Dancing makes you smarter

Partner Dancer said:
Unfortunately, dancing in general
is taught or handed down as patterns, separate from the
underlying dynamics that really make them work.
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Maybe in your world; this is not true in mine. Perhaps I have just been really lucky.

Partner Dancer said:
The decision making (mental/physical development) in the
two cases have overlap but also lots of difference. In the
first case, the concentration is on the pre-meditated
execution of a routine with a single known partner.
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I dance a practiced set of steps significantly better if I simply focus on following. The moment I think about what comes next, the quality deteriorates.

I enjoy social dancing. I just think some people really misunderstand the experience of competitive dancing. I also will acknowledge that I stumbled into a very good studio as a beginner and my current teacher/studio is superb. While I am not a high level dancer, I think it's safe to say that the vast majority of successful high-level dancers have had the same experiences in their training that I have had. Is there poor quality teaching out there as well? Of course.
 
tangotime said:
:eek:....IF it makes one smarter ...How come I'm STILL working for a living ???... :(...:D
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You obviously haven't come across great coaching. A great coach would have
informed you that people teach dance for the love of dance, not for becoming
independently wealthy or retiring early (except perhaps for a handful of studio
owners). A great coach would have directed you to enter finance, so you'd
be sipping cocktails on a tropical island now. Instead of counting 5-6-7-8,
you'd be counting one-million, two-million, three...
 
RiseNFall said:
I enjoy social dancing. I just think some people really misunderstand the experience of competitive dancing. I also will acknowledge that I stumbled into a very good studio as a beginner and my current teacher/studio is superb. While I am not a high level dancer, I think it's safe to say that the vast majority of successful high-level dancers have had the same experiences in their training that I have had. Is there poor quality teaching out there as well? Of course.
Click to expand...

A lot of random stuff one comes across in social dancing simply can't be taught. Because
instructors (have to) believe "it's my way or the highway," the variations one encounters
just taking lessons (or dancing with a few people) is even more diminished. That's not
to say instruction is not useful, as it's actually critical in the development of good technique
(balance, timing, etc.) that helps one to navigate the randomness (better).

A person who is an expert pilot in one plane will probably be a mediocre (or terrible) pilot
in another plane, without having spent lots of time in the second. That person may
be great at piloting the first plane through lots of "normal/expected" scenarios (even
poor weather, using instrumentation), but will have problems handling catastrophic
mechanical failure unless he/she had extensive simulator (or real) training.

Instructors (and routines) simply don't/can't provide the extensive simulations that
prepares one for randomness. The randomness has to be experienced, and through
the experiences, one would acquire the adaptive skills to clear the hurdles.
 
Partner Dancer said:
You obviously haven't come across great coaching. A great coach would have
informed you that people teach dance for the love of dance, not for becoming
independently wealthy or retiring early (except perhaps for a handful of studio
owners). A great coach would have directed you to enter finance, so you'd
be sipping cocktails on a tropical island now. Instead of counting 5-6-7-8,
you'd be counting one-million, two-million, three...
Click to expand...


2 things.. 1.. apparently you have no sense of humour

2.. i've known, been taught by and seen danced, just about EVERY giant in the industry,from the 40s and upwards , that are responsible for ALL you dance today.. from Laird, to Binnick, to Thieubault and Scrivener . When you have amassed that quality and quantity. and have been responsible for more Prof teacher training ( at championship level ) than I.. then , only then ,would I take seriously, any thing you have to say..

And, out of curiosity, exactly how many people have you trained in "dance " ?
 
RiseNFall said:
I was just responding to something said in the article--that you dance a wider range of steps patterns in social dancing.
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This kind of stuff always confuses me. Are patterns _distinct_ patterns or variations
of patterns? The Arthur Murray student does Open Twinkles. The Fred Astaire
student does Closed Twinkles. The Standard student does Whisks (or Back Whisk,
etc.). They are all transitions from closed positions to promenade. And the step-size
taken, as well as angle of turn, etc., end up with a whole mishmash of possibilities.
In social dancing, mix-and-match is acceptable, and oftentimes encouraged.

I think from the follower's perspective, different leaders do different things, so there are
more variety in "patterns." From the leader's perspective, the "pattern" variation is
less, but the "way" the pattern is done may vary more (to accommodate partner).
 
Partner Dancer said:
Sorry. I gave it my shot. That's why I cling desperately to my day job... which is not comedy.
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And by the way. I have made a highly successful career in dance, having owned (in over a period of years ) 17 dance schools, 2 nite clubs ,raised 3 children( Thru college ,and one of them a Dr,. ) taught literally all over the world, often travelling at others expense .

I guess that's not too shabby for one who trod the "boards " for a living..
 
Partner Dancer said:
This kind of stuff always confuses me. Are patterns _distinct_ patterns or variations
of patterns? The Arthur Murray student does Open Twinkles. The Fred Astaire
student does Closed Twinkles.
Click to expand...

We have American and English at odds here. Patterns, very Amer. variations , very English .. semantics.

As to Twinkles. they re both danced Open and Closed. no right or wrong in either, purely choice ( the thing you seem to advocate )

And.. me thinks sometimes , thee thinks TOO much..
 
I would still maintain my initial premise that we really need more study. Dancing keeps you connected with other people rather than alone, and I'm sure that can play a big role in a healthy brain. Of course, physical activity is also good for the brain. I would also expect that among older people, the likelihood of them quitting dancing maybe quite lower than some other physical activities.
 
tangotime said:
And by the way. I have made a highly successful career in dance, having owned (in over a period of years ) 17 dance schools, 2 nite clubs ,raised 3 children( Thru college ,and one of them a Dr,. ) taught literally all over the world, often travelling at others expense .

I guess that's not too shabby for one who trod the "boards " for a living..
Click to expand...

Great for you that dance has supported your livelihood, but you're the one "complaining"
about still having to work:

IF it makes one smarter ...How come I'm STILL working for a living ???
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All I have to show after the gobs of dough spent and countless hours of messing around
is a hobby, so at least I should be able to make fun of things as situations present
themselves.
 
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