Houston, TX: Ready To Advance

[rdijohn]

I started WCS a few years ago. I attended the Americas Classic Championships here in Houston one night last weekend as a spectator. I was greatly inspired and have set a goal for 2008 to get much better at WCS. I am a male therefore need better leading skills and more tricks up my sleeve.

My goal is to improve enought to comptete in a novice strictly swing division later this year. I am divorced and able to travel on weekends to out of town workshops. I need your input and advice:

Is that too ambitious a goal?

Recommendations for a good WCS instructor in Houston? I guess it is like choosing a doctor --- you meet a lot of them and find one with the right chemistry?

I am 53, so should I be competing in a Masters Division instead ---- or can I do a Masters due to my age and a novice since I am a beginner?

Do I only get one shot at being a "novice"? That is, if I compete anywhere on the circuit in this category (even just once) in future competitions do I have to try a higher level?​

Thanks to the community for your input. Local instructors and lady dance partners in Houston are invited to respond. I usually dance here at Big Easy, SSQQ and Melody Club.​

 

[Dancelf]

My goal is to improve enought to comptete in a novice strictly swing division later this year. I am divorced and able to travel on weekends to out of town workshops. I need your input and advice:

Is that too ambitious a goal?

Not really, although you may have to shop around a bit to find other events that offer a Novice strictly division. Good news is that (at least in my experience) there's no minimum requirement for entering the lowest division strictly - if you have a partner, and the guts to walk out onto the floor when your name is called, you are in.

Recommendations for a good WCS instructor in Houston? I guess it is like choosing a doctor --- you meet a lot of them and find one with the right chemistry?

The best WCS instructor in Houston is Mario Robau Jr (the male MC last weekend - also one of the directors for the event) -- he's the King of Better Leading Skills.

Unfortunately, he doesn't appear to be teaching group classes any longer. He is still traveling to teach though, so check his travel schedule, and think about dropping in on one of his "workshop weekends". This typically means around 8 workshops (figure an hour to an hour and a half each), with social dances sponsored by the hosts in the evening. Definitely schedule a private lesson with him after you reach the point where you can lead basics for 3 minutes without having to think consciously about it (if you started learning the dance a few years ago, you are probably there -- but you'll get a lot more out of the private if you manage to get to one of his beginner workshops first).


Mario is dance director for SWWC, so it may be worth looking over there (Whip and WCS may not be exactly the same dance, but I believe that most of the good instructors cross over). I've never worked with Brian Spivey, but I have heard good things about him.

I've also heard good things of Lisa and Damon D'Amico - Lisa's name should be familiar, as you saw her on the podium a number of times when the Pro-Am awards were announced.

I am 53, so should I be competing in a Masters Division instead ---- or can I do a Masters due to my age and a novice since I am a beginner?

I have no opinion on "should" - you can get much better at WCS regardless of which division you dance in, so some other motivation will need to make that decision for you. Dancing in both divisions may or may not be permitted, depending on the particular contest you are entering (the conditions of contest are not standardized). One common rule requires that you have a different partner for each division you enter, which may complicate your choices (depends on how charming you are, I suppose).

Do I only get one shot at being a "novice"? That is, if I compete anywhere on the circuit in this category (even just once) in future competitions do I have to try a higher level?

It varies from competition to competition, and sometimes from division to division. Jack and Jill competitions tend to focus on the number of "points" you have won, strictly swing divisions have slightly different criteria.

The ACC contest rules will give you an idea.

You should get a move on though - the Novice Invitational is scheduled for the end of March....

 

[rdijohn]

Thanks Dancelf for the great input.

Yes, I have the Novice Invitational on my radar screen. I just might go for it.

I Mario based in Houston? He seems to be somewhere different each weekend. For some reason I thought he was out of state.

I too have heard good things about Bryan Spivey. I will be at the Melody Club tonight for an intermediate group class so I will ask these same questions there.

Thanks again!

 

[Dancelf]

I Mario based in Houston? He seems to be somewhere different each weekend. For some reason I thought he was out of state.

To the best of my knowledge, he's been Houston based his entire life.

 

[Vince A]

Regarding the "Masters" question . . . I'd do the Novice thing adn up through the levels for a year or so - if not longer, as though the Master's are a bit older . . . they have been dancing WCS for many years, and most, if not all of them are very, very, very good WCS dancers . . .

 

[kayak]

Hi, one of my friends did just what you are talking about. He started WCS a little over a year ago and was competing pretty successfully by summer. I think he pulled together three things to make it work that fast. First, he took group/private lessons from our great instructor. Second, he traveled and took a ton of workshops. Third, he found a nice lady who is a very good WCS dancer to be his partner. Oh yea, he goes out social dancing 2-3x a week.

 

[d nice]

Good advice all the way around. Social dancing is key. Getting out there and dancing to the various music stylings dj's will play will do wonders for your musicality as well as your ability to dance to music outside of your personal preference.

Group classes are an excellent way to meet new potential partners, maybe for just practicing, but possibly for competition. You'll also learn a lot of moves and general rules for doing WCS and can get a sampling of other people ideas about styling and musicality to help develop your own.

Private lessons are where the real improvement begins. One on one (or one on two) instruction will tailor the critiques and material to meet your needs. Leave the ego and excuses at the door, keep the good attitude and hard work ethic with you. Yiou may find yourself spending half an hour simply walking to music while you relearn how to interact with the floor and control your body to flow with the music.

Traveling for weekend workshops and larger conventions is a great way to meet the rockstar teachers and competitors, take classes you might not normally get, and get a feel for the energy and pressures of competition.

If you REALLY want to get good, take privates from the regular judges. Not only will they be able to teach you to dance in the way that matches what they are looking for, the more they get to know you the more likely they are to watch you while you compete. No reason not to take advantage of normal human tendencies if you want to get serious about comeptition...

Strangely enough I've pretty much decided that in the next year I'm going to become seriouse about my own WCS. I figure I've flirted with her, and spent sleepless nights with her, it is just time to make an honest woman out of her.