how are your lessons going? thread II

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Finished up a new open smooth routine for competition, and I love it! I finally feel like the choreography 'fits' me just right. :)
 
Ended up doing a lot of work on one hand hold connection for develope with a nice stretch.... All I can say is no wonder it has always felt awkward to me. Major adjustments to my balance, how I'm using my connected arm, etc. Can't wait to do more with it next week. Almost asked Smooth New Guy to help me with it, but we had enough else to work on. Last week and this week were VW and Tango. Working on consistency in connection, footwork, etc. Rhythm is beginning to feel much, much better. I was able to take more of what we do as isolated exercises and keep it going through actual steps.

New Guys are sadly both over the "Hey I taught something! Wow, look at what she just did! Look at we just did!" phase. Drat.
 
With Female Pro worked on Impetus as a Leader, then worked through trouble spots in bronze Tango and bronze Samba. With Male Pro, tweaked a few things in the showcase routine, then did some Reverse Role in Jive, and tested out some american smooth figures also as Reverse Role.
 
smooth went fairly well, though I would like it to be in better shape with a comp looming...still, reasonably pleased....rhythm, which had been going better of late, was sort of a crash and burn because I decided to freak out over it
 
My back was still extremely sore and tight, so we had to take the gentle approach to lesson. With Male Pro worked on reverse role Bronze Foxtrot; and reverse role bronze Cha Cha focusing on hand positions and changing hand positions; then worked on some fine-tuning in transition areas in our showcase routine. My back was pretty much done by then, so when I switched to Female Pro, working on bronze rumba as a leader was just not happening. So, instead we chose a song for a showcase routine and started working on some choreography.
 
I heard the phrase "at your level..." several times this week. One part of me wants to interpret it as "dancers at the level you suppose yourself to be at can do xyz; you are not doing xyz, so either up your game or stop pretending." These are all nice, encouraging people, however, so what they more likely mean is "hey, your dancing has really grown; time to add in xyz!" One time was in reference to the "mood" of bolero... which I was dancing with somebody whose mother is 10 years younger than me.... I actually did very well by going with an adoring mother vibe. :D It really did improve my dancing substantially.

Worked with Pro on a variety of developes and the like in waltz. Amazing on the rare times that I got the connection right and followed properly. Tango with Smooth New Guy. Much stronger feeling throughout, getting more consistent. Samba group class, which is fun.

Asked New Guys for practice directions between then and next lessons...which means I had better deliver the improvements they are looking for.
 
Worked on Standard Bronze as a leader with both Male Pro and Female Pro, and walked through some choreography choices for a showcase routine with Female Pro.
 
Last Monday evening was Waltz Formation group class #1 of 20. Looks like we're going to have eight couples. One missing couple was vacationing in Spain. And one solo guy (new blood) is searching for a partner.

After a basic drill, coach started us off WITH A BANG by giving us two full walls of choreography right off the bat! Although this waltz will be "open," the moves so far are not too difficult. The most complex will be a tipple chasse to the right with a pivot on three. And then there is a quick spin (running spin turn).

After sitting out one term due to commitment issues, I didn't waste any time returning to my role as class clown. Coach called me up to experiment with possible openings for the first six measures of our song, a gruesomely difficult piece, "The Beauty of Waltz." After a few ballet style turns, she asked me to "give her a hand." I clapped enthusiastically. The class broke out in thunderous laughter. It was a great tension breaker. Coach was not amused.

"And THIS is only week 1," she said through clenched teeth.

Oops. Time to STFU. For the remainder of the hour, I was low key.
 
Lovely lesson with the female pro at my studio. She is just so brilliant, we are so lucky to have her. worked on the samba zig zags that are in my mambo and also on styling for a portion of mambo and tango. More general reminders on how to stretch my sides and make me look "3-d" in rhythm, and a direction to move focus to my legs and feet, which apparently are decent enough to draw attention to!
 
DP made several comments about my level (being at well beyond intermediate bronze) during the lesson, but my poor left knee and right foot simply can't do what I want them to do. Slow Waltz and Quickstep are really coming along, after I'm warmed up, but VW.....not so much. *sigh* I'm having to leave VW behind, and concentrate on Slow Waltz and Quickstep for my next comp. (Maybe I should have concentrated on Slow Foxrot?) Getting old sucks.
 
I already am aware that I'm a weak, ungainly follower. It now appears that, despite earnest efforts, I'm developing into an equally lackluster leader.
 
Pro started teaching me some styling in Waltz that I have always considered a hallmark of really good dancers. I figure it will take me eons to master it, but it's exciting to be working on it. Cha cha with Rhythm New Guy. Pro walked by doing the lesson and complimented me...first time that has ever happened (OK, he has given me a few compliments here and there over the years, but first time he complimented my during a lesson with somebody else.) Lesson with Smooth New Guy today and Tango and VW were good enough that we moved on to Foxtrot. First time I had danced Foxtrot in about a month and it was stunningly better than the last time I had danced it. Really highlighted what I have learned in the last month, not to mention the benefits of having started a major "time to improve my fitness level" campaign about a month ago--a lot of core, ankle, feet, and knee work. (Yeah, yeah, I'm doing some arm work as well. :rolleyes:)
 
First lesson after two weeks of pro being away. Worked on samba and looking into technique. Also trying to learn to isolate my rib cage which was quite funny.
 
Changing up the opening of Waltz which gives me more movement and freedom.. Getting to love that, even if my lower back is not cooperating.
 
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