Holding the Gaze

[rachel with the questions]

http://www.dancing-times.co.uk/d-today200406/dancetoday200406-03.html


Thanks to everyone who contributed their experiences and time to helping produce this article!

Rachel

[Sagitta]

A great article, as always Rachel. :)

[rachel with the questions]

Thanks Sagitta! Appreciate it! :lol:

[jenn]

great article. thanks for that!

[Sabor]

what if i was wearing dark shades? lol

[Sagitta]

what if i was wearing dark shades? lol

I wouldn't dance with you? :P :)

[Sabor]

what if i was wearing dark shades? lol

I wouldn't dance with you? :P :)

good! all the more room for ladies! 8) :lol:

[rachel with the questions]

Just to let you all know, a different version of this article that I wrote has just been printed in the March 05 edition of Dance Spirit.

Here's the article - hope I don't get busted by Dance Spirit now since they own the copyright on this!

KEEPING EYE CONTACT WITH YOUR PARTNER CAN TRANSFORM A ROUTINE.

TRY THIS! THREE EXERCISES TO HELP YOU AND YOUR PARTNER HOLD EACH OTHER'S GAZE.

Face your partner and stare into each other's eyes for three minutes. This works well as a warm-up before class or performance and will help you get in tune with each other.

If you're really embarrassed, try focusing on your partner's forehead instead. "Looking at the forehead is a step toward gaining better posture and balance," says Washington-based ballroom instructor Don Tasanasanta. "Use this technique in practice sessions as you gradually get used to looking into your partner's eyes. Before you know it, you'll be able to concentrate more on what you should be doing with your body."

Imagine that your eyes are connected to your partner's eyes with an elastic cord. There will always be moments in a routine when your head faces away from your partner. When this happens, the cord stretches. As you turn back to face him or her, resume eye contact as soon as possible, as if the cord is pulling your eyes back to each other.

The ability to maintain eye contact with your partner can make a boring routine sizzle. Unbreakable eye contact builds a nonphysical connection that will translate as intensity to the audience. Whether your gaze is smoldering or coy, how you use eye contact can significantly alter the look and feel of a number.

Eye contact, however, does more for a routine than add flair; it works wonders for form. It cultivates symmetry by helping to synchronize arms, hips and legs and to match head and shoulder positions. It also makes for better nonverbal communication on the dance floor and is a great way to mirror each other's feelings and subtle movement nuances.

Staying eye locked with your partner is no easy task. The ability to hold eye contact has everything to do with confidence-or at least the ability to act confident. Partners who feel awkward about staring into each other's eyes can appear shy and insecure. If you are nervous, try to shift your mental focus from how you're feeling to the move-ments you're executing. Think of eye contact as part of the choreography, and remember that it will get easier as yon become more comfortable with your partner.

When the choreography calls for you to look away from your partner and at the audience, remember to keep your gaze focused so you won't look like a zombie. "I like to make eye contact with the audience and include them in the excitement of the dance," says Debra Kee, a veteran social dance instructor in Florida and a former dancer. "This reminds me that I am dancing for them, as well as myself."

AUTHOR_AFFILIATION
Rachel Holland is a freelance writer based in England who specializes in dance, beauty and natural health.

Copyright Lifestyle Ventures Mar 2005

[Sagitta]

Thanks rachel. :)

[GalacticDancer44M]

Great article Rachel!

[Sabor]

Face your partner and stare into each other's eyes for three minutes.

yes.. and lets see who can hold laughing longer :lol: .. me thinks i prefer looking at the lips tho :mrgreen:

good piece Rachel :wink:

[Sagitta]

Face your partner and stare into each other's eyes for three minutes.

yes.. and lets see who can hold laughing longer :lol: .. me thinks i prefer looking at the lips tho :mrgreen:

good piece Rachel :wink: Look at the lips, closer closer..closer...smooch! :wink: :)

[Phil Owl]

Very impressive article and right on the money!!! :D

There's just nothing more inspiring and wonderful than the adoring gaze of one's partner when you're really in sych!

[chachachacat]

Very impressive article and right on the money!!! :D

There's just nothing more inspiring and wonderful than the adoring gaze of one's partner when you're really in sych!
Ditto!
Hoot-meow!

[emanuela]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

[Sagitta]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

Hang out and dance with me and I'll do my best to help you with that. :wink: :)

[emanuela]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

Hang out and dance with me and I'll do my best to help you with that. :wink: :)

Let me check the next flight to NY! :wink: ...
Wait a min. .... I'd say you dance cheek to cheek instead :wink: :wink: :wink:

[mamboqueen]

I'm with Sabor; I pretty much burst out laughing when I'm staring into my teacher's eyes, ESPECIALLY when we're doing a natural top and we're thisclose!

I guess I can try for the forehead next time :)

[emanuela]

I'm with Sabor; I pretty much burst out laughing when I'm staring into my teacher's eyes, ESPECIALLY when we're doing a natural top and we're thisclose!

I guess I can try for the forehead next time :)

I tried, but my instructor makes faces and I start laughing .... now tell me! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Ms_Sunlight]

I tried, but my instructor makes faces and I start laughing .... now tell me! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Hehehehe. So make faces back! Do not allow this outrage to continue unchallenged! :P :P :P

[Sagitta]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

Hang out and dance with me and I'll do my best to help you with that. :wink: :)

Let me check the next flight to NY! :wink: ...
Wait a min. .... I'd say you dance cheek to cheek instead :wink: :wink: :wink:

Noooo!!! :shock: Wait! This means we get really close. :together: :)

[emanuela]

I tried, but my instructor makes faces and I start laughing .... now tell me! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Hehehehe. So make faces back! Do not allow this outrage to continue unchallenged! :P :P :P
like this? :raisebro: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[emanuela]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

Hang out and dance with me and I'll do my best to help you with that. :wink: :)

Let me check the next flight to NY! :wink: ...
Wait a min. .... I'd say you dance cheek to cheek instead :wink: :wink: :wink:

Noooo!!! :shock: Wait! This means we get really close. :together: :)
Yeah ... :wink: in a close embrace ... :wink: :wink:

[Rosa]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

I've always felt that, if you can't maintain eye contact with someone, you shouldn't be dancing with them. It's a good test!

Rosa :)

[Sagitta]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

Hang out and dance with me and I'll do my best to help you with that. :wink: :)

Let me check the next flight to NY! :wink: ...
Wait a min. .... I'd say you dance cheek to cheek instead :wink: :wink: :wink:

Noooo!!! :shock: Wait! This means we get really close. :together: :)
Yeah ... :wink: in a close embrace ... :wink: :wink:

Cool! :D Small square...here we come.

[Sabor]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

I've always felt that, if you can't maintain eye contact with someone, you shouldn't be dancing with them. It's a good test!

Rosa :)

actually.. not a good test at all .. some people are shy that way but they'll give u a connection still by their brief eye to eye and/or by other means such as touch and movement against u and facial expression etc.. expression is by the whole body .. eyes are just one of tools.. sure its very effective but at some levels .. its not all that to everyone.. besides, i actually prefer brief eye contact .. look away and then look back depending on the dance and music and how i feel on this background.. maintaining it would mean its a 'rule'.. and i dont like preset rules :lol:

[Swingolder]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

As a beginner, I found it very hard. But now I really enjoy it and I do feel like I connect better with my partner. Besides the latin dances, eye contact can make WCS a very seductive dance too,

[tacad]

My instructor says when we should look at each other. For rhumba it's all the time. I've found in the real world, though, almost no one wants to do this. So I settle for whatever natural interaction there is between us. And this can change over time.

EDIT: It really isn't settling, however. I prefer this. I do look constantly at some women (in the eye :roll: :lol: ) and they back at me. But that is the natural interaction between us.

[Sagitta]

Interesting! I'm a beginner and I have never been told to mantain eye contact .... I'll do that from now on. Thank you!

I've always felt that, if you can't maintain eye contact with someone, you shouldn't be dancing with them. It's a good test!

Rosa :)

actually.. not a good test at all .. some people are shy that way but they'll give u a connection still by their brief eye to eye and/or by other means such as touch and movement against u and facial expression etc.. expression is by the whole body .. eyes are just one of tools.. sure its very effective but at some levels .. its not all that to everyone.. besides, i actually prefer brief eye contact .. look away and then look back depending on the dance and music and how i feel on this background.. maintaining it would mean its a 'rule'.. and i dont like preset rules :lol:

You have something here Sabor. Some eye contact is necessary between the two to enjoy the dance, but staring for the sake of staring is not what this is all about.
:)

[Cobra Jazz Dance R]

Had a difficult time with a partner recently in this regard, in a 9-1/2 minute dance no less. She had a a real problem sustaining eye contact in rehearsals, though she did better in performance. Some people said after the show that she didn't seem fully engaged at times. Made me work that much harder...Then again, she's a pretty introverted person, and I'm very extroverted, so maybe the harder I tried the more she retreated?

[SDsalsaguy]

Welcome to the DF CJDR! :D:D

[Cobra Jazz Dance R]

Y muchisimas gracias, Senor Salsa Guy.

I hope to contribute to the wonderful discussion threads here, if not brilliantly, at least with a modicum of insight.

Happy holidays all!

[SDsalsaguy]

Happy holidays all!
And to you too! :D