Facial expressions when concentrating/thinking

[Pacion]

Are you aware of what you do with your facial muscles when you are concentrating or thinking deeply? :D

[borikensalsero]

Yes and No!

I'm told that I look spaced out, which might be just right considering my elevator doesn't reach the top floor. :D

[Kitty]

nooooo!
My violin teacher was always telling me about it!
When I was performing with a violinist ensemble (like 5 years ago) the TV recorded the performance and I was very embarrassed when all my classmates saw that on TV: for most of performance all they were showing was just my face with an awful expression.

I think this concentration/facial expression problem is what is behind many dancers' fixed fake smiles.

[dr daffy]

i'm not aware at all and my friends always make fun of me for it, lol

[ShyDancer]

I frown when I concentrate, and I bite my lip....not a great look when Im trying to dance :lol:

My teachers are always reminding me to smile !

[Flat Shoes]

I look angry when I'm concentrated. But when dancing, my focus is not only on the dancing but also on the person. Hopefully that reduces the amount of time I just look angry.

[squirrel]

I look awful when I concentrate... :( nothing I can do about it...

[dancin_feet]

I get a real blank / stony expression to my face which I never really realised until I saw my dancing video. Must be in other parts of my life as well, but while dancing is the only time I have actually seen it. I have always known that I don't smile, but never realised that I looked so much like I am bored, when inside I'm really jumping for joy!

[Sakura]

I'm not really aware! I think it depends on whether I'm concentrating on doing something I like or something I don't like. I'm sure my facial expressions look all right or hideous ( :shock: :D ) depending on the former and latter.

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[Genesius Redux]

It's a big problem! :lol:

That concentrated frown is something that I have to work against when doing serious ballroom. The bright cheesy smile is just another thing that I have to concentrate on. So what I do is just make believe I'm one of those cheesy ballroom dancer-types with the plastic grin, and I get an automatic plastic grin! :lol:

That's an overstatement, I do genuinely smile when the dance feels good, it's when something goes wrong that it's harder. Luckily my normal default response when I screw up is to laugh, so I generally get around it.

I already posted this example on the "Pattern Dancer" thread in the Salsa Forum, but my friends and I were watching a delightful couple doing the Viennese Waltz at a comp last year, and this one dude was concentrating so hard--well, my friend Patrick leans over to me and says, "It looks like he has to take a wicked dump!"

And we could barely contain ourselves every time the couple went by, and we felt (kinda) bad because they really were superb dancers! :oops: :lol:

[Sakura]

So what I do is just make believe I'm one of those cheesy ballroom dancer-types with the plastic grin, and I get an automatic plastic grin! :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Careful Genesius! You keep talking about an "automatic plastic grin," and someone might start calling you Ken! ('Though, he's been frowning since his divorce with Barbie, hasn't he? :twisted:)

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[Genesius Redux]

So what I do is just make believe I'm one of those cheesy ballroom dancer-types with the plastic grin, and I get an automatic plastic grin! :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Careful Genesius! You keep talking about an "automatic plastic grin," and someone might start calling you Ken! ('Though, he's been frowning since his divorce with Barbie, hasn't he? :twisted:)

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

Little One. No one who's ever seen me would call me Ken. I favor the Italo....

[DancePoet]

I tend to be so focused on doing the correct things when I am preparing for a comp or competing that my instructor is constantly trying to get me to smile. It always seems easier when I like the music that is playing.

I like GR's idea of laughing when he makes a mistake. Maybe I can accomplish this which might help me smile more. And the "plastic smile" idea might just work, too!

[Sakura]

So what I do is just make believe I'm one of those cheesy ballroom dancer-types with the plastic grin, and I get an automatic plastic grin! :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Careful Genesius! You keep talking about an "automatic plastic grin," and someone might start calling you Ken! ('Though, he's been frowning since his divorce with Barbie, hasn't he? :twisted:)

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

Little One. No one who's ever seen me would call me Ken. I favor the Italo....

:D :D :D :D :D Well, that works too! I love Italian people! My friend Sarah's Mum (and my Mum as well, come to think of it** :wink: ) is Italian! I love her! :D

(...Not to mention, you guys have some of the best food EVER!!!!!!!!! 8) :oops: 8) )

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

**meaning that essentially, Sarah's mum is my mum.

[Genesius Redux]

:D :D :D :D :D Well, that works too! I love Italian people! My friend Sarah's Mum (and my Mum as well, come to think of it :wink: ) is Italian! I love her! :D

(...Not to mention, you guys have some of the best food EVER!!!!!!!!! 8) :oops: 8) )

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

Then we'll have to call Hasbro is it? and tell them to make the Barbie Big Paulie doll. He has to have a distended gut and he comes with all sorts of chains and rings and a big cigar. And he can have different outfits, like expensive jogging suits, and wide-collared open shirts to display his chest hair, and lots of silk. And a baseball bat in case he has to discipline Ken.

Come to think of it--they can have the Ken shattering femur doll!

I definitely think Barbie has a future with big Paulie. Think of the stuff you could do with her hair, and her nails. Maybe she could have a new friend named Marie. Have to think about it.

[Sakura]

:D :D :D :D :D Well, that works too! I love Italian people! My friend Sarah's Mum (and my Mum as well, come to think of it :wink: ) is Italian! I love her! :D

(...Not to mention, you guys have some of the best food EVER!!!!!!!!! 8) :oops: 8) )

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

Then we'll have to call Hasbro is it? and tell them to make the Barbie Big Paulie doll. He has to have a distended gut and he comes with all sorts of chains and rings and a big cigar. And he can have different outfits, like expensive jogging suits, and wide-collared open shirts to display his chest hair, and lots of silk. And a baseball bat in case he has to discipline Ken.

Come to think of it--they can have the Ken shattering femur doll!

I definitely think Barbie has a future with big Paulie. Think of the stuff you could do with her hair, and her nails. Maybe she could have a new friend named Marie. Have to think about it.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

To the phone books!

I like that baseball bat idea... And for the older kids, they can graduate to Paulie's Tommy Gun! :wink: Of course, that's where Paulie's friends come in...

Yes, Barbie has a big future with Paulie! *sniffles* They're going to be so happy together! :twisted: :roll:

Sakura Kitty :kitty: