The Neck Drop

[DanceMentor]

One move that you can never seem avoid seeing at a salsa competition is the neck drop. And there are many variations. Here are a few things I've seen:
--He catches her by the neck, kicks over her head, and catches her again.
--her neck drop lands on his hip. She slides down his leg (by the neck) and he "kicks" her back up.
--He catches her in front of him. She does a limbo type action between his legs as he passes over her.

These neck drops were pretty cool when I first saw them, but now, they sometimes make me laugh, because of the awkward position the lady is put into. Sometimes I will watch the lady and see her straining to hold her position.

Are neck drops becoming old school?
Or are they still as vogue as ever?

[Sagitta]

Well in my limited universe of all the latin dances I've been to around Ithaca in the past three/four months I've rarely seen neck drops. Might relate to the quality of dancers, but the only ones that I've seen do them are the couple people with a really showy/flashy style of dancing. Like competion dancing, perhaps!!

[salsachinita]

--He catches her by the neck, kicks over her head, and catches her again.
--her neck drop lands on his hip. She slides down his leg (by the neck) and he "kicks" her back up.
--He catches her in front of him. She does a limbo type action between his legs as he passes over her.

I'd have to say I HATE being put through anything that muck around with my head :x ! Especially when you are dancing socially at a club!

While I love dips, and will do a dip almost any time, any where (if the lead is there); I don't feel secure doing neck drops because you have less control as a follower, and more can go wrong.

I must say these moves (as with many fancy moves) do look impressive IF executed well :D !

[SDsalsaguy]

See the Controversial Moves, Controversial Contests (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=612) article by Terryl Jones -- the neck drop, even in the basic form, is exactly what she's talking about!

[Dancegal]

I took a Salsa Dips course (one that required to bring a partner) and wound up refusing to do the Neck Drop. I found it scary to be perfectly truthful. My partner respected that. One person in the class did get dropped and got hurt. To Neck Drops = Thanks but No Thanks

[SDsalsaguy]

On DM's original track, I think that the phase of the neck drop, like all such tricks, was a passing one. This isn't to say that it is never used anymore but, rather, that its time has passed. I think this is just natural. The impact of such moves is rapidly diminished when "everyone" is doing them "all" the time. As such, there seems to be a periodicity to such tricks – when something’s new everyone gears up with this "latest and greatest." Once a trick becomes a mainstay then newer variations emerge to set the bar higher and to differentiate between everyone who is now using the trick that originally was new to everyone. Finally, and even with the variety of variations that have evolved, any version is largely seen as "just one more variation of 'X'" and starts to drop out of common usage and the next trick on the block takes center stage . . .

[HothouseSalsero]

I cringe, at least inside, when I see people doing neck drops in a social setting. I have sometimes seen them done by people who I thought should not be attempting to do them. I have never learned to do them myself, so perhaps I am not in a position to judge, but they seem unnecessarily risky.

[salsarhythms]

I agree with HotHouse...that's not for the social floor.

They were cool when I saw them at first, but I think that
it has it's place, but just not on a social dance floor

[youngsta]

DanceMentor don't forget the girl neck dropping the guy! Saw one of those not to long ago in a competition!!

[Xtreme Salsa]

I see nothing wrong with the neck drop as long as it isnt abused (done too many times). If its done with smoothness and fluidity it looks great IMO.

[David]

DanceMentor don't forget the girl neck dropping the guy! Saw one of those not to long ago in a competition!!

Some friends of mine (a couple) some times do this. In performances they'll do some of the neck drops, and some acrobatic type tricks such as flips. These only make up a small portion of their performance though, and it certainly has the "WOW!" factor to really engage a crowd. One which really had me doing a double take the other day... while they were doing a performce she flipped him.

Once again, these are performance moves. When this same couple is dancing socially they might throw in an occassional one of these moves if there is _plenty_ of space, but it's pretty rare.

[SDsalsaguy]

I see nothing wrong with the neck drop as long as it isnt abused (done too many times). If its done with smoothness and fluidity it looks great IMO.
Sure thus move looks great...but that's because it is a show move!

Again, I can only suggest that everyone read the Controversial Moves, Controversial Contests (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=612) article by Terryl Jones...

Most people who do it, as the article makes clear, don't really know what they're doing and, even those who might, tend not to understand their obligations to everyone on the floor. Especially in a crowded venue this is dangerous for both the dipee and any number of others dancing around them. Beyond even this, newer, more impressionable dancers see it and go "oh wow, so that's what good dancers do!" and start trying it (without understanding how it's really done anyway) making the floor that much more dangerous. I get it in some shows and comps, but anyone who says that the music tells them that they have to do a neck drop needs new ears.

[salsachinita]

anyone who says that the music tells them that they have to do a neck drop needs new ears.

:shock:

:lol: :lol: :lol: ! I love this one :lol: :lol: :lol: !

[peachexploration]

anyone who says that the music tells them that they have to do a neck drop needs new ears.

:shock:

:lol: :lol: :lol: ! I love this one :lol: :lol: :lol: !

Yes, too funny! :lol:

[redhead]

Right on!
Neck drops look cool IF executed properly. Period. :!:
I did a little (club-size) salsa comp not so long ago. My partner and I practiced for a week just to get used to each other (we rarely dance together and decided to do it just for fun). I swear he's never done even a simple dip before that, but he wanted to do a neck drop and he also refused to make up a routine, even approximate! I guess some guys don't understand what it means - not-feeling-absolutely-safe-under-pressure-when-doing-neck-drop-we-have-done-only-ten-times-six-out-of-which-you-hurt-me...
Oh well, it's over.

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

anyone who says that the music tells them that they have to do a neck drop needs new ears.

Hmm... I can just see the guy, after the lady´s lying on floor in pain saying, oops! It was the music that told me to do it. :shock:

[Xtreme Salsa]

Neck drops are common here and I've only seen someone fall once. I dont mind people doing them as long as there is enough SPACE.

[SDsalsaguy]

It's simple really, neckdrops are one of those dance elements that come from the ego, not from the soul.

[hobrien]

OK OK I promise never to do it in a club !?!?!?!

But have any of you a link to a video clip of a neck drop ??

We are doing a show and we want to include one, but I need to have
more of an idea of the variations of what we can do in the surrounding move.

Thanks guys

Hugh

[Sabor]

Are neck drops becoming old school?
Or are they still as vogue as ever?

hmmm.. interesting, cause i didnt percieve moves that way b4.. well matter of fact i dont make that distinction in all related 'taste' items in my life .. u know.. the fashionable thing and all that LOL ..guess if i applied to GQ they'd tell me to buzz off huh.. :lol: but i had no complaints so far. :D

The point is, i always went with what felt right.. so.. if neck drop/s feel right at that instant in time in music, u and your partner execute it w/ grace/ease/fluidity.. and u naturally go for sensuality rather than acrobatics .. the move could be delicately delicious! .. it is how its done that registers in my senses rather than what is done..

[DanceMentor]

I see your point Sabor. Let me explain what brought about my question. I went to a series of salsa shows/performances, and EVERY single show used neck drops extensively. And the lady would be bent at the knees with her feet at least shoulder width apart, and arching backwards. I don't know if you can see that picture in your mind, but it is not something that you would likely find fashionable in GQ. Neck drops look pretty good from the side, but not so good when the ladies toes are pointing in your direction, feet part, bending at the knees.

[Sabor]

Neck drops look pretty good from the side, but not so good when the ladies toes are pointing in your direction, feet part, bending at the knees.

u make that seem as if the salsera is ready to give birth :lol: .. honestly i didnt focus on that specific angle b4, so i cant say.. but i guess i will be on the lookout ..lol

[SDsalsaguy]

Neck drops look pretty good from the side, but not so good when the ladies toes are pointing in your direction, feet part, bending at the knees.

See this article (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=612)for specific mention of this issue/problem... :shock: :(