Kolya on 2/12/2008 at 23:31
I've always been an avid dancer. When I was a kid, I danced at my parents' parties and people would say "He's going to break a lot of hearts." When I was ten, my mother's best friend directed a leather fashion show in East Berlin. She sewed most of the dresses herself, including several outfits for me. So I got to dance in a big red leather coat before a huge crowd of outcasts. I certainly enjoyed that.
I never stopped dancing in discos and on parties, and yeah, I know how to move, enough to get me chicks anyway, and more than enough to smile at those disdainful looks from the "Real MEN don't dance." - faction. But I never joined dancing classes or similar, mainly because I was always in for the fun of it, and not for the Tango, Waltz or Merengue. That and I'm terrible at keeping discipline.
This is going to change, because next weekend I'm booked for a starter course in Lindy Hop, which is aka Swing or Jazz dance. I got asked by a girl who I regularly go out with for dancing at elektro parties, and this time I just thought: Why not? She also knew how to sell it to me, ("It's Swing! Not as boring as formal dancing!"), that might have helped.
So yeah. Any other dancers here? Tips, hints on how to avoid knocking heads together when she has to do that pirouette? Because I really have no experience apart from loving to dance.
AfroTaffer on 2/12/2008 at 23:35
I don't know how to dance properly, but I got rythm.
Any tips?
I've got problems with my feet, I always tremble, I can't dance in public or in front of the mirror, unless it's a funny dance, like Bale in American Psycho.
Kolya on 2/12/2008 at 23:48
Stop caring about what people might say. Most people are idiots. If you got rhythm that's something, in fact it's the most important thing.
TTK12G3 on 2/12/2008 at 23:55
Swing looks like some fun! No experience, but damn I wish I had some.
Queue on 3/12/2008 at 00:15
Tis' something I've always wanted to learn to do well. But, honestly, I can't dance--period.
Nor can I swim. :erg:
Scots Taffer on 3/12/2008 at 00:43
I loved to dance as a kid and in my very young days hilariously won a Michael Jackson dancing comp at my school. Teens pretty much took my confidence and destroyed when it came to things like that, especially when living in a country where most dancing is looked upon as a practice as homosexual as eating a cream cake out of a lumberjack's arsehole.
I came back to dancing in late 2004 when my wife started doing Cuban salsa. I was skeptical and approached it with some trepidation, within months I had moved from the beginners class to the advanced class and after a year I was in the performance team. Sometimes shit just clicks, be aware of it and go with it - I couldn't do the LA style salsa because it's too obviously pretentious and showy, all about flash and no substance, whereas Cuban salsa is rooted in the clave (or rhythm, if you will), it has a ton of history in the dance (originating from worshipping Gods) and can be a very fun and social dance, as well as intimate, sexy and very flirty.
Ultimately though, what gripped me about Cuban salsa is the way it riffs on the male and female stereotypes - the guy continually has to work to keep the woman's attention, he needs to keep her impressed, engaged and entertained. There are lots of little flourishes that are awesome to pull off and especially when you dance with a Cuban woman - they will LET YOU KNOW if you're boring them. I remember the first time I danced with one I was nervous as hell but thought fuck it, and threw in this move where it was a complicated set of turns followed by me dropping quickly to the floor and dusting the way for her to walk in front of me as I watch her go. She totally lit up and that just nailed it for me, confidence high, I danced away with her and got highly complimented after.
Ironically, I feel least comfortable "disco"-dancing or just breaking it down in the club, most music has a real dearth of rhythm and because I know how it should be danced to (robot, body-popping, whatever) I feel inferior not even attempting it - not that many people do much besides go into limb spasms.
Find your dance and go with it. I'm very sad to have lost salsa from my life, it was a great social activity, healthy exercise and confidence building. Swing is crazy. I can't do that shit because it's too high energy and I'm not co-ordinated enough with my massive limbs to work that shit properly. Good luck to you, sir.
Kolya on 3/12/2008 at 12:12
I like dancing fast, so I'm looking forward to this. I might try something else if Swing turns out not to be my thing. Why did you stop Salsa if you enjoyed it that much? In any case, thanks for the advice, Scots. I immediately went over to youtube to find a (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A9cNEmgg2U) video about body popping, and learned how to do a slide and waves. ~:cool:~
The slide reminds me very much of that moonwalk thing M. Jackson used to do. Street dance or whatever it's called looks pretty cool anyway.
AR Master on 3/12/2008 at 13:36
Quote Posted by Kolya
my mother's best friend directed a leather fashion show in East Berlin.
i am shocked
Martin Karne on 3/12/2008 at 14:21
I used to dance at parties, but my knees made sure that wasn't going to last.
Xenith on 3/12/2008 at 14:31
Quote:
I never stopped dancing in discos and on parties, and yeah, I know how to move, enough to get me chicks anyway, and more than enough to smile at those disdainful looks from the "Real MEN don't dance." - faction. But I never joined dancing classes or similar, mainly because I was always in for the fun of it, and not for the Tango, Waltz or Merengue.
I'm pretty much the same. A friend of mine told me about this neat dance course, but I passed mostly because I don't really have enough time for it (I make about an hour drive to that part of the city :erg:). It is nice to know how to do some cool moves, not just for show, but to feel that you're a part of music itself when you dance to it (and jazz, that's just awesome stuff no matter what).
