An area for all dance teachers to be able to discuss technical issues and for them to answer any questions from dancers, new or otherwise.

hiya,

Cosy in here isn't it!

What exactly did Brendan mean by "use your standing leg to move your non-standing leg"?

Also, one thing that interests me is matching dances to music. This morning as I was walking to work, "Bye Bye Love" by the Everly Brothers came up on my MP3 player. I thought it would make a good Quickstep. Right or not?

Used by Mark and Karen last year.

Arlene didn't like the choice as it had the words "Bye Bye" in the title.

I thought it was familiar!

Tried to give an explanation on another thread some time ago. Here's my short explanation (not including Newton's theories)

Stand on one leg and slowly hop so you are standing on the other leg - repeat.

Analysis what you are doing and think about how its different from just walking. You are using your standing leg, bending your knee and ankle to get the power to hop and transfer your weight to the other leg.

That's the action needed to use your standing leg to move your non-standing leg. Its really hard, Alesha finds it difficult in latin dances because its very different from the action she would use when she dances to Misteeq style music.

Clonion

Think about walking up steep hill, you have to push from the leg that you are standing on. That is what Brendan was trying to get across, if you dance that way, using the standing leg or supporting leg you get much more control.

Does that help??

Stb

pm on its way

Thank goodness I'm in the office on my own! Was able to practise with no one looking! 'My' dance is AT which has particular rules about the transfer of weight from one leg to another, so I think I get it now - thanks gritty and STBDDJ!

I would like to know what dance teachers think of Alesha's footwork - I can see the bendy leg thing but can't work out why her footwork is described as 'laboured'

"Footwork" is a word that flumoxed me for a long time before I started dancing myself. I used to take it to mean the pattern of steps that took you around the floor, but it actually literally does mean the way that the foot is placed onto the floor - whether that is just the ball of the foot, or the ball then sinking down to the flat of the floot, or the heel first ... etc.

Particularly in the Latin, Alesha does not press her feet into the floor. Alot of Latin steps require you to place the ball of your foot down first and then press the rest of your foot down into the floor in a seamless motion - it is this pushing down into the floor through the feet and the resulting straightening of the knees that actually gives the Latin dances (particularly the Rumba and the Cha Cha) their characteristic hip movement. So whilst Alesha can shake her hips with the best of them, the foundation isn't quite there ....

Does that make any sense?

yes it does, thankyou

I actually thought she did that in the rumba and cha cha though funnily enough - I can see she didn't in the samba or salsa (even though I LOVED the salsa)

but Craig said similar about the QS and I couldn't see why, thought it was fantastic!!

Same word, used differently. I think in the quickstep he did think the movement of the foot wasn't quite quick enough, so by the time her foot was correctly placed ready to take off on the next step, it was a half-of-a-nano-second slow, making it seem laboured to someone looking for a reason to give a 9 instead of 10. (I think I remember him saying something similar about Denise Lewis, oh so long ago).

Just came back from a dance lesson where we talked about the samba action and the 'standing leg' debate, apparently I'm one of the lucky ones who find it fairly natural.

I think I understand the whole concept now, particularly how you must use this action to move the other leg. (sometimes this dance malarky is just like a jigsaw puzzle and doesn't make any sense until the last piece is put in place).

Sometimes she does it pefectly, but then her technique can slip and she doesn't use her feet properly and the problem is it is noticable when this happens. Her footwork isn't always bad, but it's definitely her weakness as she obviously finds the technique unnatural and it has slipped up quite a few times.

It could be something to do with the problem she has in her right foot. (She had an operation 2 years ago and apparently it is often very painful now, which is why she wears trainers in training sometimes.) however I think it's more likely she just finds it completely different to what she's used to.

Personally, I don't think there was much wrong with her QS for an amateur - I think she had quite good foot and ankle action and it was very light and quick.

I think the judges use minor things with Alesha to pick fault yes she had some foot faults in her tango and the salsa but the others have not been that bad and there was certainly little wrong with the QS this week I notice Craig didn't mention the lack of rise and fall from the feet of Matt (what rise and fall there was came from his knees) for which he gave a 10

Hello all, I'm Tappers, a pro dancer (when I can get the work) and teacher. Just introducing myself to the group before I have to head off to the local theatre at half past.

oh you guys are fantastic

who do you think is the best male and female pro? (purely on dance terms)

for me Matt Cutler for the boys by a country mile

Girls much more difficult they are all great but Karen and Nicole on a par for me that is based on dance performances over the years but Lilia is a great teacher on SCD

I am a total newbie but I wanted to ask what is the best first dance to learn and what type (ballroom vs. latin). I am looking into taking some classes in the new year, however, there are so many to choose from, I don't know where to start.

I should note that I am tall(ish) so my original thought was to stay away from the jive and AT (at least in the beginning which saddens me). Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Thank you so much everybody for this thread. It's exactly what I was wishing would happen. To have people who know about dance explain the nitty-gritty details to people like me who love to watch dancing but know nothing about it. I'm looking forward to hearing your views on just about everything really. I've already learnt a lot just by the first few posts

Depends on the class you attend I suppose Sonic. If it is a Beginners Ballroom and Latin class then we start people with a Waltz def the easiest ballroom dance and for Latin we start with a Cha Cha. AT is taught in a separate beginners class of course I am only quoting from what we teach at my school. We also have latin only classes and ballroom only classes but we normally start with the same dances in these classes too

If it were up to you, what would you choose to dance to "We like to boogie"?

The highlight of that waltz appeared to be that pretty and prolonged spin which charmed Craig. I did not like the linking steps between the two segments. The intro used up quite a bit of time. The 3 waltzes by Alesha, Gethin, Matt (scoring 38, 39, 40) really could do with a review at one setting, as all 3 intended to dance the waltz as ballroom centrepiece if they got to the Final. Can anyone make a YouTube compilation of these 3 dances?

It would be the nearest thing to comparison on a level playing field. The AT was danced 3 times on one night, but the AT was new to everybody.

I agree with Bendy's suggestions - for Ballroom the Waltz tends to be the easiest to start with, and for Latin the Cha Cha Cha. Personally I would suggest that you dip your toe into both Ballroom and Latin at the same time to begin with (if you are interested in doing both) - it is easier to build up a broad base to begin with, before deciding to specialise in one discipline or the other.

And from my own experience as a 6ft tall lady, the Jive does not have to be messy when you are tall. It is all down to being able to control your legs well, particularly from the knee downwards. It is something that has taken me a while to get the hang of, but believe me, once it does click into place then it is perfectly possible for a tall person to do a controlled Jive. So there is hope! (I haven't yet tried the AT myself, but I would think the same should apply ... )

Listening to it now - it would be the Jive every time for me to this!