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Dancesport - Article: How to get started
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Someone presented helpful hints to learning dancers. Let me clarify and
amplify the term "learning dancers", a little, so that it is better
understood for the purpose of this suggestion #1. I have been dancing quite
a long time and I can not see an end in my taking lessons. (I have taken
thousands of hours of lessons interspersed with giving thousands of hours of
lessons to others.) It is my sincere belief that an individual's learning
process in ballroom dancing is a perpetual pursuit. It never ends. Whenever
there is the opportunity to learn something new you should be there ready
and willing to learn. That doesn't mean that you do not have to establish
goals as you dance through life. There is however, no final destination;
only mile posts along the way to better and better dancing. If you have
been going in the right direction in your learning process you will
recognize it. Your dancing improves. Try this suggestion if your dancing
improvement is not to your liking. (Success is not a destination but a
journey. Apply this to your dancing and you have a formula for success.)
Helpful hints to beginning dancers? Understand that when you begin to learn
how to dance you will never stop learning. So do not try to learn it all at
one time in too short a time span. It just won't happen. It is like fine
wine. It will take some aging. You cannot rush it. Since dancing is a
constantly changing endeavor. New things are happening every day and if you
do not keep up with these changes you will unfortunately not be on the
leading edge. It is my sincere belief that aside from all the basic needs
that you will discover presented as prerequisites (a willing partner or
partners to dance with, a good dance floor and music to dance to, a good
ventilation system to keep you comfortable while you are dancing, etc etc
etc). The two most important features that will affect your dancing
progress (beginners as well intermediate or advanced, amateurs as well as
professionals) is a good teacher to learn from and your willingness to get
out on the dance floor regularly with your partner(s) and dance at a ratio
of 5 to 8 hours for every one hour of instruction that you have received.
(Now don't start carrying this ratio to the extreme and say if I take 5 hours
of instruction I have to dance 25 to 40 hours per week to fulfill Arthur's
prescription). The ratio of floor time to learning time should be at least a
multiple of 5. If you are taking 3 to 4 hours of instruction per week you
should be out there on the floor dancing l5 to 20 hours to fulfill the
formlula. If you take 10 hours of instruction (per week) you are taking
too much instruction. The concept is that Increased "floor time" can turn
an average dancer into a better than average dancer. Increased floor time
can turn an outstanding dancer into a super dancer. And among super dancers,
all other things being equal, the couple with the most floor time will
probably score higher in contests.
Cordially, Arthur AHG@aol.com West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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So you have learned a few patterns and you want to try out your newly
acquired skills out on the ballroom floor.
First be sure that you have adequate space to practice the new patterns you
have just learned. Keep in mind that your directional guidelines for smooth
dancing is to move in the general direction of the counter clockwise flow of
dancers. Consider that you are on an imaginary road way around the perimeter
of the floor. Your objective is to avoid stopping or moving against the
flow of traffic in this road way. This imaginary line around the floor is
called the line of dance (abreviated as LOD). It is not only rude to collide
with other couples because they have stopped (for whatever the reason) in
this main stream of dance movement. (Never bend over to tie your shoe laces
in the middle of the dance floor.) It is also dangerous to your health.
Social ballroom dancing is not a sport that should generate bruises and
broken bones. It is common courtesy to consider yourself responsible for a
collision when it occurs and apologize for the bump. Your mission is to
achieve among other things during dancing, "zero bumps" during the course of
each dance. You therefore must be able to amend the size, speed and
direction of the patterns you are executing with your partner. (The English
refer to this skill as "floor craft".) Do not fall into the category of
those who are oblivious to all other dancers on the floor and "come hell
or high water" you are going to dance your newly learned patterns even if
it kills you, your partner and everyone else around you on the dance floor.
Remember that you are engaging in "social" dancing, not "combative"
dancing. Adopt the attitude of "consideration" for other couples. Rude
and agressive dancers often feel that you should get out of their way and
they might even attempt to intimidate you. If someone is about to run you
down simply put your hand out and protect yourself from the collision. If
you find that you're encountering the same couple very often, try to avoid
them by keeping space between you and this offensive couple. Generally
speaking you should try to keep a minimum distance of several feet between
you and the nearest moving couple. On a crowded floor this might become a
challenge and sometimes just a mission impossible.
Cordially, Arthur AHGberg@aol.com West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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The learning process is a simple but frequently misunderstood concept. Keep
in mind that in the course of learning of any physical skill you start off
with observing a performance by someone else so that the process begins
with something that you first perceive someone else performing; Once you
have established a picture in your mind's eye and you are rendered very
intensely interested (self-motivated) in that with which you have been
presented, you give it initially some considerable conscious thought along
with the physical attempt(s) to reproduce a reasonable facsimile of the
(dancing) material presented. If you are taking a group lesson (as
opposed to private instruction) your mission becomes somewhat more
complicated by having to contend with dance partners who are similarly
trying to learn how to dance. That's why you should change partners often
in a group/class situation In private (individual) instructional situations
you will have the opportunity to dance with a teacher who personally
dances through the material with you (first in a dance practice position
then in a more conventional dance position). One on one (one teacher to one
pupil) reduces the variables (from two persons' learning problems to one
person's learning problems). The learning process can be improved
considerably when the factor of private instruction is coordinated and
integrated with group instruction. All other things being equal private
instruction undoubtedly results in some telescoping of the time factor
involved in the learning process. If you are unable to take all private
lessons I recommend at least one hour of private instruction to every 4 or 5
hours of group instruction to improve the learning process. I sincerely
believe that the one hour of private instruction from a quality professional
is the key ingredient that can assure the hours of instruction and practice
to be fruitful.
Your teacher's presentation must (eventually) result in the man
learning how to lead the patterns presented to him. It is crucial that a
learning man dancer know how to perform the pattern(s) by himself
(independent of a partner). Usually under cues from your teacher you'll
first "walk through" the new material. If it has been taught to you with a
sound teaching method, you will first perceive the "Gestalt".
By Gestalt I mean the "whole picture". Anything presented to you should be
"ideally" demonstrated first, with a partner (if possible) accompanied by
the proper music, using the timing and styling of that specific dance.
This is usually followed by the demonstration by the teacher, of the
patterns without a partner. The man's part should be taught to the men. The
woman's part must be taught to the ladies. For example, If it is a basic
pattern that is being taught, a good teacher in an ideal situation will have
first shown you the entire pattern first and then analyzed the man's part
seperately from the lady's part. Breaking down the pattern into microcosmic
parts should be avoided for beginners at all costs. The KISS principle
(Keep It Simple Stupid) should be adhered to even with more advanced dancers.
Resort to complicated analysis only as needed (with some analytical
individuals). A good teacher will try to make the complex appear simple to
facilitate your learning without getting tied up in frustrating knots of self
doubt. Patterns might be broken down somewhat into their component
parts but only if they are not understood by watching first. A word to
those who can introspect and who already know whether they consider
themselves to be analytically inclined or not; Give yourself a chance for
the teaching to sink in without an abundance of analytics. Give yourself
some time to absorb the instruction. If you can't readily duplicate what is
being taught do not feel that you have a learning disability. Be patient
with yourself. If you really become frustrated, clear your mind, relax and
remember the real reason you come to learn how to dance was to have fun.
Everything else will fall into place after you have assumed that
psychological posture.
A lady has to learn how to follow. A man has to learn to lead. Leading
requires that a man know first, exactly what he wants to lead and then
conceptualizing how to convey that message clearly and comfortably to his
partner. Then out onto the dance floor for practice, practice, and more
practice. The mission for the man is to understand foot patterns as well
as body positioning and proper timing of the steps. He must know precisely
where he wants his lady to go when lead. It is the man's mission to learn
how to convey that lead so that any and all the ladies he dances with
can follow him. Do keep the length of your stride short while you are trying
to master new patterns. Then as you begin to master the pattern (or
combination) and are more sure of yourself you may choose to lengthen your
steps in smooth dances. In rhythm dances you must concentrate on timing and
dancing to the beats of the music and the timing of your leads.
It is the goal of the lady to be able to successfully follow any man's
lead. It is more important for a man to lead only what he is absolutely
confident of. Trying to lead fancy or complicated patterns that you haven't
the foggiest idea of how to lead should be considered a "felony". Ladies
subjected to such abuse should be able to press charges.
Cordially, Arthur AHG@aol.com West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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It is entirely possible that your basic skills which differ between the
Smooth dances and the Rhythm dances are quite dependent on your personal
tastes. These personal tastes will vary not only from person to person but
also as your age and developmental motor skills change. You can pretty
well recognise and categorize smooth dances by their moving or progressing
across the floor while in closed dance position. Foxtrot, Quick Foxtrot
(Quickstep), Peabody, Waltz, all require that you and your partner move
around the dance floor (generally in the Line of Dance) as opposed to
staying in one particular part of the dance floor. In most social ballroom
situations the length of your steps will not be longer than that of a
comfortable stride of walking. Side steps much longer than the width of
one's shoulders are not required. It has been said that all you need to
know in order to learn how to dance is to know how to walk. Do not let
anyone kid you with this vague and trite generalization. Walking out on the
street or where ever you must use this form of locomotion a pied is a
different skill than the dance walk. Stop and observe a public place where
many people are walking by; you will note that the style of walking differs
significantly from person to person. The net objective of walking usually
is to "get from here to there" (and perhaps back). People walk differently
because it is not deemed necessary that something so "natural" as walking be
required to standardize or work on after you have passed the toddling
stage. Once you have ceased to fall down and/or are able to walk around
without bumping into stationery objects or other people, the walking skill
seems to be one that generally does not receive further attention as to
whether you are walking "properly" or not. Since you want to appear smooth
in your "smooth dances" you must address the problem of learning how to move
your body smoothly across the dance floor. There is an additional mission in
ballroom dancing and that is the necessity of learning to walk backwards
and sidewards as well as forward These skills are usually not learned
until you are confronted with the requirement of smooth movement using
forward and backward and sideward steps on the dance floor.
One of the first things that you must learn is to differentiate the dance
walk from one's so called naturally acquired street walk. Immeasurable
hours, months and perhaps years of kinesiological analysis have been
dedicated to and consumed by analytical types to arrive at some
"break-down"or articulate verbalization of exactly what one's muscles are
doing or need to be doing while one dances smoothly across the floor with
one's partner. Oh yes! I almost forgot! The success of smooth dancing
requires that you move smoothly with one's partner! Moving smoothly by
yourself is only "half the battle" Since bodies are quite closely
"connected" in high level smooth dancing, there is not only a requirement to
move your body smoothly but to coordinate its movement with that of your
partner's smooth movement. When you see two "super dancers" moving smoothly
together there is an illusion of floating along smoothly with effortless
grace. Do not feel badly if you cannot reproduce this "illusion"
immediately. There seems to be quite some long list of prerequisites for the
achievement of "the illusion of effortless grace". You must not only grasp
the concept but you must give it much "floor time". First try to imitate the
smooth movement of some one who is smoothly moving. You will discover that
there is considerable discipline and self control required to recreate this
smooth movement. Conscious effort in the use of the feet, ankles, legs, and
torso during the learning process might be of some use to the analytical.
Too much analytics, however, is likely to result in choppy, mechanical or
robotic-like movement. At first simply remember some of the following
general rules:
- Skim and Land
No matter which direction you are going in it is more
desirable to keep some part of the foot in close proximity (skimming) with
the dance floor. When you place your foot it should come in for a gradual
landing rather than a vertical placement. There should always be a softness
as well as a strength in the transfer of weight from one foot to the other.
This requires the proper coordination in the use of muscles of the feet,
ankles, legs..... all the way up through the thighs and hips.
- Foxtrot Footwork
When moving forward in the Foxtrot on a slow step it is
a fairly standard and accepted rule that you may use a "heel lead." That
does not mean that you curl up your toes and land grotesquely on the heel
of your moving foot. Also, excessive spring in your landing may result in
a jolt. While you are learning, make a conscious effort to step more softly
and eliminate "this jolt". The slow forward step therefore, is described as
HT or (heel-toe). When you add quicks to your "slows" (usually following a
slow forward HT step) you have reached that point in your dancing when
rise and fall enters the dance picture. In taking the next quick forward
(for the man) you should step forward on to the "front part of your foot"
(often referred to as the toe, sometimes confused as the ball of the foot).
This technicality is not of great importance unless you are getting deeply
immersed in the extremely finely tuned international style rules of
technique and the extraordinarily beautiful execution of "rise & fall".
When descending from a toe step (from an "up position") the footwork must
be Toe-heel (TH). This will help to remove the "jolt" which is the result of
the missing transitional footwork and coming down directly onto the heel.
- Maintaining a Good Frame
The torso must be carried erect but not
militarily stiff. Maintain your frame and that includes the arms and hands in
self supporting but not stiff position. Check to see that your arms and hands
are devoid of "stress". There is a fine line between firm flexible self
support and tenseness that results in a stiff look.
- Hold Your Head high
Better balance is obtained if your head is
consistently held and kept centered over the shoulders rather than tilted in
one direction or another. Proper head position contributes immeasurably to
body balance. (Body balance is one of the keys to successful leading and
following.) The general rule in clsosed dance position, is that the man
looks over his partner's right shoulder (to his left) and the lady looks
similarly over the man's right shoulder to her left.
It is all right as a raw beginner to look down at your feet to determine just
what they are doing. Don't let this fascination with feet become a permanent
habit. A mirror adjacent to the dance floor might accomplish this purpose
better. You must (early on in your learning) abondon this "looking down"
so that you make a better appearance on the dance floor. Looking at one's
feet (either yours or your partner's) serves no useful purpose. You must
also eventually stop looking at your self in mirrors. Once these habits are
acquired they are difficult to shed.
Cordially, Arthur AHGberg@aol.com West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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Not only must beginning dancers who are learning smooth dancing learn to
convert their street-walk into a dance walk,
but they must also learn to move backwards and sidewards as well. The
additional mission is to time the movements to music and the beats within.
This specific segment will address only the forward movement in time with
a very basic Foxtrot rhythm and then a Waltz rhythm.
Certain problems are encountered in finding someone who specializes in
smooth movement, to teach these skills without dissociating the actual skill
from the dancing. There is some disagreement among top teachers as whether
to teach the generic smooth movement skill without closely attaching it to
certain specific amalgamations or combiinations of step patterns. It is
argued that, why not isolate the smooth movement skill, identify its basic
elements, analyse the component parts, apply kinesiological factors, put it
all back together and voila, you have achieved the finished product. Dr.
Frankenstein did it this way and the results (so it seems) was that he
created a "monster." Dissecting cadavers in the lab to determne where
the origins and insertions of muscle and tendon attach to bones is not useful
for practical application on the dance floor. Applied kinesiology,
meaning in this situation, to take certain principles and apply them to
practical dance combinations or individual patterns of movement seems to be
the best route to learn by. You must get yourself moving first. Get
yourself into a ballroom (preferably by yourself) with a space to move
freely in (on). The floor should be a smooth but not too slippery surface.
Be sure you are wearing your favorite dance shoes. (Well fitting, flexible,
secured well to your feet, very light and comfortable, with chrome or just
plain leather soles.)
Theoretically you can learn to move smoothly by dancing around a floor by
yourself without a partner with whom you must concern yourself, at least
while you are in the early stages of learning. This procedure poses the
problem of eventually having to coordinate this smooth movement with one's
partner who, it is assumed, will be skilled in the application of all the
principles of smooth movement when (he/she) connects with ones partner in a
real live dance siltuation.
The following is a "solo" excercise for learning to move smoothly FORWARD:
Raise both of your hands to approximate a dance position. (Avoid having
them hanging loosely at your sides.)
Start with a "simple" forward walk and repeat this
around the dance floor in LOD:
- Left Foot Fwd Slow,
- Right Foot Fwd Quick,
- Left Foot Fwd Quick,
- Right Foot Fwd Slow,
- Left Foot Fwd Quick,
- Right Foot Fwd Quick.
- and repeat.
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Be sure to "brush" your feet when they pass one another. When you take the
first slow step forward Left Foot use Left Counter Body Movement allowing
the right side of your body to swing ever so slightly forward maintaining
this position through the next two ensuing Quicks. On
the Slow Right Foot step that follows use Right Counter Body Movement and
maintain that body position through the ensuing two
Quicks. Repeat for about two or three minutes. Take a short break.
Recompose yourself; then try another three minute session and then a third,
or until tired (or bored), which ever comes first. Try this at first without
music. Count aloud for this "drill". When you perform this exercise to the
music count aloud at first; then silently to yourself; then not at all.
Use slow Foxtrot music (30 to 36 Measures Per Minute).
Footwork should be Heel Toe, Toe, Toe Heel, Heel Toe, Toe, Toe Heel.
Following the above try this exact same repetitive pattern to a Waltz count
(1,2,3), at first without music and then to Waltz music (30 to 36 measures
per minute).
Running Steps
Some terminology / nomenclature refers to patterns that move QQS as "Running Steps".
Counter body motion position
CBMP (counter body motion position) enters the picture
when you maintain/hold the body swing position. (To be explained later!)
Cordially, Arthur AHGberg@aol.com From: AHGberg@AOL.COM
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So you have just spent at least 10 or 15 minutes per day for a week or so,
engaged in practicing the smooth movement drill of the forward dance walk
and you are now beginning to move as smoothly as "whipped cream". Solitary
practice is certainly not conducive to developing one's personality or the
social aspect of your social dance capability but once you realize that
some solitary practice, undistrubed (by someone elses intrusive
participation) can eventually enable you to utilize your dance skills
better, and once mastered, it will ultimately lead to improvement of your
overall facility to utilize your social dance skills, you may become more
appreciative of value of the effort you exert doing these drills.
Now we are "ready" to address the sideward movements in smooth dancing.
Just as you need to "push off" the toe of a supporting foot to take a
forward step you also must take side(ward) steps using a "push off" from the
toe of the supporting foot. Once you have taken the initial step side(wards)
for the sake of this drill maintain the footwork of toe to toe
transfer of body weight. While you are practicing this movement consider
that it is adequate for the length of your side steps to be "not much
longer than the width of one's shoulders." (Later on you might want to extend
your steps a bit longer as you become a better skilled dancer. During these
drills concentrate more on the smoothness of your steps (and body movements)
rather than attempting to take very long steps. If you have a mirror handy
watch yourself as you take eight or ten steps to the right. Then take eight
or ten steps to the left. The objective is to stay "up at toe" height and
maintain smooth movement. Be careful not to take your side steps on the flat
foot or onto the heel of the moving foot. You might be surprised to
observe/perceive that you have unequal ability to move comfortably in both
the left and right directions. Do not be surprised if you discern that
your muscles on one side of your body are better developed than on the other.
Most people must overcome asymmetry of their muscles and motor skills.
Your objective is to try to equalize your skill to move either to the right
or to the left. Practice this to improve, and do not be discouraged that
you feel awkward the first few times you attempt this drill. Try to achieve
the skill of moving in either direction equally as well. You might not
totally achieve this goal but try anyway. I would be surprised to discover
that you are naturally adept at moving in either direction with equal
skill, that your are ambidextrous and have perfect muscle and motor skill
symmetry. It is a rarity. It usually takes some observation, some learning
and then you must practice to compensate for the assymetry that nature has
built into our bodies. Continue to practice this drill until you become
comfortable in both directions. You will not achieve this in one long
continuous session. It will develope gradually over time. The technique of
"skim and land" applys to side steps (as well as backward and foward steps)
in smooth dancing. Try to keep the toe of the moving foot in very light
contact with the floor as it moves to its next landing place. (Avoid
dragging your toe to heavily along the floor. It is a very light skim.
Concentrate on avoiding a jolt when transferring weight from one foot to
the other on the close (of one foot to the other.) Think "Smooth"!
While you are learning you might have to keep several things in your
conscious level thought processes. Once your muscles learn these skills
you will not have to maintain so many factors in your conscsious level of
thinking. You will eventually execute reflexively with much less to think
about. Keep this objective in mind; that you must achieve equalization of
your ability to take side steps to either left or right until it is
achieved. If it takes you a few days. OK! If it takes you a few weeks that's
OK too. If it takes you more than a month to accomplish contact me or your
local quality teacher to get further advice on what you are doing wrong.
(Of course all of this analytical drill work must be purged from your
concsious mind when you go out dancing in a real live social dance
situation.) Your capability on a reflex level will in most cases develope
to a point that you are just as comfortable taking a step to the right
side as to the left (and changing weight).
At first do this drill without music and execute the steps "slowly",
exercising control, so that the steps are taken as "level" as you can and
the transfer of weight should not disturb the stillness of the shoulders and
torso in general. Also, you do not want to let any "Cuban motion creep in"
to this exercise. Maintain your body erect but not stiff. Minimize hip
"sway" in this lateral movement. You might raise and carry your hands at
shoulder height for better balance and to perhaps simulate holding a partner.
Following this nonmusical practice put on some slow foxtrot music and
repeat the slow steps to "slows" in the music (the steps should be on the
downbeat and have a duration of 2 beats of 4/4 time music). Perform this
drill in both directions. Then change the rhythm of your side steps to all
"quicks" (one side step per each beat of music. Keep the drill without any
rise or fall (all up on toes), the steps being very level and devoid of any
bumps caused by impact of the moving foot landing with a "jolt" when brought
together to change weight from one foot to the other on the close. THINK,
"SMOOTH". There should be no bounce and the body above the waist must remain
still (but not stiff). Keep your knees relatively straight but not stiff or
locked. No stress!
Change the music to Waltz tempo and do one side step per beat without
accenting the first beat in each Waltz measure. Do this for 2 or three
minutes at a time so that you avoid getting overly fatigued. Don't get
discouraged if it feels awkward at first. Just keep trying. It will pay off.
Cordially, Arthur AHG@aol.com West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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