Ballroom dancing- Questions and Answers session

[Ste]

I thought I would start a thread on ballroom dancing where questions could be asked and help could be given

For example:

1. I have trouble understanding the quick step.It is taught as 4/4 but I think in reality it is 6/8. Can anyone explain?

2. Where can I get Ballroom vids. Are there any shops. Not really confident about buying off the net but might have to.

[spindr]

According to "Ballroom Dancing" by Alex Moore -- quickstep is 4/4 time -- see also here

SpinDr.

[Banana Man]

I thought I would start a thread on ballroom dancing where questions could be asked and help could be given

For example:

1. I have trouble understanding the quick step.It is taught as 4/4 but I think in reality it is 6/8. Can anyone explain?

2. Where can I get Ballroom vids. Are there any shops. Not really confident about buying off the net but might have to.

As SpinDr says, timing is 4/4. A slow is 2 beats, a quick is one, so I guess many moves can cause confusion as they can be over 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 bars. A good book is Technique of Ballroom Dancing by Guy Howard, this only covers ballroom, not latin.

You can see a wide range of vids and dvds at www.dancesport.uk.com and they are well grouped - instructional by level, comps, exhibitions, teaching sessions etc. There's also some vids done under Peggy Spencer's guidance featuring current/recent world class dancers, could be a bit cheaper. If you are in London I think there's a dance shop somewhere up near Farringdon, can't remember address though.

[El Salsero Gringo]

You might find something of interest at http://www.ballroomdancers.com

It has online videos of lots of steps, taught and danced through.

[Andreas]

As SpinDr says, timing is 4/4. A slow is 2 beats, a quick is one, so I guess many moves can cause confusion as they can be over 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 bars. A good book is Technique of Ballroom Dancing by Guy Howard, this only covers ballroom, not latin.

This book is indeed very good and still used as reference for teacher training.

However, many of the moves are not being done anymore. Well, that is me saying from what I experienced at the other end of the world. Would not know if that is the same in the UK.

[Andreas]

1. I have trouble understanding the quick step.It is taught as 4/4 but I think in reality it is 6/8. Can anyone explain?

2. Where can I get Ballroom vids. Are there any shops. Not really confident about buying off the net but might have to.

Another confusing fact about the Quickstep is that you start it (as the man) with your right foot on 4 instead of left on 1.

Add to this that -at least at competition level - it nowadays contains way too many (my opinion) running steps. It certainly is not an easy dance but lots of fun.

[Andreas]

I like the English Foxtrot. But at the same time I keep getting the rises messed up most of the time. To me this is the most difficult one of the ballroom dances but also one of the most beautiful.

[Whitebeard]

I thought I would start a thread on ballroom dancing where ......

I believe that previous ballroom experience (only at a low level and long ago) has helped me move through that null beat without any of the beating and bouncing I so deplore in many MJ followers. Another feature of ballroom is that the hold, done properly, is much more continuously UCP than MJ. It can be very, very, sexy.

[Banana Man]

I like the English Foxtrot. But at the same time I keep getting the rises messed up most of the time. To me this is the most difficult one of the ballroom dances but also one of the most beautiful.

..and if you're really lucky and can find a quiet spot you can sneak a few steps in on stuff like Jane Monheit or Ella. I know a couple of ladies with a penchant for the odd foxtrot move -thank-you.

[Paul F]

As for dvds, it depends on which level you need it for. If its for the bronze medal then the two i found the most useful were:
Discover Dance - Ballroom and
Discover Dance - Latin

Two really good dvds with two of the most graceful dancers I have had the priviledge of watching live. Very nice. Unfortunately the dvd doesnt do them justice as it only has one routine showcase but its still good.

[El Salsero Gringo]

Here's a question about Ballroom Jive:

If Ballroom Jive has a six-beat basic (Chasse left 1&2, Chassee right 3&4 Rockstep back 5-6) and is dance to music in Common time (four beat bars) am I right in thinking that alternate moves start in the middle of each bar of music?

Doesn't that feel a bit 'odd'?

And how do we manage in Ceroc where all the moves have different lengths?

[Andreas]

Here's a question about Ballroom Jive:

If Ballroom Jive has a six-beat basic (Chasse left 1&2, Chassee right 3&4 Rockstep back 5-6) and is dance to music in Common time (four beat bars) am I right in thinking that alternate moves start in the middle of each bar of music?

Doesn't that feel a bit 'odd'?

And how do we manage in Ceroc where all the moves have different lengths?

You do also have eight-beat moves in Jive. However, in general yes, you keep crossing the bar. I find that relatively easy to cope with in Jive. But whehn I took up Salsa I started to get more and more problems with Rock'n'Roll. Could be because I didn't dance it that often anymore but also because there is plenty of time to keep slipping into 4/4. I Jive, on the other hand, you are moving most of the time and it is fast enough to keep you occupied

[spindr]

Here's a question about Ballroom Jive:

If Ballroom Jive has a six-beat basic (Chasse left 1&2, Chassee right 3&4 Rockstep back 5-6) and is dance to music in Common time (four beat bars) am I right in thinking that alternate moves start in the middle of each bar of music?

This is entirely true

Doesn't that feel a bit 'odd'?

No, quite even! Each basic will finish on musical beat 2, or 4. If you find it confusing, then take up something nice and easy like 8 beat lindy hop

Two 6-beat jive basics will "happily fit" into three 4-beat bars of music -- no problem.

And how do we manage in Ceroc where all the moves have different lengths?

Guess it helps a bit that each most "steps" are really two musical beats? So there's only really two options of whether you finish on beat musical beat 2, or 4 -- which is the same as jive???

SpinDr.

[El Salsero Gringo]

It only confuses me when I stop to think about it. Dancing it feels great, but I'd like to know why and how it works.

Does anyone remember the story about a spider that forgot how to walk - it just couldn't remember which leg to move next. So it asked a passing centipede, which straighaway tripped up because it was being asked to think about something it just did naturally. So the two of them sat there, unable to move, until a millipede passed by. They both started to ask the millipede, but the millipede (being older and wiser) cut them off sharply mid question - and just told them to stop thinking about it, just 'aim and go'. And so they did.

I think I shall be stumbling around the dance-floor now, tripping up every fourth beat.

By the way, you can tell it was a children's story because at the end the spider didn't eat the other two for breakfast...

[Lory]

Does anyone remember the story about a spider that forgot how to walk - it just couldn't remember which leg to move next. So it asked a passing centipede, which straighaway tripped up because it was being asked to think about something it just did naturally. So the two of them sat there, unable to move, until a millipede passed by. They both started to ask the millipede, but the millipede (being older and wiser) cut them off sharply mid question - and just told them to stop thinking about it, just 'aim and go'. And so they did.

This is so true....

Sorry I'm off topic I know but this reminded me of ......

Where I used to work there was a flight of stairs I walked up and down numerous times a day, with no problem.
Then one day, a long mirror was placed on the wall facing, as soon as I noticed my feet in the mirror, all co-ordination went out the window, I nearly broke my neck, the more I tried to think about it, the worse it got, in the end I had to close my eyes every time I came down the stairs, it drove me nuts!