Mixers

[pygmalion]

Just out of curiosity, do you do mixers at ballroom dances? You know, where all the ladies line up against one wall and the gentlemen take turns dancing a lady once around the room, drop-off and then dancing another lady? Thumbs up? Thumbs down?

[Sagitta]

Never done this! :) What's it like? I would think that the amount of play and partnership that one has during a dance song could be very limiting if you only dance for a fraction of the dance song with each person. Perhaps it depends on the size of the ballroom floor?

[Spitfire]

Mixers are done at all the USABDA dances here, but my studio does them only when there's a large attendance.

To be honest I don't care for mixers and snowballs at swing dances as I feel that dancing should be done at one's own direction and not that of someone else.

[Sagitta]

To be honest I don't care for mixers and snowballs at swing dances as I feel that dancing should be done at one's own direction and not that of someone else.

A question from an ignorant one! What is a "snowball"?

[Phil Owl]

To be honest I don't care for mixers and snowballs at swing dances as I feel that dancing should be done at one's own direction and not that of someone else.

A question from an ignorant one! What is a "snowball"?

Quite frequently, at a swing dance where there's a decent size crowd, they'll start off with one couple dancing, then they'll split up and grab a partner etc. etc until the whole place is on the dance floor. I actually enjoy these.

[Spitfire]

To be honest I don't care for mixers and snowballs at swing dances as I feel that dancing should be done at one's own direction and not that of someone else.

A question from an ignorant one! What is a "snowball"?

Just as Phil discribes; the signal to split up and find another partner is done at the word "snowball".

[Giselle]

Mixers? You mean FOXTROT WATERFALL!!! I'm not really a fan, but that has to do with my feelings for foxtrot, not watefalls.

[DancingMommy]

Just out of curiosity, do you do mixers at ballroom dances? You know, where all the ladies line up against one wall and the gentlemen take turns dancing a lady once around the room, drop-off and then dancing another lady? Thumbs up? Thumbs down?

I used to love mixers. Not anymore :(

Hubby won't dance in one and now that I'm "great with child" I don't want to take any chances...

[DancingMommy]

Mixers? You mean FOXTROT WATERFALL!!! I'm not really a fan, but that has to do with my feelings for foxtrot, not watefalls.

Don't go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to.....

[KevinL]

Just out of curiosity, do you do mixers at ballroom dances? You know, where all the ladies line up against one wall and the gentlemen take turns dancing a lady once around the room, drop-off and then dancing another lady? Thumbs up? Thumbs down?

I don't really like the version that you describe here, although it is what is done at the local USABDA dances. I don't like it because it reinforces the scarcity-of-men, and I always feel that it puts women in the position of "waiting to be asked", which I don't like.

However, it is a good way to meet people you might not otherwise dance with, which is the whole point. Also, the local mixer runs for 3 songs, so you usually get 4-5 dances in, each of a reasonable duration.

I'm ambivalent about this kind of mixer, so netither thumbs up, not down.

Kevin

[pygmalion]

I don't much care for them either, Kevin. There are usually five women for every man, and, as a woman, you spend your time waiting in line. Fifties throwback! I usually select a gentleman from the edges and ask him to dance. It's still the luck of the draw that way. You may get a great dancer, or you may a new guy too afraid to participate. Either way, it's better than standing in line, waiting to be chosen.

The snowball sounds like it might have some possibilities, though.

[Vince A]

I did it once and that was enough for me . . . the women I danced with acted like beotches! SORRY, but that's how I interpreted them!

[Sagitta]

I've decided that I definitely don't want to experience mixers and snowballs. I can definitely see advantages of having them for some people, but not for me. I know what to stay away from now!!! :)

[pygmalion]

You never know until you try one, Sagitta. Some people really love them. Downsides, as I see them, are that it's rare to have an evenly matched group -- either men or women, usually women, are left waiting for partners. And you can get stuck with some pretty awful dance partners -- meanies, like in Vince's case, or the world's worst dancers.

Upsides -- you get to meet more people, get away from your studio clique, and the dance is very short. Once around the ballroom, so how bad can it be? And you might get to dance with some very good dancers without all the stress and strain of having to ask. :wink:

[Sagitta]

I know Jenn. You never know, :) but you see I make sure that I don't get into any clique. I'm a clique breaker!!! I'll ask a person to dance, lead her back, maybe ask someone else in that group to dance, then go back sit down a while. Then get up for a drink of water, and pick someone else in a different area, then another person...

As for asking advanced people to dance...I ask a variety of people to dance every night from the lady who helps instruct a class all the way to crass beginners who have no clue of their left from their right. There are some people whom I just jell with the right way so they may get more dances...or if I want to get another lady dancing salsa/ballroom to add to the dancing universe. [Remember the thread on ballroom dances place in society? I'm determined to do my part to change that as I enjoy dance so much!! ]

SO, why should I do the mixer/ snowball. If there were an excess of women I might help out and join in, though, as I often do by coming to the free beginner/survival lesson before various dances, just in case.

[danceguy]

Interesting thread...I happen to LOVE mixers! At my very first dance ever I jumped right in...and I had no idea how to do Foxtrot or Waltz...so I had a few crash courses...which inspired to take some Ballroom lessons.

The "snowball" (never heard it called that) is my absolute favorite. We always do it to ECS...and the DJ will then say "switch!" and you have to run and grab another partner. I really enjoy this since one, if you're smart at how you move, you can step up and nab one of the really great followers...and dancing with them can teach you a lot. Also, you get to meet lots of people and it takes some of the fear away of asking them to dance later. Again...you might get a chance to dance with that cutie you've been admiring all evening but didn't have the nerve to ask for a dance. :P

While I do enjoy mixers...I wish they were for more interesting dances...Waltz and Foxtrot are my two least favorite dances...well next to Hustle that is. :oops: :shock: :oops:

Best,

SG
(yikes, 4:15 am...I better get to bed!) :)

[Sagitta]

I can definitely see how mixers/snowballs helped you out SG!! Great! :) You have to be a shameless person like me to really have fun! :) Or, that's what I say as I just go up and ask people!!!

You say you don't like foxtrot, waltz, hustle...but you were inspired to take ballroom by the waltz/foxtrot you did at mixers/snowballs!! :? :) So, SG, which ballroom dances do you like...cha cha, rhumba, samba, american tango, jive...?

[danceguy]

I can definitely see how mixers/snowballs helped you out SG!! Great! You have to be a shameless person like me to really have fun! Or, that's what I say as I just go up and ask people!!!

I really admire you for your shamelessness Sagitta! And I love your stories about breaking up cliques...we need more people like you at dances. :)

Getting into dancing in the first place was very difficult for me...due to my spiritual beliefs and way of life I'm exceedingly humble about showing off in any way or form, in fact it is basically a taboo for me. So anything having to do with being in the public eye...or any type of contest...even social dancing...was just something I avoided. But in that same token...that's why I wanted to learn to dance...to find the balance within myself to allow for a change. :)

You say you don't like foxtrot, waltz, hustle...but you were inspired to take ballroom by the waltz/foxtrot you did at mixers/snowballs!! So, SG, which ballroom dances do you like...cha cha, rhumba, samba, american tango, jive...?

When I first went to dances...everyone there did all kinds of styles...and I didn't know anything. I wanted to study all the standards ones to see if I liked them and to also be able to dance more.

As far as favorite ballroom...I really like Rumba and Cha-Cha...and I also like NC2S...but I'm not very good at it! :oops:

I'm giving Ballroom a break for now...more time for Salsa!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Best,

SG

[dancingirldancing]

What is the difference between foxtrot mixer and normal foxtrot ?

[DL]

What is the difference between foxtrot mixer and normal foxtrot ?

One dances normal foxtrot during foxtrot mixers.

Everyone lines up, ladies on one side and gents on the other. The next lady and gent in line pair up, dance once around the room, then return to their respective lines. So you end up dancing (mixing) with several people per song. Often a mixer will last for 5 or so songs.

[latingal]

and mixers can be intimidating...if they're the type where you switch partners frequently during a long song, a lead (and follow) must adjust quickly to different partners. if a lead is not used to this, it could be quite intimidating...

[MultiFaceted Dancer]

Mixers help to introduce but it also gives everyone an idea of the level each dancer is at

[fascination]

I hate mixers...not sure they do what they intend to do

[etp777]

They intend to make everyone equally uncomfortable and annoyed, right? I think they accomplish that jsut fine.

[DL]

I hate mixers...not sure they do what they intend to do

They get people to dance with each other who probably wouldn't, otherwise. People often tend to dance with people with whom they've danced before -- so mixers probably broaden the number of people who participants might subsequently ask for dances.

For a long time as a totally beginner leader I liked them because I was only "inflicting" myself on a partner for one lap around the room. Meanwhile I could pick some thing to work on, like a new step or some piece of technique, and try it over and over again with a dozen different partners; any one partner would have been bored with that for a whole dance. Mixers sure helped me get over early social dancing hurdles, in that sense.

I like them these days because I don't have to worry about who to/not to ask for a dance -- it's luck-of-the-draw.

[wonderwoman]

They intend to make everyone equally uncomfortable and annoyed, right? I think they accomplish that jsut fine.
I think they do. Though on a rare occasion it gives me a chance to quickly catch up with a friend I haven't had the chance to dance with in a while. We have a tendency to form clusters in different corners of the room. I stick in one corner where my girlfriends always are which is near the *******ment table. lol

Edit: What was THAT FOR?!? Re. Fresh. Ments? Pop, chips, beer?

[etp777]

the word re...fresh messes with the board software, so it's censored.

[wonderwoman]

the word re...fresh messes with the board software, so it's censored.
lmao. i never knew that.

[MultiFaceted Dancer]

Funny All the mixers I have been in the ladies who don't know each other introduce themselves and we kind of chat about our dancing. The studio's here use to do just Foxtrot and Waltz Mixer's except one group of Studio's always did a Meringue mixer. Now the Studio's are adding Mixers like a Tango Mixer, Rumba Mixer, Swing Mixer, and even a Quickstep Mixer. Spices things up a bit and gives everyone a chance to try out all of those dances more to make them more comfotable to dance We Like it and even request it.

[wonderwoman]

How do you do mixers with dances that don't travel down the floor?

[etp777]

just do whole floor and every 20 seconds or whatever persona running dance yells "switch!". My second studio does that, we do a push pull mixer, aka "snowball" at end of every party.

[soshedances]

I usually find mixers to be uncomfortable...maybe because the places I go dancing can be kind of clique-y...and the fact that most of the men are considerably older than me...some of them look at me like they're not sure what to do with me!

Which makes me all the more grateful for the leads (no matter what their age) that are friendly, chatty, and gracious during mixers. Thanks guys!

[DL]

just do whole floor and every 20 seconds or whatever persona running dance yells "switch!". My second studio does that, we do a push pull mixer, aka "snowball" at end of every party.

Oh, those are awful. I'm implicitly rejecting n-1 of the neighboring follows at each "switch." Ugh.

To get slightly back on topic, I mostly avoid eye contact at that "switch," just to avoid seeming to make any of the rejections explicit.

[MultiFaceted Dancer]

The Variety Mixers are more fun because of theLatin flavor and there is more Eye Contact, Smiles, and General Laughter. Not as kaotic as it might seem and certainly works better when there are alot of people since Latin is a spot dance

[etp777]

Heh, that owner is my friend, so have to change when she says. Esp as first day I danced in public, when I was mortified, she ignored a change after I got up nerve to ask her to dance, because she told guy asking (don't remember who) that we hadn't danced long enough yet. Completely random, and sure she doesn't remember that, but that definitely sticks in my head. I try to remember that any time there's an opportunity to help a new dancer.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

fasc, etp, ww, why do you dislike mixers? How do they make you uncomfortable? :)

[and123]

fasc, etp, ww, why do you dislike mixers? How do they make you uncomfortable? :)

You didn't ask me, but I'll tell you anyway :p
I find them unappealing on several levels.
[1] I see people standing in line and predicting who they'll be paired up with, and switching places as necessary to get/avoid a certain partner (NOT COOL; flashbacks of grade school and picking teams).
[2] Being treated like a piece of meat by whomever you are dancing with b/c you pretty much HAVE to dance with them. Seems like showboaters enjoy mixers so they can inflict themselves and their "talents" on you.
[3] Just seeing the mad rush and loooong line of women when a mixer is announced, versus the generally shorter line for leaders and "Come on guys, we need you ALL in line please!" -- leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Sorry.
[4] This applies to socials where there are dance hosts as well. Some women are extremely aggressive and greedy and hog the leaders. Happens in group lessons too if the rotation is not carefully controlled and monitored. I am not an aggressive person in that respect, and seeing such behavior is irritating to say the least.

I think that's enough for now. Keep in mind this is what I find to be the BAD side of mixers. I *do* understand their purpose in getting people to meet each other and giving everyone the opportunity to dance. I just prefer the one-on-one approach.

[etp777]

My biggest complaint about mixers is that one we always do, every party, is push pull/hustle, which I hate. :P

and123 about covered all the real reasons too. :)

[DancingMommy]

and123 clearly stated the same reasons my husband *hates* mixers.

The reason *I* do not like mixers is that as a follower - and there's often 3 of us to every leader - if you *don't* dance in the mixer, there's a great chance you'll *never* be asked to dance. Which totally blows because if you're being nice and sitting out the mixer so other follows get a chance... You don't get to dance at all. And if you *do* get in the line for the mixer then you get dirty looks from the other follows for making it that much less chance they'll get a dance. It's lose/lose.

My preference is the "ladies' choice" style mixer. Where the follows get to pick a leader instead of waiting in a line. Line mixers always remind me of that song "To Be With You" by Mr. Big.

[etp777]

heh, I have no problem with the ladies choice mixers until they make me follow. which they tend to do at one of my studios. and it's always tango. I can't even start to fake a follow on tango. :P

[danceronice]

Generally if there is switching going on at our mixers it's because someone's already danced with the person they're about to be paired with. But we average one foxtrot mixer a party. It's sort of bad mixer etiquette to dance with the same person twice.

And sometimes there are three women to every man AND every guy there is in line!

[JohnLL]

I generally don't have a problem with mixers. I know that if I dance that will be one more leader for the ladies and I also know that for some of the ladies there the mixer is one of the few dances they will get if they are shy, don't ask for dances or sit quietly on their own. I also enjoy them for my own benefit in that I get to meet and dance with new people I wouldn't ordinarily meet.
Being a dance host on the other hand... not so much.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

My biggest complaint about mixers is that one we always do, every party, is push pull/hustle, which I hate. :P
What's push pull/hustle? :)

[Terpsichorean Clod]

and123 clearly stated the same reasons my husband *hates* mixers.
He gets treated like a piece of meat?
The reason *I* do not like mixers is that as a follower - and there's often 3 of us to every leader - if you *don't* dance in the mixer, there's a great chance you'll *never* be asked to dance. Which totally blows because if you're being nice and sitting out the mixer so other follows get a chance... You don't get to dance at all. And if you *do* get in the line for the mixer then you get dirty looks from the other follows for making it that much less chance they'll get a dance. It's lose/lose.
So all the followers give dirty looks to all the other followers in line? Or only to you?
My preference is the "ladies' choice" style mixer. Where the follows get to pick a leader instead of waiting in a line. Line mixers always remind me of that song "To Be With You" by Mr. Big.
What makes "ladies' choice" any different from the rest of the evening? Also, how do "choice" and "mixer" go together? :)

[Casayoto]

I agree TC. Every dance is potentially a ladies choice. It drives me nuts when women feel like they have to wait to be asked to dance.

p.s. I hate mixers.

[etp777]

Believe it's just four count hustle TC. But I do'nt dance hustle in any count. :P

[Terpsichorean Clod]

You didn't ask me, but I'll tell you anyway :p
Thanks, and123! ;)
I find them unappealing on several levels.
[1] I see people standing in line and predicting who they'll be paired up with, and switching places as necessary to get/avoid a certain partner (NOT COOL; flashbacks of grade school and picking teams).
I agree. A number of times, I've seen guys pretending to be gentlemanly, "You first." "After you, I insist." because there's an attractive lady second in line.

BTW, were you always picked last for kickball? :razz:
[2] Being treated like a piece of meat by whomever you are dancing with b/c you pretty much HAVE to dance with them. Seems like showboaters enjoy mixers so they can inflict themselves and their "talents" on you.
Hmmm, over here, it seems like the showboaters tend to sit it out because there's a good chance they'll get partnered with beginners who make it hard for them to show off.
[3] Just seeing the mad rush and loooong line of women when a mixer is announced, versus the generally shorter line for leaders and "Come on guys, we need you ALL in line please!" -- leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Sorry.
Interesting. I know two socials in my area that regularly have mixers. One of them has more leaders about 40% of the time. The other is...well... Total attendance is a few hundred, maybe 40:60 to 45:55, male:female. But unpartnered male:female in the mixer is about 4:1. About 80% of the people hang on to the same partner for the entire 3-song mixer (and no, it's not like they're romantic couples or full dance partners outside the social). So we have a long line of single leaders waiting to dance with the same few followers who keep returning to the line. While there's a horde of single followers sitting down. Why??!!! :headwall:
[4] This applies to socials where there are dance hosts as well. Some women are extremely aggressive and greedy and hog the leaders. Happens in group lessons too if the rotation is not carefully controlled and monitored. I am not an aggressive person in that respect, and seeing such behavior is irritating to say the least.
Ditto. I hate class "rotations" that are really shuffles.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

Believe it's just four count hustle TC. But I do'nt dance hustle in any count. :P
LOL. Thanks for the clarification, etp. :)

[Terpsichorean Clod]

p.s. I hate mixers.
Aw, you too? Why? :)

[soshedances]

[1] I see people standing in line and predicting who they'll be paired up with, and switching places as necessary to get/avoid a certain partner (NOT COOL; flashbacks of grade school and picking teams).

The switching drives me nuts...totally defeats the purpose of a mixer.


[3] Just seeing the mad rush and loooong line of women when a mixer is announced, versus the generally shorter line for leaders and "Come on guys, we need you ALL in line please!" -- leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Sorry.

This is why I often sit them out. It happens sometimes in the middle of a mixer too...so that by the end the poor leaders are dead exhausted from running back over to the line.

[DancingMommy]

He gets treated like a piece of meat?
Yup.

So all the followers give dirty looks to all the other followers in line?
Yup. The more ladies get into line, the uglier the looks get. Ouch!

What makes "ladies' choice" any different from the rest of the evening? Also, how do "choice" and "mixer" go together? :)

It's like a snowball mixer but instead of the ladies waiting to be picked up in line, they start it out. The first lady goes to get the first guy and then it progresses from there.

[MultiFaceted Dancer]

I have Danced at 7 studio's (still dance at 4 of them) in the last 7 yrs and I have not heard of people being unhappy over mixers. Men and Women in these studio's Request them and are more upset when they are delayed or
sort of forgotten.Now that I've read all of the above posts- It's sad to hear how( for lake of a better word if it's even close to a word) Unfun the experience has been for so many people It never occured to me it would be looked upon in such a negative way. We all have been dancing with each other throughout the studio's for years and TrueLY Enjoy each other's company. To the point where we all networked each other through our e-mails and phone calls to meet a certain restaurants that have dancing 8-11 or 7-10 on Mon+ Tues and other nights at the Studio's so pretty much we are all dancing 4-5 nights a weeks or like me 7 nights a week plus my studio practicing and my private and group lessons. 4 of those days I put in 9 to 10 hrs at work w/ 2 hrs a day for driving time. So not only do we enjoy the mixers we enjoy all the dancers attending all the function. You Guys can Join us if you would like too

[DancingMommy]

Not all mixers happen at studios, lol. In my experience, the worst mixers were at our local USA Dance function. But then, maybe my opinion is colored because at the last local USA Dance comp we attended (back in 2003 or 2004), I was given the nastiest looks by one of the women there because I was visibly pregnant. Go figure.

[waltzguy]

Wait, you mean social dancing isn't about men being treated like dancing meat? :rolleyes:

Seriously, I don't care about mixers either. Luckily, there are extremely few in my area.

[wooh]

If you don't want to mix, then just sit out. It's not like anybody is holding a gun to your head.

[and123]

Correct, and I do. But like DancingMommy said, sometimes you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[Casayoto]

There's a bunch of reasons I hate mixers. They tend to be three in a row of the same song, which makes me bored. They tend to be mostly beginners which means 30 seconds of the same basics so that I keep it fun for them, which makes me bored.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

He gets treated like a piece of meat?Yup.
Ooh, can I come? :bouncy:
Yup. The more ladies get into line, the uglier the looks get. Ouch!
:shock: Even if I'm stuck in line with 5-10 guys with the next available follower about 30 seconds away, we're friendly and commiserate with each other.
It's like a snowball mixer but instead of the ladies waiting to be picked up in line, they start it out. The first lady goes to get the first guy and then it progresses from there.
I think I still haven't gotten it. Don't mixers tend to fall apart or get abused once an element of choice is introduced? :)
Not all mixers happen at studios, lol. In my experience, the worst mixers were at our local USA Dance function. But then, maybe my opinion is colored because at the last local USA Dance comp we attended (back in 2003 or 2004), I was given the nastiest looks by one of the women there because I was visibly pregnant. Go figure.
Maybe if you'd told her you had a future leader on the way? Or maybe she wasn't into cradle-robbing on the dancefloor. :razz:

[Terpsichorean Clod]

There's a bunch of reasons I hate mixers. They tend to be three in a row of the same song, which makes me bored. They tend to be mostly beginners which means 30 seconds of the same basics so that I keep it fun for them, which makes me bored.
I understand. :)

In my experience, socials tend to have 15 or so different sorts of dances. I specialize in the smooth/standard dances, so a good portion of my dancing for the evening happens during the 3-song foxtrot or waltz mixer. As a newbie who knew only waltz, tango, and foxtrot, about half of my dancing was during the mixer.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

I have Danced at 7 studio's (still dance at 4 of them) in the last 7 yrs and I have not heard of people being unhappy over mixers. Men and Women in these studio's Request them and are more upset when they are delayed or
sort of forgotten.Now that I've read all of the above posts- It's sad to hear how( for lake of a better word if it's even close to a word) Unfun the experience has been for so many people It never occured to me it would be looked upon in such a negative way. We all have been dancing with each other throughout the studio's for years and TrueLY Enjoy each other's company. To the point where we all networked each other through our e-mails and phone calls to meet a certain restaurants that have dancing 8-11 or 7-10 on Mon+ Tues and other nights at the Studio's so pretty much we are all dancing 4-5 nights a weeks or like me 7 nights a week plus my studio practicing and my private and group lessons. 4 of those days I put in 9 to 10 hrs at work w/ 2 hrs a day for driving time. So not only do we enjoy the mixers we enjoy all the dancers attending all the function. You Guys can Join us if you would like too
I'm glad you've had good experiences with mixers. Overall, mine have been fairly good, too. I'm sure there must be other people who feel the same. Time to add a poll. ;)

[fascination]

fasc, etp, ww, why do you dislike mixers? How do they make you uncomfortable? :)there are at least a couple of reasons; my view is that, although well intended, they force/shame people into an action that is already done most of the time more elegantly and less glaringly, without having to insert a mixer... it seems similar but worse than banging your silverware on a plate at a wedding to insist that the married couple kiss...or announcing to the congregration at church that they go and greet one another before starting the service(while none are a capital offenses and I have participated in all three, I find it to be contrived and controlling after a while thought thought all three were charming at first blush)...just my view...most folks at a social know who's new and make sure they get asked to dance....shrug...

as a very minor secondary point, b/c I am the type of person who does not like to be percieved as rude I will often participate in these mixers and find them to me the most likely way to get injured because it is a constant rapid re-adjustment to someone new and you are usually being scuttled along at lightening speed so that the gent can get done with you and move back into the line again...it isn't even like you really even have a chance to get acquainted...and perhaps thirdly, almost every single one of them has been painfully inane at least as far as how they are done in my area...

so in short; 1)contrived and not neccessarily even successful being the biggie, 2)increased likelihood of getting injured (am. foxtrot basic-- with that potential of being turned/yanked in an untimely and unanticipated interval to the promenade on every step-- has proven to be a major culprit in the lateral tearing of my right knee) and 3) meh...just sort of ...dumb....at least as I have seen them done...

(AGAIN...this is on my opinion as just another member of this forum...not proud of it, not stating it as the universal belief that everyone should have on it...just my view since I was directly asked by TC)

[BlueBambue]

Whether I like mixers really depends on my mood and whether my social group is there. Sometimes I like to get a feel for some people I have seen, but not danced with.

Lately I have taken to leading during the mixers (I am female and primarily a follow) because when I am not at college I find it harder to approach ladies who don't know me and ask them to follow. I miss leading if I don't do it often enough. The only problems with this is that I sometime confuse the rotation because all the guys think that I am a follow and most of the ladies I lead assume I teach.

[MultiFaceted Dancer]

I'm glad you've had good experiences with mixers. Overall, mine have been fairly good, too. I'm sure there must be other people who feel the same. Time to add a poll. ;)
Good Idea

[etp777]

I jus tlike to complain. ;)

[Terpsichorean Clod]

there are at least a couple of reasons; my view is that, although well intended, they force/shame people into an action that is already done most of the time more elegantly and less glaringly, without having to insert a mixer... it seems similar but worse than banging your silverware on a plate at a wedding to insist that the married couple kiss...
:oops:
or announcing to the congregration at church that they go and greet one another before starting the service(while none are a capital offenses and I have participated in all three, I find it to be contrived and controlling after a while thought thought all three were charming at first blush)...just my view...most folks at a social know who's new and make sure they get asked to dance....shrug...
A number of socials in my area have attendance at 100+ to as many as 300. It can be easy to attend a social regularly for a year and not be aware of the existence of another regular attendee.
as a very minor secondary point, b/c I am the type of person who does not like to be percieved as rude I will often participate in these mixers and find them to me the most likely way to get injured because it is a constant rapid re-adjustment to someone new and you are usually being scuttled along at lightening speed so that the gent can get done with you and move back into the line again...it isn't even like you really even have a chance to get acquainted...
It sounds like a processing line. I'm guessing it has something to do with the shortage of leaders?
and perhaps thirdly, almost every single one of them has been painfully inane at least as far as how they are done in my area...
Snowball? Waterfall? Excuse me? Paul Jones? Waterfalls seem to work best in my area.
(AGAIN...this is on my opinion as just another member of this forum...not proud of it, not stating it as the universal belief that everyone should have on it...just my view since I was directly asked by TC)
Thanks for sharing, fasc. I think I would feel more negatively about mixers if I were in your area. I hope someday you can try the ones in my area. It's only a 30 hour drive. ;)

[fascination]

:oops:no worries....as I said...I have been guilty of same and of initially liking all of the above...and I have no claim on objective truth

A number of socials in my area have attendance at 100+ to as many as 300. It can be easy to attend a social regularly for a year and not be aware of the existence of another regular attendee.I could appreciate how, with numbers like this, a mixer done well (something foreign to me) could be wise

It sounds like a processing line. I'm guessing it has something to do with the shortage of leaders?nah

Snowball? Waterfall? Excuse me? Paul Jones? Waterfalls seem to work best in my area.
not a languge I speak, but guessing waterfall ...just by description
Thanks for sharing, fasc. I think I would feel more negatively about mixers if I were in your area. I hope someday you can try the ones in my area. It's only a 30 hour drive. ;)
dh travels your way often...and someday I will make it my business to get there...you will be among the first to know

[wooh]

Desperately want to know what a "Paul Jones" mixer would be!

[Terpsichorean Clod]

not a languge I speak, but guessing waterfall ...just by description
There is a line of leaders and a line of followers. Leaders and followers pair off at the head of the lines. They dance to the end of the floor or make a complete circuit of the floor, then return to the ends of their lines.
dh travels your way often...and someday I will make it my business to get there...you will be among the first to know
I look forward to it! :bouncy:

[Terpsichorean Clod]

Desperately want to know what a "Paul Jones" mixer would be!
There are two concentric circles, one with leaders and one with followers. Music may play while the rings circle in opposite directions. When the music stops, people pair up with the person opposite them. They dance one song together, then reform the circles. The mixer I've been to played four songs: something like a nightclub 2 step, a cha cha, a foxtrot, and an east coast swing.

I think a Paul Jones handles stationary dances better than a waterfall, but it doesn't do so well with uneven numbers of leaders and followers.

[fascination]

btw...have done all of the above.... now that I think about it...paul jones with foxtrot is precisely the thing that has proven most destructive to my knee....having the gent constantly deciding for me when and how much I will turn and constantly doing the basic bronze am promenade...ug...will never ever do that again...have given it several shots all with the same effect...course, as it stands, I haven't social danced in two months and I don't foresee an opportunity in the near future so it is all rather irrelevant ATM

[tanya_the_dancer]

I neither like nor dislike them at this point. While it's unlikely that I will get an enjoyable dance out of a mixer, and I might end up with a leader I would otherwise avoid for a smooth dance (for some reason, mixers are ALWAYS foxtrots), I have been to enough parties where I didn't know a lot of people, and/or people did not mingle as much and didn't ask unfamiliar ladies to dance with them, so at those a mixer was pretty much my only chance to introduce myself as a dancer.