JeffOYB
New Member
Hi... I'm looking to chat about some things away from my own scene. Probably my questions are general to dancing, but swing is what I do most so here we are. Yet I don't do swing "correctly." That is, I do it to the "wrong" music. I find that it works for a wide variety. Also, if the BPM slows down enough I can somehow find a blues-style and go to 4-count. And maybe sometimes if it speeds up enough I can end up back in 4-count as well. Mostly I do 6 and 8 count. Lindy and ECS done in a non-BR style.
This will be a long rambling post!
I saw another thread here that said the world is divided into BR and Club styles. ...But I mostly see College and Lindy clubs. I've seen and taken classes in the BR style but that's only a small part of what I run into. As regards "clubs," I find that many College and Lindy clubs don't seem to dance at venues or to live music! They're fussy about authentic music and only dance with correct DJs in non-alcoholic venues. Are these what are called Club Style swing? Even though they don't dance "in the wild"? I guess they are clubs in terms of having volunteers and fees just to cover the basics like venue rent. I suppose it depends on what is meant by a Club style of swing... Is it in terms of a group that maybe meets in a basement and does classes or is it a group that goes to clubs out on the town?
I came into the scene wanting to learn how to dance in bars to live Standards music. I'd take classes in the clubs (which weren't BR) in order to have more fun in the bars and to participate w the music. I felt that since I couldn't sing or play so I could dance.
I did it enough to realize that a couple drinks could get close to hurting my skills, and that hydration and fitness were key. So I can see why some of those ppl don't dance in bars or drink when they dance. But almost all of them?
Well, I've run into some dynamics that I thought I'd try to run by you experienced folks in the dance world to see what's up. In the swing scene I've seen blog discussions about how the local Pros typically set aside one or two dances each with beginners per night. Like, don't ask for a 2nd dance. Basically, the good dancers want to have fun, not be in teaching mode all night or be bored. Makes sense.
Here's the twist: I'm guessing that I'm an Intermediate. Though I'm flummoxed enough that I kinda feel like an experienced beginner. I've been doing it 5 years, maybe 50 classes. I'm old so what I learn doesn't stick unless I use it a lot.
My goal is to have fun. I want to party with energy and laugh and mess around. So here's the twist: I don't ask any Good Dancers to dance! I don't want to mess with those who want to be precise or who might be critiquing me. They don't have to worry about wasting a dance w me!
I remember dancing with a newish young French person and afterward she hollered "This is more fun than drugs!" ...THAT'S THE WAY! : ) The serious dancers around us in their period attire were shocked, stunned, scandalized, speechless. Gads! I laughed hard. Yes!
At one of our local clubs, there's a bar next door on the 10th floor with an outside patio. So cool! But literally ZERO ppl from the club have ever gone there after dancing! These ppl just don't mix nightlife with dancing! But to me they go together. Well, I'm trying anyway. In the wild out on the town they definitely go together. But I've almost never seen anyone from the dance clubs at any live band at a bar!!! (I've seen 2 ppl in 5 yrs, 50 miles apart. Tho I'll see 1 experienced couple every maybe 3 bands and wonder who are they? I suppose they come from a BR instructor.)
Anyway, it seems like some of our local Pro's are miffed that I never ask them to dance. They ask me sometimes. Some used to ask me every time. I do socialize w them and thank them for teaching us, etc. We had a couple BR ladies join our club for a few months and it seemed like they were miffed as well when I didn't ask them. They weren't precision dancers but were dedicated hobbyists. They wanted me to dance with them rather than to have fun with them. They were there for a certain number of dances. They came from a BR scene. They weren't carefree. They ended up quitting. They weren't trying to be part of our FREE scene but were expecting service...
When an expert gal is willing to LEAD I'm game to follow because I don't have to worry. And they're good! Maybe I can get an idea from them. But then they want quid pro quo and I don't want them paying attention to what I'm doing!
I accidentally stumbled into an expert dancer last week and she was fun, could add flourishes into any instant and had a great rhythm feel. So I was interested. But in the end her high horsepower threw me off. No matter what I would have done, she would've been ahead of me. Also, she had a partner and they were even doing semi-aerials. I feel like she wd have been doing me a favor and also reserving herself. Eh. Don't need it. But it WAS neat that she really had the feel of the music and could really chew it up.
(In the College and other Urban Clubs I'm part of we don't allow aerials or throwing center of gravity around (no big dips) because they're social dances and we intend for strangers to dance w strangers. Ppl won't know who are partners and might assume they can try things that are risky w strangers. It seems like our local West Coast clubs allow aerials. They also sometimes dance on carpet in their socks! When they join us they don't mingle much. Ha.)
I have a few other things that throw me off of asking ppl. ...I assume I have all the right to my dances, but I sometimes feel weird about being fussy. Sometimes I just don't like the songs. Especially the older authentic ones w no vocals! Like an old trumpet tune. Whew. If it's an unfamiliar song I want to wait a bit to see what I think. Others just jump in willynilly. To me the music is about half the game. Most others seem to be all about the dancing and go for anything but the goofiest tunes. I suppose I can do what I like. But I rarely have a partner who seems as interested in the music -- nobody ever remarks on a bass line or such.
So one of the things that makes me laugh or wonder is what might be the "reverse snobbery" I feel regarding the Experts. I don't want to dance w them more coz they're awesome, I want to dance w them less! At the same time I wish I could get over it. It would be good for me to say Yes more often and ask more often. I suppose I should just try harder. But it's not supposed to be work! Ha!
Well, that's my screed...
This will be a long rambling post!
I saw another thread here that said the world is divided into BR and Club styles. ...But I mostly see College and Lindy clubs. I've seen and taken classes in the BR style but that's only a small part of what I run into. As regards "clubs," I find that many College and Lindy clubs don't seem to dance at venues or to live music! They're fussy about authentic music and only dance with correct DJs in non-alcoholic venues. Are these what are called Club Style swing? Even though they don't dance "in the wild"? I guess they are clubs in terms of having volunteers and fees just to cover the basics like venue rent. I suppose it depends on what is meant by a Club style of swing... Is it in terms of a group that maybe meets in a basement and does classes or is it a group that goes to clubs out on the town?
I came into the scene wanting to learn how to dance in bars to live Standards music. I'd take classes in the clubs (which weren't BR) in order to have more fun in the bars and to participate w the music. I felt that since I couldn't sing or play so I could dance.
I did it enough to realize that a couple drinks could get close to hurting my skills, and that hydration and fitness were key. So I can see why some of those ppl don't dance in bars or drink when they dance. But almost all of them?
Well, I've run into some dynamics that I thought I'd try to run by you experienced folks in the dance world to see what's up. In the swing scene I've seen blog discussions about how the local Pros typically set aside one or two dances each with beginners per night. Like, don't ask for a 2nd dance. Basically, the good dancers want to have fun, not be in teaching mode all night or be bored. Makes sense.
Here's the twist: I'm guessing that I'm an Intermediate. Though I'm flummoxed enough that I kinda feel like an experienced beginner. I've been doing it 5 years, maybe 50 classes. I'm old so what I learn doesn't stick unless I use it a lot.
My goal is to have fun. I want to party with energy and laugh and mess around. So here's the twist: I don't ask any Good Dancers to dance! I don't want to mess with those who want to be precise or who might be critiquing me. They don't have to worry about wasting a dance w me!
I remember dancing with a newish young French person and afterward she hollered "This is more fun than drugs!" ...THAT'S THE WAY! : ) The serious dancers around us in their period attire were shocked, stunned, scandalized, speechless. Gads! I laughed hard. Yes!
At one of our local clubs, there's a bar next door on the 10th floor with an outside patio. So cool! But literally ZERO ppl from the club have ever gone there after dancing! These ppl just don't mix nightlife with dancing! But to me they go together. Well, I'm trying anyway. In the wild out on the town they definitely go together. But I've almost never seen anyone from the dance clubs at any live band at a bar!!! (I've seen 2 ppl in 5 yrs, 50 miles apart. Tho I'll see 1 experienced couple every maybe 3 bands and wonder who are they? I suppose they come from a BR instructor.)
Anyway, it seems like some of our local Pro's are miffed that I never ask them to dance. They ask me sometimes. Some used to ask me every time. I do socialize w them and thank them for teaching us, etc. We had a couple BR ladies join our club for a few months and it seemed like they were miffed as well when I didn't ask them. They weren't precision dancers but were dedicated hobbyists. They wanted me to dance with them rather than to have fun with them. They were there for a certain number of dances. They came from a BR scene. They weren't carefree. They ended up quitting. They weren't trying to be part of our FREE scene but were expecting service...
When an expert gal is willing to LEAD I'm game to follow because I don't have to worry. And they're good! Maybe I can get an idea from them. But then they want quid pro quo and I don't want them paying attention to what I'm doing!
I accidentally stumbled into an expert dancer last week and she was fun, could add flourishes into any instant and had a great rhythm feel. So I was interested. But in the end her high horsepower threw me off. No matter what I would have done, she would've been ahead of me. Also, she had a partner and they were even doing semi-aerials. I feel like she wd have been doing me a favor and also reserving herself. Eh. Don't need it. But it WAS neat that she really had the feel of the music and could really chew it up.
(In the College and other Urban Clubs I'm part of we don't allow aerials or throwing center of gravity around (no big dips) because they're social dances and we intend for strangers to dance w strangers. Ppl won't know who are partners and might assume they can try things that are risky w strangers. It seems like our local West Coast clubs allow aerials. They also sometimes dance on carpet in their socks! When they join us they don't mingle much. Ha.)
I have a few other things that throw me off of asking ppl. ...I assume I have all the right to my dances, but I sometimes feel weird about being fussy. Sometimes I just don't like the songs. Especially the older authentic ones w no vocals! Like an old trumpet tune. Whew. If it's an unfamiliar song I want to wait a bit to see what I think. Others just jump in willynilly. To me the music is about half the game. Most others seem to be all about the dancing and go for anything but the goofiest tunes. I suppose I can do what I like. But I rarely have a partner who seems as interested in the music -- nobody ever remarks on a bass line or such.
So one of the things that makes me laugh or wonder is what might be the "reverse snobbery" I feel regarding the Experts. I don't want to dance w them more coz they're awesome, I want to dance w them less! At the same time I wish I could get over it. It would be good for me to say Yes more often and ask more often. I suppose I should just try harder. But it's not supposed to be work! Ha!
Well, that's my screed...
I just try to be friendly with everyone, but also respect people's boundaries. 
