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Thread: Watching dancers

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    Watching dancers

    Due to my illness, which I have thankfulyl recovered from - 3 weeks is a long time away from dancing, I have been watching dance videos on Youtube. Modern Jive is not really very interesting to watch - at least any decent stuff online and I have the DVD's from the weekenders I've been on, so I've been watching a fair bit of WCS. I seem to have different tastes from the judges however.

    I can appreciate the technical skill that goes into the dancing of Benji Schwimmer and Kellese Keys but it leaves me mainly cold. Whereas watching Kyle Redd and Sarah Vann Drake is involving. The same with Jordna and Tatiana, I find Tatiana involving but Jordan not so much. I quite like Melissa Rutz as well.

    Which got me thinking what was it I didn't like about these great dancers. I think after a while its just the sheer technical bits don't interest me, thats not entirely true of course, becasue they do, but its more fo a technical thign for a technical reason leaves me cold. i.e. it should fit with the music and the partners should look at each other.

    Look at the Easter swing 2009 Kyle and Sarah video (should be green outfits) - would post a link but the company website stops me from gettign to youtube.

    Here, I love the fact that Sarah speeds up and down in time to the musci, Kyles leg lift over, Sarah's movement on the Burn baby burn line. It just feels involved.

    Contrast to this Benji and Kellese's winnning routine in 2009

    I can appreciate the footwork, lifts and the speed of the dance, but it just doesn't engage me the same way.

    So what makes me different from the judges. What are they looking for? What do you look for?
    Phil

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    Commercial Operator Rocky's Avatar
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    Re: Watching dancers

    Quote Originally Posted by rtwwpad View Post
    Due to my illness, which I have thankfulyl recovered from...
    Maybe you have recovered... but your spelling, he say no.. What did you have, Fletchitis?

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    Re: Watching dancers

    It was the excitement of posting something you might reply to

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    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Watching dancers

    This is one of the 'countless' reasons I hate competitions, the fact I rarely agree with the results.

    When I say I don't agree, I mean, its rarely the couple I enjoy watching the most, that wins
    and that's probably due to the fact that, what 'I' enjoy, doesn't really have much to do with the level of skill involved, its to do with the personalities the contestants portray and whether they make me 'like them' or not
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    Registered User Phil_dB's Avatar
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    Re: Watching dancers

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post

    its to do with the personalities the contestants portray and whether they make me 'like them' or not
    You took the words right out of my fingers. That's all it's about for me too.

    Slight off topic to the competition side of things; I can recall a couple of moments watching someone dancing socially, & initially thinking "they look pretty good" - but then, they go & spoilt it... - with constant glances around to see who's watching them! Looks as though they're not dancing with their partner, but just dancing to show off & looking around to see who they're impressing.

    Instant turn off.

    Suddenly I find this same person awful to watch!

    Urgh!

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    Basically lazy robd's Avatar
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    Re: Watching dancers

    Quote Originally Posted by Phil_dB View Post
    with constant glances around to see who's watching them! Looks as though they're not dancing with their partner, but just dancing to show off & looking around to see who they're impressing.
    Maybe they are just keeping themselves aware of their space and that of the couples dancing around them?

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    Registered User Phil_dB's Avatar
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    Re: Watching dancers

    Quote Originally Posted by robd View Post
    Maybe they are just keeping themselves aware of their space and that of the couples dancing around them?
    When you're there at the time the difference between what you describe & what I described is obvious, - (especially when you're sitting there & you're one of people who keeps getting the glances ) I'm talking about people dancing at the sidelines & glancing at people who are sitting there watching


    I think people's movement has personality also, - some people are just lovely to watch & display personality in their movement, - for some reason I can't articulate - others just don't do it for me, - personal thing I guess

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    Basically lazy robd's Avatar
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    Re: Watching dancers

    Quote Originally Posted by rtwwpad View Post
    I can appreciate the technical skill that goes into the dancing of Benji Schwimmer and Kellese Keys but it leaves me mainly cold.

    Which got me thinking what was it I didn't like about these great dancers. I think after a while its just the sheer technical bits don't interest me, thats not entirely true of course, becasue they do, but its more fo a technical thign for a technical reason leaves me cold. i.e. it should fit with the music and the partners should look at each other.
    Benji and Kellese (like Jordan and Tat in Classic) are THE people to beat in the showcase category and I don't think they lack musicality however far they push the envelope technically. But ultimately whether or not you like it can only be a personal feeling.

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    Re: Watching dancers

    Due to my recent incapacitation I have had to watch rather than participate a lot over the last 10 months and have grown to really quite enjoy watching others dancing MJ.
    I have to admit that class night MJ can be repetative to watch but still interesting none the less - I had never noticed the concentration on the faces of new leads, the terror of the new follow and the general enjoyment that ALL dancers experience when a dance goes the way they wanted.
    Now my fitness is returning I am alot more relaxed about 'sitting out' - before my illness I felt that I was missing out but now I can generally find someone interesting (or amusing) on the dancefloor to observe and can hopefully learn from them if only what not to do - affectations and style points that don't suit me.
    I particulaly enjoy watching the slower style - call it blues if you want - when a partnership on the dancefloor get a real connection it is magical to watch - and quite often there is not a recognisable MJ/WCS step to be seen - mind you there is a point when it is only polite to look away
    I much prefer watching regular dancers to competition dancers - as Lory said I rarely agree with the decisions - and regular freestyle is just that - free - any emotion or drama portrayed is genuine and spontanoeus.

    Just my ramblings

    Rachel xx

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