Brain Freeze!

[frolicols]

Hi all, first time poster here! I've been doing Ceroc for three weeks now (in Stevenage, for my sins) and am loving it! I've been trying to "get ahead" by reviewing the free DVD and learning all the beginners moves.

The problem I'm having now is linking them together! I know all the moves separately. It's like I can't decide which move to do next! What I want to ask is, what would you suggest is a nice "fallback" combination to do if my brain freezes? Manspin -> Backpass? What is your fallback when your mind is elsewhere?

[CheesyRobMan]

Hi all, first time poster here! I've been doing Ceroc for three weeks now (in Stevenage, for my sins) and am loving it! I've been trying to "get ahead" by reviewing the free DVD and learning all the beginners moves.

The problem I'm having now is linking them together! I know all the moves separately. It's like I can't decide which move to do next! What I want to ask is, what would you suggest is a nice "fallback" combination to do if my brain freezes? Manspin -> Backpass? What is your fallback when your mind is elsewhere?

Welcome!

It took me about 3 months to be comfortable with all the beginners' moves and then about another 3 months to be able to link them as I wished in freestyle without having to stop and think. Don't worry if it isn't coming together just yet, it does take a bit of time. One good way of expanding your repertoire is just to concentrate on (say) 3 or 4 moves to start with and make sure you are really comfortable with them, then each week add in a new move and try to include it in each dance you have. Most of the beginners' moves can be linked to each other and if not then a quick in & out hand swap will do the job.

My "brain dead" routine is a first move, manspin, yoyo and shoulder-drop - gives me a few seconds to think about what to do next if I've gone blank, been distracted or if my partner is too darn sexy for me to think straight

[martingold]

Hi all, first time poster here! I've been doing Ceroc for three weeks now (in Stevenage, for my sins) and am loving it! I've been trying to "get ahead" by reviewing the free DVD and learning all the beginners moves.

The problem I'm having now is linking them together! I know all the moves separately. It's like I can't decide which move to do next! What I want to ask is, what would you suggest is a nice "fallback" combination to do if my brain freezes? Manspin -> Backpass? What is your fallback when your mind is elsewhere?

welcome to the forum Frolicols
dont worry about brain freeze it happens to all of us from time to time
end up slipping into first moves and yoyos lol

what i would suggest you do is on wed have a word with amy (the teacher)
Also you could chat to Sue (alan on the doors wife ) she is really nice and patient
If you prefer to talk to a male lead theres Richard the demo DTS from here who i think still taxis there or of course alan on the door
all of them good people with loads of experience helping new dancers get the most out of the night

You can tell any of them martin from chelmsford told you to talk to them they will know me lol

[martingold]

if I've gone blank, been distracted or if my partner is too darn sexy for me to think straight

arnt most of the follows (inc DTS) just that lol

[MarkW]

Hi all, first time poster here! I've been doing Ceroc for three weeks now (in Stevenage, for my sins) and am loving it! I've been trying to "get ahead" by reviewing the free DVD and learning all the beginners moves.

The problem I'm having now is linking them together! I know all the moves separately. It's like I can't decide which move to do next! What I want to ask is, what would you suggest is a nice "fallback" combination to do if my brain freezes? Manspin -> Backpass? What is your fallback when your mind is elsewhere?

Hi there.

The brain freeze moment still gets me but the symptoms are less obvious than way back when. Then - stood still in mild panic; now - wondering where my moves have all gone and hoping my partner doesn't object to seeing the same move AGAIN.

My first fallback four was first move, arm jive, man spin, hatch back (no longer a beginner move).

Your local taxi dancers will probably prove to be a great help with this sort of thing, don't be afraid to nab them.

Have fun,
Mark

[bigdjiver]

Hi all, first time poster here! ... What is your fallback when your mind is elsewhere?

Welcome.

A useful time consuming move is basket walk-around. Get into basket position then walk around, man forwards lady backwards. Hip wiggling an option. This gives an opportunity for a friendly chat. Diverting the brain unfreezes it.

[Little Monkey]

Hi frolicols, welcome to the forum, and welcome to the wonderful world of dance!

I'm a female, but also enjoy dancing as a lead. Although I've danced for a long time, I still have the odd moment when I'm really tired, and my brain just freezes when I'm leading. I normally do an armjive, in and out or an octopus until my brain catches up again, and I think of another move! All those moves are good 'filler moves' that will allow you some thinking time.

I also think CheesyRobMan's advice was spot on: Concentrate on a few moves (3-4) until you're comfortable with them. Then add more, or start learning variations. The armjive can be ended with a swizzle, a turn or a push spin, leaving you with three options of which handhold to end up with, depending on what move you want to do next: double handed, left handed or right handed.

I've recently taken my boyfriend to his first ever ceroc class, and he's now determined to learn it all, and do it all perfectly straight away! I've given him the same advice: Concentrate on a few key moves until you're comfortable with them and do them correctly, then add a move at the time, slowly building up your repertoire. But remember, even the most advanced dancers stick to a fairly limited repertoire of moves! Most dancers will agree that it's not the number of moves you know that counts, but how you do them.

Good luck, and happy dancing!

Little Monkey

[dave the scaffolder]

Hi all, first time poster here! I've been doing Ceroc for three weeks now (in Stevenage, for my sins) and am loving it! I've been trying to "get ahead" by reviewing the free DVD and learning all the beginners moves.

The problem I'm having now is linking them together! I know all the moves separately. It's like I can't decide which move to do next! What I want to ask is, what would you suggest is a nice "fallback" combination to do if my brain freezes? Manspin -> Backpass? What is your fallback when your mind is elsewhere?

Welcome to the murky world of the Forum frolicols.

I will be at Stevenage on Wednesday, come and grab me and I will spend a bit of time with you to try and help you with this.

Ps I am the bald Welsh bloke who will not be Taxi'ing next Wednesday but come and have a chat anyway.


DTS Dave XXX XXX

[martingold]

Concentrate on a few key moves until you're comfortable with them and do them correctly, then add a move at the time, slowly building up your repertoire. But remember, even the most advanced dancers stick to a fairly limited repertoire of moves! Most dancers will agree that it's not the number of moves you know that counts, but how you do them.

Good luck, and happy dancing!

Little Monkey

good advice indeed
i think most ceroc and mj dancers go through the stage of thinking they have to throw a whole load of moves at a dance to make it interesting for the follow
then hopefully you come out the other side and realise that the more moves you throw at a dance the more there is to go wrong
you then smooth it all out and reduce your move quota to the bare necessities and leave the move choice to the music
It will come i guarantee it but give it time

[martingold]

Ps I am the bald Welsh bloke
DTS Dave XXX XXX

you missed the magnificent bit

[dave the scaffolder]

you missed the magnificent bit

Lets ease him gentle like!

DTS XXX XXX

[Chef]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

The previous posters have given lots of good advice, all of which is worth pursuing.

I would urge you to be more forgiving of yourself and not put too much self imposed pressure as this can be counter productive. When you are learning from the DVD you don't have the added complexity of leading a partner. When you are leading a partner in the class then sometimes things don't go as you expect and there is a moment of doubt or confusion which is difficult for you to deal with or recover from. At your current stage this is exntirely normal.

Learning stuff in the lessons is different from leading the same stuff in freestyle. In the lessons you know the sequence of moves, with all the hand changes and your main problem is holding the individual moves and sequence in your head. Your partner also knows the sequence and sometimes this is a help and sometimes it is a hinderance. In the lesson all the dancers tend to stick to their own space and you don't have to worry too much about avoiding them.

A lot of this changes when you get into freestyle. Your partner does not know what is coming next and can offer no help (indeed it really is better if they just follow your mistakes accurately so that you can refine your lead). In freestyle, both you and your partner will be less accurate in the positioning of your moves, as will all the other dancers around you - this will give you even more to think about at a time when you are already fully loaded with thinking about moves, hand changes, staying in time, leading your partner, coping with your own mistakes and the mistakes of your partner. In short you are getting mentally overloaded with all the (new) things that you have to do.

All I ask you to do is to breathe in and out, relax, and understand that what you are going through is what every other experienced dancer in the room has gone through. Because we have all gone through it you will find that everyone you dance with (worth dancing with) is very tolerant and understanding of what you are going through.

Understand that you will learn stuff in layers. As one aspect becomes second nature you will turn your mental abilities to (and be frustrated by) another layer.

As for on the floor brain freeze. I still get it when I try other dance styles. Try doing one of the beginners workshops. I found them very helpful. They contain much more information than just the beginners moves. Well worth doing.

[frolicols]

Welcome to the murky world of the Forum frolicols.

I will be at Stevenage on Wednesday, come and grab me and I will spend a bit of time with you to try and help you with this.

Ps I am the bald Welsh bloke who will not be Taxi'ing next Wednesday but come and have a chat anyway.


DTS Dave XXX XXX

Ahhhh the same bloke that took us for the beginner breakout session and said I was "spot on"? (I was the chap in the blue A-team t-shirt!)

[dave the scaffolder]

Ahhhh the same bloke that took us for the beginner breakout session and said I was "spot on"? (I was the chap in the blue A-team t-shirt!)

I know you mate, you are doing exceptionaly well, me and the Batgirl will work on your links and get you a fallback routine for when you get a brainfreeze.

Stop panicing you are way ahead of the learning curve, Batgirl said to me last Wednesday that you were picking it up really well.

So........Dont panic, we will sort you out on Wednesday mate.

DTS XXX XXX

[frolicols]

I know you mate, you are doing exceptionaly well, me and the Batgirl will work on your links and get you a fallback routine for when you get a brainfreeze.

Stop panicing you are way ahead of the learning curve, Batgirl said to me last Wednesday that you were picking it up really well.

So........Dont panic, we will sort you out on Wednesday mate.

DTS XXX XXX

That'd be great! Everyone is really cheery up there (and on here too) It definitely gets you motivated!!!

[dave the scaffolder]

Good man yourself! We shall see you on Wednesday mate.

DTS XXX XXX

[Batgirl]

Hi There xxx

I danced with you twice on Wednesday and you are doing amazingly well.

As the others have said - don't panic, it will take some time to settle into it.

Mind you - when dancing with you on wednesday it felt more like a social dance than a taxi dance (If you know what I mean)
For a dancer who has been learning for only a few weeks (which you can normally tell by their hand grip and the terror on their faces) you have good confidence and the tension in your arm is great - not a yanker or a wet fish - so just keep on enjoying it and don't get too bogged down in 'learning' the moves - look at DTS - he only dances about 8 official moves.(Note to DTS: the hair pull is NOT an official move)

See you on Wednesday!

Rachel
x

[martingold]

(which you can normally tell by their hand grip and the terror on their faces)

what do you think of the terror on my face when i dance with you rachel babes

(Note to DTS: the hair pull is NOT an official move)

barbs will want to know if the armpit tickle is an official move

[frolicols]

Hi There xxx

I danced with you twice on Wednesday and you are doing amazingly well.

As the others have said - don't panic, it will take some time to settle into it.

Mind you - when dancing with you on wednesday it felt more like a social dance than a taxi dance (If you know what I mean)
For a dancer who has been learning for only a few weeks (which you can normally tell by their hand grip and the terror on their faces) you have good confidence and the tension in your arm is great - not a yanker or a wet fish - so just keep on enjoying it and don't get too bogged down in 'learning' the moves - look at DTS - he only dances about 8 official moves.(Note to DTS: the hair pull is NOT an official move)

See you on Wednesday!

Rachel
x

Do all threads turn into love-ins? Not that I'm complaining, I love a good ego massage!

[dave the scaffolder]

what do you think of the terror on my face when i dance with you rachel babes

barbs will want to know if the armpit tickle is an official move

The armpit tickle is a little move I try on my very select dancers. Barbs is one of my select few mate. There is a variation mit use of the tongue, we may have to work up to that gently.

Nothing wrong with a little hair pull, a little tickle and a good tongue swipe on the dance floor pips. I pay my taxes, ok I dont, but you get the drift.

DTS XXX XXX