My dumb moves

A

antigone

Changui
I'm not sure this will catch on, but I would really try to get away from the philosophical discussions of dance and get down to what really counts: the stupid things we all do. So the idea is to share a move/habit you do when dancing which you know doesn't look all that good. Maybe you're working on it, maybe you did it in the past and have since fixed it. I suggest making it something YOU do personally, not something you saw on the floor. And only one move per post :)

So here is my current dumb move: I do backbends. They are music-appropriate, but often startle my partners, and sometimes even knock them off balance (which is entirely my fault).
 
It's not really a move but I have the habit of giving off a little scream like a girl who has just seen a spider when something goes wrong during a high energy dance. The perfect example of being a bit too in touch with your feminine side. :P :lol:
 
Flujo said:
It's not really a move but I have the habit of giving off a little scream like a girl who has just seen a spider when something goes wrong during a high energy dance. The perfect example of being a bit too in touch with your feminine side. :P :lol:
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Hee. I like this thread. I have a tendency to yell "Just kidding!" when I screw up a move and have to adjust quickly.

Here's a dumb move my SO recently came up with: He sticks his foot in my way during a CBL. Apparently I'm supposed to step over it - it seems to be a pretty common move in tango - but salsa moves too fast for this and what I do instead is *trip* over it. Every time. If he doesn't ditch this little charmer from his repertoire pretty soon we are going to have to have a Conversation. :P
 
More than a year ago, I took a workshop that taught a "men's styling" move where you sweep your foot around as you do a CBL. For some reason, my body started doing it just recently. When my instructor saw it during class, we had this exchange:

1. That foot sweep... did you dance Tango?
2. No, never tried it.
3. Well... lose it. It's not how we want to look in salsa.
 
SnowDancer said:
More than a year ago, I took a workshop that taught a "men's styling" move where you sweep your foot around as you do a CBL. For some reason, my body started doing it just recently. When my instructor saw it during class, we had this exchange:

1. That foot sweep... did you dance Tango?
2. No, never tried it.
3. Well... lose it. It's not how we want to look in salsa.
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"Not how we want to look" ... !

Tell your instructor to take a hike. If your body's suggesting a sweep or lapis, why not? They can look nice in salsa too. Nothing wrong with decorative footwork during a cbl...... as long as it doesn't get in the way.

It's up to you.
 
i have a tendency to mock the girls an their arm styling just after a CBL...usually gets them laughing which is the point...i think my teacher hates it though...i usually catch her fuming in the background..:bouncy:

can't think of any dumb moves, other than frequently losing my posture which my teacher also hates...:buttkick:
 
vata07 said:
i have a tendency to mock the girls an their arm styling just after a CBL...usually gets them laughing which is the point...i think my teacher hates it though...i usually catch her fuming in the background..:bouncy:
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I do similar, but I don't really mock so much as I fully embrace some sort of arm styling. 8) I only break this out after it has been fully established that we are in some sort of goofy mood. If I do it right, I can usually get a girl doubled over in laughter. I think I got Jambo with this one time.
 
SnowDancer said:
...Well... lose it. It's not how we want to look in salsa.
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What a moron! How are we "supposed" to look in salsa? All together now looking exactly the same, doing the same styling?

Sorry but that individual has no idea what salsa is about. Sound like one of those self-admiring cookie-cutter types who think there is a "right way" to do salsa.

I may not be a dance instructor but it is pretty obvious that there are only 3 rules in salsa:
Keep a rhythm. Watch your space and/or partner. No dragging or shoving.
Everything else is your own personal style!
 
Fundance said:
"Not how we want to look" ... !

Tell your instructor to take a hike. If your body's suggesting a sweep or lapis, why not? They can look nice in salsa too. Nothing wrong with decorative footwork during a cbl...... as long as it doesn't get in the way.

It's up to you.
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There MAY be some merit in this. I'm sure we've seen on the dance floor certain dance moves that just don't look good. This maybe in relative terms, because of the song or the speed of music, or in absolute terms, where a borrowed ballroom posture or pose just doesn't look good, period.

It might also make a difference in terms of how a move is done. For example, one of my favourite moves used to be a hook or double hook turn, with a flick of my hooking leg, but an instructor pointed out that it was too kungfu like and just didn't fit into salsa. He suggested a tiny change, and instantly the move looked a lot better.

Ultimately you make the choice, but I suggest that even though the initial reaction to any biasedly stated opinion might be to resist, also be open to considering their merits. One of the best instructors I know is also a very opinionated, arrogant person, and tells me everything I do in black or white, nice or crap judgements. Some of her ideas I take on board, and others I diplomatically reject, but I believe a lot can be lost with a defensive "I dance how I want to dance, there are no rules" refrain.
 
Oh and my contribution to this thread:

My stupidest move was failing to get out of the way of any CBL type variation. Sadly a crime that contributes to ladies with the bad habit of arcing around instead of walking or spinning straight through.
 
love this thread!

I picked up this move from watching some shine DvD where you step heel-heel-flat-flat. It looked good on the DvD and it felt good when I did it. I did it a lot for about 2 years. Then I saw it on video and I will never do it again without some serious work in front of the mirror / camera.
 
I watched a recording of myself and I noticed that sometimes during shines I am unaware that my wrists go limp and I end up looking like a dancing t-rex. Not very flattering or masculine looking.
 
I used to subconsciously duck down when doing single right turns as if I were afraid that I'd hit my head on my partner's arm. I didn't realize I was doing this until a partner told me. I've been concentrating on not ducking and I hope I've overcome that stupid move :)
 
Somewhat embarrassingly I lift up my top, momentarily exposing my midrift – I think it’s to cool myself down – but I do it quite a lot and wonder whether people think it’s me ‘styling’…
 
Jolinia said:
I used to subconsciously duck down when doing single right turns as if I were afraid that I'd hit my head on my partner's arm. I didn't realize I was doing this until a partner told me. I've been concentrating on not ducking and I hope I've overcome that stupid move :)
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Without Q... the MOST repeated " action " seen in beginners classes ( in all genres )..

I call it the " bridge " syndrome... you are not alone !
 
I am ashamed to say it but I had a period during which I would stomp on the 6 occasionally. Don't tell anybody. I like to do a one handed copa, in itself not bad, but when I am waiting to grab the girl again I sometimes have a styling with the hand that looks like I am having a convulsion.

Actually a lot of my styling tends to have that "don't ever do that again" look. Seriously I used to have follows tell me "I love dancing with you but don't ever try that particular body movement again" I still do it, it has become part of my charm now.
 
vata07 said:
i have a tendency to mock the girls an their arm styling just after a CBL...usually gets them laughing which is the point...i think my teacher hates it though...i usually catch her fuming in the background..
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LOL, I do that sometimes too. If they do something that is really obvious then I'd give this faux diva look then do a really camp version of what they did. It usually goes down well. :)
 
vin said:
Actually a lot of my styling tends to have that "don't ever do that again" look.
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Ditto - I think :oops:


Also, it's not really a move but just a bad habit, but I tend to look up/have my chin up when dancing (partly due to most leaders being taller than me), and I very often try to spin looking up/back. Doesn't help my balance. I really could do with guys wearing those "spot here" t-shirts...
 
So, here are my two cents: I somehow developed a tendency to do a little kick with my left foot for some moves. But after having watched myself on video, I'm working on giving it up and just stepping instead.

Watching the video, I also found, that I used my left arm a lot more for styling, while keeping my right arm close to my body looking like I had a broken arm in a cast. So for now I try to use both arms conciously when doing some shines and hopefully it looks better. :)
 
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