Following?

[DavidB]

Originally posted by Debster
But I am a bit doubtful how successful that could be in the crowded venues we dance in (of course you probably mean a more on the spot version).

I keep it very small, and with Natural turns only. (I step on my own feet doing reverse turns.) The obvious step would be a Fleckerel. Only a minor problem - I don't know how to do one!

I think I would recommend slowing right down instead to cope with the change of timing and stepping only on the '1' if you can manage to count the music (i.e. Viennese waltz being quick 1-2-3 1-2-3). The 2-3 will become a nice sweeping gather of weight to suit the mood of the music... well it works nicely in my head

I've seen that done. One couple did it really well - it looked more like an American-style waltz (ie American Smooth, or Country & Western)

But some DJs play a version where the waltz has been edited out... :reallymad :reallymad

David

BTW the new Big Brovaz single ('Favourite Things') is a Viennese Waltz. It could make an interesting cabaret - a medley of that and 'Nu Flow'...

[Basil Brush (Forum Plant)]

Originally posted by Divissima
would hate to cause offence - I don't think it's worse than any of those things!! it was more a comment on my deficient following - it wasn't so much that I couldn't hear the off-beat, I just couldn't keep to it. He was regularly on the off-beat, not out of time, I just struggled with it.

It can be REALLY hard to keep to, I agree. We once did a lindy hop class where everyone had to start an 8-beat routine on beat 7 instead of beat 1. A real challenge to lead but made everyone listen to the music.

As DavidB, Frodo, plus others have said, dancing off-beat should not be confused with dancing out of time! Lindy hop has even further complexities at advanced levels with jazz steps etc. You constantly switch between patterns on-beat, off-beat, syncopted beat, pauses, and not necessarly returning consistently to the start of a move on beat 1.

But BO is definitely worse than one dance out of time....

[Amir]

Hello again. wrote some stuff on this but its a bit long for here, perhaps. If anyone's interested its on the 'leading and following' tab at www.fusiondance.co.uk

good luck

Amir.

[eastmanjohn]

Originally posted by Franck
I think you have to separate the Class from Freestyle.

In the Class, everyone is learning, and the women are seeking visual re-assurance that they are doing the right thing, especially if you make it easy by leading well, it will seem too easy and they will look at the teacher / demo for confirmation they went 'the right way'. Often they will be wondering what to do with their feet etc and will need to check the stage.

Franck.

This is where a problem occurs. What happens when the people on the stage don't do the same thing each time they do the move? It is very easy when steppign through a move a beat at a time to inadvertently change your weight from one foot to the other while waiting for the next beat to be described.
What the teacher has to remember is the dynamic between the beats adn they need to be consistent each time they teach. Not easy!!!

[DavidB]

Originally posted by Franck
Often they will be wondering what to do with their feet etc and will need to check the stage.

I missed this post first time around. How many people do you think can see the teacher's feet in a class? Only the first few rows. The people at the back are lucky to see anything below chest-height.

It is ok for whoever is 'rotating'. But a sizeable minority of the class will never see what the teacher is talking about.

David

[Sandy]

Originally posted by DavidB
I missed this post first time around. How many people do you think can see the teacher's feet in a class? Only the first few rows. The people at the back are lucky to see anything below chest-height.

It is ok for whoever is 'rotating'. But a sizeable minority of the class will never see what the teacher is talking about.

David

Good point! The Aberdeen class is a very popular and busy location and therefore can sometimes be difficult to see and hear. I tend not to worry too much about feet as long as I can see the arm and body movements (yes I know this explains a lot!) but this too can be a bit difficult at times. I guess this is where we ask the teacher to speak up and perhaps demonstrate at the other end of the class or get people to come forward if necessary?? (especially for some of the intermediate moves which can have a lot to them). I have to add that for most of the time it isn't a problem but definitely a good point to mention.

Cheers

Sandy

[Gadget]

Originally posted by Sandy
Good point! The Aberdeen class is a very popular and busy location and therefore can sometimes be difficult to see and hear.

Why do you think Nial rushes to his reserved space at the front when the class is anounced; it could be just to admire the pretty teachers & demonstrators, but it could equally be to catch the nuances of the demonstration and lesson that don't get mentioned.

{OK, so I'm guilty of trying to be at the front of the lines as well, but I wear glasses! }

[Sandy]

Originally posted by Gadget
Why do you think Nial rushes to his reserved space at the front when the class is anounced; it could be just to admire the pretty teachers & demonstrators, but it could equally be to catch the nuances of the demonstration and lesson that don't get mentioned.

{OK, so I'm guilty of trying to be at the front of the lines as well, but I wear glasses! }

Yeh well I did notice! survival of the fittest! Arms out and go for it!

Yeh specs to come in handy sometimes! I'll have a wee try out and see what kind of glass is in them next time I see you!

Sandy

[MartinHarper]

From way way back in 2003:

The question is - if the music is 'swinging', why do a dance like jive that tries to get you to fight the music?

I've never found that MJ conflicted with swing music. Is this a common opinion?

[Clive Long]

From way way back in 2003:

I've never found that MJ conflicted with swing music. Is this a common opinion?

Never wishing to contradict a Harper missive ...

I have found that MJ can be danced to most music (that is played at MJ events - so it is probably self-fulfilling) but when something Latiny or slow is put on and I see some people dancing what is, I guess, Salsa or Blues or a bit more "structured" than MJ, I just think what they are doing is, if not better, then more appropriate and I am hit with a pang of jealousy.

Rather than remain jealous , this year I hope to do something about it and extend my range of dance styles.

CRL

[Minnie M]

Originally Posted by DavidB
The question is - if the music is 'swinging', why do a dance like jive that tries to get you to fight the music?

errr.... yes IMO it takes an experienced MJ dancer to be able to dance to swing music and they usually have to change their style slightly to do so - plus - there is swing, and there is SWING - (isn't the timing different)

The swing music played in MJ events is nothing like the swing music played at Lindy events

[Yogi_Bear]

.......I have found that MJ can be danced to most music (that is played at MJ events - so it is probably self-fulfilling) but when something Latiny or slow is put on and I see some people dancing what is, I guess, Salsa or Blues or a bit more "structured" than MJ, I just think what they are doing is, if not better, then more appropriate and I am hit with a pang of jealousy.....

CRL

The fact that MJ can be danced to a fairly wide range of music, even if we include all the music on any particular MJ night play list, surely means that there will be many tracks for which MJ will not offer the best opportunities for musicality. This is partly because as a very general rule MJ classes tend to instil the learning of moves at the expense of musical interpretation, or even maybe listening to the music at all....
The obvious solution is to learn a variety of dance styles and pick the appropriate one for the music, or at least infuse your MJ repertoire with elements of them.
I would have described MJ as structured, rather than these other forms, in the sense that it is about stringing moves together - but I guess you mean the 8-count structures of, say Lindy...