Can you comment on my dancing in this video

[WhiskeyPapa]

It’s great you’re asking for feedback, but it will probably be most productive from a professional teacher.

But Since you asked: I feel you are dancing with weight on both feet, never completing a step and achieving a vertical axis. That makes your pivots more difficult. I think there is a tendency to fall into the steps (something I am familiar with from my own dancing—has taken years to correct).

it’s impossible to correct these things on your own. You need a teacher but good ones who are willing to work on the true basics (as opposed to showing a bunch of fancy combinations) are hard to find.

 

[WhiskeyPapa]

I’m unable to maintain my axis/stacking.

Your self-awareness is a huge asset. This is where I would focus my effort to begin with.

 

[Bailango]

I’ve been dancing for 3 years (as a follow) but because of covid I’ve only been going to milonga’s since March. I was pretty terrible until August at least but since then I’ve learned so much I’ve outstripped everyone I take classes with. I go dancing socially at least 3 times a month and some practicas too. I take 3 hours of classes a week.

I think I can tell where my mistakes lie, I feel like my footwork is lazy and I’m unable to maintain my axis/stacking. Not sure if these are the same. I mean that I let my hips get out from underneath me. Not sure how I can correct this, bigger steps and closer to my partner? I’ve only been doing giros for a few weeks and have really worked on them, both solo and with partner.

Please don’t hold back, I’m pretty ambitious so I want ruthless feedback. I’m 41 so time is limited to get to advanced level asap.

Apparently I’m not allowed to post links so if you could locate me on Instagram, my handle is @madelienw and it’s the most recent of two reels

Only a good teacher can fix these in in-person lessons. Some have been already pointed out by others.

- you need to be more grounded. It will also help fix other issues.
- you are not collecting
- weight shifts are absent
- more control and balance required. Engage your core.
- the leg movement has to be controlled and deliberate. There is too much tendency to swing your legs
- disassociation

If I was dancing with you, what I would feel is like you beginning to speak before I finish my sentence. If dancing is a conversation, then wait for other person to finish or pause.

Get right training in how to pivot, walk, etc. Then practice it to slow music. It requires more control and balance. There are solo exercises to practice your balance, control, being on axis, etc.

 

[opendoor]

..If dancing is a conversation, then wait for other person to finish or..

Nicely put!

 

[flandrienne]

Here is another one, this time with the leader I take classes with. Wasn’t feeling too good so I don’t think I’m focusing very heavily on technique, but I hope some things are better. Oh yeah sorry, it’s a neo again, my school is very neo-oriented, at least 40% of what we dance is not traditional.

instagram.com/reel/CoBFvh1LxU7/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

[opendoor]

..hope some things are better..

instagram.com/reel/CoBFvh1LxU7/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Please excuse me for being honest. But since my first comment, the lack of dissociation has not yet been remedied. When you pivot, your whole body rotates. It shouldnˋt. (among us, do you know what I mean by dissociation?)

 

[Rabbit]

Oh yeah sorry, it’s a neo again, my school is very neo-oriented, at least 40% of what we dance is not traditional.

Don't worry or apologize for that, the basic technique of stepping and pivoting is the same.

 

[pianistamediano]

Here is another one, this time with the leader I take classes with. Wasn’t feeling too good so I don’t think I’m focusing very heavily on technique, but I hope some things are better. Oh yeah sorry, it’s a neo again, my school is very neo-oriented, at least 40% of what we dance is not traditional.

instagram.com/reel/CoBFvh1LxU7/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

So a few things:

• Dissociation: this is most noticeable when doing chained back ochos; ideally, you should have minimal movement in the upper body, and most of the turning is done around/below the hips I think. Keep the movement as tight as you can, centred around the leader. When doing a front ocho, try thinking of it as stepping towards the leader's centre (with a slight curve) instead of a straight line that sends you to his other side more than towards him.
• The leg sweep [?]/molinete/grapevine: I wasn't sure if you intended/your partner intended for you to do a leg sweep or just walk around him, but there was one or two instances where it felt like you were taking too wide steps and was running away from the leader for a bit. Not to say that these aren't wrong, especially if dancing to a nuevo song.
• Crosses: Perhaps make them more compact -it might look/feel better if you can move your (left) foot closer to the other, instead of leaving a moderately-sized gap.
• Groundedness: I can't tell for sure unless I dance with you, but you seem a bit too focused upwards, instead of pushing into the ground. Only in some parts though (I think towards the end?).
• Movement in general: I don't know if it's a stylistic decision, but both your movements are wide and perhaps use up more energy than strictly needed. This might just be due to the relatively open embrace, however.
• Additionally, more precision might be needed in stepping, but since you're sick and the music is unclear, it's uncertain.

About your partner:

• He might be leading with his arms at times
• He sort of bounces when walking - a little bob down and then up as he takes a step.

Some nice things I liked:

• From what I can see, your posture and balance are quite good
• You stayed with the leader - focused on his centre - throughout the dance

Musicality:

• Unfortunately, I can't comment on this; the music has an unclear beat and little to no melody, but you seem to be stepping to the cues I guess. Nothing wrong with dancing to this kind of music; it's just that if you posted a video with traditional tango or a nuevo song that has a clear rhythm, it would be easier to tell.

 

[opendoor]

..among us, do you know what I mean by dissociation?

Watch this vid for instance

 

[Rabbit]

[*]Unfortunately, I can't comment on this; the music has an unclear beat and little to no melody,

? The beat sounds very clear to me

 

[opendoor]

..Unfortunately, I can't comment on ..an unclear beat..

Sorry, flandrienne for posting off topic ( for you as a beginner) right now. I intentionally didn't reply to pianistamediano's post as not to confuse you and your dance partner. But at least next year you should catch up with this topic, musicality, beats, rhythms and the like.

Its an rather simple but clear 1-3 accented drum
groove as usual in rock music. In tango we prefer the marcato en 4 pattern over 1-3.

 

[pianistamediano]

? The beat sounds very clear to me

Sorry, flandrienne for posting off topic ( for you as a beginner) right now. I intentionally didn't reply to pianistamediano's post as not to confuse you and your dance partner. But at least next year you should catch up with this topic, musicality, beats, rhythms and the like.

Its an rather simple but clear 1-3 accented drum
groove as usual in rock music. In tango we prefer the marcato en 4 pattern over 1-3.

Oh, my bad, I was subconsciously comparing it with tango.

 

[flandrienne]

Please excuse me for being honest. But since my first comment, the lack of dissociation has not yet been remedied. When you pivot, your whole body rotates. It shouldnˋt. (among us, do you know what I mean by dissociation?)

Yes, I know what it is, but I've only studied it in a solo followers' technique lesson and whenever I'm dancing I'm usually left wondering how to incorporate it in my dancing. I've had a lot of good feedback, but I don't feel like I'm anywhere close to actually implementing it.

 

[pianistamediano]

Yes, I know what it is, but I've only studied it in a solo followers' technique lesson and whenever I'm dancing I'm usually left wondering how to incorporate it in my dancing. I've had a lot of good feedback, but I don't feel like I'm anywhere close to actually implementing it.

If it helps, the reason why followers dissociate is to stay with the leader. Turning your whole body, or not dissociating enough (I guess?), means that a follower has the tendency of separating from their leader, or at the very least breaking/reducing the connection. You don't have to do too much, only turn your lower body as much as is needed to do what your leader has indicated, no more. For example, around 00:36:


(You might catch more details in slow motion)

Note that her chest stays firmly in place, while she turns her lower body from the waist, with just enough of a rotation that she can do a back ocho.

At 01:00, you can see sort of a back-to-front view of her molinete. I think one key point is that the leader enables the follower, making the movements easier for her to do. He provides support when she walks around him, he turns and sinks with her to let her remain grounded while doing the forward ocho, and he provides her space to walk around him so that she doesn't have to do all the work. Some of these points are rendered less important when dancing in a more distant embrace, but they might still be helpful.


You don't necessarily have to be young and flexible and athletic and all that; the ladies in this video can do it to varying degrees, and I believe that they are mostly in or beyond their 60s. I think the lady in the shiny dress might be a good example. They do not turn away from the leader (a bit like rejection, come to think of it).

That being said, you can turn your whole body (if you want to), because it does give a different visual effect compared to dissociating.

Hope this helps!

P.S.: Apologies if I got the terms mixed up, I was never really one to remember their names. I don't teach at all, so I'm better at figuring out how to help a follower if I can actually dance with her first. To the other posters, please correct me if I've made any mistakes.

 

[JournalInTime]

If it helps, the reason why followers dissociate is to stay with the leader.

And the leader dissociates to stay with the follower – it's an area of equal responsibility. A follower working with a leader who doesn't dissociate must do twice the work, and that excessive amount of dissociation isn't possible for everyone. If the follower cannot manage that alone, it'll look as if they aren't dissociating (at least, not enough) when it's 50% the leader's fault. So, watch out for that!

(It goes the other way, too. I dance with a few followers who dissociate very little. I have to compensate. It's good that I can walk a full linear grapevine with my torso facing one direction constantly, because if I couldn't, I couldn't dance with those followers.)

I think one key point is that the leader enables the follower

More than in part by dissociating himself. I lead most of my ochos, cortados, turns, etc. entirely with dissociation, resolving the lower body only at my limit so that it creates fun spirals.

You don't necessarily have to be young and flexible and athletic and all that; the ladies in this video can do it to varying degrees, and I believe that they are mostly in or beyond their 60s.

Indeed, I dance mainly with partners in their 60s and 70s. They are just about all more experienced than I am, with an average of ~20 years as tangueras. All dissociate quite well.

(The followers I mentioned who dissociate very little are almost all on the younger side – this is technique acquired through long practice, not natural gifts. I developed my dissociation through daily exercises with my arms held in a rigid "T" by a cane and then pressed against a wall as I pivoted my lower body . . . and also with dozens of hours of ocho drills in front of a mirror, progressing until I could advance with overpivoted back ochos and retreat with overpivoted forward ochos.)

That being said, you can turn your whole body (if you want to), because it does give a different visual effect compared to dissociating.

The fun is in starting your dissociation higher or lower. My partner works with our coach on this. You can start lower-body movement anywhere from "just above the thighs" to "just below your ribcage," and propagate torsion upward or downward from there. Each approach produces different visuals and also different turning speeds.