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Ballroom and Latin American Dance Questions |
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#1501 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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Aww really appreciate that Jennifer! I am so so so enjoying my dance journey and have had many varied experiences with it from medalist comps, to performances, to showcases to partnering one of my teachers in her high level pro exams. Always looking to expand my experiences with dance so appreciating the crossed fingers on my behalf as I'd love to get that partner who will do open circuit with me!
No comps until mid Jan now sadly (or happily since I need to get my XMAS shopping under control LOL) but I'll keep the good luck with me until then. ![]() They say in dancing, that you have to improve to stand still, and it is true. I still love dancing and when I competed , I loved it, but it was vastly different from the early days when I really just could not get enough lessons and practice time in...I would have spent every minute dancing, if i could have done. Enjoy this lovely time Ellie and work hard to improve
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#1502 |
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Join Date: Dec 2013
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Apart from being placed well in all the major closed finals, here, my most favourite time for my "journey" was when i was starting out. There is no pressure as such, you learn, seek to improve then test yourself in competition. As you progress, and especially when you get to a high level, it gets far more stressful, to keep your place in the pecking order, never mind improving on it.
They say in dancing, that you have to improve to stand still, and it is true. I still love dancing and when I competed , I loved it, but it was vastly different from the early days when I really just could not get enough lessons and practice time in...I would have spent every minute dancing, if i could have done. Enjoy this lovely time Ellie and work hard to improve ![]() Many thanks. I certainly am working hard and loving every second.
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#1503 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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Great start to the show tonight, immediate thoughts for ballroom so far..
Ore and Jo Excellent choreo from Jo, really worked with the music well. There were a couple of mistakes and timing issues and I would have liked it slightly smoother. Looking for improvement...no CMB consequently left his left side too open. That aside I really liked it and liked the character that Ore bought to the dance. Louise & Kevin Absolutely loved this. Brilliant choreo but I would have liked a little more QS content. So light on her feet, Louise has marvellous timing. She looked very confident and I loved it. The only thing I did not like were the awful shoes they made her wear- made her feet look heavy.Great footwork also. Would have given her a further 1o in the marks. |
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#1504 |
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 16,124
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Great start to the show tonight, immediate thoughts for ballroom so far..
Ore and Jo Excellent choreo from Jo, really worked with the music well. There were a couple of mistakes and timing issues and I would have liked it slightly smoother. Looking for improvement...no CMB consequently left his left side too open. That aside I really liked it and liked the character that Ore bought to the dance. Louise & Kevin Absolutely loved this. Brilliant choreo but I would have liked a little more QS content. So light on her feet, Louise has marvellous timing. She looked very confident and I loved it. The only thing I did not like were the awful shoes they made her wear- made her feet look heavy.Great footwork also. Would have given her a further 1o in the marks. |
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#1505 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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Last of all,
Danny & Oti The performance was great but sadly the technique of the Tango let Danny down. I like the enthusiasm he brings to the dances, but needs to pay attention to the technical aspect. Footwork was poor missed several heels, coming forward on toes. Legwork was not good, his left leg splayed open where it should feel as though it "straddles" Otis right. Too much rising, too much movement across the floor but not coming from the standing leg, no compression. Little too frantic for my tastes, looked like a Latin version of a Tango. As a spectacle I enjoyed it but not as a Tango. I like Danny but feel this was overmarked. I felt that both Louise and Ore were both better, looking at the dancing on offer. |
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#1506 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 15,196
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Last of all,
Danny & Oti The performance was great but sadly the technique of the Tango let Danny down. I like the enthusiasm he brings to the dances, but needs to pay attention to the technical aspect. Footwork was poor missed several heels, coming forward on toes. Legwork was not good, his left leg splayed open where it should feel as though it "straddles" Otis right. Too much rising, too much movement across the floor but not coming from the standing leg, no compression. Little too frantic for my tastes, looked like a Latin version of a Tango. As a spectacle I enjoyed it but not as a Tango. I like Danny but feel this was overmarked. I felt that both Louise and Ore were both better, looking at the dancing on offer. |
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#1507 |
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,021
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Quote:
Great start to the show tonight, immediate thoughts for ballroom so far..
Ore and Jo Excellent choreo from Jo, really worked with the music well. There were a couple of mistakes and timing issues and I would have liked it slightly smoother. Looking for improvement...no CMB consequently left his left side too open. That aside I really liked it and liked the character that Ore bought to the dance. Louise & Kevin Absolutely loved this. Brilliant choreo but I would have liked a little more QS content. So light on her feet, Louise has marvellous timing. She looked very confident and I loved it. The only thing I did not like were the awful shoes they made her wear- made her feet look heavy.Great footwork also. Would have given her a further 1o in the marks. |
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#1508 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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Great summary and agreed with it all - thought 'Claudia and Danny overmarked - ideas in that tango reminded me of Kevs blackpoolquickstep were the guys danced in a row with him
The Tango was as far from being a tango as you can get. I thought they were breaking out into a QS in the middle of it ![]() This was way too frantic for me, I probably could have put together something better myself. |
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#1509 |
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
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I agree with your comments Jennifer. I found Ore's movement nice and soft. Louise was good. Felt she needed to stretch a bit leftwards when in hold though and the QS content was overshadowed by the non QS choreo. Danny's tango didn't impress me at all. Music and Oti's choreo (which is usually good) did not help. A frantic Tango is just a contradiction in terms but that's what it was. He needed the choreo to be simplified to slow things down a bit for him so that he could properly learn and demo the tango technique.
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#1510 |
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: somewhere in the ether........
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Just popped in here to say thank you for all your comments on the technical aspects of the dances we see. Danced in my youth but not Latin or Ballroom so I can see where people are in time or in sync etc but sometimes I'm not sure why what I have seen either didn't look right or 'felt' better than another couple. It's always lovely to read what you all thought. Like tonight, I knew I didn't enjoy Danny as much as Louise. Hubby said it was probably the music Danny danced to but I knew it wasn't that (although that didn't help!). Really helpful to read you mentioning lack of heel leads etc which I think will change how he then moves on from that step (where the heel was missed) and possibly affect his posture and how he is holding/leading Oti as a result? I suppose that the lack of heel leads is what made me think the dance didn't feel right without me realising it was that specifically that was wrong?
As I say, many thanks, I do love reading your insights. |
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#1511 |
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 15,196
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I agree with your comments Jennifer. I found Ore's movement nice and soft. Louise was good. Felt she needed to stretch a bit leftwards when in hold though and the QS content was overshadowed by the non QS choreo. Danny's tango didn't impress me at all. Music and Oti's choreo (which is usually good) did not help. A frantic Tango is just a contradiction in terms but that's what it was. He needed the choreo to be simplified to slow things down a bit for him so that he could properly learn and demo the tango technique.
I wonder if Oti running out of ideas for choreo?? that bit in the line was so like the bit in last years QS at blackpool where the boys danced in a line very similar Although I enjoyed last weeks samba although that style of samba original to SCD parts of it def taken from the latest production of Magalenha on BTF |
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#1512 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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For anyone that may be interested, I was always taught that feel of the Tango is "crablike", particularly in PP. Hence moving forward on inside and outside edges of feet, I always feel as though I am dancing "across" myself.
Tango should not be a progressive dance, you should not take large steps, the movement is generated all from the standing leg, the body then moves and foot catches up and takes the step. The whole look of the couple should be compact, whereas Danny was far too open. Difficult dance, not his best, but he should survive with the level of support he has. |
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#1513 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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I agree with your comments Jennifer. I found Ore's movement nice and soft. Louise was good. Felt she needed to stretch a bit leftwards when in hold though and the QS content was overshadowed by the non QS choreo. Danny's tango didn't impress me at all. Music and Oti's choreo (which is usually good) did not help. A frantic Tango is just a contradiction in terms but that's what it was. He needed the choreo to be simplified to slow things down a bit for him so that he could properly learn and demo the tango technique.
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#1514 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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Really agree about the shoes. She was wild west enough with the outfit - normal ballroom shoes would have been fine.
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#1515 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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I wonder if Oti running out of ideas for choreo?? that bit in the line was so like the bit in last years QS at blackpool where the boys danced in a line very similar
Although I enjoyed last weeks samba although that style of samba original to SCD parts of it def taken from the latest production of Magalenha on BTF |
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#1516 |
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
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I wonder if Oti running out of ideas for choreo?? that bit in the line was so like the bit in last years QS at blackpool where the boys danced in a line very similar
Although I enjoyed last weeks samba although that style of samba original to SCD parts of it def taken from the latest production of Magalenha on BTF Re: Jennifer's description of crablike movement. That sounds like s good way of describing it. If you don't get it right then it becomes difficult to show the disassociation between the upper body and hips, legs and feet in respect of amount of turn. |
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#1517 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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Just popped in here to say thank you for all your comments on the technical aspects of the dances we see. Danced in my youth but not Latin or Ballroom so I can see where people are in time or in sync etc but sometimes I'm not sure why what I have seen either didn't look right or 'felt' better than another couple. It's always lovely to read what you all thought. Like tonight, I knew I didn't enjoy Danny as much as Louise. Hubby said it was probably the music Danny danced to but I knew it wasn't that (although that didn't help!). Really helpful to read you mentioning lack of heel leads etc which I think will change how he then moves on from that step (where the heel was missed) and possibly affect his posture and how he is holding/leading Oti as a result? I suppose that the lack of heel leads is what made me think the dance didn't feel right without me realising it was that specifically that was wrong?
As I say, many thanks, I do love reading your insights. Danny's stance and posture for the Tango was all wrong. The hold was not good either. It really is a difficult dance and totally unlike the other ballroom dances, in terms of not only the hold, which is more compact, but you are dancing with knees flexed all the time. There should always be compression in the legs, rotation on standing leg prior to any turn, the left side was far too open, with legs splayed If it me - despite the music - I would have danced something, simpler but peppered with plenty of slows to show light and shade that was missing. Everything was one paced, having said that, you cannot fault his commitment and enthusiasm |
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#1518 |
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Join Date: Sep 2016
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Posts: 40
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Please pop in as often as you wish, glad you enjoy reading our unbiased thoughts.
Danny's stance and posture for the Tango was all wrong. The hold was not good either. It really is a difficult dance and totally unlike the other ballroom dances, in terms of not only the hold, which is more compact, but you are dancing with knees flexed all the time. There should always be compression in the legs, rotation on standing leg prior to any turn, the left side was far too open, with legs splayed If it me - despite the music - I would have danced something, simpler but peppered with plenty of slows to show light and shade that was missing. Everything was one paced, having said that, you cannot fault his commitment and enthusiasm Agreed, you can't fault his commitment, he does always perform well even if technically not always on the button. Sometimes simple is the way to go, 'simple' executed well often has more impact than complex executed poorly - well for me anyway! |
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#1519 |
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Join Date: Sep 2016
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Danced in my first competition today! Amazingly got to the semi final of the beginners Jive!
But oh my it's not just strictly, so many 10 dance Latin & ballroom people really don't get salsa! I'm determined to enlist a salsa partner for my next comp now . . . |
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#1520 |
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 12,792
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I wonder if Oti running out of ideas for choreo?? that bit in the line was so like the bit in last years QS at blackpool where the boys danced in a line very similar
Although I enjoyed last weeks samba although that style of samba original to SCD parts of it def taken from the latest production of Magalenha on BTF I agree Danny didn't dance it well (though I suspect a fair bit of the technique probably was taught but sacrificed on the night due to the speed of the music, nerves etc), but I'm not sure how a routine with a lot of slows would have worked with that music at all, bearing in mind the key factor for the pros is producing routines that come across well on TV given the majority of the viewers know nothing about dance technique. The music lends itself to keeping momentum going the whole time and powering on. I've only ever seen it used as a Cha Cha before, so it just strikes me as completely wrong for a Tango. |
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#1521 |
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,283
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Please pop in as often as you wish, glad you enjoy reading our unbiased thoughts.
Danny's stance and posture for the Tango was all wrong. The hold was not good either. It really is a difficult dance and totally unlike the other ballroom dances, in terms of not only the hold, which is more compact, but you are dancing with knees flexed all the time. There should always be compression in the legs, rotation on standing leg prior to any turn, the left side was far too open, with legs splayed If it me - despite the music - I would have danced something, simpler but peppered with plenty of slows to show light and shade that was missing. Everything was one paced, having said that, you cannot fault his commitment and enthusiasm Let's hope next week is better for everyone. |
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#1522 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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I don't think she's running out of ideas, I think she just got shafted with the music this week - I can't see how a Tango could be fitted to that music at all!
I agree Danny didn't dance it well (though I suspect a fair bit of the technique probably was taught but sacrificed on the night due to the speed of the music, nerves etc), but I'm not so ure how a routine with a lot of slows would have worked with that music at all, bearing in mind the key factor for the pros is producing routines that come across well on TV given the majority of the viewers know nothing about dance technique. The music lends itself to keeping momentum going the whole time and powering on. I've only ever seen it used as a Cha Cha before, so it just strikes me as completely wrong for a Tango. There was no staccato or rubato timing,just one pace.The number of times couples come out of PP on beat one, when it's best on beat two. I fully agree that the music was not suitable but if there had have been less emphasis on dancing on quicks, and more emphasis on a little light and shade and more technique, it would have resembled a proper Tango.This is one of the areas where Kevin comes into own, that is, putting together interesting and authentic choreography to a dodgy piece of music. Danny is not very good at ballroom, lacking a great deal technically, but I suspect he will be back to Latin next week for the semi. |
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#1523 |
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As the music was so very fast, I thought Oti might try to "Matrix" some of it (ie go half speed for a few steps then speed up), but they went full pelt all the way. I'm sure she was very unhappy with the unsuitable music they were landed with this week.
Let's hope next week is better for everyone.
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#1524 |
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Join Date: Nov 2013
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Danced in my first competition today! Amazingly got to the semi final of the beginners Jive!
But oh my it's not just strictly, so many 10 dance Latin & ballroom people really don't get salsa! I'm determined to enlist a salsa partner for my next comp now . . . What comp was this, run on a Saturday? Is it a uni comp as not known Salsa danced at our comps? |
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#1525 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 187
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I wonder if Oti running out of ideas for choreo?? that bit in the line was so like the bit in last years QS at blackpool where the boys danced in a line very similar
Although I enjoyed last weeks samba although that style of samba original to SCD parts of it def taken from the latest production of Magalenha on BTF |
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