Welcome. This says it all, Entheos.
how are your lessons going? thread II
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Welcome. This says it all, Entheos.
Pro is back and we're not doing what I expected. I expected to do more on some major improvements in quality we were working on before the comp--ones that, as expected, did not quite show up there. Instead, we're working on some new figures. The VW I had worked on before, but dropped before the comp because there was no way it was going to be ready. At the moment it's got an eminent train wreck feel to it, but that means my dancing will be better once I've gotten it under control. 
The Foxtrot is jazzier than what I've done before, so that's fun, but getting it to look good will be a challenge. Waltz we had already worked on and it just needs to get a bit more consistent. Tango is a figure that is not train-wreck difficult (like the VW), but I'm having to learn quite a bit for it to feel or look good. In fact, after we did it the first time, I asked him to do it with New Guy so that I could get some idea of what I was aiming for.
Pro is being smart in that I am one of those people who is perfectly happy working on making the stuff I already know better more or less forever. This is a good time to introduce new material because we won't be competing for a while. I can at least pretend that I'll have it under control before them.
The Foxtrot is jazzier than what I've done before, so that's fun, but getting it to look good will be a challenge. Waltz we had already worked on and it just needs to get a bit more consistent. Tango is a figure that is not train-wreck difficult (like the VW), but I'm having to learn quite a bit for it to feel or look good. In fact, after we did it the first time, I asked him to do it with New Guy so that I could get some idea of what I was aiming for.Pro is being smart in that I am one of those people who is perfectly happy working on making the stuff I already know better more or less forever. This is a good time to introduce new material because we won't be competing for a while. I can at least pretend that I'll have it under control before them.
cornutt
Forum Master
I've long wondered about the experience of following in VW. Because leading it is a hanging-on-to-the-cliff-edge-by-your-fingernails experience...
There was a looonnng period in which all of my VW felt like an eminent train wreck. I have now been dancing for something like seven years, though the first several I wasn't doing much VW. It was only the last year or so that even the basics became solidly consistent over a range of professional leaders. And down right fun only the last six or so months. I'm not sure I've ever danced VW with an amateur, because I haven't been doing much social dancing recently and before that it wouldn't have seemed fair to the leader ("hey, I can barely do this with my teachers, wanna give it a shot?"), let alone safe. I agree with the .
.Went to my first waltz group class. It's the first style I've learned during private lessons. It's my bread and butter. I did really well. It was all familiar stuff, but I still took the basics seriously. Dancing with a lot of different people with varying skills.
I'm getting confident with leading. I'm not so apologetic anymore during mistakes. I feel at home at the studio now.
Some of the people I've met won't be around anymore. Some will be back around 2 months. Kind of sucks since we just started to get to know each other. A new guy showed up. His first lesson ever. Feels weird not being the new guy anymore. Mix of consistent goers and people I've never seen before come to each class.
I'm starting to get compliments from various people.
I love coming extra early just to warm up, chill out, and watch the children who are amazing dancers practicing. They're the most consistent people. Always there when I go there.
My private instructor has high hopes for me. She's keeps amping up the lessons everytime. I welcome the challenge. I'll be ready for our next one.
Only 1 group class and 1 private lesson left for 2017. I'll make the most of it. I'll practice hard during the time off in December.
I'm getting confident with leading. I'm not so apologetic anymore during mistakes. I feel at home at the studio now.
Some of the people I've met won't be around anymore. Some will be back around 2 months. Kind of sucks since we just started to get to know each other. A new guy showed up. His first lesson ever. Feels weird not being the new guy anymore. Mix of consistent goers and people I've never seen before come to each class.
I'm starting to get compliments from various people.
I love coming extra early just to warm up, chill out, and watch the children who are amazing dancers practicing. They're the most consistent people. Always there when I go there.
My private instructor has high hopes for me. She's keeps amping up the lessons everytime. I welcome the challenge. I'll be ready for our next one.
Only 1 group class and 1 private lesson left for 2017. I'll make the most of it. I'll practice hard during the time off in December.
I wanted to do so well for this private class. I went into it so confident, but for whatever reason it just wasn't my day. Everything just fell apart and I felt slow mentally.
I learned a lot and I know it's all just part of the process.
A little frustrated, but I'll be back at it again tomorrow.
It was a humbling experience.
I learned a lot and I know it's all just part of the process.
A little frustrated, but I'll be back at it again tomorrow.
It was a humbling experience.
FancyFeet
Forum Master
@entheos we all have days where it's like we've completely forgotten how to dance or left our brains at home. As you improve, you get better at camouflaging and working through those days... but they still happen. I've learned that - for me anyway - getting frustrated is the worst way to deal. I try to just accept how it is that day, and keep working at it.
FancyFeet
Forum Master
No. Hence... crying.
Things are a little better this week. Trying not to be peeved that for the first time in a long time, I was in the mood to really work... and pro called an end to my lesson 10-15 mins early, because his knee was hurting. (Must have been seriously painful for him to admit anything, because he does not like to show weakness. Me being irked is just indicative of my headspace right now, not really about him at all.)
SwingingAlong
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear about this, hope things are a bit better now, and you can think your way into a happier place. I have wanted to compete for a long time too, but where I am, there is no chance of finding an AM partner, and not even any lessons (at any level) unless I want to travel for 4 hours, or fly, which I can't really afford on top of paying for a lesson at the moment. And with the teacher I do have, ProAm is not an option (he was openly horrified at the idea). I am learning to accept what I can't have, and channel the desperate wanting into other areas of my life. Over the last 8 winters, I have slowly been teaching my DH, and we are at the stage where he is confident to go out social dancing now and again (We had a few years of frozen shoulders and then I was sick for 18 months). But he loves practicing - we can go hard out and work on whatever we want to, and add a new dance or step when it suits us. The other day he was bouncing about and doing little skips of enjoyment, so I've started teaching him step hops. Sure, he's only about Bronze/Silver level, but is very athletic, so we can bounce around as much as we like, since there is never anyone else there. And while he doesn't do my routines yet (I was doing Gold Bar when I stopped having regular lessons) there is always stuff I can work on, and I still practice by myself a bit. So, I can't have a comp partner, but I have found a way to keep my dancing self very happy.
If it means that much to you, maybe it's time to look deeper into what is stopping you getting there. Looking at jobs in the US might be a place to start? Do some comps there, go on a holiday and check out the studios, build some friendships, so the move ends up being to a place you know, rather than a huge scary empty void. Speaking for what is was like for me moving towns here - I find it extremely difficult. Can't imagine I'd ever be brave enough to move country
We snuck in some work on quality/technique in Waltz but most of Tuesday's and all of today's lessons were on learning the new figures. If I keep my wits about me (which is not guaranteed), there are only two measures of the waltz that I have difficulty executing. And there's a third that can slip by the wayside pretty easily. Tango and Foxtrot are executable, just not sharp yet. We added in yet another VW figure, partially because I have seen it danced a lot, really like it, and was excited about learning it. I'm sure that once I'm better at it I'll remember what I liked about it.
Did Samba today. Met two new instructors for this group class. I picked up the techniques faster than the other styles I've done so far. I think I'm getting used to moving my body in certain ways and put my mind in a better learning state. It was a fun class. I learned a lot. Basic steps / whisk / voltas / crisscross voltas / travelling bota fogos.
I socialize and introduce myself a lot more now. Especially to help nervous newcomers feel at ease. I'm on a first name basis with a lot of the regulars and the instructors. Good times.
This is the last group class for the year. The next one is a month away. Same with private classes. So I'll have plenty of practice time to go over everything I've learned and really refine the basics of everything.
I'm glad I started learning all these styles of dancing. It was only 4 group classes and 3 privates (4 different styles in 1 month) so far, but I love it there and I've set myself up for success and a more colorful life for 2018. Being part of the studio and its great people also helps me become a better person in general.
I socialize and introduce myself a lot more now. Especially to help nervous newcomers feel at ease. I'm on a first name basis with a lot of the regulars and the instructors. Good times.
This is the last group class for the year. The next one is a month away. Same with private classes. So I'll have plenty of practice time to go over everything I've learned and really refine the basics of everything.
I'm glad I started learning all these styles of dancing. It was only 4 group classes and 3 privates (4 different styles in 1 month) so far, but I love it there and I've set myself up for success and a more colorful life for 2018. Being part of the studio and its great people also helps me become a better person in general.
With the addition of the new figures, I asked Pro to map out for me what goes where on the floor. After this week, he'll be out for two weeks, then I'll be out, so there'll be a 3 and a half week gap before I'll have another lesson with him. We have a coaching later this week, so this was my last chance to get it figured out. There won't be quite as much time as I would like after I'm back to prepare for a team match and then a competition, so I wanted to get it straight now. Pro probably thinks he's teaching me a couple more figures before the competition. 
We primarily worked on the new VW figures and...well, they are definitely better than they were. That's about the best I can say about them at the moment.
We primarily worked on the new VW figures and...well, they are definitely better than they were.
That's about the best I can say about them at the moment.
FancyFeet
Forum Master
Pro cancelled yesterday for a "last minute personal appointment". Now I'm really trying to not be peeved.
(Seriously, I didn't really want to go anyway as I haven't been feeling well, and we were in the middle of a (not horrific) snowstorm, and he rarely cancels last minute (though still more than my once in 4.5 years - thanks, food poisoning!) so it's not really a big deal... I'm just fighting with the illogical, petty part of my brain.)
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