View Poll Results: Do you want to be stretched dancewise?

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  • For follows - I like to be stretched

    18 46.15%
  • For follows - I like to stay in my comfort zone

    8 20.51%
  • For leads - I like to be stretched

    19 48.72%
  • for leads - I like to stay in my comfort zone

    5 12.82%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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Thread: Are you happy on your plateau?

  1. #1
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    Are you happy on your plateau?

    When you attend a Freestyle do you hope to be put under pressure and to learn new tricks?

    Or do you enjoy staying in your comfort zone - no pressure?

  2. #2
    Registered User emmylou25's Avatar
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    I go to freestyles for several reasons:
    At local venues - just to dance, socialise with friends, dance with my usual favourites, enjoy the music.

    But, I do want to improve as a dancer, and this means dancing with different people who look inspiring on the dance floor. So when I go to other venues I look to dance with different people and aspire to dance with the 'great' dancers I see, as well as those I know I'm going to enjoy dancing with (the latter could be amazing dancers, or could be regular level but have fun while dancing).

    Unfortunately most dancers (whether they want to improve or not) want to dance with people above their level, and those amazing dancers are always either fought over, or in some cases don't want (or seem to want) to dance with people they don't know. This is when it can feel a bit depressing at a freestyle if you want to use it as a chance to improve and practise/challenge yourself and you find it a struggle. Then it's a case of getting the most out of the music.

  3. #3
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post
    When you attend a Freestyle do you hope to be put under pressure and to learn new tricks?

    Or do you enjoy staying in your comfort zone - no pressure?
    At a freestyle, I want to have fun. I never expect to learn anything new, although I love it when I do.

    In general dance terms, my constant goal is to learn and improve as much as possible - which is why these days, I favour the boot-camp style of dance camp / weekender.

    My comfort zone, even though there's something very alluring about it, becomes an extremely boring place if I spend too much time there.

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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post
    When you attend a Freestyle do you hope to be put under pressure and to learn new tricks?

    Or do you enjoy staying in your comfort zone - no pressure?
    Learn new tricks: no. Perfected the tricks I already know: yes.

    The dance floor is my comfort zone -I rarely leave it

  5. #5
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    I always enjoy dancing with old favourites and familiar dancers but on the whole I know what they are going to do before they do it. Also if the music is familiar then you don’t even have to think where the changes or breaks will be. Familiar dancers to unknown music can be exciting

    What I find really exciting is dancing with the unknown dancer with their unknown style and moves.

    So what I enjoy is a mixture of comfort zone and unknown territory

    You know what I just enjoy dancing

  6. #6
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Being outside my comfort zone tends to find my comfort zone...

    So, yes... always learning new stuff..new music, moves, partners, nuances, moments... and trying to learn at the same time...


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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    I put both wanting to be stretched, and that I am happy staying in my comfort zone...(Yes I now I'm a pain )

    For me it totally depends upon the track, my dance partner, how I'm feeling that night [mentally and physically], the moves I'm led into and probably half a dozen other factors too.

    WT

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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Like to be stretched, but it's not about learning new things more about exploring different options for expression with different people based on the 5 or 6 moves that I know well..............

  9. #9
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Love to be stretched, especially when it means using the music. Bluesy music makes this easier & it's even more fun when I am allowed to stretch my partner

  10. #10
    Registered User Whitebeard's Avatar
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ascot Lady View Post
    Love to be stretched, especially when it means using the music. Bluesy music makes this easier & it's even more fun when I am allowed to stretch my partner
    A is as good as a nod.

  11. #11
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    At the risk of sounding a bit 'overly confident' I can't actually think of the last time I felt out of my comfort zone in MJ

    To qualify what I mean... if I'm faced with something new and I make a mistake, which I frequently do, it won't take me out of my comfort zone, in fact, it usually causes me to laugh at myself, which adds to the 'fun' element which I crave!

    The only time I feel uncomfortable making a mistake, is when I'm dancing with someone with 'LESS' experience than me... especially if they start getting flustered and apologising
    Its doubly bad if I sense they're seriously trying to impress, as my default is to laugh but some guys can't handle that and then, if I try to explain, I'm laughing at 'me' not them, it all starts to sound a bit patronising....... Oh God, where's the EXIT?

    Putting guys out of their comfort zone - Unfortunately, when I'm reeeeeally enjoying a dance, something inside, which I have no control of, takes over, and I've been told on many many occasions that I make the guys 'up their game' and work very hard! Sorry guys!
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Ooh! Nice thread!

    Oddly enough, I find it's only at freestyles that I learn anything these days - I think there comes a point as a follow when weekly classes won't really add alot to your dancing IMO. You'll learn how to generally follow a whole bundle of moves, but beyond that, the musical interpretation, the styling, the connection - these are (for me) all taught through experience on the freestyle floor.

    And at this point, when it's no longer about "how do I do this move" but "wow, this feels fantastic" (i.e. less about moves and more about "the dance" overall) that I get enjoyment.

    So for me, a comfort zone is somewhere where I am slightly stretched. Doesn't really answer the question, but I liked the thread

  13. #13
    Registered User MarkW's Avatar
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    As others have said, nice thread.

    I like a mix of comfort zone and stretch at a freestyle. Sometimes I dance with somene so good I feel like I've just passed a driving test in a Micra and then gone straight to a Ferrari. I feel awed, inadequate, out of my depth and it's brilliant. But a whole evening of that would be too much. Equally, dancing with someone I know well to a track we've danced to before is comfortable, happy, chatty, smiley and fun. But a whole evening of that would make me feel becalmed.

    If I had to choose I'd go for comfort zone because it's the social thing that is most important to me. Fortunately there's no need to choose . We get it all in the hobby that eclipses all others.

  14. #14
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ascot Lady View Post
    it's even more fun when I am allowed to stretch my partner
    i like it when you stretch me

    If i am at a venue where i dont know anybody (a rare occurrence these days)
    i will seek out the person who seems to be having the most fun as a follow and ask them to dance (might spoil their day having to dance with me ) i dont care if mistakes are made because that means i and my follow are pushing the boundaries as to either what i can lead or how the follow reacts to that lead this can only be fun and imho this dancing lark is all about having fun i doubt i will ever compete its just not my thing so if it all goes pear shaped it really doesnt matter

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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    personally, i like to be streached, but freestyles are generally a place to have fun with different dancers hopefully of a higher standard on average than your usual venue. The more challenging moves would be lifts drops and fancy styling which you cant generally use with someone you havnt danced with before. To really master complex moves generally involves practicing at a local venue with someone you know, where you can experiment.

  16. #16
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    I love this post it is great, I have to say I like to be pushed and stretched a little but like being in my comfort zone so that I can add some style and mess around too, so definately a mix of both would be great, I love freestyles and weekenders for this mix

  17. #17
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    I ticked all four, I must just like variety! For instance at one of the last Daventry events I found myself trying to follow WCS, that certainly pushed me right out of my comfort zone, which was great fun . Just sticking to what I know and enjoying that is what I like most of the time though.

  18. #18
    Registered User Baruch's Avatar
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    I like to be stretched, but most venues don't have a rack so I just dance instead

  19. #19
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Is this where someone says "...I don't know - there are a few racks in my venue I wouldn't mind being stretched over..."

    ... ... not me of course

  20. #20
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    Re: Are you happy on your plateau?

    Quote Originally Posted by Gadget View Post
    Is this where someone says "...I don't know - there are a few racks in my venue I wouldn't mind being stretched over..."

    ... ... not me of course
    Ooh Gadget, that's a bit saucy for you!
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