How much do you think while dancing?

[KevinL]

When you go out dancing, how much do you _think_ about what you are doing? (I expect the answer will vary based on how long you've been dancing, and if you are a leader or follower, but I'm curious anyway.)

Leaders: Do you plan in advance ( a few measures, maybe) what you are going to do, or just let the music and/or people around you dictate what you are going to do?

Followers: Do you shut down your mind and respond reflexively to the leader, or do you actively try to read what he is trying to lead you to do? Does your mental input vary from leader to leader?

Kevin

[tj]

I usually just go with the flow, not thinking about what to do next.

The exception would be when I recognize a particular break coming up in the music. If/when possible, I'll try to set up a move to take advantage of it.

If a follow starts to look or act bored, then I'll start thinking about more complicated things to do. Or if I'm trying to perfect a new combination, maybe I'll be thinking about that.

Most of the time, I'm either talking, flirting, playing with the music, or a combination of the 3. Usually keeps me quite occupied.

[Vince A]

What tj said . . . EXACTLY!

Most of "any thinking" would be listening to the music to know whether the break (if it breaks at all) is on a particular count, as most times in most (for Swing) songs, the music tends to repeat itself. So, if a break happens on count 5, most likely, the next time it breaks (and you can hear it coming) it will probably be on count 5 again. Of course, there are exceptions to this unfounded rule! A lot of Swing music breaks on counts 1 or 5, but I have music (like some B. Spears music - yes, she has some great WCS music) that breaks EVERYWHERE!

[Chris Stratton]

When in practice, I'm usually able to do 'average' quality competition or social dancing without really thinking about it. That gives me the freedom to really concentrate on a particular issue of interest, while leaving everything else to the autopilot.

Of course it isn't perfect - at one comp this spring I became so obsessed with a frame issue that I halfway lead a whisk in syllabus quickstep - the autopilot has a tendancy to jump between similar dances if not adequately supervised. Recently I've been dancing less, so things like these waltz/quickstep reflex mixups are more problematic than when I was competing almost weekly.

[tasche]

As a follower if I think too much I can't keep it together.

[dr daffy]

when i first began dancing, i thought too much, lol... i was definitley a follower in the beginning.

but now, with enough experience and enough passion, i don't think at all. i'm a leader now and i never prepare anything unless i have to, lol. i just dance to the music... let my body take over... it's a great feeling to not think about anything at all. when i'm done dancing, i'm like "wow, i haven't thought for a while." lol :P

[mellody43]

As a follower if I think too much I can't keep it together.
I agree! Part of the reason I love dancing is that it is basically the ONE time I turn my brain OFF. I try and follow as best I can without thinking ahead/predicting what the lead might do. Rather than an "outerbody" experience, I have an "outer brain" experience -- or an "innerbody" experience! If a lead is trying too much fancy stuff that throws me off, I start thinking ... not a good thing.

Melissa

[cl5814]

As a follower, i have done well just following what the leader wanted me to do without thinking 1 bit. I think so far my rescue to not think while dancing has been the music, i have been caught singing along with the music - well, moving my lips, not actually singing.

Here are the situations in which i have found myself thinking :
1) Now, that i am working on technique/alignment/footwork of steps i am starting to think when dancing instead of just following. How do you manage the balance between the two ? Will i have to practice until the thinking turns into muscle memory ?
2) I have rarely been caught backleading/anticipating a move (thinking in a different way), i only tend to want to do that if i can't get a feel for the leader (can't read his leads). Luckily i can dance with 99 % of leaders with no problem. This one i would say that it is just a given, we can't all dance well with one another.
3) Another issue that i have had to face recently (thinking too much) is learning to dance IS closed position, i loose my connection/control to my feet (so to speak) and start thinking about where to move my feet. Sort of like my feet is no longer attached to my body. This most probably sound weird... anybody else had this experience ? Thinking about it more, i also have to present my body to the leader so we can literally stick together, maybe this is more the source of the problem - where i loose the control.

Don't want to redirect Kevin's thread, but if anyone cares to comment on one or more of the issues, i would be glad.

[youngsta]

I don't think at all when I'm dancing. I totally react to the music and my partners feedback. Sometimes I even feel like it's an out of body experience.

[Sagitta]

As a follower, i have done well just following what the leader wanted me to do without thinking 1 bit.

Here are the situations in which i have found myself thinking :
1) Now, that i am working on technique/alignment/footwork of steps i am starting to think when dancing instead of just following. How do you manage the balance between the two ? Will i have to practice until the thinking turns into muscle memory ?
2) I have rarely been caught backleading/anticipating a move (thinking in a different way), i only tend to want to do that if i can't get a feel for the leader (can't read his leads). Luckily i can dance with 99 % of leaders with no problem. This one i would say that it is just a given, we can't all dance well with one another.
3) Another issue that i have had to face recently (thinking too much) is learning to dance IS closed position, i loose my connection/control to my feet (so to speak) and start thinking about where to move my feet. Sort of like my feet is no longer attached to my body. This most probably sound weird... anybody else had this experience ? Thinking about it more, i also have to present my body to the leader so we can literally stick together, maybe this is more the source of the problem - where i loose the control.

Don't want to redirect Kevin's thread, but if anyone cares to comment on one or more of the issues, i would be glad.

1) and 2) hapens for me as a follower. I have had experience with 3) where I don't move my body, but just the feet, as a beginner worrying about feet getting in the way, as leader and follower.

As a leader whether or not I think depends on whom Im dancing with and what my intention is. If a beginner who is all over the place then I do have to think. If I'm trying out something new the same applies, such as trying out on2 currently. If we have great connection I don't have to think, but sometimes I just don't feel it, so even though I know my follower is there and she can follow moves I'm not comfortable letting go.

[Chris Stratton]

3) Another issue that i have had to face recently (thinking too much) is learning to dance IS closed position, i loose my connection/control to my feet (so to speak) and start thinking about where to move my feet. Sort of like my feet is no longer attached to my body. This most probably sound weird... anybody else had this experience ? Thinking about it more, i also have to present my body to the leader so we can literally stick together, maybe this is more the source of the problem - where i loose the control.


My current thought is that things like footwork should be drilled by both partners, but neither one should actually do footwork intentionally. Rather, once the body is "willing" to do proper footwork, it should actually happen as a result of the leader directing both bodies through positions which imply it - with both people's feet "following" that.

[DancePoet]

Sometimes I think, sometimes I feel.

Thinking usually occurs when I'm working on something new and I'm trying to incorporate it into my social dancing. Feeling usually occurs when I'm using better known patterns and trying to flow or even interpret the music.

When dancing socially I tend to make things up as I go. As a leader, I find I am continually watching out for space issues between us and other dancers or inanimate objects. Therefore, having a plan for social situations would require being flexible anyway. If I'm interested in including something new I have learned, then I will be looking for an opportunity to work it into the dance.

When dancing competively, I plan in advance which steps I will be using, but not necessarily the order. I experimented during my last competition with knowing the order of steps I would be using, but this didn't seem to be true dancing to me. Perhaps this view will change as my skills increase. Although I know of one very experienced couple who purposely does all lead and follow during their competitions.

If I were to create a routine to a specific piece of music then a plan would be very important.

[LatinoFire]

When I competed as a pro, I was always thinking of where I was in relation to my partner, NOT of the other couples. I danced with my partner and performed for and with her. Of course you need to be aware of the other couples to avoid collision but, my mind was always on interpreting the dance/music through movement and expression. When I walked onto the dance floor, I became someone else... this is what my now deceased coach/friend Bobby Mederios always pounded into head. Dance is a celebration not a neighborhood watch.

[tsb]

i don't know why, but it occurs to me that dancing on a crowded floor (especially if it's a dance involving LOD) is not unlike being a chauffeur (sp?)driving in rush hour traffic. some folks like to tailgate with lots of stops and starts. others (especially big rigs) like to maintain a steady speed, and leave 5 car lengths behind the car ahead of them so as not to ahve to stop. both approaches still require a certain amount of attention so as to avoid collision with other drivers. when you have an open floor/slot (like an open highway), you can go more on cruise control because you don't have to spend so much time worrying about an imminent collision.

so i'd have to say that the amount of thinking i do (not related to enjoying the dance) depends a lot on the type of dance and the amount of floorcraft i have to practice.

[LatinoFire]

There's a world of difference between a SOCIAL dance floor & a COMPETITIVE dance floor, so please do not confuse what I'm saying. For so many years, Dancing was my job although I enjoyed it emensely when I retired, it became my hobby and now it's one of the most enjoyable hobbies I have. One must always pay attention to what's happening in their LOD, otherwise collision is inevitable and obtrusive to the other couples on the floor.

[dancin_feet]

For me it has a lot to do with who I am dancing with. Generally I can switch my brain off and just react to the lead. Other times when the lead is not so good, I have to think a bit before reacting to try to read what he wants me to do.

Then there is dancing with my instructor. He has a habit of recognising when I have switched off while dancing with him and throws in a step I have no idea of what I am doing, or maybe even a new step I have not yet mastered. I find it is just easier to keep my brain ticking over when dancing with him, and he rarely catches me out.

But if I switch off ...... the cheeky bugger gets me every time!! :lol: :lol:

[SwinginBoo]

when i first began dancing, i thought too much, lol... i was definitley a follower in the beginning.

but now, with enough experience and enough passion, i don't think at all. i'm a leader now and i never prepare anything unless i have to, lol. i just dance to the music... let my body take over... it's a great feeling to not think about anything at all. when i'm done dancing, i'm like "wow, i haven't thought for a while." lol :P

I totally agree with you dr daffy. When I'm leading I do think a little more, but if I stop thinking and just let the music take over my lead then it really starts to get fun because I make up my own stuff (not always turning out great, lol) but even the crazy mistakes get a good laugh. :D

[LatinoFire]

Interesting concept however I do not agree. I am currently writing a book titled, "My Body works for me, my head's in it for the ride." Body mechanics is a touchy issue and should be entered into with thought, knowledge, and more thought. I had an argument with a "Walking Expert" in Sarasota Florida, and sad to say he subsided to my views after I thoroughly explained the mechanics of the body in motion in relation to the actions responding to the movement initiated. I have spent many years understanding & putting into words the actual steps that the body goes through to create a STEP, not to mention leading to another step!! The process is intense! BUT, when you actually understand this process, you will be able to walk and yes DANCE, much better.

[Genesius Redux]

I haven't had enough experience in many dances to auto-pilot. Generally I can auto-pilot in ECS, Cha Cha, Rumba. A little bit in Tango. Waltz and Foxtrot require more concentration, mostly because I'm piloting--and the one thing I hate is when my partner constantly tries to pilot along with me, as if I didn't have enough to worry about with all the other dancers doing completely unexpected things on the floor! Bolero I have to think, and Mambo and Salsa too. WCS I can sometimes put on autopilot, but if I do it too much I get boring and repetitive. Hustle I just do whatever feels right at the moment. No way can I auto-pilot through a Charleston or a Lindy.

[mr bixx]

if i am social dancing i'm not thinking at all. i jsut kinda move with the music. i'm such a random person as is, that my mind is never focusing on one thing anyway. i could be doin fox trott and thinking about what i had to eat earlier, then start thinking about what i wanna do after dancing while imagining me cuddling with my girl.
if i am practicing though its totally different. i'm so focused on what i'm doin i annoy myself.

[Flat Shoes]

It's difficult to say, since I don't think about it.

But I know it depends. Some nights everything flows on its own, other nights I need to think more about what I'm doing. What I do know is that I never plan far ahead. Sometimes a move pops into my head, then I execute whatever's necessary to move into a position to do that move. Usually only one or two steps. Sometimes I also do a move, maybe a little bit badly, and I feel that maybe here it's possible to do something new. Then I may go back there and try it out.

On bad nights (it happens, or sometimes things just start out not very good) I do a lot more thinking, like getting frustrated over the lack of feeling and creativity in the dance. And I start wondering about what to do next! And sometimes, when I'm really not into it, I even count :oops: (Hey! Not the whole song! :evil:)

But when everything is flowing, I just get euphoric and enjoy myself. I don't know what I'm actually thinking then, but it's probably in the line of 'yeah', 'wow', 'cool'! :roll: And 'this chick is gooood!'.

I guess, the better I'm dancing, the less I think.

[Sabor]

probably this is the only time when i dont think a all, just react .. in a way thats why i luv it so much.

[cocodrilo]

I let my body do the thinking!

Tsb had a point though- on crowded dance floors you HAVE to think, and plan out your next moves accordingly or..OOOOOOPS, sorry, didn't see your foot there!!! :wink:

[MacMoto]

As a follower, I try to empty my mind when I dance. In the ideal state, it's all about my body responding to the lead and my emotions responding to the music. Whenever I start thinking I lose focus, and then I'm more likely to miss the lead.

My head does play a part when I am consciously trying to get rid of some of my bad habits or trying to do certain things differently (my "training mode"), but I rarely dance very well when I'm in that mode. My best dances happen when I just go with the flow without thinking, bad habits and all. Another time when the head intervenes is when I can see a possible collision ahead, at which time I stiffen my arms to try to stop the leader moving backwards. Unfortunately, when I'm really enjoying a dance, I'm useless at this -- I'm simply too absorbed in the eye contact with the leader to remember to look behind him. :oops:

[salsachinita]

I do both.

As a follower it is indeed ideal to be 'blank'. As MacMoto put it "let body respond to lead & emotion respond to music".
The most enjoyable dances almost always came from this auto-pilot mode. Under one condition though, as GR pointed out: you (both of you!) have to know the dance well enough in order to do that.

When do I think? Only when I feel challenged. This sense of challenge may come from an unfamiliar style, different timing, 'famous' personalities etc.

This is because my muscle memories have not had a chance to know how to respond to the unfamiliar. Hence the mind jumps in to help (at least keep body 'on the toes' so to speak :wink: ). This change of reflex can sometimes backfire, as in "the more I think, the worse I do :oops: ".

The challenged state is quite often temporary. Once your muscle memories have absorbed the new input, auto-pilot takes place once more & you can stop thinking :wink: !

[mamboqueen]

I try not to think, and just enjoy the music, but it depends on my leader. In social situations, if I get a leader who is intense rather than relaxed, sometimes I'll start focusing more on what he's trying to do.

Sometimes I get a good little silent chuckle as I'm dancing with a new dancer and he starts looking upwards as if he's expecting a sign as to what steps to do next. It completely cracks me up.

[Purr]

Do not think. Just feel the music. And follow. Makes for a much better dance experience for all. :friend:

[DancePoet]

GR: Interesting you classified which dances you can "auto-pilot". I feel similarly on this now that I have contemplated your post. When I'm doing Cha-Cha or Rumba, and even Hustle, I only think when I'm trying something new. Anmd trying something new doesn't happen in competition on socially for beginning to aquire the muscle memory needed for competiiton. Although I have not progressed far with ECS, I'd guess this would be the same for me with this style, too. However, Tango, Foxtrot and Waltz all require more thinking, planning, being aware of space issues, and maybe this is because they all travel more then Cha-Cha, Rumba, and ECS. I have very little knowledge of Mambo, Salsa, and even less of Bolero, but interested in discovering.

Flat Shoes: I understand what you mean here regarding feeling and thinking differently on different occassions. Good point! I also find it difficult to think when I'm chatting while dancing. Then I tend to rely on feeling through my better known patterns.

I prefer to know the steps, feel the music, flow across the floor, and interpret if possible. Yet if using new steps or managing the dance through a crowd, this forces my mind into the thinking mode.