how are your lessons going? thread II

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Had my first lesson in what feels like forever (coach was traveling to compete). Some steps forward and a couple backwards which was frustrating. It also didn’t help that I wasn’t able to practice as much as usual thanks to someone dropping a dumbbell on my foot at the gym, but that’s a whole different can of worms :mad:.

That being said, I fixed the nasty habits once so I can fix them again (apparently midterms and extra hours at a desk was murder on my posture). Started working on arms which is interesting. My non-dominant hand is having an easier time of things which was unexpected to say the least hahaha.

Anyway, glad to be back to my usual lesson schedule. The consistent feedback definitely helps keep me motivated.
 
Pro is out of town at the moment, so more lessons with New(er) Guy. We're having a coaching together this week and know we want to work on Tango and Foxtrot in it, so that was our priority today. Tango is fun because it's all in the acceptable to good range, so we get to work on making it better in places. I'm waiting for somebody to move the goal post on me with Tango, but at the moment it is quite enjoyable. Foxtrot is a notch down from Tango in that it's not as consistent, particularly on the first run through. He greatly improved one of my newer figures, however, and by the end it was all pretty good. Just needs to start that way. Good news is that I've got a fairly short list of qualities/techniques that I need to improve or have become more consistent for it to all work well. We did a little waltz as well and he helped me with a place that had been suboptimal--though I'm pretty sure that correction hasn't stuck yet, and we worked on a part of a newer figure that I have had some trouble with. That will also need to be repeated another gizzillion times or so. ;)
 
Showdance lesson last night was so fun. It's almost all silly 80's aerobics competition "steps", we may add some hustle in later, but it's bloody hilarious to do.

SMOOTH. the post-comp lesson was strained. neither of us wanted a big blowout, apparently. lots of forced calm in our voices. He's frustrated because i have no consistency and we are repeating the same lessons over and over again, even after I've seemed to get the concept. I'm frustrated because despite this bloody cortisone shot, every time i try to collect and compress on my right knee, it's still twinging and feels unstable. Since we didn't talk much last night during the lesson, I was more in my head; now I'm thinking that the consistency may be failing because the pain causes me to lose concentration and awareness. it's distracting enough that my body then goes to old bad habits to compensate, and then i have to get back to where i should be, and then there is pain again. that would definitely contribute to the lack of consistency.

So, next steps - I found a physical therapist who specializes in dancers, and I go back in a couple weeks for a follow up with my ortho doc to see what other pain management options i have. If this all fails, i might have to give up smooth, which makes me very sad.
 
Had a really good lesson on Friday after my pretty crappy one on Monday (it amazes me how much state of mind can affect your performance). Posture was back where it was before. More focus on arms, which have gotten loads better but still feel ridiculous while I practice them in the gym.
 
scullystwin42 said:
I'm frustrated because despite this bloody cortisone shot, every time i try to collect and compress on my right knee, it's still twinging and feels unstable. Since we didn't talk much last night during the lesson, I was more in my head; now I'm thinking that the consistency may be failing because the pain causes me to lose concentration and awareness.
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I had an issue with my calf/achilles tendon for a week. NOTHING worked: my posture, my core, certainly not my brain. :eek:
 
The coaching I was supposed to have got cancelled because of snow (flights cancelled), but I ended up having one with Pro and his new partner later in the week. :jawdrop: My, was she good. She fixed a couple of places that I had been having problems with and then decided to up the ante on my dancing in general. I'm looking forward to working on it next week.
 
RiseNFall said:
I had an issue with my calf/achilles tendon for a week. NOTHING worked: my posture, my core, certainly not my brain. :eek:
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Yeah, I knew it was affecting me, but I didn't realize by how much.

Had amazing coachings in rhythm, followed by a mini-dance camp over the weekend with the same coach. I got a lot of feedback on improving connection, and then it was repeated in the camp, so YAY REINFORCEMENT.
 
Yesterday was a double lesson. First lesson continued the west coast swing relearn saga. Coach from a few weeks ago was to apply the same process as if it was a smooth dance, like stretching the movements out to fill the time, so that's what I'm trying to go with. The flow seems better. Pro is leading a lot more figures, with or without specifically introducing the newer patterns. After 45 minutes I was on information overload and suggested he move on to something else. Second lesson was AT. That went well for about 20 minutes, then I went on more information overload and it went downhill from there.

Next time I have a double lesson, I think maybe 30 minutes one dance, 30 minutes another dance, and the remainder review/refresher of other dances, including something fun.
 
Another good lesson in rhythm this week, expanding on the coaching from last week. Really enjoyable, and I improved. Smooth lesson tomorrow and i've been spending time reading the specialization threads because wondering again if it's worth doing both styles. even though i just got a new smooth dress (thank god it was a consignment one).
 
scullystwin42 said:
Smooth lesson tomorrow and i've been spending time reading the specialization threads because wondering again if it's worth doing both styles.
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Perhaps it's not worthwhile doing both styles at the moment, given what you've said about your knee and current smooth pro. Do you think a break from smooth while you pursue the physical therapy with the dance savvy therapist would help your knee??
 
RiseNFall said:
Perhaps it's not worthwhile doing both styles at the moment, given what you've said about your knee and current smooth pro. Do you think a break from smooth while you pursue the physical therapy with the dance savvy therapist would help your knee??
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Yes, I think it would help. Since i am only doing rhythm at the next comp, i've cut down on the smooth lessons considerably anyway. Part of me hates stopping it altogether, since if I do start it up, i'll feel that much more behind. I don't know why I'm so into doing both styles; i did the same many many moons ago with latin and standard. I guess i like the idea of 10 dance/9 dance and being a well-rounded dancer. even though usually dancers at the higher levels tend to specialize.

I am giving it serious thought, however.

of course, what the heck am i gonna do with this dress? i haven't even sold the other smooth/standard dresses I have.
 
This week I had one lesson with Pro largely working on what we had done in the coaching with his new partner; one with Pro and New(er) Guy, also largely working on what we had done in the coaching with new partner; and then a double lesson today with NG. NG said that my VW was the best he had ever felt it--yay! A couple of improvements from the coachings seem to be sinking in, so my hope is that the VW will continue to improve. The improvements aren't consistent yet with Waltz and Foxtrot, and that is a kind way of putting it. I'm frustrated with myself, but it's not really warranted--I've never been a fast learner in dance and I know I will get it with more practice and the excellent instruction I'm receiving. I just want NOW!!! (I left out the profanity accompanying that thought....)
 
so I decided to take a break from smooth. I've been pondering it for a while, as I mentioned, and the physical therapist had some ideas on why the pain was continuing, but it's really just ideas right now. We'll try the rehab around the ideas and then if nothing changes, MRIs. I really was tired of hurting at dance, so I spoke to my smooth pro and the owner. They understood, and provided options - one was to do latin with my smooth pro. (He excelled in standard in Ukraine, but did compete in latin as well). So we tried it out last night, just an intro to remind me of the basics. No pain, and pro and I didn't get frustrated, irritated, or impatient with each other. it was the first time in a long while that i completed a lesson with him and didn't walk out with my knee hurting!! not gonna lie, there were a few tears of happy relief.

Hey @RiseNFall , thanks for your words through this, they've been helpful! and i so understand your I WANT IT NOW feeling, so good luck on getting all the good stuff in!
 
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