Beginner Dance Lessons

[jsommermeyer]

My wife and I have been taking lessons for about 4 weeks now... we can do basic movements on:

American Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Rumba, Cha-Cha
and EC Swing...

What is the common practice for going forward with lessons? We currently simply want to build up a social dancing background, and spend some quality time together. Currently, we don't really want to "compete" at this point in time. Should our hour long lessons be focused on one dance, and getting better at it or should our lessons continue the "shot-gun" approach where we work on 3 or so dances?

I tend to believe that we should focus our lesson time on learning some new steps on ONE dance. Then spend practice time polishing those steps... then come back to another dance at another lesson...

I feel like even though we are progressing, that we are very BASIC when it comes to what we can do, so practicing gets boring quick. Because, well we can do waltz boxes for only so long... :)

Thanks in advance!

[fascination]

your preferred approach sounds reasonable to me....there will come a time if you desire to have your boxes look better, when you can spend hours doing them, for a multitude of reasons you cannot grasp at the moment.... but it is a good idea to get a few handfuls of steps in the most common dances you dance at socials...particularly since that is your current goal...and welcome to DF

[AndaBien]

As a long-time social dancer, I believe firmly that a few steps done really well, expressively, makes a much better dance than one with lots of steps. Your partner will enjoy quality much more than quantity.

[fascination]

agree...

[jsommermeyer]

As a long-time social dancer, I believe firmly that a few steps done really well, expressively, makes a much better dance than one with lots of steps. Your partner will enjoy quality much more than quantity.

I guess I would need to see a definition of "few" steps... are we talking "bronze" curriculum as "few"?

because if that is the case, we have a small part of a "few" steps :)

[WorksForShoes]

Welcome to DF!

I agree with your initial plan. If you have been dancing for four weeks, you probably have what, 3 or 4 steps in each of your dances that you are at all comfortable with? That can get pretty boring over the course of a two hour social, and you are right, there is little entertainment in doing waltz boxes repeatedly with nothing to leven them. (However, Fasc is right -- there will come a day you will happily do so for hours, and I shudder to think of the money that I have spent on coachings that focused on the waltz box at some level.)

I think for DH and I, we really needede about 5-7 good steps we were comfortable with (roughly associate bronze in some syllabi) before we could entertain ourselves socially in a particular dance, then we felt more comfortable going back and starting to clean up technique on what we have. You will see a lot of very on-point advice on these forums about not sacrificing quality to build a large repetoire of steps, but you do have to know a few to give yourself something to work on and to keep yourself interested.

[fascination]

personally, if a handful of bronze steps are done well ...I am happy as can be...maybe five in a whole dance ...shrug...just for starters...then you build on the dances you like...add a few moves here and there

[etp777]

I guess I would need to see a definition of "few" steps... are we talking "bronze" curriculum as "few"?

because if that is the case, we have a small part of a "few" steps :)

I'm two and a half years in, and only know 1-6 of the ten steps in our bronze curriculum in msot of my dances. Only complaints I've ever had from women is that I need to be more decisive when I choose a step, little hestitant at start of a pattern. So don't feel like you need to know all of bronze and half of silver before you're ready for social scene. :)

[jsommermeyer]

Here is what we know...

1. Waltz... Open and Close the box, under arm turn, progressive steps? (basically a snake going forward then back) we have also begun turning as we box...

2. Tango... forward, backward, promenade, corte (which I think feels dumb)...

3. Foxtrot... forward, backward, underarm turn, promenade

4. Rumba... open, close box... underarm turn... open rock steps? , and we learned a full circle cuban steps? in a group class... basically, I do lock steps and she walks around me... that was fun...

5. Cha-Cha ... open/closed position basic movement, underarm turn... swing open thing (not sure what it is called)

6. swing... basic movement open and closed, and a turn out where we are dancing side by side for a sec, basically a spin/turn for her... I just keep doing basic movement...

ok... that is what we know... and we did do a social dance, which was a blast, and will do one again this week...

[tanya_the_dancer]

Here is what we know...

1. Waltz... Open and Close the box, under arm turn, progressive steps? (basically a snake going forward then back) we have also begun turning as we box...

2. Tango... forward, backward, promenade, corte (which I think feels dumb)...

3. Foxtrot... forward, backward, underarm turn, promenade

4. Rumba... open, close box... underarm turn... open rock steps? , and we learned a full circle cuban steps? in a group class... basically, I do lock steps and she walks around me... that was fun...

5. Cha-Cha ... open/closed position basic movement, underarm turn... swing open thing (not sure what it is called)

6. swing... basic movement open and closed, and a turn out where we are dancing side by side for a sec, basically a spin/turn for her... I just keep doing basic movement...

ok... that is what we know... and we did do a social dance, which was a blast, and will do one again this week...

So looks like you know about 4 patterns in each dance, right?

[jsommermeyer]

yeah... about 4 patterns... I know our posture/positioning needs significant work... I think when I practice I need to work at that more...

our practice is mainly at home, because we have small children (5 & 2, and my 5yo has begun tangoing with my wife:) ), and it is not feasible for us to get babysitting every time we'd like to practice and go to the studio...

I do feel myself sitting up straighter, and walking taller... mostly because of the dancing... it feels nice too!

I really like the smooth dances, they just seem more elegant... and more natural than the latin/EC Swing...

tell me if I am wrong here... but it seems that Latin/EC Swing is more about smaller/subtle movements and the smooth dances are more about bigger/grand movements...

wow, I really went all over the place in this post...

[JEM]

You know about twice what DH and I knew when we went to our first social dance! We still had a great time. I liked how we did our early lessons - we focused on 2 dances a lesson, learning a step or 2 in each plus advice on timing, technique, hand movements and such so we could really dance eventually, not just do steps. That way worked for us. Boring as it is, practice all you can - you won't have to think about basic then when you start adding.

[latingal]

Welcome to DF jsommermeyer! And welcome to the wonderfully addictive world of ballroom!

Regarding how to progress in your quest to become a better social dancer and enjoy quality time with your significant other - I would say it depends on what you wish to gain from the dancing. Do you just want to have fun and dance? Do you want to enjoy the challenge of making the dances "look right" (i.e. the technique)?

For me, if I just want to have fun, I'd go ahead and keep learning patterns and very basic technique of leading & following better in many dances. At a social you will run across many types of dances and it's fun to be out on the floor for which ever ones you choose to be.

If you wish to be "serious" with the technique of the dances, you will need to spend more concentrated time on each dance.

As for your question on smooth and latin....smooth moves across the floor, latin and east coast swing are more stationary dances (except for samba and paso in latin which are progressive dances). Latin is more about the body and leg action.

[tanya_the_dancer]

For smooth specifically, since it travels, I would ask a teacher to show you what you can do when you need to turn the corner. A lot of beginners struggle with that particular issue.

[WorksForShoes]

our practice is mainly at home, because we have small children (5 & 2, and my 5yo has begun tangoing with my wife:smile: ), and it is not feasible for us to get babysitting every time we'd like to practice and go to the studio...


I admit to a little nostalgic envy here. I remember very fondly when we first got "bit by the bug," and we would practice in our living room every night of the week that we didn't have class or a social, for at least an hour at a time. Now, of course, we can't do much at home, but those days were some really special ones. Enjoy them!

[rcwkent]

You have a lot of the basic tools, so go to as many social dances as you can.

My wife and I go to 2 or 3 per week and practice at home. Sometimes if one has a question we will just walk thru a step in the kitchen. A lot of social dancing (with other partners as well) brings up issues that your instructor can help you with, and will continue to improve you dancing. e.g. floorcraft, frame, lead/follow, etc.

Welcome to the life and good luck!

Rich

[_malakawa_]

talk with your teacher.

she/he will give you the material that you are ready for. i don't know where are you taking lessons and how they teach, but the most important think is that you talk with your teacher.

make a program that will fits your budget, time, abilities ....

even when you practice, try to put steps each time in a different order. create good muscle memory, and then "building" the new step will be very easy. ;)

[Indiana_Jay]

make a program that will fits your budget, time, abilities ....

... and interest!

Welcome to the forum. When my LW and I started taking lessons at a franchise studio, we expressed that what we wanted to do was have fun at social dances. Our teachers customized a curriculum that met our needs, rather than sticking to the prescribed franchise curriculum. For example, we learned some basic samba earlier than the curriculum would have permitted.

As to whether you should concentrate on one dance for a while, it depends a lot on your learning style. If you need two or three lessons to feel you've really learned something, let your teacher know.

If you read other threads here, you might find some cautions against be a dancer who know a lot of steps but not a lot of technique. As a beginner, its tempting to learn as much variety as you can. I've been there. Now, I wish we'd concentrated a little more on technique because it makes the more difficult patterns easier.

As an analogy, if you know anything about piano, you know you can play simple stuff with poor hand position, but if you don't learn good hand position, you'll eventually hit a brick wall.

Have fun!

[_malakawa_]

... and interest!

Welcome to the forum. When my LW and I started taking lessons at a franchise studio, we expressed that what we wanted to do was have fun at social dances. Our teachers customized a curriculum that met our needs, rather than sticking to the prescribed franchise curriculum. For example, we learned some basic samba earlier than the curriculum would have permitted.

As to whether you should concentrate on one dance for a while, it depends a lot on your learning style. If you need two or three lessons to feel you've really learned something, let your teacher know.

If you read other threads here, you might find some cautions against be a dancer who know a lot of steps but not a lot of technique. As a beginner, its tempting to learn as much variety as you can. I've been there. Now, I wish we'd concentrated a little more on technique because it makes the more difficult patterns easier.

As an analogy, if you know anything about piano, you know you can play simple stuff with poor hand position, but if you don't learn good hand position, you'll eventually hit a brick wall.

Have fun!

i know that i missed one word. :cool: correct, your interest.

that is why all my students have a small homework. i learn more about them and how and what to teach them.

for every step there is a reason why and how - it is not because your teacher said so. ;)

[BlueBambue]

Good job for practicing. Especially when you're beginning a little practice goes a long way. If you practice and never forget a step, you are already miles ahead of nearly everyone I have seen learn to dance.

I think it would be beneficial to have at least a couple of lessons where you only do one dance style and learn to do some moves in that style well. That way you don't have to worry about switching rhythms and modes of travel midway though, have some time to worry about doing things right, and maybe learn a new step or two.

It might take a little bit longer to initially develop a good repertoire, but taking it slowly and learning movement and lead and follow technique will allow you to learn new moves very quickly later on. Plus, as other people have already said, it is so much nicer to dance with clear basics than a bunch of steps where neither I nor the lead know where I am supposed to be.

[jsommermeyer]

Thanks for all the tips and thoughts... will put them into practice, and lessons, soon... unfortunatly we had to cancel tonights lesson because my wife and daughter are sick... booo... maybe we'll get some practice time in tonight... we'll see! Happy dancing all!