Counting the music

Just how important is the ability to count the music?


I recently had a lesson and there was a fair bit of discussion in regards to actually counting the music.
My teacher wanted me to count out the 1, 2 for a slow and then the 3 and 4 for the quicks (this was a foxtrot), I found it very difficult not to move on every number! Yet I can do it easily if I just say to myself slow or quick.

Another mind trick perhaps?

I can count either 123 567 (I'm talking Salsa dance...) or QQS, QQS or Right Left Right, Left Right Left (for beginners who don't know their right from left)...
On the music, I can count either 123 567 or QQS, QQS... the last one is much harder...
The ability to count varies from person to person... some count perfectly, some count so and so, some cannot count if their lives depended on it! Some prefer numbers, other the quick slow type... I guess it's all a matter of personality and mind!

What squirrel says is true, very true. But, if you feel that it is important you can train yourself to do it. I have difficulty with counting every beat with numbers, but am better with saying quicks and slows.

AND you can do little word phrases in conjunction with your counting:

In Two Step, to make sure I settle in on the last S, I count: Q,Q,S,"I'm done"

Or in Cha Cha, and this is a carryover from my very first Pro, some ten years ago . . . 1,2,ra-ta-tat . . .

In other words, say something in your head - not with lip movement - that WILL WORK FOR YOU . . .

I have my own count in Hustle that works for me, but my wife says "What?"

I do my own count/saying in Waltz to remind me to take "BIG" strides, the my count goes to hell if I have to do a chasse, at least until I do another one to get back on "my count."

It's "whatever blows up your skirt," whatever wil work for you, whatever you need to do it correctly.

Basically, what you need to seek is your own personal mantra to chant while dancing. The only real requirement is that your mantra must fit the rhythm of the dance.

Counting numbers works for many, words for others, and sounds for still others. In Swing I tend to chant "rock step, triple-step, triple-step". In C2S it's QQSS. In Tango it's "step, step, tango, close". In Salsa, it's numbers, whether in English or Spanish is optional. Whatever we use tends to have been what our teacher used when we learned that step.

And for some different rhythm patterns, we have unique mantras. Like for one Lindy move: "rock step, triple-step, ya-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta".

There are many different paths all leading to the same place. Choose the one that works best for you.

DWise1 said:

"rock step, triple-step, ya-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta".

Click to expand...

In a group class the instructor liked the ya-ta-ta phrase so much that today we refer to the move we learned as the ya-ta-ta-ta move. Agree use whatever phrasing suits you.

My opinion--you count in a way that makes sense with what you're doing. There are plenty of reasons to count out the slow--the chief one I would guess is if you're not holding through the full slow step. But as you're in a position to follow, not lead, that doesn't make sense. Perhaps because of some footwork that you're doing? The only reason in dance to put in another count is if something is happening on that count, though.

Maybe ask your teacher why he's asking you to count in the new way would help make the count make sense to you? :?

I do the 123 567. Then counting the 4 and 8 if I have to move my feet there. Counting the numbers makes it easier to take notes.

Dancing socially, I normally feel the music, rather then count as I did when I started.

Yes definitely feel the music, but if you have to count, learn to count in eights . . . WCS speaking, as a lot of the music for WCS is in measures of eights . . .(eights do work in every song, but most of them do).

So, if you can "hear' the first count, or better yet, where ct1 is in every measure, you can count right along with the music - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 - and still do your counting for the patterns that you are doing . . . so in 32 (4x8=32) counts, for WCS, you can do a 6ct pattern, a 6ct pattern, a 6ct pattern, throw in an 8ct pattern like a whip, then another 6 ct pattern - voila - 32 counts! And if you learn to count somewhere near this way, you'll learn to "hear" where the breaks are (be careful, not all breaks are in the same spot in the song), and react or set up for them . . . like hearing 1,2,3,4, break 5, hold and pose, wiggle, body roll, whatever to 6,7, and 8, step back &1 . . .

I only count for other people LOL! I can feel the music, but then, I spent a long time learning it. My take? Do what works for you. everybody has a system that works well for them.

Right now I'm driving myself nuts counting (after never really having done so) out "Chan Chan"......trying to figure out my hurdles for son on2.

Otherwise, if I was helping my newbies with different rhythms (within salsa), I generally do: "1......5.......1.......5......"

So I guess I should go: "...2....6.....2.....6" for myself right now, huh :roll: ?