This week in my dancing I'm working on...
- Thread starter azzey
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TwoLeftFeet
Son
In attempt to add some slower moments to my frenzied pattern monkeying I have had the affect of turning the dance into a more stop start which is a bit crappy, Im working on adding slow down elements to my dance but smoothing them in seamlessly. I think this may take up a few months!
trying to forget about work... seriously, waiting on legal for an opinion and just totally stalled unable to do anything but dance and post on salsaforums.. heeeelllllpppp! Need something to do!! But, I did work on my shines at the gym which was good.
Going to the gym and getting mirror time and taking a few classes for me is like taking my car into the shop for repairs. I've ran it like crazy in the autobahn and now it's time to take the thing in. Everything I learned out in the clubs now needs to be polished up. This entails a lot of time by myself perfecting each move. There is no other way.
People think I'm crazy at the gym.
Going to the gym and getting mirror time and taking a few classes for me is like taking my car into the shop for repairs. I've ran it like crazy in the autobahn and now it's time to take the thing in. Everything I learned out in the clubs now needs to be polished up. This entails a lot of time by myself perfecting each move. There is no other way.
People think I'm crazy at the gym.
Flying Donkey
Changui
Been working on some spins. We were drilling 540's when I did a 360 by mistake. Immediately thought "oh no, I've got to catch up!" and did my first ever double spin without even thinking about it 
Ended up doing it a few times that night. Now, I bet the first time I try to do it for real, I'll be all over the shop. Sods Law....
Ended up doing it a few times that night. Now, I bet the first time I try to do it for real, I'll be all over the shop. Sods Law....You practice in the gym? :notworthy: Some day I may do the same. There is very little open floor space in my house. I'm inching the kitchen table nearer to the wall a bit at a time to open up some space. . I can't move it all at one time because my wife will notice and move it back. 
I am trying to get my treadmill time a bit more dance like though.
Back to the topic... I'll be doing some rib cage isolation exercises for the next few weeks.
I am trying to get my treadmill time a bit more dance like though.
Back to the topic... I'll be doing some rib cage isolation exercises for the next few weeks.
You practice in the gym? :notworthy: Some day I may do the same. There is very little open floor space in my house. I'm inching the kitchen table nearer to the wall a bit at a time to open up some space. . I can't move it all at one time because my wife will notice and move it back.
I am trying to get my treadmill time a bit more dance like though.
Yeah, I'd don't really have space either. Actually I have enough space but no full length mirror. Also, it's nice to get out of the house for a change. I still get nervous when the exercise room is full of people doing situps and power bands and I walk in. But hey, whatever. I usually stick to practice spinning or single moves or isolations rather than busting out a whole routine so that minimizes the awkwardness. I've fallen on my face after losing balance in front of a room full of people. Good times
A great benefit of practicing at the gym is that it toughens you up psychologically. A lot of dance has to do with confidence and going big. Letting loose is very hard if you are self conscious about looking stupid. This helps alleviate that because you get used to looking stupid all the time.
azzey
Son Montuno
Change of plan. I decided to take some videos of my shines. :headwall: I really need to work on arm movements and getting in sync with the music more. My brain can hear the beat just fine. But it looks like this information is not making it to the rest of my body.
Recommend musical Electro-Shock Therapy; Connect electrodes to your body and to your music amplifier. That should do the trick.
snowflake
Changui
Shrugging as in a more or less permanent position or as in a movement
?I had a tense/lifted/tight shoulders problem for years. They were always kind of lifted, and I wasn't aware how I got there but everytime I checked they were always there sort of tense/lifted. So I'd consciously relax them, but next time I'd check there they were again! It was a mystery
So I spent some time really trying to hold them down and back, but that really gave me a sore/tense neck and upper back
. Until earlier this year on a bellydance performance course a teacher pointed out to me that I had a ribcage posture problem. So I have spent some time fixing that (in the gym), strengthening upper back and being aware of keeping ribcage lifted. And as a result of this, the shoulders have dropped into an automatic relaxed position. Fixed 
!Your not alone. It took me more than a year to learn what it feels like to relax my shoulders. And I still lift them all the time (even in my sleep).
I don't understand what you mean by rib cage posture. I'll bring it up during my next private lesson.
I don't understand what you mean by rib cage posture. I'll bring it up during my next private lesson.
Shrugging as in a more or less permanent position or as in a movement
I had a tense/lifted/tight shoulders problem for years. They were always kind of lifted, and I wasn't aware how I got there but everytime I checked they were always there sort of tense/lifted. So I'd consciously relax them, but next time I'd check there they were again! It was a mystery
So I spent some time really trying to hold them down and back, but that really gave me a sore/tense neck and upper back
As a movement. I don't realise I'm doing it, and I think I do it to empherseise the music, but whenever I look at photos or video I find I'm often doing it and it looks very silly.Shrugging as in a more or less permanent position or as in a movement
That said I know what you mean about posture, etc. I do gym work and got orthotics to help there.
Just went to my first social dancing event after 8 weeks of lessons.
It was oke, I got in 9 dances and nobody rejected me ;D I practiced all the moves I know from classes and all went pretty well except a few times leading the left turn.
I really hate it I dont know more moves though, I wanna dance!!
It was a really good atmosphere though, I didnt feel any different then when I danced during lessons to be honest, just that leading is a bit more difficult.
I tried to make up a few moves, but failed pretty bad. My brain cant process the body of the female fast enough to know when to execute a certain move (that I havent learned before but just saw).
I feel like I first need to learn alot more moves during classes and then polish them during social dancing. I kinda enjoy, but not alot since my dances are pretty boring with only a few moves to lead.
Did you guys/girls just learn moves on the fly? I find it really hard to just let myself go and make something up since I cant seem to process yet what the body of the lady is doing exactly and how I can lead her accordingly.
It was oke, I got in 9 dances and nobody rejected me ;D I practiced all the moves I know from classes and all went pretty well except a few times leading the left turn.
I really hate it I dont know more moves though, I wanna dance!!
It was a really good atmosphere though, I didnt feel any different then when I danced during lessons to be honest, just that leading is a bit more difficult.
I tried to make up a few moves, but failed pretty bad. My brain cant process the body of the female fast enough to know when to execute a certain move (that I havent learned before but just saw).
I feel like I first need to learn alot more moves during classes and then polish them during social dancing. I kinda enjoy, but not alot since my dances are pretty boring with only a few moves to lead.
Did you guys/girls just learn moves on the fly? I find it really hard to just let myself go and make something up since I cant seem to process yet what the body of the lady is doing exactly and how I can lead her accordingly.
Congrats on your first social. Sounds like it went well.
I think most of us start with taking the patterns we are taught in class and modifying them first, perhaps missing out a bit, or swapping a bit from one pattern with another. Once you can string the moves together in your own patterns then you might want to try some more adventurous creations. I find it helps to have some idea of what foot your partner is on and have built an instinct for where she can comfortably move before completely making things up.
I think most of us start with taking the patterns we are taught in class and modifying them first, perhaps missing out a bit, or swapping a bit from one pattern with another. Once you can string the moves together in your own patterns then you might want to try some more adventurous creations. I find it helps to have some idea of what foot your partner is on and have built an instinct for where she can comfortably move before completely making things up.
c'mon, spinning is not authentic!!
I think this is really really key to making progress. I think its a very long process though to develop this instinct.