How are your group classes going?

Reach said:
Definitely recommend group classes if possible. Made a number of friends from the group classes and Socials, that I still get together with. This was with a previous Studio that closed almost 6 years ago.

My now main Studio (International style, competition) has very few group classes, none really work for me. Only rarely do they have a Social. Do my private lessons there. Do love the Studio.

Found another Studio (American style, social dancing), where I only take group classes. Making new friends there. And attending Socials.

Took some searching, and trial and error to find this. Can now practice with others what we are working on. Love the arrangement, having the best of both!

Hope you find what works for you.
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Pity you're geographically challenged... we have group classes and socials... just saying. We used to have people come from Queens for group classes and South Jersey, Long Island, and upstate NY for the socials.. (actually still get people from far away for monthly socials)
 
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Last week, I took a group class at another studio; beginner Quickstep. I took it as a lead.

The first four figures the teacher taught were within my knowledge wheelhouse, so I thought I'd be able to manage it. The next figure was quite challenging; not that I can't do it, but it's one of the most difficult in the Associate syllabus, in its most difficult alignment/amount of turn.

Yeah, that worked.

Le sigh. I have a lot to learn.

Just because I can execute a figure by myself doesn't mean I can do it with a partner. Everything changes when there's someone on the other side of my hands, and I'm responsible for someone else's direction, steps, timing.

And speaking of timing: the time of day is awkward for me, as that studio is 45 minutes away without traffic, and the class starts at 6:15pm. Last time there was no traffic around here at 5:30pm was during lockdown. But I was at that studio anyway that afternoon (total fluke) so since I was there, why not. Next timing issue: that class is over at 7 and I have another class back at home studio that starts at 7:30. And a 45 minute drive...

FWIW, this is probably the only studio in the New York area that will actually have partners for me to try to lead in any Standard dance in a beginner group class. There were four follows at varying levels of knowledge/competence/skill/cooperativeness.

Decisions, decisions: drive an hour and a half (minimum) for a 45 minute class and be 15 minutes late to my "own" group class? Or just don't?
 
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I TOTALLY understand the dilemma.

But…..you might get actual partners for group lessons!?!?!?!?!? (Green with envy!)

If it were me, I’d try to work out a compromise timetable: I’d figure out an every-other-week split, or a once-a-month-split, or whatever ratio you’d think you could realistically work with in your timetable, alert the relevant studios/pros what your “plan” is for attending classes/lessons, and then totally commit to that arrangement over a six-month period.

Then, after a six-month period of religiously committing to that timetable/split, I’d re-evaluate.
 
Cal said:
I TOTALLY understand the dilemma.

But…..you might get actual partners for group lessons!?!?!?!?!? (Green with envy!)
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Actual partners happen in every group I've taken around here, at any studio. (I didn't know we had color options for text! Thank you!) The beginner group class at my studio had 18 people in it last week.
Cal said:
If it were me, I’d try to work out a compromise timetable: I’d figure out an every-other-week split, or a once-a-month-split, or whatever ratio you’d think you could realistically work with in your timetable, alert the relevant studios/pros what your “plan” is for attending classes/lessons, and then totally commit to that arrangement over a six-month period.

Then, after a six-month period of religiously committing to that timetable/split, I’d re-evaluate.
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That's an interesting suggestion; thank you. The QS class will be 8 sessions total. This week was Week 3, and they were 5 figures in. I believe the teacher adds, or tries to add, a figure or two every week. I may have been a disruptor this week, as the teacher added no new figures but worked on technique for a while, perhaps because I just could not git'r'done.

Much to think about. Thx.
 
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j_alexandra said:
Actual partners happen in every group I've taken around here, at any studio. (I didn't know we had color options for text! Thank you!) The beginner group class at my studio had 18 people in it last week.

That's an interesting suggestion; thank you. The QS class will be 8 sessions total. This week was Week 3, and they were 5 figures in. I believe the teacher adds, or tries to add, a figure or two every week. I may have been a disruptor this week, as the teacher added no new figures but worked on technique for a while, perhaps because I just could not git'r'done.

Much to think about. Thx.
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I’ve been finding more and more that group classes are more like “workshops” and the teachers leave it to the individual dancers as to whether or not they pair up with someone and rotate to practice a figure or concept. Pair-up-and-rotate is a “suggestion” rather than a “requirement”. So, the couple-that-is-so-in-love won’t rotate partners; the couple-getting-ready-for-a-competition won’t rotate partners; the dancers-in-the-clique will rotate partners only within their clique; the manly-man-dancer tries to insist that I rotate only as a Follow…..

But with 18 people in a class, and some who are willing to actually pair-up-and-rotate - gimme, gimme!
 
j_alexandra said:
Double reverse spin, full 360 degree turn.
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Yeah ... I've been dancing it since forever, so hard to comment, but I would say it surely has challenges for both leader and follower to do it right. Usual problem for both seems to be trying to turn upper part of the body too early because there is a full turn that needs to be done relatively fast and then it doesn't work. Otherwise, it's actually relatively easy once you get it, I've been leading it it even in kizomba with lots of followers that never danced it before and don't dance ballroom (even 2 or 3 in succession) without problems, just out of fun because other guys don't/can't dance it ... there are number of "easier" figures that are actually more demanding to me ...
 
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"Beginner" group class last night had 14 people in it, pretty much evenly divided lead/follow. 2/3 have been coming for years. One couple for about 6 months; they are athletes so they have kind of a physical edge on the rest of us who are over 60 (at least) and they learn fast. One new couple, who look to be in their mid-late 70s, who are beginners.

Cha-cha. Back to basics for everyone! I love basics.

NewCouple make all the newbie mistakes: huge steps, not closing their feet, stepping sideways instead of forward, yada yada. The long term members of the class abandon basics and are trying to practice Turkish Towel and Open Breaks and 5th Position Breaks and underarm turns and I give NewCouple huge kudos for hanging in while all around them are people doing Not So Basics.

The other half of class is Tango. T. A. NGO. T. A. NGO!

NewCouple lead does the classic Penguin Waddle Tango, stepping outside instead of between follow's feet. It's been so long since I had to learn that, I've forgotten how hard it is to step directly into your partner. But he manages the twist turn just fine. People have such interesting strengths!
 
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