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[luckykaa]

Wow. Lots of Ceroc newcomers this week. Really quite crowded. I'm actually getting to be semi-capable at this, and have most of the beginners' moves down. I'm now competent enough to guide some of the beginners through the moves. I know we've all been there, but it's sort of silly when they try to make life difficult for themselves by spinning the wrong way in a catapult. Maybe it's just me not being a strong enough lead.

Question for the other CLeroc peeps - what is the ettiquette when dancing with a first timer in freestyle? Should I try a few moves they don't know, or stick to the few they do? How hard should I make it? Beginners do need to learn not to anticipate (I'm in charge. Me ME ME!), but I don't want to make it too hard for them.

Comments

[invisigoth51.livejournal.com]

This really depends.... firstly the whole point of freestyle for begginers is so they learn new moves off others... i learnt most of the moves i know this way... however.
The very good guys i know can take a begginer and help her complete almost any move because their lead is so good - i remember dancing freestyle after just 1 lesson because i understood the lead... if you're questioning your lead then perhaps it's best to stick to moves they do know.
Try dancing with a more experianced girl and asking her how good your lead is, she may recommend you try new things with begginers and at the very least can probably give you pointers on your lead.
For me the most helpful lead is one that's not too 'Memememe ie. too strong as this frequently unbalences me, i can spin perfectly well on my own etc...' but one which does for example, push back more strongly with one hand than the other so i know which way to step back.... always hold out the hand they want me to take clearly as opposed to just grabbing mine etc..
Basically try not to unbalence the girl and use verbal cues where necessary.
...and ask a girl to give you pointers...

Was that even at all helpful? I waffle. I just know that a good lead is always welcome to do new moves but a poor lead doing new moves is frustrating.

[invisigoth51.livejournal.com]

Also... that thing about not anticipating is kinda a lie.... later on you'll see some moves you do actually have no choice but to warn your partner a few moves ahead what's comming up.
A professional dancer told me that anticipating is just fine so long as you can correct yourself when wrong.... oh and that it doesn't matter a jot what foot you step back on at the start of a move... Begginers on the left proffesionals on the right.... anyone can do either.

[luckykaa.livejournal.com]

The teachers at this place are usually pretty clear that the leg you use doesn't matter, or when it's a good idea to use a specific leg just as a matter of style.

[luckykaa.livejournal.com]

Yup. It was good waffle:) Thanks. You're right. I do need to ask other people what I'm doing well a little more.

[rattieally.livejournal.com]

I can't really comment on Ceroc but I can comment on the ballroom and salsa dancing that I do. In my lessons we are all at the same level so all know the same moves so I can't comment much on that (but I would be quite happy to learn new moves off a more experienced partner as long as they explained what I was supposed to be doing either with a good lead or verbally and didn't just expect me to be a mind reader.
It makes a huge difference dancing with someone who leads well, it all comes together so much better. Personally I like someone who doesn't shove me around but just puts a bit more pressure on the hand to guide me in the direction he wants me to go and after spins and things I don't like to be grabbed and hauled back towards them, I want the momentum of the spin to bring me back into their arms. As for starting spins a bit of pressure to set you off in the right direction is all that is needed usually, I don't need to be flung off across the room as this puts me completely off balance.
Overall a good lead is someone who influences you to go in a certain direction, not someone who thinks you are a mind reader and then gets annoyed when you don't do what they want you to do because they haven't actually made any indication of what they want you to do and cetainly not someone who thinks of you as a lump of meat they are hauling round the room !
Personally I anticipate a lot but thats mainly becuase we do set routines that I know and becuase the majority of guys I dance with don't make it clear what they want me to do so I just do it myself. I don't much like the memememe attitude, dancing is something to be done with a partner, both are equal.
As for the spinning the wrong way thing, I do that quite often becuase I'm not given a strong enough lead and my preferential direction for spinning seems to be the oppossite of what it should be.
Hope that helps!

[luckykaa.livejournal.com]

It was the catapult that got me. You give a bit of a push, the lady spins away, then you catch with the left hand. I just get a bit worried that on one hand,I'm being too pushy with that particular one, or whether I wasn't clear enough at first.