David was great and I really miss the fact that he doesn't post on here nowadays. I would have liked to have read an objective review of Kevin and Susanna's AT, whether it was very critical or not, because I know it would have been based on dance content and technique rather than personal feelings of like or dislike.

If I can help at all with names of proper AT teachers (there are some terrible ones out there!) do please let me know. I'd much rather you were in safe hands as I would love you to enjoy every moment of learning it!

Sofs

Can't say I blame him but yes, please do let him know his insightful posts are much missed.

Thank you for that Sofajudge. Although after the comments made towards me and bizarrely about me on a thread I was participating in (as if I weren't there) last weekend would make one wonder


Me too Betty. It is pretty clear to anyone who reads the forum regularly who knows something about the dancing. I clicked on this thread again because you were the last poster and I knew there would be something worth reading. Your insights into the Lindy-hop, ECS (or is that WCS?) Charleston etc, genres have been fascinating.

LOL taking your partner's head off is not a recognised salsa figure! I haven't seen last night's show yet although I did get a PM from someone asking about the salsa so I have looked at that. It was far from perfect (use of feet and floor again mostly) but it was at least recognisably salsa if we overlook the moment he landed on Ola's head and the over reliance on lifts).

If I were observing Ashley in a salsa class I would say he showed great promise, a way to go, but great promise. I would also be telling him to get his heels down. In the VT before the dance when she wanted him to knock things over with his hips, he was all on tippy toes. Had he landed on the ball of the foot and then put the heel down too he would have looked more grounded masculine and got the hip action. However he seemed to be coping well with turns in a double hand hold which can fox many a beginner. In terms of authenticity I would have given it about a 7 - if a hard core club or street salsa was a 10. By the same measure I would have given the disco salsa a 3 for its authenticity.

I can imagine exactly what he'd say, given I know him quite well. His view would have been much like mine frankly - and a raft of other AT dancers who do not post here but watched it last night.

The verdict was not good.

Well yes, but at least he would clearly state what the issues are in a detailed review. (I know David too although not very well. I've been to a couple of workshops and he's a great teacher.)

I love this post (and many of the others in a similar vein on this thread) ~ this sort of balanced, interesting, non-polar discussion seems to be an increasing rarity on this forum, and that seems a shame. There used to be a thread where dance teachers & pro/semi-pro dancers discussed the dances, and I used to love reading the non-layman's opinion. I haven't noticed so much of that type of discussion around this series, and I don't know if that's because the producer-imposed themes and gimmicks have made any sort of technical debate obsolete, or if it's more the case that the rabidity of the fanwarz have made it impossible to suggest that a particular move might have not been well-executed without an onslaught of 'hatah!' accusations.

But it's nice to see that this thread has evolved into an intelligent and insightful discussion about dancing ~ restores my faith in DS

Is he still posting reviews on his website? I was reading some old ones a wee while ago, and noticed no new ones, but wasn't sure if he was waiting for there to be a few ATs, as opposed to one.

Actually as we have assembled some of the knowledgeable people on the thread for the minute. I have a question. Just watching the results show and a clip of the ballroom tango which appeared to be a back bend/sway. This is something I know from lambada etc. but wouldn't expect it in a ballroom tango. Is this a normal feature of BT or is it a bit of Strictly artistic licence. Sofakat, Spin turn Thoughts??

I didn't see the clip An Thropologist. Ballroom tango definitely has an Oversway (danced it in a show case last week ) but that isn't really a back bend, more a side on change of weight and sway.. Would have to take a look at the clip. It could be a Contra Check or even a Rock Turn you are talking about.

The Contra check is where the man sort of presents the lady for a moment at the end of a turn pattern - is it?

That's what I expected to see in BT but in the clip it looked more like a Latin American style sway. Like these at about 34 seconds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfWp_uOUFS0

I guess to save you rerunning the results show for the clip the question could be can you include these sways demonstrated in this video to BT?

Yes please! I have found a website that looks promising but as you say, dance teaching quality is variable (to say the least!) and it's potluck as to what you experience first, going in as a newbie.

I actually took a few Ballroom/Latin classes a couple of summers ago (my usual Tap class wasn't on over the summer) and found it very frustrating because the men were taught the footwork pattern on their own, then the ladies, then we were told to get in hold and do it together, with no leading or following or connection or anything that I could get my teeth into. I still have no idea if this is how all B/L teachers approach adult beginner classes or if I just struck unlucky, but it wasn't very interesting and I only went about 4 times!

The AT classes that I am looking into are taught by Tango Unlimited (Maria and Guillermo). I considered sending that via PM but decided to put it here on the off chance that discussing it out in the open encourages someone else to start dancing, be they lurker or poster

[quote=DiamondBetty;70213362]Yes please! I have found a website that looks promising but as you say, dance teaching quality is variable (to say the least!) and it's potluck as to what you experience first, going in as a newbie.

I actually took a few Ballroom/Latin classes a couple of summers ago (my usual Tap class wasn't on over the summer) and found it very frustrating because the men were taught the footwork pattern on their own, then the ladies, then we were told to get in hold and do it together, with no leading or following or connection or anything that I could get my teeth into. I still have no idea if this is how all B/L teachers approach adult beginner classes or if I just struck unlucky, but it wasn't very interesting and I only went about 4 times!

The AT classes that I am looking into are taught by Tango Unlimited (Maria and Guillermo). I considered sending that via PM but decided to put it here on the off chance that discussing it out in the open encourages someone else to start dancing, be they lurker or poster [/QUOTE]
Last edited by An Thropologist : 08-12-2013 at 20:49

I haven't danced anything like that, but that's not to say it doesn't exist. Doesn't seem quite in keeping with Tango though.

(The contra check is a brief step back/change of weight by the woman.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa96_9SF_vs The oversway is the one where the man tends to present the woman It's a sort of step to the side and then a lunge.. Sorry, neither step is well explained and so best illustrated by a video. http://ballroomindex.weebly.com/tang...way-video.html )

[quote=An Thropologist;70214030]
As for AT I think you will find your skills transfer. A few weeks ago we had a group of Modern jive dancers appear at our AT class. Their venue was out of action at the last minute so they came to us for some sort of dance fix. They got the hang of it really quickly.

There was among them an older man who had been dancing jive, rock and roll, Lindy etc all his life. In the rudiments class he looked out of place. He got the steps but the posture was rather hunched over etc etc. But in the free dance section at the end I danced with him in open embrace and poor posture or not he could lead. He doesn't look the part and in theory is odd frame and hunched stance should impede the lead but it didn't. I could follow him as easily as anything. The others were good too BTW.

So if you do learn it will be very interesting to share your thoughts as you make the transition.

Sorry folks

I don't know if this is me or something on the site but my posts are not appearing where I want them to. My words are getting inserted into the quote boxes, quote boxes not appearing. And my attempts to rectify are making it worse. Please forgive the mess above.

There's a stray double [ quote ] somewhere I suspect.

Ah, maybe you live near me, then? I've looked at their classes in the past (and for flamenco too), before remembering that those pesky kids what I had take precedence over fun evening activities

I haven't got it

Do you mean if you accidentally click quote twice it inserts into the post you are quoting instead of underneath?

That poster also declared s/he couldn't tell a Samba from a Salsa but that didn't matter because s/he had spent a few hours watching salsa on youtube and was now an expert.

Maybe something to do with your keyboard software.

My cursor jumps on this notebook so I have to switch off the mousepad.

No, it usually means the forum itself has hiccuped so when you quote someone else, it's adding in a stray single [ quote ] tag in the post so it looks like you're quoting yourself.

So pleased! Great choice. Both of them have great backgrounds in dance and in their own personal training over the years. Perfect starting point for you. How exciting

I would love to take up dancing again but, sadly, tearing the ligaments in my right ankle twice in the intervening years since I stopped (ballet, tap and contemporary dance) have put paid to that. Plus the 20 years later and five-year-old child and the about six stone in weight

I think someone is missing a [ from one of the [quote] brackets.