Hitting your partner

[TheArchon]

By mistake of course :roll: , how many time did it happened to you, how many time did that hit you :?: Are you/they willing to continue to dance with the same partner afterward :?:

When I was new to dancing, I had a HUGE problem with spinning, so one time, I’ve stroked my partner so hard :oops: ... I couldn't dance with her any longer cause I was so embossed.

And once, my training partner, I’ve send her circling forward, then backward, but in the backward she forgot she should had her elbow down, so she split my lower lip... Since she is my training partner and it doesn't happen very often... I let it slip.

[NeoDevin]

What about on purpose? Why don't we have a thread about that? :tongue: (just kidding y'all, don't noone go gettin upset on me now)

[dragon3085]

It probably happens to me about 1 every 3 months or so. Being a martial artist I tend to see stuff like that coming and avoid it- after 20 years I've learned a thing or two about reading body movement. I just consider it an occupational hazard and don't make a big deal out of it when it happens.

[hobrien]

I spun a girl once and she lifted up her elbow, it hit me in the noise and broke a piece of it.

She was REALLY embarressed about it, I couldnt see anything for a few minutes. I didnt know then she broke it.

Was I angry at her: No way ! How could I be !
It comes with dancing.

Two days alter I was out dancing with her again.

Some other tricky dance moves can be more dangereous, such as diping girls, I know of one guy who dropped a girl, her head hit a concrete floor and she was unconcious for a short while.

[Sagitta]

It happens. However, it tends to happen with certain people only. I know if I dance with them I got to watch out!! :)

[SwinginBoo]

Topic: Hitting your partner

LOL :lol: ! When I read this topic heading I cracked up because I pictured me hitting bruce on the floor (not that I have done so, but have had moments where tensions run high enough). But I figured that wasn't what you meant.

Yes I have accidentally hit a partner, not hard enough to knock them out though. It happens from time to time. Worse than that though is when you are dancing (followers) and you don't follow a move correctly and the leaders end up touching you in places that are embarrassing :oops: . That has happened to me a couple of times. Luckily I was dancing with a guy friend so I wasn't completely embarrassed.

[pygmalion]

I've never done this, but only because I'm paranoid. I have extremely long arms (a big asset in ballroom -- it makes your frame look huge)

But I live in constant fear of elbowing some poor guy in the chest. So I've started taking styling lessons, to learn what to do with all my big, long arms.

[TheArchon]

Long arms wont save you when, like i saw yesterday, your partner forget to hold you when you go down for a lay(i dont know the english word). She fell fall on her butt :twisted: :twisted: .

[pygmalion]

Maybe a dip or a drop? Salsa, right? Actually, unless it was a drop, she probably could have saved herself, if she had been supporting her own weight like she should.

I guess she really got hit. Poor thing. :oops:

[SDsalsaguy]

In five years leading and I have slightly split one lip and accidently grabbed one breast. I'm not a very good follower so have also elbowed one leader in the head when they were trying a new pattern out on me.

Mind you, I've been hit *way* more times then this over the same time span!

Also, on the accidental contact front, aside from the breast mentioned above, I have ended up feeling a few more rear ends then I'd like -- but always and only when a woman won't loosen her arm enough when going into a hammer lock. At such points my arm ends up lower than it should, but my only alternative would be to physically force her arm up her back as it is twisted behind her...which is something I will not do. I do, of course, stop leading such moves with such partners as soon as I see that this is a problem (vs., say, a random error).

[TheArchon]

In five years leading and I have slightly split one lip and accidently grabbed one breast.

Yeah sure, i beleive you 8) .

[SDsalsaguy]

In five years leading and I have slightly split one lip and accidently grabbed one breast.

Yeah sure, i beleive you 8) .
Believe me, only one in five years has got to be an accident! I'm fairly sure that the average is actually *much* higher than that, especially for someone who averages a couple of nights of dancing per week! :wink:

[youngsta]

I think I've done it 2 or 3 times in the past year. It's rough going from dancing with a 5'11" woman to a 5'1" on the very next song. A grab around the waist on one becomes a breast grab on the other! :oops: :lol:

Luckily I haven't been hit very often. Maybe 4 times in the year and a half I've been dancing.

[Blondie]

I remember clobbering my teacher in his face during a lesson. It happened after I was doing a new move involving a quick turn, then back into dance position. Somehow, I socked him in the face. But he never blinked twice. I was apologizing but he just went on with the lesson. Must be a normal thing for a dance teacher, LOL.
:shock:

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

SD, your post was hilarious! :lol: :lol: :lol: I cracked up laughing! :D

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

Luckily I haven't been hit very often. Maybe 4 times in the year and a half I've been dancing.

LOL :lol: :lol:

[pygmalion]

I remember clobbering my teacher in his face during a lesson. It happened after I was doing a new move involving a quick turn, then back into dance position. Somehow, I socked him in the face. But he never blinked twice. I was apologizing but he just went on with the lesson. Must be a normal thing for a dance teacher, LOL.
:shock:

Yeah. I think getting hit, stepped on, and poked must just be one of the occupational hazards of teaching dance. :?

[NeoDevin]

So SD you only grabbed one by accident... how many did you grab on purpose? :lol:

[LauraB]

I've hit and been hit numerous times. It doesn't really phase me, except for the time my old partner gave me a concussion. I don't even know how it happened, but suddenly his elbow collided with my temple. I've gotten bruised ribs and massive bruising pretty much everywhere else from lifts, but I've never been dropped. I've inflicted fat lips, black eyes, and scratches, but the worst was probably stepping on my partner's instep with my heel. I just apologize wholeheartedly and try to continue. I am an enormous clutz, but somehow I appear graceful on the dancefloor. Go figure.

[pygmalion]

A concussion? Oy! The dedication it takes to just keep going.

And that heel in the instep really hurts -- I know, because I've stepped on my own instep more than a few times. :shock: Don't ask me how. :? :lol:

[LauraB]

Oh, I couldn't continue with the concussion. I dropped right to the floor and was laid up for a couple days. It was extremely unfortunate, because it was an hour before a pre-paid session with an international coach, which I had to miss, but still pay for. I was forced to continue with the bruised ribs, though, even though it was hard to breathe. I've been told that all dancers are masochists. C'est possible.

[SDsalsaguy]

SD, your post was hilarious! :lol: :lol: :lol: I cracked up laughing! :D
Happy to be of service MapleLeaf! :wink:

[salsachinita]

Ok :lol: this has sort of turned itself to 'dance floor accidents'!

Years ago, when Lambada was huge, my ex got kicked (where it hurts) twice (two separate incidents!) by a friend of mine, who was too vain to wear her glasses.........ouch......!

Around the same time this (super wriggly) guy somehow dropped me instead of catching me, during practice. I landed on one knee & it played up for a whole year after that.......ouch........ (I've learnt to carry my own weight since then, so at least I'd land on my feet)!

I must admit, having long arms can be hazardous. I've elbowed guys in the chest a few times :oops: , and got elbowed last Sat......(what goes around comes around :roll: , right?)

[youngsta]

Luckily I haven't been hit very often. Maybe 4 times in the year and a half I've been dancing.

LOL :lol: :lol:
What's so funny about that? :o

[redhead]

Yeah, you guys picked a good time to talk about it... Right now I have a huge bump on my forehead - got elbowed on Friday (by someone else's partner, the guy I adore, and I danced like 10 dances with him after that); bruises on my calf (had no idea you could even get it there!) and blood under my toenail (but I still love beginners) - all on the same night :shock: ... I do hit leaders regularly :oops: , like once a month, but never knocked air out of anyone yet. The funniest thing that ever happened to me (accident-wise) is when I went into a dip and the leader fell on me/ with me, though I swear I did nothing wrong... It didn't hurt ' cause I was 2 inches from the floor anyway, but poor thing, he was soooo embarassed :P

[MadamSamba]

What a fabulous topic, TheArchon!!!

Yeah, who hasn't had something odd happen? I do martial arts and sometimes don't realise how hard my limbs go flying...I once winded a poor guy and nearly broke another guy's nose when doing a turn...eek. I've since stopped going to dancing from karate...it's such a different mind set...lol

Oh and then there's the friend who's so, erm, "buxom", whenever she danced with a certain fellow in salsa (he had a penchant for doing this ducking under the girl's arms thing), he'd nearly knock himself out on her boobs (am I allowed to use that word, DM?) :)

It's always amusing, he always leaves saying, "there are less pleasant ways to end a dance..." and has a big grin on his face...I think he does it on purpose...:lol:

[MadamSamba]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh, I forgot the best one...I once had to threaten to break a guy's arm.

He got a little too friendly and, well, I don't really want to say what he did, but suffice to say, it warranted the reaction.

I danced with him a few times over several weeks at several venues, mainly because I had little choice at the time, but he had such a dirty mouth and wandering, groping hands and took one too many liberties.

I should have stopped it earlier, but one day his hands went a little too far up and down and I told him to remove them or I'd snap them in half. He didn't believe me and, mockingly, dared me to do it.

He didn't think I would because I was new at this place and this was only my second dance and we were in the front row, so everyone would see it, basically he was betting that I'd be so humiliated by a public display that he'd be able to continue his sick behaviour and I'd have to tolerate it until at least the end of the dance...so I put my hand on his and twistied it enough to make him wince. He very politely asked me to "refrain".

I must have looked and sounded like a psycho, but he removed his hands (very slowly and ickily) and I walked off...of course he never danced with me again (and not many people danced with me that night), but he's never approached me again and tends to stay well away from me at social events! I later found out, he'd left several studios after complaints had been made against him...

[SDsalsaguy]

Good on you MadamSamba! Serves him right!

[MadamSamba]

So, should you ever make it Down Under, I've got at least one danced booked, eh SD? :lol:

[SDsalsaguy]

So, should you ever make it Down Under, I've got at least one danced booked, eh SD? :lol:
You know it sweety! :kissme:

[dancin_feet]

I've been hit plenty of times, usually in the head because the man I'm dancing with doesn't lift his arm up high enough in a turn.

I have hit my instructor with my hair a few times. He says nothing, occupational hazard, I think. So over Christmas I got my hair cut to just below shoulder length and told him it was my Christmas present to him so I didn't hit him anymore during spins and turns. He cracked up!! :lol:

[MadamSamba]

:oops: ha ha

[pygmalion]

I've been hit plenty of times, usually in the head because the man I'm dancing with doesn't lift his arm up high enough in a turn.


What a hoot. There's one guy I try to avoid dancing with because he keeps bopping me in the head. Very strange, when you consider that he's at least a foot taller than I am. I think one of teachers must have told him to keep the turns close to the woman's head. Ouch! Just not that close. LOL.

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

I think hitting your dance partner is a superior skill that can only be mastered by practice and observation... :wink: :wink: 8)

[volleybgrl]

Thankfully I haven't hit any of my partners yet, but I've only been dancing for 4 months...so it's bound to happen sometime. I've come close, and even coming close throws me out of whack and I lose my confidence. I guess just follow up all of your mistakes with a big (maybe slightly embarassed) smile, a short laugh at yourself, an apology if you inflicted pain, and just keep going. That's what I try to do.

[pygmalion]

Hi volleybgirl! Welcome. :D

Trust me on this one. If you hang in there and keep dancing long enough, you will hit somebody... probably soon. :lol: :lol: These things happen. *shrug*

[ShyDancer]

Im so sorry guys.....Im sitting here laughing myself silly over all these stories!

I have yet to hit anyone, be hit, fall, be "grabbed" inapropriately........am I just lucky!??

My first ever dance teacher was really big on reminding us to keep our arms in, up down etc ..during class, and so far to my knowledge no one in my class ( alot of us moved up to the medals together)has had it happen yet either.

Now having said that, i will head off tc my private lesson tonight and probably kill my teacher :lol: :P :P

[pygmalion]

Guaranteed. :wink: You've just tempted the fates, and are bound to hit somebody soon. :lol: :lol: 8)

[ShyDancer]

*giggles*

Thanks for the vote of confidence pygmalion!

But I guess you cant be a true dancer until you have done everything right!?

[pygmalion]

LOL! You can't be a true dancer until you've smacked a totally unsuspecting partner. :oops: :lol: Looks like you're on your way! 8) :D

[dancin_feet]

A friend of mine hit her instructor in the head during a performance once. Right in front of the camera recording the big event too. The rest of us watching barely noticed, but now unfortunately all she sees when she watches the performance is the "thwack" to his head!!

[tsb]

i have also occasionally yanked hair (when it wasn't in a ponytail) whilst trying to go back into closed position. does that count? i would never hit a woman. i prefer to make cutting remarks that leave life-long emotional scars. :P

wait, i once inadvertently popped my partner in the mouth with my elbow on a double spin. even with ice it wasn't a pretty sight. i should have realized that she was interested in me when she forgave me so readily - oddly enough, what she couldn't forgive was not being able to reciprocate that level of interest and now she avoids me at all costs. <sigh>

[danceguy]

So far I haven't caused any injuries, nor been hit in the face myself yet, but there have been many close calls where I pulled off a quick evasion technique at the last second. Thankfully learning martial arts has helped me to avoid most elbows to the head, and some women I've danced with are totally unaware how close they get to hitting people. :? :roll:

Oddly enough, the one thing that gets me is ponytails and long hair. I've been smacked in the face and eyes many times after spinning a lady...and if she has really long wavy hair it can be quite unpleasant. Not to mention when you're trying to keep a firm hold on their back and you keep worrying about pulling their hair... :oops:

Please put your hair up ladies! :shock:

[dancin_feet]

I always put my hair up in a ponytail, but even that doesn't help at times. I try to keep it as low as possible so it mainly hits me! I imagine the thing that would really hurt is a long thick plait. Must be like being hit with a piece of rope! :shock:

[NeoDevin]

A dance isn't a dance without at least one blow to the head.

That being said I manage to hit and get hit by my x several times when we were just starting dancing, but since we broke up, and she quit, I haven't managed to hit anyone...

Guess it must have been subconscious ;)

[Swing Kitten]

on the hair issue I like the solution of doing a ponytail except not pulling the hair all the way through the elastic on the last pass. ends up with a fast easy and cute bun effect that keeps it out of the way and out of everyone's face.

[tsb]

So far I haven't caused any injuries, nor been hit in the face myself yet, but there have been many close calls where I pulled off a quick evasion technique at the last second. Thankfully learning martial arts has helped me to avoid most elbows to the head, and some women I've danced with are totally unaware how close they get to hitting people. :? :roll:

i have to avoid other dancers more than my partners; either a dance "rhino" in LOD or someone whose latin arm styling more closely resembles a martial arts form. while i succumbed to the temptation to bite the offending hand only once, i do usually feign the attempt whenever possible to amuse my partner.


Oddly enough, the one thing that gets me is ponytails and long hair. I've been smacked in the face and eyes many times after spinning a lady...and if she has really long wavy hair it can be quite unpleasant. Not to mention when you're trying to keep a firm hold on their back and you keep worrying about pulling their hair... :oops:

Please put your hair up ladies! :shock:

i try to avoid leading multiple spins when my partner has long hair, otherwise it's the ol' monty python "i'm averting my eyes, lord" pose 'cuz flying hair invariably goes across my eyes and that can really sting.

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

That being said I manage to hit and get hit by my x several times when we were just starting dancing, but since we broke up, and she quit, I haven't managed to hit anyone...


NeoDevin, maybe you should practice more... :wink: 8)

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

Oddly enough, the one thing that gets me is ponytails and long hair. I've been smacked in the face and eyes many times after spinning a lady...and if she has really long wavy hair it can be quite unpleasant.

Yeah SG, I know what you mean. I´ve been whiplashed quite a few times and it doesn´t feel that great.

Oddly enough sometimes it´s actually a good experience. I remember once I was dancing a slow salsa with this girl. She had very long beautiful hair and did her turns slowly and smoothly. I liked the feeling of her hair brushing up against my face. It smelled really good and the massaging effect was nice. Needless to say, I purposely lead several more turns while leaning slightly forward... :wink: I don´t think she noticed... 8)

[bordertangoman]

Navigational hazard:

In Argentine tango your heads are so close that if the woman has bushy hair you can't see a thing! There is normally a blind spot where you can't see unless your much taller than your partner but in the case of Madame Frizz the blind spot is a good 270 degrees!!

I have politely asked some ladies to tie their f :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: hair back

[pygmalion]

:lol: :lol: :lol: That's hilarious. :lol: :lol: Either that, or only dance with really short women. :wink:

[ShyDancer]

I have never considered my hair to be a hazard :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: My hair is very long..reaches down into the small of my back, and I love to wear it down, Im going to have to keep it tied now!
Oh well Just something new to worry about I guess!

My private went well last night...even though I tempted the fates :wink:
Only thing I was really noticing was my nails, they kept sticking my teacher in the hands!

[dancin_feet]

on the hair issue I like the solution of doing a ponytail except not pulling the hair all the way through the elastic on the last pass. ends up with a fast easy and cute bun effect that keeps it out of the way and out of everyone's face.

I have tried that, but unfortunately when doing moves in shadow position, the guy normally has to dodge my hair because it sticks out too far! :lol:

[TemptressToo]

During Jive...I was doing the part where you go into a Sweetheart hold and take about four quick steps backward to a little kick sequence. For the female it is, right-foot kick, left-foot kick, turn to partner to a kick between the legs with right foot, and then an outside kick with the left foot (the guy does opposite). Well, I was so paranoid about kicking too high on the "in between the legs" kick that my foot would unconsciously kick oddly sideways. Finally, he was like, "you've got to just do it." I pulled myself together and forced my kick in the right direction to make contact with his shin. Luckily, I didn't kick him elsewhere. :oops: Oops :oops: Oops :oops:

[lily]

This is a great thread - very amusing stories :D

One of the guys I regularly dance with wears glasses and there must be something about the way we dance because I sometimes knock them off him as I spin around - it has never happened with any other dancer, just him!

Anyway, we have this system in place so that when it happens, he dives straight down to grab his specs while I make sure no one steps on them. So far, even in the most crowded dance halls, he has not had his glasses stepped on. I think that he may be getting contact lenses soon though!

[pygmalion]

Uh oh! Danger! :lol: What happens if you accidentally smack him and knock a contact out? :shock: :wink:

[pygmalion]

Actually, I think it's cool that you have a system set up to protect him and his glasses. 8) :D

[lily]

Yeah, thanks! As I said, the system has worked so far 8)

[dancergal]

Gosh almighty, I think I've been hit and been the hitter plenty of times, during dancing, but one time I remember the most. My b/f and I were practicing a move in Hustle, when I was a new dancer, where the women lifts her arms up during a spin. Well I didn't lift them up far enough or fast enough and he got my elbow in his nose! I felt so awful that I started crying, I was so embarrassed. I refused to dance Hustle for a while after that until he convinced me that it was ok and not totally my fault. :oops: On the long hair problem, a woman that used to dance at our country nightclub used to have really long hair that she braided in one long braid. When she would dance and spin she would hit other dancers, not just her partner, until someone told her (ok, it was me) that her braid was dangerous and hurt. Then she put her hair up after that. yay!

[danceguy]

Oddly enough sometimes it´s actually a good experience. I remember once I was dancing a slow salsa with this girl. She had very long beautiful hair and did her turns slowly and smoothly. I liked the feeling of her hair brushing up against my face. It smelled really good and the massaging effect was nice. Needless to say, I purposely lead several more turns while leaning slightly forward... I don´t think she noticed...

Ha ha! That's great! I have committed that to memory for future use. :)
Hmm...I do think long hair is extremely attractive on women...maybe I'm just turning them too fast? Then again, some of the Salseras where I go dancing are spinning machines...one or two spins and they get bored! :shock:

[cocodrilo]

Want to hear something hilarious? I was at a HUGE year-end salsa party in Osaka a couple years back and trying to dance on the crowded dance floor. My friends & I , who at the time were beginners like myself, decided to go out there and do some shines, which we were getting pretty good at. The Japanese women LOVE to gob on the accessories(and make-up! They just don't sweat!!!) and as I was dancing, did a little wrist flick and knocked the HAIRPIECE off a girl who was dancing next to me! The thing just fell to the floor like a dead sqirrel, and it took her a second before she noticed, scooped the thing up and hurriedly hooked it back onto her head. Of course I bowed & scraped apologetically, but all of my friends still fondly remember the "wig incident".

[pygmalion]

That's hilarious! You must've been doing some serious arm styling! :oops: :lol: I would have been mortified. What did you do? Just apologize and keep going?

[cocodrilo]

Yeah, what could one do? The dance floor was packed, the tension was high and I just wanted to get on with the dancing. Last night at my dance party some of the beginner dancers were heavily-clad in accessories like long necklances with large pendants, perfect for swinging around and clocking you in the face during a turn. Funny, half that stuff ended up on the floor after the first couple of hours of the party...

[d nice]

Oh it has to be by accident?

I hit mine all the time... not abuse... self defense. She may be little but she's fiesty and has a mean left hook.

LOL

Its an interesting relationship.

Love her really I do, its just that sort of third grade boy/girl relationship. *shrug*

Funnny thing is it seems like she gets hurt all the time... but never from anything I've done with her on the dance floor (or off).

[goldfish]

ello everyone! this thread has been hilarious. my two cents worth of mishaps

couple of weeks ago in salsa class i turned and elbowed my partner hard in the ribs. he went "oof" really loudly and grabbed his side, doubling over because i knocked the wind out of him. for the rest of the dance he looked slightly wary of me and turned me very, very gingerly :twisted:

i've also trod on frankie manning's feet... i'm very new to dancing and i was so nervous dancing with him my footwork went to pieces and ... :headwall: but he was amazing, he didn't miss a beat and never stopped smiling :shock:

[pygmalion]

Hi goldfish! Welcome. :D I'm glad you got to dance with Frankie Manning. I have a feeling he's been trod on once or twice before. :? 8)

[SDsalsaguy]

Welcome to the DF goldfish! :D

[ShyDancer]

And she has done it!!!

Yes you can all laugh :wink:

Tonight in my salsa lesson I nearly took my teachers head clean off in the middle of one of those turns where you kind loop your arms over each others head (name anyone??)......I was so embarrassed and spent a good ten minutes burning bright red :oops: :oops: :oops: I apologise profusely and he just laughed it off. I still feel terrible though!

And now Im a true dancer :lol: :lol:

[hobrien]

I have to tell you this one,

A few years ago, I was dancing a new move where I duck under the girls arm (her arm doesnt go up, the guy bends his back to go down) and I was spinning and my head smacked hard straight into some girls ass (not my partners mind you)

I was dizzy and disorientated, she was more sore than shocked. That was embarrassing for all of us, but it was totally my mistake. I miss judged how much space I had !?!?!? :bandit:

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

Goldfish, just wanted to say wellcome to the DF! :D

[goldfish]

thanks people! :D

yeah i don't think it was mr manning's first time suffering on the dance floor... apparently for hellzapoppin, he wanted to get kicked as part of a move. and (not realizing how many takes it would take to film a scene) he told his partner to *really* kick him. hard. :shock: so for the next three days he was kicked over and over and over again...
[/b]

[Vince A]

I have to tell you this one,

A few years ago, I was dancing a new move where I duck under the girls arm (her arm doesnt go up, the guy bends his back to go down) and I was spinning and my head smacked hard straight into some girls @$$ (not my partners mind you)
I gotta learn that move!!!!!!!!! :wink:

[NeoDevin]

I'm with Vince on this one... that must take some pretty good timing to get that lined up like that. I'll have to start practicing. :lol:

[twnkltoz]

One time I was at a club with all my wcs friends. One of them, who continually teases me for being a ballroom dancer, led me into this move where he starts me spinning (traveling) and he backs up...i'm supposed to spin into his arms, or do a check on his chest, or something. Well, as I got to him I brought my arm up and around to not hit him in the chest or chin...instead I hit him in the NOSE! He laughed, but he still doesn't dance with me much.

[salsachinita]

This past Sat I did a really :oops: :oops: :oops: move.......

.....I accidentally poked a leader's eye.........

:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

[SalseraLaura]

i have poked eyes, scratched faces and slapped many a leader in my years of salsa but ive never really hurt anyone too bad. i however have been elbowed on the top of the head (blacked out) some guy did a dip where he knelt down and whatever angle he was at i hit my head off his knee (blacked out) ive been elbowed in the mouth HARD!!! once during a death drop the guy i was dancing with let go of one of my hands on the drop part and i landed on my head and shoulder...ouch..

a guy i dance with quite alot did a drop where he stepped over my head and lifted me up, but in his stepping over he stood on my hair and didnt realise and he pulled me up so fast i lost some hair...lol another time he did some move where im in between his legs parallel to the floor facing down and he turns me over in between his legs so that hes moving sidewards and im kinda rolling well he lost my hands and the only place he could grab to stop me from hitting the floor was in the chest area, he was soo embarrassed he looked like he was gonna cry so i just said to him "listen its an accident, id rather that than hitting the floor, so dont worry about it" he seemed relieved after that.

[ShyDancer]

I love when these threds are resurrected!

Ive got quite a few "hitting" awards under my belt now :lol:

The most recent... Dancing a Tangoette with a beginner , The dance is done is Semi Shadow hold...ie Lady in front of the man, slightly to his Left (Pretty much ballroom hold with lady facing the same way as the man)

In the first part of the dance there is a reverse swivel, only this guy being a newbie to dancing was not used to the big sweeping steps of NV style and as I went back and turned he wasnt far enough behind me and my shoulder connected so hard with his chest it knocked his breath out :oops:

Poor Guy, Im suprised I didnt scare him off dancing altogether! He did ask me for a few dances later on though..but only in the latin style :lol:

[swinginstyle]

First, I'd like to say I'm not a scary dancer, but I've had my accidents. One follow received a slightly broken nose, one a bloody nose, one a concussion, then there's been a few rough landings in the mix with various aerials.

[pygmalion]

A concussion? How did that happen?

[DanceAm]

I get the elbow in my mouth and nose a lot. A coach once noticed that I was standing back while my wife was spinning in this Bolero move. He said I looked scared, then I said, "I am scared". Then he worked on making the move safer for me without having to stand back so far.

I also had a woman coach say if I get hit it is my fault for not getting out of the way. A man coach said it was important for women to keep her arms closer to her while spinning. I don't care who's at fault, I just wanted it to stop.

[Chris Stratton]

There a move in ECS - the "eggbeater" or something like that, where I've twice punched myself in the face...

And people wonder why I prefer working on international foxtrot basics...

[swinginstyle]

A concussion? How did that happen?

Being crazy, doing Charleston, end of the song, jumped into a friend's arms, started spinning like crazy, feet extending outward, hit a follow who had kneeled down, her head level with my feet. Impacted her head with my heel. End result: concussion

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

First, I'd like to say I'm not a scary dancer, but I've had my accidents. One follow received a slightly broken nose, one a bloody nose, one a concussion, then there's been a few rough landings in the mix with various aerials.

:shock: You´re more of a nose person aren´t you?

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

i have poked eyes, scratched faces and slapped many a leader in my years of salsa

:shock: It took years for you to perfect that? :shock:

[ratherbdancing]

I have hit, scratched and even kicked my partners. All on accident of course, and I always feel REALLY bad and apoligize a thousand times. The worst is when I do something to someone I'm not dancing with that is also on the floor because you dont know they are there so the accident can be even worse. I also dont get the chance to apoligize right away if i hurt someone im not dancing with.

[volleybgrl]

What about on purpose? Why don't we have a thread about that? :tongue: (just kidding y'all, don't noone go gettin upset on me now)

I've done this...but in a joking fashion (though it was well deserved :lol: ) I've hit AND gotten hit a few times, but last week I knocked someone's glasses off! That was a first :D He was a friend, and was all smiles though (apparently, it happens weekly).

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

I used to do this move I call a running dip. I spin her 2 or 3 times during a cross body lead and then dip her.

The last time I tried this, I got elbowed in the face. She looked at me like this ( :shock: ) and said, "What was your face doing there?"

I stopped doing this move...

[ShyDancer]

The other night as I was really getting into a quickstep, my partners knee and my knee crashed so hard we both had to limp off! Fortunantly he connected just above my kneecap so it wasnt sore for very long.

Dont really know whose faualt it was, although I often have a bit of trouble following his turns and directions...mainly because he doesnt dance then correctly placed (ie facing diag to wall/center etc..) and I only ever turn in correct directions :lol: :lol: Thats a recipe for disaster isnt it!

[ShyDancer]

I used to do this move I call a running dip. I spin her 2 or 3 times during a cross body lead and then dip her.

The last time I tried this, I got elbowed in the face. She looked at me like this ( :shock: ) and said, "What was your face doing there?"

I stopped doing this move...


:lol: :lol: Sorry but I had to laugh! I can just see that happening.

[ruanishtar]

When you people were hit did you call the authorities and request imprisonment for the person who caused you pain? Or did you have a V8?

[hepcat]

I've grazed some breasts in the past, usually when my partner's behind me, but I can't say I've "grabbed" any. In fact, when the grazings happen, I don't usually realize what's happened until I see the girl's face. Then when I think about it, I realize, "Wait, that was too soft!"

[Izzy20]

Reviving this thread because it has some funny stories.

A few weeks ago I hit my teacher in the stomach, next week I hit him in the chest, last week his face. Although it was more of an accidental caress then a "hit"

We joked that I was progressing up. I'm just happy I wasn't progressing down. :shock:

[Yliander]

aerials final - wrap in mistake the lead and my elbow full force to my dance partners nose - he loses vision for 3 basic moves - and we go on and complete the round - including our hardest aerials

did get a comment from one of the judges - that He looked tired during that final!!

[BM]

::exhales:: I initially read the title of this thread and gasped. Glad it's not what I initially thought it was!!

[Addicted2Dance]

::exhales:: I initially read the title of this thread and gasped. Glad it's not what I initially thought it was!!

:lol::lol:

I always have trouble keeping my elbow down when I turn...so usually I knock my teacher in the jaw a few times each lesson.

[etp777]

Heh, I've hit pro a couple times, but always when I was dancing with someone else and floor was just crowded. :) Pretty sure I've posted about it several times before

[reb]

I received an accidental shot to my nose at Vegas a couple weeks ago - its actually an easy target!

[cornutt]

Yeah, I caught an elbow in the nose once when doing hustle. I've been ponytail-whipped a few times too. And the usual litany of leg kicks -- both received and given. Nothing very serious, though. In fact, the only actual dance injury I've ever had was a tweaked knee that I got once from a slippery spot on the floor.

[Peaches]

Haven't hit anyone yet. Usually I'm the one kicking my teacher or stepping on him. Although he kicked me back a few lessons ago, and I've gotten my toenails ripped off plenty of times.

Last lesson, though, (or maybe the one before) I got a boob grazed. I never realized that it happened until he apologized, and even then it took a sec. Never even crossed my mind. I mean, I dance in close embrace with him all the time, so boob contact doesn't really even register. And I'd spent half the lesson with either my leg locked between thighs, or his between mine. After all that contact, and what with the fact that I was concentrating on what he was saying and what I was trying to accomplish, an accidental boob grab just doesn't really matter. It's dancing--it's happened before, it'll happen again. So long as it's not deliberate, I don't much care.

[etp777]

Note to self, Peaches doesn't mind you touching boob as long as you're dancing AT. ;)

[BM]

I have long hair that's prone to whipping my partner in the face. It isn't usually a problem, but I recently got it braided with beads at the end that can sting quite a bit. Sorry partner!!

[precious12]

These are so funny:lol: Okay, i have been stepped on, had my partner and my knees collide, I have hit my partner in the face, and the worst ever was when i was doing a spin in salsa with one of my instructors, and i hit him in the groin. YIKES!!!! We just both looked at each other, and he said do not tell my wife that happened and then we laughed at each other and kept dancing, and at my recent showcase when my partner dipped me, somehow i hit him in the face, and i just stood there and covered my mouth and he said... fake it, fake it... i feel bad for things like that, and not to mention embrassed.....but it happens, if you dance long enough you will get hit, be stepped on, or maybe even worse...it comes with the territory:):cool:

[MissBallroomBear]

Haven't had that many experiences of this nature yet (thank god.)

Though, the other week I was doing a rumba with coach and we were in a kind of shadow position (the name escapes me now) and his voice came in my ear, "Balance, and get off my toe." His toe was a strange purpley colour for a few days after that..

[Peaches]

Note to self, Peaches doesn't mind you touching boob as long as you're dancing AT. ;)Lol. If you can lead AT, you're absolutely right. Actually, if you can lead AT and we're dancing, you've got no choice, really--I dance in close embrace. (AKA: all boobs, all the time!)

[SDsalsaguy]

(AKA: all boobs, all the time!)

If that isn't a logo that would attract men to dancing AT then I don't know what is! :lol: :lol: :lol:

(Heck, would make a great AT t-shirt too! :D)

[reb]

Elise and Mad Max are trying to reel in a young man on another thread - gotta try this . . .

[elisedance]

Though, the other week I was doing a rumba with coach and we were in a kind of shadow position (the name escapes me now) and his voice came in my ear, "Balance, and get off my toe." His toe was a strange purpley colour for a few days after that..

The man's truly got savoire faire!

[LolaEden]

when i used to dance latin american when i was younger i always used to whip my teacher round the face with my hair it didn't matter what type of turn we were doing it would be anything that would make my hair move, even new yorkers he used to get a little whip on the back of the head from my turning lol it got to the point where i would turn up most lessons with my hair in a bun. but now in contemporary lessons i'm always kicking people because of the strange movements you have to do. we did a turn doing my last show where you would have your left leg in the air and your torso folded down against your right leg (don't know if i have explained that well) but every time i would go to do the turn in my force to whip my leg up and body round i would always kick someone in the face as they were leaing down to do it :(

[etp777]

OK, it's DEFINITELY time for me to learn AT. :)

[nucat78]

Lol. If you can lead AT, you're absolutely right. Actually, if you can lead AT and we're dancing, you've got no choice, really--I dance in close embrace. (AKA: all boobs, all the time!)

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm... Boobs!! :banana:

I frequently get "plastered" when doing an Amer tango corte'. I've always wondered if it's a bad lead or that particular follow is just trying to rattle me...

[Peaches]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm... Boobs!! :banana:

I frequently get "plastered" when doing an Amer tango corte'. I've always wondered if it's a bad lead or that particular follow is just trying to rattle me...Almost guarantee she's paying way less attention than you are.

[nucat78]

Almost guarantee she's paying way less attention than you are.

Well, there goes *that* fantasy...

[Peaches]

Sorry to burst your bubble there, dude. Although I left it open to possibility...I said I almost guarantee...maybe she was paying just as much attention! ;-)

[Sagitta]

I have long hair that's prone to whipping my partner in the face. It isn't usually a problem, but I recently got it braided with beads at the end that can sting quite a bit. Sorry partner!!That's why my head swings away just the right amount so it avoids those whipping braids every day.

[fascination]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm... Boobs!! :banana:

I frequently get "plastered" when doing an Amer tango corte'. I've always wondered if it's a bad lead or that particular follow is just trying to rattle me...
the corte can be an equal opportunity gift in my experience:cool:

[fascination]

Haven't hit anyone yet. Usually I'm the one kicking my teacher or stepping on him. Although he kicked me back a few lessons ago, and I've gotten my toenails ripped off plenty of times.

Last lesson, though, (or maybe the one before) I got a boob grazed. I never realized that it happened until he apologized, and even then it took a sec. Never even crossed my mind. I mean, I dance in close embrace with him all the time, so boob contact doesn't really even register. And I'd spent half the lesson with either my leg locked between thighs, or his between mine. After all that contact, and what with the fact that I was concentrating on what he was saying and what I was trying to accomplish, an accidental boob grab just doesn't really matter. It's dancing--it's happened before, it'll happen again. So long as it's not deliberate, I don't much care.
yea...gotta say...ya dance with someone long enough and alot of really pleasurable stuff and alot of really gross stuff happens...and well...by then....no one really cares...

[fascination]

and let me just say that my sensibilities are scandalized by all of this boob talk on Easter...can't leave you people alone for a moment ;)

[Peaches]

and let me just say that my sensibilities are scandalized by all of this boob talk on Easter...can't leave you people alone for a moment ;)Well, a)it started before Easter, and b)try thinking of Easter more along the lines of the original Spring/fertility celebration and see if that leaves you feeling any less scandalized.

[Peaches]

yea...gotta say...ya dance with someone long enough and alot of really pleasurable stuff and alot of really gross stuff happens...and well...by then....no one really cares...Yep. Another way to look at it...until there's actually dance technique involved with them somehow, I just don't care. Too many other parts of my body that require technique to take up my brain power.

[Stillharbor]

I've hit my teacher a couple of times with my elbow right in the chest, he just winces and keeps going. But we usually start laughing so hard about it we can't keep going.

Another teacher asked if we could do a routine together for a showcase. We started working and had 1 particular section where I spun into his shoulder (with my arm over my head) and did a check and pop. I had no problem after I'd learned the move and it was GREAT! Then one day I was just off and clobbered him in the shoulder. I remember coming around and seeing him pull his head away as well. We stopped and went back over that section and wouldn't you know... no matter how many times we tried it, I couldn't do it. So... we had to change that section.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

I've mashed, poked, bumped, whacked, groped (accidentally), but I've never bitten a partner. :shock:
I agree completely! I find the best partnerships are the ones I can just say "that felt like poop" about a step, and they'll just laugh and agree. In most partnerships, this just means talking it through, figuring out what went wrong, and trying different ways to fix it. Heck, if you were to see me and my Smooth/Standard partner practicing, you would think I'm a horrible nag: I'll stop a step and yell "yuck!", I'll remind him about his shoulders being wrong -- heck, I bit him once! But it's all in good fun; he'll stop steps too, his shoulder is a running joke (and in my defense, a coach told me to bite him :D). It's just how we practice, and neither of us gets offended, because it's all about fixing our dancing. We also like to identify recurring problems and give them (often obscene) nicknames.

[Iolane]

I've accidentally hit my instructor in the crotch. I was supposed to do a double turn and land in a crouching position (sort of) with my hands on his abdomen while I look up at him (I don't think I'm describing it well). Anyway, I I kept doing the turn and landing with my hands gently touching his abdomen, and he kept making me do it over again telling me to really go for it, so I did, and hit him in the crotch - he wasn't hurt too bad (I don't think) but our practice was interrupted for a few minutes while we laughed. I told him that I did it on purpose as payback for the time he stepped on my hair while doing a death drop ;)

[Br0nze]

I've been hit in the face with elbows during turns, whipped with hair, kneed in various places, stepped on, tripped and accidentally kicked. I have accidentally hit my partner a few times during some tricky moves, I know that. I can't recall which ones to save my life, but it's safe to say that she's hit me significantly more than I hit her. I think it comes with the territory. Sometimes limbs fly and there's nothing you can do. I definitely advocate the approach of being in total control and exercising caution, but sometimes it's just not possible... as we all know.

[Linda J Schlensker]

I'm glad this is on the discussion board. These things happen. Most of us can tell when a grope or bang is accidental or not. I care about all my partners. In fact, when we care about one another these little accidents make our dancing better faster because we are determined not to let that happen again. I have had my lip split, my toe broken and more. The same partner never hurt me or anyone else that way again. It's part of the process. I been hurt much more badly in other sports. Think funniest home videos. Ballroom doesn't show up much does it?

[liz]

I hit my pro once during a scholarship. I didn't even feel it. He asked me if his lip was bleeding... As the round went on his lip got bigger and bigger.

[wonderwoman]

Not yet! Doubt it would hurt!

[RichE]

I've mashed, poked, bumped, whacked, groped (accidentally), but I've never bitten a partner. :shock:

Groping on the dance floor? Must be a ballroom thing. In bar-room dancing we do that in the parking lot.

[DrivenSubstance]

on my resume there is:

split lip x3
split eye brow x2
hit in the face >5
in the groin x2
stamped on foot >10

lol

[Alice.W]

Girls are so much worse at accidental hitting, my my experience :) I elbowed at least 5-6 guys really hard, always while spinning, and once a guy lost his glasses on the dance floor, poor thing. I got hit hard once on a lip (no blood), also by a girl who did some fancy smooth arm styling in my face. I do feel bad every time I hit someone, but all my victims took it as real gentlemen :)

[Ecclesiastes3_4]

Once upon a time, when I had really long hair and put it in a braid, I whacked my poor partner in the face with it. And I have a fair amount of hair, so it left a considerable mark.

That same evening, a different partner dipped me, got run into from behind, and dropped me by accident. Serious pain, but no injuries.

I've heeled and been heeled, had my feetsies stepped on, run into people, etc.

Once I almost took out the entire sound system in my dance studio doing a Viennese waltz.

[wonderwoman]

Not yet! Doubt it would hurt!
What was I even talking about? I didn't quote anything...


A few of my dance partners have taken an elbow to the head. They laughed and kept dancing.

[fascination]

when I do things, I do them big...other than stepping on toes, the most that I have done is full body tackle :) (just once)

[Gorme]

The only damage I've caused to my partners is a hit to the top of the head from misjudged turning actions or hitting them in the knee. I've taken plenty of elbows to the face and body and the only one that actually hurt was when a male pro was playing the follower's role and demonstrating to my partner on how to turn and curtsey. His elbow to my head left me seeing stars.

[wiseman]

This happened to me at my Intermediate Salsa class last Wednesday. I was turning a girl and her head bumped into my arm. Thankfully it was the soft part of my arm and not my elbow. Yikes! But, it was only a minor hit, but it was actually my fault because I messed up the routine. The girl was so nice and understanding about it. I sincerely apologized to her and she laughed and said it's ok. And she made a joke about it by saying that Salsa dancing is more dangerous than she thought. She was so cool about it and I really admire that in her. But yes, she still gladly danced with me when she got to me again during the next rotation. And believe me, I tried not to make that mistake again. Thankfully, I didn't.

[Gorme]

Girls are pretty tough. They just tell all the guys that they're fragile, but they take hits just as well as the next guy.

[pygmalion]

when I do things, I do them big...other than stepping on toes, the most that I have done is full body tackle :) (just once)


*giggle* Getting a visual. :shock: :lol:

[chachachikka]

Oh my, if my dance partner stopped dancing with me because I hit him, I'd have no dance partner!

One time I hit him in the face, I felt so bad, but he claimed it was his fault because he brought my hand there and didn't move his face back. I let him take the blame for it.

But one time, I kicked him, and I'm pretty sure that was my fault. I was trying to get my leg wrapped around him, but I sorta missed the around part and went right into his stomach. Oops!

But then again, he has shouldered me in the nose/eyes - which I think was probably my fault. And I've slapped him across the cheek with the inside of my upper arm... one of the most odd ways to accidentally slap someone.

[GoldStar]

If you hit a girl you should say you are sorry in a funny way.. like umm you can say "Oh im so sorry" and after a minute "So that was my Karate.. let's go back to dancing?" laugh and wink.

If a girl hits me.. I will just make fun of it say I forgive her and hug her after.. "But next time you hit me I will fight back".