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Ballroom and Latin American Dance Questions |
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#51 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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Hi fawkes. LOD = Line of dance. In ballroom if one of the couple is facing LOD they are dancing with feet pointing in a direction that is parallel to the wall and in an anticlockwise direction. Their partner will be backing LOD. Some steps may go DC (Diagonally to Centre) or DW (Diagonally to Wall), but as a general rule you should never travel against LOD (i.e. never travel clockwise) as it is not good etiquette.
Note that direction of body and direction of feet do not necessarily match, but steps in technique book are described in terms of feet direction. Peter_s you are around the same level as me exam wise. |
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#52 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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Could we please have a primer on these ballroom medals - star, bar, medal, gold, silver ...
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#53 |
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Thanks Spin turn - think I get that... Learned one thing today! Doesn't it make you rather dizzy though, always travelling anti-clockwise?
And Henry, thanks for those videos you posted on the thread about camera work, they are gorgeous. |
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#54 |
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Quote:
Hi fawkes. LOD = Line of dance. In ballroom if one of the couple is facing LOD they are dancing with feet pointing in a direction that is parallel to the wall and in an anticlockwise direction. Their partner will be backing LOD. Some steps may go DC (Diagonally to Centre) or DW (Diagonally to Wall), but as a general rule you should never travel against LOD (i.e. never travel clockwise) as it is not good etiquette.
Note that direction of body and direction of feet do not necessarily match, but steps in technique book are described in terms of feet direction. Peter_s you are around the same level as me exam wise. |
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#55 |
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Quote:
Thanks Spin turn - think I get that... Learned one thing today! Doesn't it make you rather dizzy though, always travelling anti-clockwise?
And Henry, thanks for those videos you posted on the thread about camera work, they are gorgeous. On giddiness, the rooms are reasonably large not to get giddy - not quite as large as The Olympic stadium but large enough not to get giddy. Giros in AT can make you giddy. http://youtu.be/qUfzbHbOjrU?t=35s http://youtu.be/cvMevoEdCsY?t=11s |
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#56 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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Fawkes, as Henry says the rooms are too large to get giddy and direction of travel is not the same as direction of rotation. In viennese waltz you see couples rotate in both directions so that they don't get giddy.
Henry, there are different examination boards and I only know ISTD. Medals are aimed more at dancers who dance for a hobby, rather than a career. There are other exams for professionals. But ISTD levels are: Social Dance Test Pre Bronze Bronze Silver Gold Gold Star 1 and 2 Awards (such as Josephine Bradley) You do more dances as you go up the levels and you have to include steps appropriate for the level. I've just completed Gold Star 1 Ballroom where I had to do 5 dances, but apart from the normal waltz, foxtrot, tango, quickstep this bizarrely includes social foxtrot. Gold star 1 latin which I hope to do at the end of the year is as expected (rumba, cha cha, jive, samba and paso). |
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#57 |
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Yes please! Great idea
Am always sad we don't learn more about this in the show, and it really bugs me that we see so little of the actual training ![]() I love dancing (previously ballet and modern, currently swing dancing) but have never learned ballroom/Latin. One day, when I find the time/money...! Jennifer_F (I think it was in your post), what is LOD please? |
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#58 |
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Hello Everybody - As other posters have mentioned, this is an interesting thread.
I'm not a teacher, but can dance (Gold Star Ballroom, Gold Bar Latin) but am not dancing at the moment. I don't contribute often to the Strictly forum (i lurk a lot ) but will keep popping into the thread to have a look. ![]() |
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#59 |
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Could we please have a primer on these ballroom medals - star, bar, medal, gold, silver ...
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#60 |
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Join Date: May 2008
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Quote:
Hi fawkes. LOD = Line of dance. In ballroom if one of the couple is facing LOD they are dancing with feet pointing in a direction that is parallel to the wall and in an anticlockwise direction. Their partner will be backing LOD. Some steps may go DC (Diagonally to Centre) or DW (Diagonally to Wall), but as a general rule you should never travel against LOD (i.e. never travel clockwise) as it is not good etiquette.
Note that direction of body and direction of feet do not necessarily match, but steps in technique book are described in terms of feet direction. Peter_s you are around the same level as me exam wise. I competed ballroom and Latin a little on the uni circuit and the first time my partner and I (as beginners in an intermediate round) ever danced samba in competition we entirely forgot samba was rotational and set off in completely the wrong direction. Only noticed when we started doing promenade runs and realised everyone else was coming at top speed towards us. Seriously, do not ever travel the wrong way around the floor. You're in the way for everyone else and it's completely terrifying for you! (Amusingly we actually got enough judges marking us through that round to proceed to the next, just as a thought for when we wonder what the Strictly judges will and won't overlook - real life judges either didn't spot us going the wrong way at the beginning of the round or were willing to overlook it in round 1.)Commenting largely to mark the thread so I can read it later I'm no teacher but I've done various types of dance over the years (ballroom, Latin, ballet, modern, tap and salsa mainly) and generally love it.ETA: If anyone knows where I can find a picture of the actual medals/ badges/ statuettes you get from the various ballroom and Latin exams I'd be grateful. It's a long shot, I know, but it seemed worth asking on here just in case! My mum did ballroom and Latin and I have all her ISTD medals/ badges/ 1 mini statuette thing but because I don't have the certificates, I don't know what each one is actually for - they're not very well labelled. |
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#61 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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BIB: Poor etiquette and also somewhat terrifying.
I competed ballroom and Latin a little on the uni circuit and the first time my partner and I (as beginners in an intermediate round) ever danced samba in competition we entirely forgot samba was rotational and set off in completely the wrong direction. Only noticed when we started doing promenade runs and realised everyone else was coming at top speed towards us. Seriously, do not ever travel the wrong way around the floor. You're in the way for everyone else and it's completely terrifying for you! (Amusingly we actually got enough judges marking us through that round to proceed to the next, just as a thought for when we wonder what the Strictly judges will and won't overlook - real life judges either didn't spot us going the wrong way at the beginning of the round or were willing to overlook it in round 1.)Commenting largely to mark the thread so I can read it later I'm no teacher but I've done various types of dance over the years (ballroom, Latin, ballet, modern, tap and salsa mainly) and generally love it. |
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#62 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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Hi franglemand, promenade runs would be the worst
so fast! Mind you, recent fashion seems to be not to travel in samba much, although noticed at Internationals Michael Malitowski and Joanna Leunis stood out because they DID travel ( lovely cruzado walks).Anyway, would be happy to email you photos of my medals, but ISTD have recently redesigned them and so may not help. As a general rule nowadays the full medals are statuettes in the colour of the level and mine do have the level written on them with either a latin or ballroom dancing pair. Only the gold star has my name on it. The single dance medals are not statuettes but round medals but again labelled. Medallist comp awards are less easy to identify. Mine have no label on them and you wouldn't be able to tell where I was placed. |
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#63 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,589
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Quote:
BIB: Poor etiquette and also somewhat terrifying.
I competed ballroom and Latin a little on the uni circuit and the first time my partner and I (as beginners in an intermediate round) ever danced samba in competition we entirely forgot samba was rotational and set off in completely the wrong direction. Only noticed when we started doing promenade runs and realised everyone else was coming at top speed towards us. Seriously, do not ever travel the wrong way around the floor. You're in the way for everyone else and it's completely terrifying for you! (Amusingly we actually got enough judges marking us through that round to proceed to the next, just as a thought for when we wonder what the Strictly judges will and won't overlook - real life judges either didn't spot us going the wrong way at the beginning of the round or were willing to overlook it in round 1.)Commenting largely to mark the thread so I can read it later I'm no teacher but I've done various types of dance over the years (ballroom, Latin, ballet, modern, tap and salsa mainly) and generally love it.ETA: If anyone knows where I can find a picture of the actual medals/ badges/ statuettes you get from the various ballroom and Latin exams I'd be grateful. It's a long shot, I know, but it seemed worth asking on here just in case! My mum did ballroom and Latin and I have all her ISTD medals/ badges/ 1 mini statuette thing but because I don't have the certificates, I don't know what each one is actually for - they're not very well labelled. |
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#64 |
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Join Date: Nov 2011
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Thanks for this post, it made me smile. Re the Strictly judges, from what I see, they overlook quite a few things. Dances that should be in hold, are not always. Lifts that should not be allowed. Couples often travel across the centre of the floor but I suspect as its a show for TV, normal comp rules/etiquette go out the window.
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#65 |
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Join Date: Aug 2012
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I am totally up for this thread. Thanks for starting it Jen.
I had to go out earlier so I apologise if I am asking the same thing you were discussing on page 1. (In my defence I was out at a dance class) I am interested in these turns in this clip of Artem on DWTS. I asked when it appeared on another thread but the thread died out. Its the series of turns that start at 49 seconds that caught my eye. What are these called please? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-4QmiMlcOI |
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#66 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
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Quote:
Hi fawkes. LOD = Line of dance. In ballroom if one of the couple is facing LOD they are dancing with feet pointing in a direction that is parallel to the wall and in an anticlockwise direction. Their partner will be backing LOD. Some steps may go DC (Diagonally to Centre) or DW (Diagonally to Wall), but as a general rule you should never travel against LOD (i.e. never travel clockwise) as it is not good etiquette.
Note that direction of body and direction of feet do not necessarily match, but steps in technique book are described in terms of feet direction. Peter_s you are around the same level as me exam wise. This is my current favourite song to dance to (milonga-style tango) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wRbRGbLOnU |
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#67 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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In Strictly it also helps that you only have one couple on the floor at the time so there is nobody else to collide with.
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#68 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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I am totally up for this thread. Thanks for starting it Jen.
I had to go out earlier so I apologise if I am asking the same thing you were discussing on page 1. (In my defence I was out at a dance class) I am interested in these turns in this clip of Artem on DWTS. I asked when it appeared on another thread but the thread died out. Its the series of turns that start at 49 seconds that caught my eye. What are these called please? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-4QmiMlcOI Hi there - yes these are pivots too, the same that a few of us were discussing earlier. Danced badly by Artem I'm sorry to say, but look effective for the majority of viewers. |
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#69 |
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[quote=An Thropologist;75235844]
![]() ![]() I thought it was nose over toes. QUOTE] I knew of this phrase but for me it may encourage men to pitch their weight forward in the wrong way, which we don't want as they will not be in balance. But the BOTB phrase was told to my partner many years ago and I never forgot it - will encourage the weight to come forward over the centre of the foot, in the correct way. Flexing through the knees and bringing the hips forward ( with lovely straight back of course). Keeping those knees soft, you're ready to take hold, and totally in balance ready to move powerfully from standing leg. |
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#70 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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Quote:
Hi fawkes. LOD = Line of dance. In ballroom if one of the couple is facing LOD they are dancing with feet pointing in a direction that is parallel to the wall and in an anticlockwise direction. Their partner will be backing LOD. Some steps may go DC (Diagonally to Centre) or DW (Diagonally to Wall), but as a general rule you should never travel against LOD (i.e. never travel clockwise) as it is not good etiquette.
Note that direction of body and direction of feet do not necessarily match, but steps in technique book are described in terms of feet direction. Peter_s you are around the same level as me exam wise. |
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#71 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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Yes, remember being told off for starting a routine too far up the short side and crossing centre!
I was thinking about the pivots. I think that the repeated pivots that they do on Strictly, whilst not easy, are possibly simpler to do than pivots in other contexts (and probably more showy). I haven't done them, but they are in closed hold with just a repetition of stepping forward to pivot and then backwards. There is the complication of dizziness I suppose. But although there is some ibody alignment to worry about, it is easy to explain. Whereas if someone does a slip pivot from fallaway reverse, then they have to go from fallway position and also pivot both as they step backwards and forwards again. I think this is more difficult. Another step I am currently doing starts as if I am going to do a wing but has a swivel ( rather than a pivot) from the promenade position into a pivot which is really a tumble turn. I think these are more difficult for body alignment. So my conclusion is that on Strictly they have, not surprisingly, selected one of the most flashy steps but not necessarily one of the most difficult to do. |
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#72 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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Yes, remember being told off for starting a routine too far up the short side and crossing centre!
I was thinking about the pivots. I think that the repeated pivots that they do on Strictly, whilst not easy, are possibly simpler to do than pivots in other contexts (and probably more showy). I haven't done them, but they are in closed hold with just a repetition of stepping forward to pivot and then backwards. There is the complication of dizziness I suppose. But although there is some ibody alignment to worry about, it is easy to explain. Whereas if someone does a slip pivot from fallaway reverse, then they have to go from fallway position and also pivot both as they step backwards and forwards again. I think this is more difficult. Another step I am currently doing starts as if I am going to do a wing but has a swivel ( rather than a pivot) from the promenade position into a pivot which is really a tumble turn. I think these are more difficult for body alignment. So my conclusion is that on Strictly they have, not surprisingly, selected one of the most flashy steps but not necessarily one of the most difficult to do. I feel that correct technique applied to any pivots, no dizziness will occur. Same with VW - so many on SCD talk about dizziness ....thats because they are not danced correctly. All linear swing here, down the room, just turning to the diagonal to lock, in naturals. Reverse fallaway into slip pivot, can be hard to learn, and for me its all about the timing, not just the timing itself, but timing between you and partner.This is how I was taught. On 3rd step of fallaway ( on right foot) just think of (quickly) closing to partner on the slip, then you will be in closed position to slide your left foot forward to pivot. If you keep your head in closed position through the fallaway, you only then need to close the body and then you are in a beautiful closed position to pivot. |
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#73 |
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Yes, I get asked to put my head in promenade position in the fallaway, and that does cause me a problem
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#74 |
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Yes, I get asked to put my head in promenade position in the fallaway, and that does cause me a problem
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#75 |
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Yes, I get asked to put my head in promenade position in the fallaway, and that does cause me a problem
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Am always sad we don't learn more about this in the show, and it really bugs me that we see so little of the actual training 
) but will keep popping into the thread to have a look.
so fast! Mind you, recent fashion seems to be not to travel in samba much, although noticed at Internationals Michael Malitowski and Joanna Leunis stood out because they DID travel ( lovely cruzado walks).