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Fab post, gritty

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wow, what a fab story, gritty

My partner and I have been talking about learning to dance in the new year.
I'm lucky in that he's keen (in fact he suggested it!), but he's a foot taller than me - would that have an effect on the type of dance we could learn?
His favourite would definitely be tango. But would we just look ridiculous doing the tango with the height difference?
would be mega-grateful for any tips!

Sugarchops

You don't need to worry about the height difference. If you eventually get interested enough and decide to compete it may make a difference, until then enjoy it.

Strange thing is that more and more blokes (real men) are realising what we dancing men have known for years.

Men who dance get to dance near women. The concept that real men didn't dance except to stagger around the floor to the last dance was given a hammering when Darren Gough won strictly. Now Matt D and Gethin have done so well even young men are getting interested.

Don't pressurize him in the early stages, it is more difficult for men to learn as they have more things to do. Steps, music, navigate and drive partner. Let him find his way and you will both enjoy the results.

thank you stbddj

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Last edited by STBDDJ : 21-12-2007 at 10:49

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Last edited by STBDDJ : 21-12-2007 at 10:49

There's definitely a lot of men getting interested, my ballroom class actually has more men than women at the moment, which according to my teacher has never happened in all his years of teaching.

I started dancing while watching Strictly last year, with a class which focuses slightly more on latin than ballroom, but recently have started a ballroom class too and private lessons. I absolutely adore it and nothing gives me more pleasure. It's great exercise, I have made lots of new friends and it's a great way to unwind after a stressful day at work. Anyone who's thinking about it - go for it.

Emily, your teacher is not the only one who is enjoying a surplus of men, all schools that I have spoken have noticed an increase of men joining and as your school a number have a surplus. The message is getting out amongst men that they won't be the only males there. SCD has a lot to answer for, and its all GOOD.

There are more men than women at the Salsa class I go to = Lots of Social Dancing

Hmmm.... I got taught that: Foxtrot < Jive < Quickstep, in terms of speed - all can have the swing beat, or a straight beat. Some songs have been adapted for 2/3 of the dances, e.g. Part-Time Lover and I Got Rhythm.

So the 'Judges' Choice will either end up being too quick for Jive or (more likely), too slow for Quickstep.

I had a go at trying to pick quickstep out of I love to boogie last night at the school and it can be done but is a tad too slow and not quite right whereas it is a great jive

Do any of the teachers here teach children ballroom and latin? I teach a summer program where young kids learn drama technique from one teacher and dance from me, and we put it all together in a short play with dance rountines.

I would love to add some basic steps to our routines for this coming year. Do you have any tips about what are the easiest steps for the kids to pick up or what has worked best for the kids you have taught? These kids have had ballet, jazz, and musical theatre training, so they're pretty good.

We do somthing similar in the summer too, kids take to ballroom and latin quite easily - we had our 3 year olds dancing waltz in this years christmas show - have always found waltz, cha cha and jive easiest to start them off with will have a look round and see if any kids vids around

That would be fantastic. Any advice you have is much appreciated.

Before the crowds quickly disperse, would the minority of dance teachers, competition dancers, or even celebs like to sum up their SCD5 experience, their highlights and hopes for the future?

It was good to have your postings, and good that so many newcomers to dance are getting interested. Perhaps someone might might like to sketch out the structure of UK bronze, silver, gold exam medals, then the competitions circuit?

Keep Dancing!

Love this thread. Would be good if it didn't get too lost in the forum.

I'm competing at a low level in Ballroom and Latin on the uni circuit atm, but hoping to graduate next year, and then do medals! When there's time, I also go to Salsa classes, but my degree sometimes gets in the way of dancing!

Apparently the open circuit is really difficult, even at Beginner level, so maybe we'll try competing on the Medallist circuit - if that is easier!

I thought SCD5 was sort of marred by over-marking everyone - those 1-5 paddles should be used more often!
However, a highlight for me was John's Salsa - it was great to see proper earthy club Salsa on SCD (to a Tito Puente track!) rather than endless wiggling and shimmying.
The Salsa songs in this series have all been Latin, which is good - apart from the Michael Jackson track.

Hopefully next series, they will have more Latin songs for the dancesport dances (Cha-Cha, Rumba, Samba), at standard tempo. My personal wish is a Cha-Cha or Rumba song in Spanish (not tried once in all five series ).

What did all of you dance teachers think of the final yesterday - in particular, the showdance?

Is there an upper age limit to these things, teachers? I'd like to learn Argentine Tango and lose some weight but am in my mid 40s.

mid 40's is young and no there is no upper age limit my parents (ex champion dancers and teachers) still dance they are in their 80's!!.

Of the final loved the excitement of it and that is thanks to both couples who really went for it. The showdance loved both of them this year - but in saying that I did prefer Matt and Alesha's routine. For me it had more out and out dancing in it with the lifts danced in,I loved the touches Matt put in like lifting her skirt torising of the sun twirling her in low lift to the words sweeping off my feet and how all the highlights were matched in the music. Whilst I don't dispute that Matt and Flavia's routine was really good there was for me too much of it were Matt was still and not dancing

I have a question. How hard is it to start dancing with no dance experience before?

It isnt hard at all choose a beginners class and go from there

Any experienced dancer will confirm that in all the series of S.C.D. much of the music has been unsuitable and at the wrong tempo for the dance in question. As far as I know, the judges have rarely picked up on this. Suffice it to say that if some of this music were to be played at public dance venues then the person or band responsible would soon be put firmly in the picture.
For example, last Friday at the Christmas Ball at the King's Hall, Stoke, there was a wonderful evening of dancing to both recorded music and to the live Empress Dance Orchestra (the U.K.'s best Ballroom Dance Band). There was also an exhibition of world-class ballroom dancing by Warren & Kristi Boyce. And throughout the evening, virtually all of the music was traditional ballroom and latin music played at the correct tempo. Had the producers of S.C.D. been present they would have surely learnt something about the importance of the right music in the real practical world of ballroom and latin dancing.
We all know they often pander to the young by shoe-horning pop songs into totally unsuitable dances but newcomers to dancing will discover that this is not the norm when they attend the vast majority of dance-halls which promote ballroom and latin dances.
So yes, for the next series, it would be nice to have some genuine sensuous latin music for the latin dances - so much more enjoyable to dance to, to listen to, and to watch! And dances such as the Paso Doble and the Tango simply lose their essential character when danced at the wrong tempo to unsuitable music. There's no doubt that S.C.D. has done great things for the dancing world but if the producers would get an experienced dancer as a musical advisor then the next series could be better still.

Dancin' Doc

Hi
Took up dancing this year, have taken my Bronze Medal in ballroom and lost well over 2 stone.

Go for it, its such fun.

thank you bendy and gritty!