Because (I think that clip was originally posted by DT, but I couldn't resist re-posting as it seems to be right on topic here)
At a salsa class I attended a few years ago, a couple of beginners began enthusiasticly waggling their hands in what they imagined to be a salsa style. It was quite a small class, the teacher spotted what they were doing and immediately asked them to stop. Her explanation: you won't be able to 'hear' the lead above the background noise of all the waggling.
In my opinion, MJ is slightly odd, in that it doesn't really have a 'basic' step. For example, many Lindyhoppers start with closed hold 8-beat basic, most Salsa dancers probably start with a mambo or two, in Kizomba and Bachata most people commence with a basic forward-back or side-to-side. What is the equivalent in MJ? As far as I can see there isn't anything. The nearest thing (on the basis that many people start that way) is perhaps the arm-jive (which I actually hate as a starting move).
I hate it too, but mercifully it seems a bit less common that it used to? It completely ruins any sense of connection and makes for an exhausting, and often uncomfortable dance. I don't know how anyone manages to respond to it by bouncing up and down, even in fun, I wouldn't have the energy.
I alternate between keeping my arm fairly rigid so it's harder work for someone to bounce their hand and then making it go floppy when I'm exhausted with that. Wrestling, basically, and I'm determined to win. It irritates me so much that I'm worn-out by annoyance as well. Then there's the roller-coaster feeling created by the loss of a clear lead in floppy phase. Mostly, they only ask me the once.
However, there's a bloke locally that bounces his hand incessantly that makes a bee-line for me everytime he sees me. If only I'd been direct with him the first time and - pleasantly - asked him not to do it. How much more enjoyment we could have had from the dances. I would see that as expressing a preference rather than teaching on the dance floor but I still find it almost impossible to do.
I have seen teachers dance in this style but I would think the best certainly don't. I wonder why keeping a smooth hand is not made part of standard Ceroc teaching? It's one of those technical features that would be easy enough to at least mention from time to time but unaccountably is rarely referred to.
I'd love to know what tolerance pills Andy McGregor is on. Can you get them on the National Health?
Last edited by jivecat; 15th-October-2010 at 11:04 PM.
I'm not on any pills. But I could tell you what pills to take
My tolerance extends only to a single dance with a woman. If she wants to bounce her hand I'll go with it and find a way to enjoy the experience.
However, I am far less tolerant of hand bouncing in my lessons - I get out the sermon titled "thou shalt not bounce"
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