Black Sheep
04-30-2003, 11:40 PM
"A Teachers "Perspective".
A commentary in Dance Forum, "A Students Perspective" attracted my attention and I found it very good advice for all dancers. The article triggered a subject that has been rambling around in my mind concerning Swing dancing, and how to encourage new comers to continue Dancing as a life style: The main difference between 'Walking in Tango' and Swing is that Swing is a running dance, albeit these are small running steps. Otherwise the advice in 'A Student Perspective' is excellent for all Ballroom dances.
The most effective way to keep a student 'hooked' on any dance, is to help them to understand and
to dance in rhythm with the music. Rhythm should be a critical first step in teaching that first lesson, but teachers should include the rhythm with at least a couple of basic steps before that first lesson is over or else the students will feel unfulfilled (cheated), and do not spend more than five or ten minutes on the rhythm aspect of the lesson, and if necessary review the rhythm lesson on subsequent lessons until they get it..
The students need more than just a lesson in rhythm for that first lesson, they need a few step patterns to take home with them that they can remember and practice, so give them at least a five minute review at the
end of each lesson.
Last year, I was asked to critique a Swing class by a two time Boogie whoogie World Champion and a two time runner up World Swing Champion dance team who had been teaching around the world for the past 8 years. And one of my critiques was that they never reviewed the lessons for the students,
which I found the lesson to be otherwise fairly well taught. Eight years of teaching and it never dawned on them the thought of reviewing their lessons! It was no wonder that their classes used to fall off dramatically. They are today, a year later, achieving a greater number of repeat students in their group classes.
Once the student feels that neural thrill (not neurotic, but maybe erotic) of moving with the rhythm of
a song, they will be instantly addicted to dancing. In teaching dance rhythms, use clapping hands in time with the musical beats first, then have them stepping out the basic rhythm in place in time with the musical beat; if you are able to, have them accent the up beat (syncopate) subtly; no stamping because it diminishes the mesmeric affect of a smooth continuous movement. Any device or method you can conjure up to help student to identify
and dance to the Quarter beats in the music will be more important than all the steps you teach without this Rhythm Lesson.
Why do I emphasize teaching dance Rhythms on first lessons? I was a professional dance teacher
in 1949 at the Veloz & Yolanda Dance Studios, an excellent Chain studio, and although I had gone through two, 8 week teacher's training courses, a total of 16 weeks, I was teaching dancing for six months before I could find that illusive Quarter beat. None of my half dozen or so training teachers ever thought of teaching the trainees how to identify and use the Quarter beat in dancing. The Swing dance teachers I have observed these past four years in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA , still omit this CRITICAL rhythm aspect of dancing in their lessons. They ALWAYS count out the beat for the students to begin the step combination, but never explain the big 'Quarter beat Secret'.
Losing the beat while dancing is like waking up from a beautiful dream.
Black Sheep (www.lindybylanza.com)
P.S.
I'll be only to willing to answer any questions on learning or teaching dancing.
A commentary in Dance Forum, "A Students Perspective" attracted my attention and I found it very good advice for all dancers. The article triggered a subject that has been rambling around in my mind concerning Swing dancing, and how to encourage new comers to continue Dancing as a life style: The main difference between 'Walking in Tango' and Swing is that Swing is a running dance, albeit these are small running steps. Otherwise the advice in 'A Student Perspective' is excellent for all Ballroom dances.
The most effective way to keep a student 'hooked' on any dance, is to help them to understand and
to dance in rhythm with the music. Rhythm should be a critical first step in teaching that first lesson, but teachers should include the rhythm with at least a couple of basic steps before that first lesson is over or else the students will feel unfulfilled (cheated), and do not spend more than five or ten minutes on the rhythm aspect of the lesson, and if necessary review the rhythm lesson on subsequent lessons until they get it..
The students need more than just a lesson in rhythm for that first lesson, they need a few step patterns to take home with them that they can remember and practice, so give them at least a five minute review at the
end of each lesson.
Last year, I was asked to critique a Swing class by a two time Boogie whoogie World Champion and a two time runner up World Swing Champion dance team who had been teaching around the world for the past 8 years. And one of my critiques was that they never reviewed the lessons for the students,
which I found the lesson to be otherwise fairly well taught. Eight years of teaching and it never dawned on them the thought of reviewing their lessons! It was no wonder that their classes used to fall off dramatically. They are today, a year later, achieving a greater number of repeat students in their group classes.
Once the student feels that neural thrill (not neurotic, but maybe erotic) of moving with the rhythm of
a song, they will be instantly addicted to dancing. In teaching dance rhythms, use clapping hands in time with the musical beats first, then have them stepping out the basic rhythm in place in time with the musical beat; if you are able to, have them accent the up beat (syncopate) subtly; no stamping because it diminishes the mesmeric affect of a smooth continuous movement. Any device or method you can conjure up to help student to identify
and dance to the Quarter beats in the music will be more important than all the steps you teach without this Rhythm Lesson.
Why do I emphasize teaching dance Rhythms on first lessons? I was a professional dance teacher
in 1949 at the Veloz & Yolanda Dance Studios, an excellent Chain studio, and although I had gone through two, 8 week teacher's training courses, a total of 16 weeks, I was teaching dancing for six months before I could find that illusive Quarter beat. None of my half dozen or so training teachers ever thought of teaching the trainees how to identify and use the Quarter beat in dancing. The Swing dance teachers I have observed these past four years in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA , still omit this CRITICAL rhythm aspect of dancing in their lessons. They ALWAYS count out the beat for the students to begin the step combination, but never explain the big 'Quarter beat Secret'.
Losing the beat while dancing is like waking up from a beautiful dream.
Black Sheep (www.lindybylanza.com)
P.S.
I'll be only to willing to answer any questions on learning or teaching dancing.