Accidents

[jiveoholic]

I would be interested is pooling together information to find out when accidents mostly occur. I shall start with mine over the last 4 yours:

1. Got a black eye when a lady did a simple return at a work party.

2. Did a First move, turned her out and then spun her behind my back and swapped hands behind me without looking. I found my left hand down her throut and gave her toothache.

3. Peformed the "pull the lady through your legs". The one where the lady crouches and you swing your right leg over then pull her through. She did not duck fast enough! Lady was dazed and had to take pain-killers and aborted the dance but woke up next morning without pain. I was still limping the next day but felt it was best not to moan too much! Now I place my hand on her head first to give me tactile feedback as to where her head is as well as sight (or to put it another way "tap her head before getting your leg over")!

4. Was learning an airstep (called rock'n'roll) on the beach in a proper class. Move went wrong as soon as we tried without spotters - do not know how - lady fell on head. Required three oesteopath reatements and stopped her dancing 3 days of her jive holiday.

However, I think more can be learned from "near misses". Most of mine were not the result of doing a "dangerous move" but one of us thinking it one one move and the other thinking it was a different one. Communication here is essential. When a lady asks me to do such and such a dip, now I always go through slowly first to make sure that she is indeed going to plumet herself in a direction that I can move my left leg for support.

Any other good stories?

[Franck]

Good idea (if scary subject title )

Most accidents tend to happen (to me at least) when I see a clear space for me to do the move, and the next moment, another couple has jumped in it...
I once was doing a half-Nelson (where the men bend right down while spinning under their own hand) and failed to notice another couple moving my way... Next thing I know, the other lady's thumb was firmly planted in my right eye
Other accidents can happen when you are too busy with your own style to pay proper attention to your partner...
I was recently too busy finishing a treble spin to notice that partner had actually lost her balance during her own spin and was falling over I do not think that I could have done anything about it anyway, but I still felt very guilty :sorry

Apart from that, there are very few accidents on a Ceroc night ( based on my experience of the last 10 years in Scotland) - touch wood mostly the odd bump / clash.

Franck.

[DavidB]

The worst by far was learning aerials several years ago. I did a leapfrog, helping the girl go over my head. Unfortunately I didn't help enough. She was ok, but I ended up with whiplash, and wore a surgical collar for 3 weeks. The worst part was explaining it...

I've also had tendonitis in my shoulder that was aggravated by dancing with a 'cocktail shaker' (ie a dancer that insists on shaking his/her hand up and down throughout the dance). That stopped me for a week.

Other than that, just the usual - elbow in my face, ponytails in the eye, fingernails (talons?) drawn across any exposed skin, trodden on by stilettos, sciatica after doing a drop.

Still - I think I get off lightly compared to what some followers have to put up with.

David

[Stuart M]

My own entries in the Hall of Shame:

My two worst accidents both happened with beginners, when my leading skills were pretty poor.
Once going through the preztel with a complete novice on her first night, I planted my elbow right in her eye - she never returned to Ceroc - I lost count of the number of times I said sorry!
The second time was when I tried to show a friend how to dance, in the kitchen, at a cocktail party (sounds more like a Cleudo guess than an accident): she ended up on the floor despite being the only sober person in the room!

To go back to cr's point though, the common factors were cramped conditions (the first happened at a ridiculously busy Wednesday night at the GUU), novices, and most importantly, me not leading clearly.

I think that's my worst offences. I'll deny any others...

SWM

[Fox]

Well I've not had many accidents as such but one night at Dundee I was sitting beside some beginners and asked them up to dance, as you do.....unfortunately these women were nervous and had what I now call the grip of death....that's not so bad , but this time they had fingernails like talons of steel. I left that night with my left hand bleeding.....lol.


Fox

[Jayne]

Not long after I started ceroc someone mentioned how they hated dancing with women with long nails. I took note and they usually get clipped before I go dancing.

As for the cocktail shaker, I've had experience of this - and it hurts! Being enthusiastic doesn't make up for injuring your partner!

As for injuries, I've only had the odd bruise from ceroc. Ceilidh's have resulted in sprained ankles , whilst the vienese waltz can be lethal...

Anyone got any scars from dancing???

Dance safely!
Jayne

[Fox]

lol...ok
I'm confused on the cocktail shaker bit....
this I must see!!....(just in case I'm a culprit...hehehe)

Fox

[Franck]

Originally posted by Fox
lol...ok
I'm confused on the cocktail shaker bit....
this I must see!!....(just in case I'm a culprit...hehehe)

Fox

I think (though I might be wrong) that the cocktail shaker is a slightly over-enthusiastic attempt at marking the beat.
A lot of men will mark the beat of a song while dancing, and it can be quite useful for both them and their partners, as long as it is done with subtlety and style.
Often however, it is done with a vigorous up and down shaking of the hand on every beat which can be both painful and wearisome on their partner...

This phenomenon is not limited to men by the way, some women can be very tense / strong and force your arm up / down...

There is also a version of Jive (in France) which actually includes this in the style / technique of the dance, where the leading arm is swinging up and down from side to side on most beats... I can't remember what it is called but it is very noticeable.

Generally, your hands / arms should be used for 2 things only:
[list=1][*]Leading - This is the most important. Any hand movement will lead your partner, so you should be aware of each movement and make sure they are deliberate.[*]Style: Especially the spare hand, but also for extra stylistic effect from the leading hand.[/list=1]

I hope this helps,

Franck.

[jiveoholic]

I have a feeling that when Rock'n'roll music comes on, I tend to go all "cocktail-shakery". I find it quite refreshing on odd occasions. However, of those ladies who have expressed an opinion (ie just a statistical sample of 1!), she said "can you teach my man to do that hand shaking stuff"!

There you are - there is no accounting for tastes!

[Franck]

Originally posted by crjohnson
I have a feeling that when Rock'n'roll music comes on, I tend to go all "cocktail-shakery". I find it quite refreshing on odd occasions. However, of those ladies who have expressed an opinion (ie just a statistical sample of 1!), she said "can you teach my man to do that hand shaking stuff"!

There you are - there is no accounting for tastes!

That is the problem with describing dancing / movement with words only

The "hand-shaking stuff" :sorry can be a very effective style / lead tool (as used in the French Rock'n Roll Jive style) and by quite a few guys. The main difference from the (painful ) Cocktail shaker is that one is done taking into account your partner (and her momentum) and the music, and with added style it can feel great for both parties. The other is done regardless of your partner (and sometimes of the actual beat) and the only style applied is of the military march type

I am quite sure that you do the former

Franck.

[Jayne]

Originally posted by Franck


I think (though I might be wrong) that the cocktail shaker is a slightly over-enthusiastic attempt at marking the beat.

Yep, that's the cocktail shaker. For anyone having difficulty distinguishing between "marking a beat" and "cocktail shaker" the latter also looks (and feels) like trying to shake the last drop of tomato ketchup out of the bottle... "You know when you've been ketchuped.."

Jayne

[filthycute]

I can't say i've caused too many accidents....(erm...i think ) but i do tend to have this "sticky-out-elbow"
Can't remember what the move is called....some kinda whip around into a dip...but i have got a few guys faces with my lethal elbow :sorry Apart from duct taping it to the side of my head i do try be aware of it when people put me in this move.....just a word of warning guys

The one thing that does ruffle me though is guys catching my hair when they do returns, etc. As i normally have my hair tied up, it usually results in me finishing the dance looking like a mad bushwoman! :p and i don't think the ducking every time someone turns me looks too hot either
I know i'm ickle....but NOT that ickle!

filthycute x x

[Franck]

Originally posted by filthycute


I can't say i've caused too many accidents....(erm...i think ) but i do tend to have this "sticky-out-elbow"
Can't remember what the move is called....some kinda whip around into a dip...but i have got a few guys faces with my lethal elbow :sorry Apart from duct taping it to the side of my head i do try be aware of it when people put me in this move.....just a word of warning guys

Ah, the lethal elbow...
If the man is holding your hand at the time, then it is his responsibility to lean to the right slightly to stay out of the way (after all, he is leading the move and should know what is coming). This applies in particular to the left-handed combs etc...
If however, the dangerous elbow is your free hand, or when you are spinning freely, then a good trick is to tuck-in your arms when spinning / turning. The idea is to always have your hands pointing in the direction of the turn / spin, one arm in front and one in the back (at about waist level). This will help you turn / spin better as well as making it safer for your partner.

Originally posted by filthycute
The one thing that does ruffle me though is guys catching my hair when they do returns, etc. As i normally have my hair tied up, it usually results in me finishing the dance looking like a mad bushwoman! :p and i don't think the ducking every time someone turns me looks too hot either
I know i'm ickle....but NOT that ickle!

filthycute x x

And I thought you always looked like that
Seriously though, this should not happen if the men pay attention and do not get too lazy when dancing...

Franck.

[filthycute]

WHOO-HOO!!!!! something that isn't my fault!!!
Yep it's definately the arm they are turning me with....phew...what a relief!

filthycute x x

Now i know who you are Fox you'd best keep your face away from my elbow.....i wouldn't want to hurt you.....by accident of course

[Graham]

Originally posted by Franck

The idea is to always have your hands pointing in the direction of the turn / spin, one arm in front and one in the back (at about waist level). This will help you turn / spin better as well as making it safer for your partner.

Interestingly this technique actually caused me a problem a couple of weeks back. It was in the intermediate class, and there was a sequence leading into a right-hip to right-hip position. With one particular partner, each time I stepped in beside her, she finished her half spin with leading arm tensed and about 8 inches from her body - in perfect position to land a punch to my stomach . I actually started wondering if it was deliberate!!

[Franck]

Originally posted by Graham
she finished her half spin with leading arm tensed and about 8 inches from her body - in perfect position to land a punch to my stomach

There lies the problem, if you are going to use that method of spinning / turning, the hand should be neatly tucked-in close to your body, no more than an inch or 2 anyway...

Lucky you were not taller (or her smaller then)

Franck.

[Fox]

Originally posted by filthycute

Now i know who you are Fox you'd best keep your face away from my elbow.....i wouldn't want to hurt you.....by accident of course

Damn, I'm so busted!!...hehhhehee

ok, I'm bringing body armour on wednesday, cunningly disguised as a string vest...hehehe



Fox
~was gonna string fc along for another couple of weeks~

[mckaren]

hurt my ankle last night, skipping with my partner like Morecombe and Wise , sore and swollen ankle now

[Franck]

Originally posted by mckaren
hurt my ankle last night, skipping with my partner like Morecombe and Wise , sore and swollen ankle now

Hi and welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about the ankle, but I was wondering if the "skipping like Morecombe and Wise" bit was a new move?
Congratulations on winning the Double Trouble category, especially as the competition was extremely good too

Franck.

[mckaren]

not a new move but could be the footwork for when the woman is behind the man , with her hand on his shoulder and they're stepping to the right then left. thanks