Whats happened to the Comb ?

[stewart38]

Attended a class the other night and instead of the usual push the girl away using your left hand placed on her left side/waist we were advised to push her away from her left arm.ie mans left arm pushing girls left arm to help the step back.

The reason given by the teacher was that the powers that be think pushing the girl away from the waist maybe 'inappropriate'

For the rest of the session I felt that pushing the girl away by placing left hand on her left side /waist was 'in appropriate' .Id never thought about this before.

confused now

Anyone else seen this political correctness

[tsh]

The reason given by the teacher was that the powers that be think pushing the girl away from the waist maybe 'inappropriate'

The first move is clearly inapropriate as well in that case....

To be safe, they probably ought to ban all physical contact, which I thought meant line dancing, but I think I'm wrong there as well.

[ellen24]

Well I suppose it all depends on the individual whether they find the physical contact inappropriate. I assume that most people would say if they found the level of physical contact during a certain move inappropriate.

As a female I don't find the 'push away with the hand on the waist' technique inappropriate at all. This is the way that I have been taught the move so I think I'd expect it. There are lots of moves that involve putting the hand on the female's waist so I don't see the point of varying this move.

But as tsh said in the previous post perhaps they ought to ban all moves with physical contact although i dont see the point of that either

[ducasi]

Attended a class the other night and instead of the usual push the girl away using your left hand placed on her left side/waist we were advised to push her away from her left arm.ie mans left arm pushing girls left arm to help the step back.

don't you mean her right side/waist/arm?

We did the comb last night - we were taught to place our left hands on the girl's right arm, we could then push down to pull her arm off our necks and she would then step away.

This isn't what I was taught two weeks ago at a beginners workshop, but then we weren't taught to put our left hand on the girl's right side/waist then either.

I don't think it matters much, though the "new" way seems like it might be easier to go back to a left-right handhold. And perhaps the reverse for the "old" way.

I say do whatever's most comfortable for you.

[El Salsero Gringo]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but Ceroc moves are never taught with any touching at the waist. It's always the hip, for the reasons suggested in the thread.

[MartinHarper]

We were advised to push her away from her left arm.ie mans left arm pushing girls left arm to help the step back.

Hurrah! No more people trying to gouge my liver out with their thumb!

[ellen24]

Yes I think it is in fact the hip not the waist

[stewart38]

don't you mean her right side/waist/arm?

We did the comb last night - we were taught to place our left hands on the girl's right arm, we could then push down to pull her arm off our necks and she would then step away.

This isn't what I was taught two weeks ago at a beginners workshop, but then we weren't taught to put our left hand on the girl's right side/waist then either.

I don't think it matters much, though the "new" way seems like it might be easier to go back to a left-right handhold. And perhaps the reverse for the "old" way.

I say do whatever's most comfortable for you.

Yes its her right side and its hip not waist

But what if a beginner never had anyone touch her hip ?

I do think it matters that there are so many 'variations' on what are essentially beginner’s moves but not as much as say Luton Town being promoted.

[El Salsero Gringo]

.... and it would be a shame if the hip was no longer taught as a lead-point to beginners, because it's a good place for spins and other stuff too.

[Gadget]

From my New verson of the "slow comb" thread...

<rant>Have we suddenly had an influx of "perv" beginners? Have the actions of a few now dictated draconian measures to prevent anyone ever doing the same thing?

...etc.

basically, I agree.

[ducasi]

But what if a beginner never had anyone touch her hip ?

In this case it wouldn't have been possible, as two moves previous we did the first move push spin - with touching and actual pushing of the poor girl's hip!

No-one goes to learn partner dancing without expecting some amount of "physical" contact between them and their partner. (Isn't holding hands bad enough??? )

I'd say that the comb is sufficiently intimate that if you're worried about a guy touching your hip, you wouldn't want to be doing the comb anyway.

Just one guy's point of view...

[Lorna]

Hi guys,

thought I'd just clarify things a little.

The comb was changed for a couple of reasons. We changed the left hand hold to the lady's arm for 2 reasons, that I can see anyway...

1. It was often innocently mis-interpreted as a hold on the lady's waist or worst still (for beginners) in the small of the back. This brings you closer together. Most ceroc teachers will try to emphasise the hold on the hip to help maintain a safe distance and as a useful tool for pushing away for spins etc. However it was felt that it was less intrusive to have the hand on the arm.

2. The hand on the arm is useful for teaching the lead on the slow walks for the slo comb. The men just need to lean down slightly on the lady's arm to help her know which way to lean/walk first. More in sync with each other .

Hope this helps.

Lotsa love Lorna x-x

[Chicklet]

.... and it would be a shame if the hip was no longer taught as a lead-point to beginners, because it's a good place for spins.

OH NO IT ISN'T
There is at least one thread FUUUUUUUUULL of ladies who agree with me

[ChrisA]

Hurrah! No more people trying to gouge my liver out with their thumb!

Nor while dancing with you....

[El Salsero Gringo]

OH NO IT ISN'T
There is at least one thread FUUUUUUUUULL of ladies who agree with me

oooh... point me to the thread. Sounds interesting.

[Chicklet]

I'm not techy enough to insert a link but if you do a search on hip spin you will find a thread about 10 down called Hip and Shoulder spins, (yes I started it)
.....there's actually some good advice on there about how to make them less, er problematic.

[DavidY]

I'm not techy enough to insert a link but if you do a search on hip spin you will find a thread about 10 down called Hip and Shoulder spins, (yes I started it)

Link is here: Hip and Shoulder Spins

[El Salsero Gringo]

OH NO IT ISN'T
There is at least one thread FUUUUUUUUULL of ladies who agree with me

This one then. Which has (to date) exactly four ladies who don't like hip- or shoulder-spins. And scanning the thread, the reason that they don't like them is because in the main they're badly led, not for any reason intrinsic to the move.

I still believe that the hip is a good strong lead-point, and that beginners should be taught to use it.

[TheTramp]

I still believe that the hip is a good strong lead-point, and that beginners should be taught to use it.

I agree. And also shoulders.

And maybe if beginners were taught to do them properly, then the ladies who hate them wouldn't....

[Andreas]

1. It was often innocently mis-interpreted as a hold on the lady's waist or worst still (for beginners) in the small of the back. This brings you closer together. Most ceroc teachers will try to emphasise the hold on the hip to help maintain a safe distance and as a useful tool for pushing away for spins etc. However it was felt that it was less intrusive to have the hand on the arm.

I might be particularly thick or a really bad teacher. Never even did cross it my mind that one of my students could have interpreted a PUSH to the hip as an attempt to pull them in and HOLD them. No matter how bad executed, a push is never going to be a hold.

2. The hand on the arm is useful for teaching the lead on the slow walks for the slo comb. The men just need to lean down slightly on the lady's arm to help her know which way to lean/walk first. More in sync with each other.

That is kind of acceptable for a reason of this particular case. Though I must say that a lead on the body will always be more efficient than one on the arm as you do not rely on cross pressure. Perhaps I have a wrong idea of the walks you described, though.