Fast floors & Frustration

[Lucretia]

Last night I danced on the fastest floor in Gothenburg. I've been there before so I new I couldn't use my favorite leather soles. I took my suedes.

After just an hour I was so tired and didn't realize why. Dance did not work. Of course the floor was fast but I was prepared. After a sandwich, a cup of coffe and a rest I had a "reset" dance with a wonderful tall cuban guy that danced to the rythm (instead of trying to impress with fancy patterns...giggling).

At the end of the evening I understood why this night started as a nightmare. The guys did "trow" me away in turn & patterns as if it was an ordinary floor. They gave me too much momentum and I was to slow to stop the different motions in different directions in time. I lost my rythm.

When spinning it worked fine since I could adjust my "put off" strenght and adjust my "landing force". But I could not prepare myself for all the other problems.

How do you manage problems like this?
Is this only my problem or should I tell the guys to use less power?

/luc

[Sagitta]

People should adjust to the floor. The place that I dance on SUnday nights has quite the floor. If I do my moves normally I almost feel out of control and sometimes I get a little out of control....So I adjust not to be that way.

[Lucretia]

People should adjust to the floor. The place that I dance on SUnday nights has quite the floor. If I do my moves normally I almost feel out of control and sometimes I get a little out of control....So I adjust not to be that way.
Yes but you are in control since you usually is the leader (or did I misunderstand you). I felt "exposed" to the guys that used much more force than needed on that floor. I had to adjust both my "own" dancing and the force the leades transmitted.

/luc

[Sagitta]

Yes but you are in control since you usually is the leader (or did I misunderstand you). I felt "exposed" to the guys that used much more force than needed on that floor. I had to adjust both my "own" dancing and the force the leades transmitted.

/luc

No misunderstanding. Leader should adjust his lead to the floor.

However, sometimes ladies wear incorrect shoes. That is their responsibility. If they know what the floor is like adjust footwear for the floor. If one wears wht one wants than to expect the leader to adjust both to the floor and your choice of footwear is being unfair. In this situation followers are also partly to blame.

[tj]

How do you manage problems like this?
Is this only my problem or should I tell the guys to use less power?

/luc

I think it's perfectly ok to complain about the floor and say that you're having balance issues (rather than blaming the lead even when it's his problem) due to the fast floor.

So yeah, ask him to use less power.

[Shooshoo]

How do you manage problems like this?
/luc

I don't go.
One of the places I go to dance have more than one dancing areas, where one has tiles floors (the area being large). And they had the night there and the floor was so slippery, my knees and toes hurt cause I was trying so hard not to fall. So I decided not to go when they have events on that floor. My knees are more important.

[Lucretia]

Thanks all for your responses. I now get what you are meaning.

Yesterday I had a discussion with one of the "great" leaders that attended the same dance. He told me he adjusted the momentum to the floor. It is a really bad floor (mosty used for conserts instead of dance).

And when I think about it...the beginning of the night I danced mostly with dancers with a lot of charisma and joy for dancing but most of them had problems in transitions between different moves & patterns. I love these guys but the are a bit "inmature."...need more dancing on ordinary floors ;)

Anyhow - thanks for the answer that it takes two to manage a salsa on a superfast floor.

/luc