Which is harder: Latin or Standard?

[freeageless]

Bia, thank you.

 

[Miss Silly]

One thing i suppose (in my mind at least, but arguably is what makes the smooth/standard dances more difficult) is negotiating floor traffic. I'm a follow but even so, i experience more crashing in the ballroom department vs. the latin dances, simply by the nature of the smooth/standard dancing that involve significant amounts of momentum and travelling speed covering more ground. I suspect this is a more difficult learning curve for the leads (in terms of trafficology) than it is for the latin dances.

 

[toothlesstiger]

The difficulty is to combine both. In standard you dance like you've eaten a broomstick, then in latin the broomstick tend to still be there.

Hmm, I find it to be the other way around.

 

[toothlesstiger]

Smooth, Rhythm, and Latin are ridiculously easy because you can do so many figures without precision and they still look ok. Standard is hardest because it requires accuracy.

OK, this begs the question of context. If you dance without precision, you aren't going to win. But it will probably be fine on a social floor.

 

[danceronice]

OK, this begs the question of context. If you dance without precision, you aren't going to win. But it will probably be fine on a social floor.

Yeah, can I have that judging panel that doesn't care if you're precise in Rhythm or Latin, please?

Oddly, right now, my answer would be Standard's easier than Latin. (Foxtrot always excepted. NP, after the 20th time I changed weight when I shouldn't: "Oh, I see, you need to do MORE International Foxtrot, we're not going to do anything else until you get that...") And always Viennese. I mean, really, all I have to do is stay in frame, and remember three steps. How hard is THAT?

 

[Bailamosdance]

Yeah, can I have that judging panel that doesn't care if you're precise in Rhythm or Latin, please?

Oddly, right now, my answer would be Standard's easier than Latin. (Foxtrot always excepted. NP, after the 20th time I changed weight when I shouldn't: "Oh, I see, you need to do MORE International Foxtrot, we're not going to do anything else until you get that...") And always Viennese. I mean, really, all I have to do is stay in frame, and remember three steps. How hard is THAT?

I nominate this for reply of the day! Lol

 

[ajiboyet]

Smooth, Rhythm, and Latin are ridiculously easy because you can do so many figures without precision and they still look ok. Standard is hardest because it requires accuracy.

I think what this means is that: usually, for any step in Latin/Rhythm/Smooth, there's quite a wide range of good ways you can do it...you know, flavors and styles that can be thrown in the mix. For Standard, that range is VERY narrow.

 

[toothlesstiger]

I think what this means is that: usually, for any step in Latin/Rhythm/Smooth, there's quite a wide range of good ways you can do it...you know, flavors and styles that can be thrown in the mix. For Standard, that range is VERY narrow.

Yes, a wide range of ways you can make the judges go "bleaachh!, what was that?" There is a big difference between doing something with precise intent, and "oops". I don't think the apparent greater opportunities make it any easier. Quite the contrary, as my Latin coach overwhelmed me with possibilities...

I kind of like the idea of "one way to do it right".

 

[Lioness]

I find standard (with the exception of foxtrot, lol) much easier than latin...In latin, I have to be fast, precise, over my feet, wiggle my hips...wiggle them in different ways depending on the dance...keep my connection and top-line good.

In standard I keep my frame, keep my connection, and follow DP.

 

[Terpsichorean Clod]

I find standard to be ridiculously easy. There are just only so many things you need to do. Latin, Rhythm, Smooth has umpteen million positions and possibilites to master. Standard is just so... simple.

+1 *

That's why I dance standard.


*(except the part about it being "ridiculously easy"; it's pretty brutal for me, just not so brutal as the others )

 

[ajiboyet]

Yes, a wide range of ways you can make the judges go "bleaachh!, what was that?" There is a big difference between doing something with precise intent, and "oops". I don't think the apparent greater opportunities make it any easier. Quite the contrary, as my Latin coach overwhelmed me with possibilities...

I kind of like the idea of "one way to do it right".

When you put it this way, I kinda have to agree with you. There IS a difference between precision and "oops".

 

[Miss Silly]

I should take more of this mental approach. See standard totally freaks me out and is my weakest genre because there is precisely one way to do it and every other way is "wrong". I suppose i find the freedom of having a 'million different options' enticing because if i can't get one option, i just do another one, and it can still be 'right'. Personally i find standard most difficult, but this could come down to the ultimate crux of the concept of "what is more difficult" has a lot to do with our own personal strengths and weaknessess. I happen to be a very wiggly dancer LOL---too much in fact (its a problem), and it's difficult for me to add in appropriate tethering. In standard, i can't just wiggle my way out of a situation LOL.

 

[toothlesstiger]

Latin freaks me out. No matter what I do with my arms, they look like crap, and I don't think I will ever be able to point my feet sufficiently to make my rumba and cha cha look right.

 

[Lyra]

I don't think you'll ever get a clear answer. It depends on the person, the situation, the day, the time.....

For me it changes all the time - but I'd say in any case it's more about which dance do I find the most difficult rather than standard/latin.

 

[theAnnelis]

Simply put, every dance in both styles has its own set of what makes it difficult.