing coordination and mad dance skillz for the night. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

If you come to my lesson in Brighton tonight you might find that I'm teaching as your Fairy Godmother. And, whatever you do, don't have amazing coordination and mad dance skillz - you'd stand out a mile

[Martin]

How mean!

I'm definitely not going now - I've made myself horridly conspicuous!

I better get in touch with my Fairy Godmother for a potion to turn me into a 5'4" redhead, with amazing coordination and mad dance skillz for the night.

Don't worry, not everyone is as mean as Andy

Anyhow, you HAVE to go now... you have the support of us all on the forum. (even Andy - he is not really mean)

Give it a go...

[Gadget]

I'll let everyone know how things went, so keep fingers crossed!

Please do

One thing not really mentioned above is that all the Ceroc (and other MJ) classes do different stuff every night and don't follow a strict silibus: you can attend when you want to, where you want to and you won't have missed anything* or messed up a course or come in on lesson 5 of 14 or whatever.
Every night caters for beginners on their first night - no matter if it's your first, fifth or five hundredth. Everyone expects beginners to be there - for most, their first night was just a couple of weeks ago. For some it was last week. Now it's your week.

(*other than the night's class & dancing of course )

Oh, and just so you're warned, it can also become slightly addictive

[killingtime]

Oh, and just so you're warned, it can also become slightly addictive

No it doesn't. I could quit anytime I wanted. I just don't want to, ok.

[Lost Leader]

..... a strict silibus....

Is that a bus with a really mean, nasty driver that follows a completely random route, and all the passengers must wear fancy dress and sing nursery rhymes all day?

[Twirlie Bird]

Women are generally better than men when starting MJ.

Full stop!

[Veil]

Ok, so I went and it was TERRIBLE!

I jest - it was actually great and I managed ok ... I didn't realise there would be so many spins - I'm still spinning in my head and I've been home for two hours, but it was fun

My boyfriend was asked to dance in the final freestyle by another dancer. I was asked a couple of times by the taxi dancers - I'm sure it was pity as much as anything!

I'm quite pleased with myself for not buckling out of it. I'll definitely go back and even my boyfriend, who was stridently against going, said he enjoyed it and wants to learn more.
Thanks for all the support - it really helped

P.s. Who spotted me?

[Martin]

Ok, so I went and it was TERRIBLE!

I jest - it was actually great and I managed ok ... I didn't realise there would be so many spins - I'm still spinning in my head and I've been home for two hours, but it was fun

My boyfriend was asked to dance in the final freestyle by another dancer. I was asked a couple of times by the taxi dancers - I'm sure it was pity as much as anything!

I'm quite pleased with myself for not buckling out of it. I'll definitely go back and even my boyfriend, who was stridently against going, said he enjoyed it and wants to learn more.
Thanks for all the support - it really helped

P.s. Who spotted me?

Well done you

And well done to your boyfriend for giving it a go with you.

[Andy McGregor]

P.s. Who spotted me?

You definitely weren't in Brighton. We had quite a few new ladies tonight, but none of them were 5'11''.

I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves and well done for bravery

So, where were you?

[Martin]

So, where were you?

You have already been called mean for your post below...

Let's make a game of it. Everybody report in on Friday if they spot a 5'11" first nighter at their Thursday venue. Other than that, please be your normal, friendly selves. Just act naturally

It does not really matter where, what matters is that it went well

[martingold]

Ok, so I went and it was TERRIBLE!

I jest - it was actually great and I managed ok ... I didn't realise there would be so many spins - I'm still spinning in my head and I've been home for two hours, but it was fun

I know a few people who were physically sick from their first time but they soon got used to the feeling

My boyfriend was asked to dance in the final freestyle by another dancer. I was asked a couple of times by the taxi dancers - I'm sure it was pity as much as anything!

I dont know of any taxis that would dance with someone out of pity they normally do it because its a passion they want to share

I'm quite pleased with myself for not buckling out of it. I'll definitely go back and even my boyfriend, who was stridently against going, said he enjoyed it and wants to learn more.

i am so glad you had a good time just remember its all about you having fun

Thanks for all the support - it really helped

Thats the great thing about dancers they support each other

[Veil]

I was at an east coast venue, but I think I'll have to go to a different one due to travel reasons.

[Andy McGregor]

You have already been called mean for your post below...:

I think she knew I was kidding. As I knew she was when she said;

How mean!

I'm definitely not going now

The proof is below;

Ok, so I went and it was TERRIBLE!

I jest - it was actually great and I managed ok ... I didn't realise there would be so many spins - I'm still spinning in my head and I've been home for two hours, but it was fun

I think final confirmation that we were having a jolly game with Veil is the following post;

P.s. Who spotted me?

So, did andybody spot her?

[Martin]

aww come on Andy... How can I participate in Andy bashing when you are being so reasonable...

It was clutching at straws, but I did try

[DundeeDancer]

I was asked a couple of times by the taxi dancers - I'm sure it was pity as much as anything!

From the leads point of view, dancing with a newbie is fun as we can impress them with simple moves like the man spin. I think you'll get asked to dance a lot more in the coming weeks as the boys queue up to show off there skills.

Have fun !!!

DD

[Andy McGregor]

aww come on Andy... How can I participate in Andy bashing when you are being so reasonable...

It was clutching at straws, but I did try

I give people plenty of opportunities to disagree with me on here. I must admit, I don't leave myself quite as open to criticism as Rocky. I'm not even sure it's possible to be that wrong without drinking a huge amount of alcohol, taking drugs or having a nasty bang to the head

[demonic_chick]

Hiya

Glad your first night went well.

I too am on the volumptuous side but i go with a slightly skinnier mate (i say this only slightly cuz i know it will upset her when she reads this - between you and me she's fit these days )
Anyway when i first started a few months ago with my two left feet, at start i rarely got asked to dance. These days i'm rarely off the floor cuz as time went on my two lefties turned into dancing feet. with this i found my confidence and i ask the guys to dance. and i have lost weight cuz of the dancing

However, i found the one time i took my husband (non-dancer), i hardly got asked (only went he went for a ciggie) and i felt guilty about leaving him on his own to ask another man for a dance - so i didn't.
He was fine with this but decided not to come again so that i could dance freely.

All i'm trying to say is you will gain confidence as time goes on, the other dancers will get to know you both, but because your a couple you may have to do the asking in the first instance. Don't be scared they don't bite

Good luck

[Gadget]

I jest - it was actually great and I managed ok ... I didn't realise there would be so many spins - I'm still spinning in my head and I've been home for two hours, but it was fun

Spinning is a skill: there is technique and stuff that will help you spin more controlled, faster, slower, for longer, more balanced, etc, but basically the more you practice spinning, the less dizzy you become. The more you dance, the less you will notice it

My boyfriend was asked to dance in the final freestyle by another dancer. I was asked a couple of times by the taxi dancers - I'm sure it was pity as much as anything!

Don't worry - it wasn't out of pity: they were self-motivated... when you become a good dancer, you will remember them and ask them to dance

Taxi's are generally there because they love the dance and want to share their passion.

I'm quite pleased with myself for not buckling out of it. I'll definitely go back and even my boyfriend, who was stridently against going, said he enjoyed it and wants to learn more.
Thanks for all the support - it really helped

I'm sure you will have many more nights of enjoyment... erm... I did mean dancing

[dep]

Hi,

I'm thinking of going to a class soon with my boyfriend. I'm a bit aprehensive for a couple of reasons.

2. I'm 5'11" without shoes............ so being asked to freestyle by someone who isn't my boyfriend seems unlikely - cue heinous embarrassment
s!

I'm under 5'7" and manage to dance with three followers who are around 6'3", Yes, I have to work with someone that tall.
Your height is not a problem, I would hardly have to adjust my dance style to make it work.

Don't worry. Get out there and dance and more importantly enjoy it.

BTW,
in Edinburgh we encourage all the beginners to ask for a dance, presumably your rules are the same.

[dep]

I think you'll get asked to dance a lot more in the coming weeks as the boys queue up to show off there skills.

Have fun !!!

from my point of view, it's the satisfaction of showing a newbie that she can dance and enjoy it. The smile at the end is worth a lot.