The best dancing advice you were ever given?

[MadamSamba]

So many times during a lesson a teacher says something that sticks, something that's invaluable in getting you past certain hurdles...little things like imagining a certain scenario or associated a certain move with some clever analogy.

One of the best pieces of advice I was given was to dance every dance to different songs and always in different positions on a dancefloor. That way you're not locked into a certain type/speed of music and more readily adjust and you don't memorise your dance according to where you're standing and can pick it up from anywhere on any dancefloor. Simple, but brilliant.

What's the best piece of dance-related advice you've been given?

[Sagitta]

Dance listening to the music.

Just today evening I danced with this lady and she complimented me on my musicality, saying that she could see how I was not just doing moves. This was for swing. We had a lot of fun as we played with the music, adding some salsa and other steps to the dance. We were there, with each other and the music. Now this lady could easily be my mother!! For all of you out there this is the sort of thing that you discover by dancing with different people, and not just choosing the good swing dancers, or good salsa dancers, or....[ ] dancers!

[huey]

What's the best piece of dance-related advice you've been given?

Spend more time dancing and less on the internet :wink:


Alternatively ...

Listen to the music

Laugh if it goes wrong (encourages me to be brave and try things before they are 'perfect')

[squirrel]

forget about technique and just dance!

[mr bixx]

forget about technique and just dance!


this is great advice. i tell my students this all the time.
i have 2 great things from my favorite coach. one RELAX. i hear this everytime he comes. i get so caught up in everything i tend to get stiff almost.
also he used a very funny analogy when we were working our expression in rumba. he said we were like a married couple that doesnt sleep together let alone the same room. this made me laugh uncontrollably and made me reliaze what i had to do.

[Phil Owl]

Relax, you're not defusing a bomb

[DanceMentor]

It may sound old and repeated, but the advice I ever got:

the #1 goal in dancing is to have fun.

[Sakura]

"RELAX!!!!!!!!"

Apparently, I get *very* tense while I'm dancing. It's not that I mean to, or I'm afraid of my teacher (I quite like him: awesome teacher!), but I'm just so stressed out all the time, so my muscles all start tensing up and my shoulders start to rise, and then I become hard to lead. So he helps out by not only saying that, but making sure that I roll my neck around, shake out my arms and legs, and just reminds me that I don't have to be perfect, just relax and let him lead me. :roll: :)

Sakura kitty :kitty:

[pygmalion]

"Keep dancing" Comment from the ISTD examiner. It not only made my day, it got me motivated to do just that! :D

[standardgirl]

"It comes with the music, you are trying to hard, just relax, and it will happen" and, it DID happen! much easier!

ironically, i am a musician..........
but, that's probably why i was trying so hard, i am so sensitive to beats in music

[jon]

Most memorable, if not best - from my square dance caller repeated ad nauseum during Basic/Plus classes:

"Smile, people! Remember, this is your entertainment!"

[twnkltoz]

I don't have an entertaining one, but someone at some point told me that when you get into dance position on the comp floor, take a deep breath and let it out...this will help you to relax. And, since you're touching your partner, they'll unconsciously take a deep breath and relax as well. Another teacher told me that he consciously lets his breath out every time he turns right (just to pick something that you do all the time). This makes sure you're not holding your breath...and, you have to breathe in in order to breathe out!

[pygmalion]

Most memorable, if not best - from my square dance caller repeated ad nauseum during Basic/Plus classes:

"Smile, people! Remember, this is your entertainment!"

:lol: Is that anything like," Are we having fun yet?"

[Sakura]

ironically, i am a musician..........
but, that's probably why i was trying so hard, i am so sensitive to beats in music

:shock: :lol: :shock: I soooooo feel for you on this! I'm a total Band Geek, so when my teacher puts on the music, I'll have had the beat figured out before he even comes back to me on the floor! 8) but it makes it difficult sometimes when you get tensed up about being with the music and doing things right. --I'm a "bit" of a perfectionist, and I really don't want to let my teacher down (weird complex: he's a great teacher, so I don't want to screw up and have all the hard work he does go to waste... :? ), so things tend to snowball every so often... :roll: :? :roll:

This makes sure you're not holding your breath...and, you have to breathe in in order to breathe out!

"Saaaaay! That reminds me of another amusing anecdote!**" It's quite funny really; but on more than one occasion, my teacher had stopped me right in the middle of a step, looked me over, and gone, "Are you even breathing?!?!" It's very funny, because he'd sound so incredulous when he asked! *Then* he'd take the time to make sure I was breathing, which led to the shaking out of limbs because I was too tense! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I haven't been stopped for not breathing in a while though, but I'm still a "recalcitrant deviant" for the tense-ness! :D 8)

SK :kitty:

**From Weird Al's "Albequerque."

[Vince A]

"It comes with the music, you are trying to hard, just relax, and it will happen" and, it DID happen! much easier!

ironically, i am a musician..........
but, that's probably why i was trying so hard, i am so sensitive to beats in music
I can empathize with you on the musician thing . . . when I started dancing to the music and "doing" what the music was telling me to do, and not worrying about "what to do next" . . . my dancing moved to the next level! What do you play???

[Vince A]

Best advice . . . my Pro once told me:
"Regardless of what dance we are doing . . . everytime our flashlights are aimed at each other, look me in the eyes."

"Flashlights" is anytime when we are facing each other - chest-to-chest.

Looking into her eyes relaxed me and reminded me to "settle into and complete that move."

I miss dancing with her . . .

[standardgirl]

To Vince,
I play the piano since I was 5, and I also play the piano

[Sania]

from "some guy" (on another forum):

"The man presents the lady, the lady presents herself". This clued me in on what to do in latin, what attitude to have, etc., and made a huge difference in my dancing. (Some days, it's a lot easier to think of presenting yourself than of being sexy, dynamic, etc.)

from my interim partner, Roger (Thanks, Rog!):

"Always practice to music, even when you are practicing alone. Let the economy of the movement teach your body what to do." My latin has improved a lot since I started doing this.

also from Roger:

"the woman should always be late - i. e., just behind the beat. this gives the man time to lead." This was hard for me at first, because I've had a lot of musical training, but it sure makes following easier!

also from Roger:

"in standard, always keep the head weight over the left foot"

from one of my coaches:

in standard, send the knees forward instead of just bending them. This is better for the knees and also creates the correct type of motion across the floor. (my wording)

personal observation:

in standard, focus on keeping the feet supple and flexible. This makes it possible to follow almost anything, and also increases the quality of the motion.

Sania

[Vince A]

I remember hearing once at World's competition, a Pro telling one of her students:
"Remember to breath . . . keep your eyes relaxed - we don't want that deer-in-the-headlights-look . . . remember every move that we practiced . . . listen to the music . . . remember that there are only about 7,000 people watching you, but there are only five judges . . . and most importantly- have fun!"

I think she said this in fun as humor to make him laugh and to relax. I actually think he pee'd his pants!