View Poll Results: Is there any point to the 'essentials'?

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  • Yes

    18 56.25%
  • No

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Thread: Ceroc Essentials...

  1. #1
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    Ceroc Essentials...

    So. Do people think that the ceroc essentials are a good thing?

    From my point of view, I don't like them. I have never done any 'solo' dancing, so feel uncomfortable doing that - especially on the stage. So, when I cover teach, I don't do them. I've never had anyone tell me that they miss them, I've had several people tell me that they are happy not doing them when I teach.

    From a learning point of view, I don't see any point in them. Anything I want to cover when doing essentials - like weight transference etc. - I can cover when actually teaching the class.

    From a 'warm-up' point of view, I also don't see any point. A couple of minutes 'warm-up', followed by then standing around for 5 mins while you teach the basics, renders them rather a waste of time as a warm-up.

    It seems to me now, that a lot of people turn up late, in order to miss doing the essentials. I know that intermediates never turn up on time, but these days, it seems that we start with very few people at the beginning of the class, and end up with many more by the end of the beginners class. More so than we used to have.

    Anyhow, what do you all think?

  2. #2
    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by TheTramp
    ... these days, it seems that we start with very few people at the beginning of the class, and end up with many more by the end of the beginners class.
    Ah, you have yet to experience classes in Belfast...nothing to do with the essentials, people just don't turn up on time.

    As for the essentials. I liked them at first as it got people onto the floor, but I think its more of an ice breaker than anything else. So if its your first week, its probably a good thing. But for those who have been coming several weeks, I could see people wanting to give it a miss.

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by Lynn
    As for the essentials. I liked them at first as it got people onto the floor, but I think its more of an ice breaker than anything else. So if its your first week, its probably a good thing. But for those who have been coming several weeks, I could see people wanting to give it a miss.
    I can see that it could be a bit of an ice-breaker. But I'd still question if it's necessary even as that. Getting people onto the floor is what happens before you do essentials. So that happens whether you're about to do essentials or not....

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    Little Miss Jazz Shoes Jazz_Shoes (Ash)'s Avatar
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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    I like them! So they're not terribly interesting, however I think it's essential to do a warm-up. Particualarly as when I saw a physiotherapist she told me to always warm up before dancing, however if I arrive late I don't

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by Jazz_Shoes (Ash)
    I like them! So they're not terribly interesting, however I think it's essential to do a warm-up. Particualarly as when I saw a physiotherapist she told me to always warm up before dancing, however if I arrive late I don't
    If you could the ceroc essentials to be a warm-up, then, quite frankly, you're fooling yourself. Ice-breaker, possibly. Warm-up, not even remotely. What do you do immediately after getting (very slightly) warm in the essentials? Pretty much nothing.

    If your physio has told you to warm-up, then you need to warm-up. You don't need to do essentials.

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by TheTramp
    From a learning point of view, I don't see any point in them. Anything I want to cover when doing essentials - like weight transference etc. - I can cover when actually teaching the class.
    I agree. I too always made the important things part of the class. Makes it less abstract and less boring to the punters

    Quote Originally Posted by TheTramp
    From a 'warm-up' point of view, I also don't see any point. A couple of minutes 'warm-up', followed by then standing around for 5 mins while you teach the basics, renders them rather a waste of time as a warm-up.
    This, in my opinion depends a bit what you make of the warm-up. The teachers in Hamiltopn, NZ, always made spinning part of the warm-up, which 'forces' everybody to put a least those couple of seconds into spin practice as opposed to no time at all. Also, stretching at the end of warm-up definitely does help preventing injuries, even if you then stand around for a few minutes just listening and watching.
    I personally made warm-up 'part of the routine', meaning in pretty much every routine I had at least one move that I could use in warm-up for which I always used Lambada anyways. So it never was the classical Ceroc warm-up.

    Quote Originally Posted by TheTramp
    It seems to me now, that a lot of people turn up late, in order to miss doing the essentials. I know that intermediates never turn up on time, but these days, it seems that we start with very few people at the beginning of the class, and end up with many more by the end of the beginners class. More so than we used to have.
    Haven't been teaching in a while (couple years) so don't know the latest developments but even back then quite a few punters used to turn up late to classes. However, I don't remember that number to be particularly high at my classes. That could have to do because they knew that the warm-up was valuable practice time, or simply because I kept pointing out during the class that we have done a particular move during warm-up already.

    I certainly would not want to scrap a warm-up, even though it cuts class time a bit short. But warming up and stretching are important to avoid injuries, in particular shoulder injuries.

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    I thought that the beginners class was the warm-up. I always try to skip the "essentials".

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    If I'm there to take part in the beginners class, I'll do the essentials, but I don't enjoy them. They may be necessary to get very new dancers into the idea of steps in time to the music, and so on, but for the rest of us, they... grate on our nerves. I know a lot of intermediate dancers who hold back until the essentials bit is over, then we all dash onto the floor for the beginners class.

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver
    I thought that the beginners class was the warm-up. I always try to skip the "essentials".
    Agreed. I join the begginers class more as a warm up than anything else (although it does help to meet all the new faces). If I arrive just in time for the intermediate class, I have difficulty relaxing into it.

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Could someoner explain to us luddites down ‘ere in LeRoc land what essentials are

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by philsmove
    Could someoner explain to us luddites down ‘ere in LeRoc land what essentials are
    They're like a few minutes of aerobics before you actually start the beginners lesson. They're Ceroc and they're "essential". Anyone who misses them will not be able to do Ceroc because they're "essential". How we managed all those years without them is a mystery.

  11. #11
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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    I'm rarely there in time for the Ceroc Essentials™ these days, but I'd never deliberately miss it.

    I think it's a valuable exercise in learning the steps, plus it does get you moving...

    Not good at doing all the arm waving stuff though... Feel and probably look stupid... Which is one reason I'd not want to be a demo...
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by Jazz_Shoes (Ash)
    So they're not terribly interesting
    Depends on the teacher. At Ceroc Wythall and Ceroc Cheltenham they've sometimes started off with your basic Essentials and then thrown in some bits and pieces that wouldn't be out of place at a "style" workshop at a weekender. I've also seen the partnered part of Essentials extended with bits and pieces that wouldn't be out of place at a "lead and follow" workshop. There's a lot of potential available for teachers who don't just do the bare minimum.

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by philsmove
    Could someoner explain to us luddites down ‘ere in LeRoc land what essentials are
    Here in CC land they show the basics of stepping in and back correctly in time to the music, how to give a nice hip movement, the basics of offer and acceptance of the hand(s).

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy McGregor
    They're like a few minutes of aerobics before you actually start the beginners lesson.
    errrrghhh aerobics?!?! I thought I was at a ceroc class.

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by Yliander
    errrrghhh aerobics?!?! I thought I was at a ceroc class.
    It's OK, you're allowed to take off your legwarmers for the freestyle

  16. #16
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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Hi. I DJ at Shelf where we do essentials.

    Its easy and puts begineers at ease and gets some people into BEAT.

    Its a good warm up which is a good idea for any kind of exercise. I certainly remember my first lesson. I used muscles I didn't know I had.

    It gives the DJ time to have some extra gulps of his preffered tipple. (soft drinks for me you understand ).

    Regards and greeting from a spring like Leeds

    DJ Chris Uren

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    I hated the Essentials when they first began to take place, but now I don't mind them at all - I liked seeing how the different teachers made it their own and taught them slightly differently (mind you, I have to travel around a bit to benefit from that aspect).

    I've been dancing just coming up to 2 years and although I've always liked to be there before the beginner's class has started - I've recently realised I can chill out a bit more at home rather than rush to the class because I don't really get any new tips in the Beginner's class any more either as a follow or a lead, so I may be a bit later now, but this has nothing at all to do with the Essentials taking place or not - simply a chilled Piglet taking her time

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisU
    Its a good warm up which is a good idea for any kind of exercise.
    Of course you could regard the beginners lesson as a warm up. It's hardly strenuous and gets the arms and legs moving with no particularly awkward moves that require well warmed muscles. Of course, the whole thing about Ceroc Essentials is that they're essential - so they must have some purpose, but I think a warm up to a warm up isn't it.

  19. #19
    Commercial Operator Heather's Avatar
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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy McGregor
    They're like a few minutes of aerobics before you actually start the beginners lesson. They're Ceroc and they're "essential". Anyone who misses them will not be able to do Ceroc because they're "essential". How we managed all those years without them is a mystery.



    Mr McGregor you are SO funny ( when you're not banging on about smoking, that is !!!! )

    Heather

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    Re: Ceroc Essentials...

    Quote Originally Posted by Heather


    Mr McGregor you are SO funny ( when you're not banging on about smoking, that is !!!! )

    Heather
    Haven't mentioned smoking recently. Don't need to, we've won the battle to live a longer, healthier life.

    What should our next battle be, I wonder? Perhaps we should campaign against using 4X4s for the school run, or campaign for longer sentences for pervs. Speaking personally, I can't think of anything that impacted on my daily life like smoking did. It created no-go areas and required constant vigilance just to avoid an clear and present health risk. Nothing else is quite the same in terms of invasiveness. This victory (which I'm not claiming as mine) means that, as far as I'm concerned, we can all go back to being lightweight and frivilous in our discussions. I like the talk of shoes and shopping

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