how are your lessons going? thread II
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I've had three sets of lessons with New(er)Guy. Significant improvement on my part with what Pro wanted us to work on: 8 measures of the waltz and there's only one measure of it that is still a bit hit and miss. The rest of the waltz was quite good today. There are a couple of places where, basically, I tend to concentrate on not making some particular mistake instead of following what's led...which invariably leads to a different mistake. Today I didn't do that and instead listened to all of the information that was being given to me. 
Tango was also good. I seem to have internalized a couple of technique upgrades to where I don't have to think about them anymore. We skipped Foxtrot today to have more time for VW, but we worked on it during the previous lessons. Some technique improvements--which, honestly, are not rocket science and I should have had down pat a long time ago--are showing up more and more. Improvement is all I can ask, but I do wish it came more quickly sometimes! A lot of the VW work has been on improving the basics. Primarily "more".
In the figures, there was pretty dramatic improvement when I worked on my connection--all those lovely things I know to do in the other dances. 
I'm also trying to improve my default "thinking practice face". The current default is not attractive and it appeared on occasion (perhaps more than occasion) at my last competition when I was having some problems.
Tango was also good. I seem to have internalized a couple of technique upgrades to where I don't have to think about them anymore. We skipped Foxtrot today to have more time for VW, but we worked on it during the previous lessons. Some technique improvements--which, honestly, are not rocket science and I should have had down pat a long time ago--are showing up more and more. Improvement is all I can ask, but I do wish it came more quickly sometimes! A lot of the VW work has been on improving the basics. Primarily "more".
In the figures, there was pretty dramatic improvement when I worked on my connection--all those lovely things I know to do in the other dances. I'm also trying to improve my default "thinking practice face". The current default is not attractive and it appeared on occasion (perhaps more than occasion) at my last competition when I was having some problems.
scullystwin42
Forum Master
latin rumba is still frustrating. i am activating the wrong muscles and still trying too hard to land on a straight leg. i keep squeezing my inner thighs together for some reason and it makes me all stiff. I need to break this habit i've developed! trying to hard to make sure it doesn't look like my rhythm movement, i think. latin in general is becoming frustrating... mainly because i don't focus enough on it in my practices because it's not my main competitive thing.
10tmf
Active Member
Coming up on the 1-year mark with my current studio/coach and I couldn’t be happier. I feel like we’ve really clicked and can communicate well even when the words coming out my mouth would make all of my editors cringe which has made my lessons awesome as of late.
We’ve been working on more complex solo routines for all the Latin dances (except Paso) and I’ve been having a blast with all of them. There’s so much for me to break down and work on for all four of them that I literally can’t get bored and I can actually see and feel myself getting better from lesson to lesson. Really motivated to practice between lessons and can’t wait to see what the next year is going to do to my dancing.
We’ve been working on more complex solo routines for all the Latin dances (except Paso) and I’ve been having a blast with all of them. There’s so much for me to break down and work on for all four of them that I literally can’t get bored and I can actually see and feel myself getting better from lesson to lesson. Really motivated to practice between lessons and can’t wait to see what the next year is going to do to my dancing.
Cancelled my lesson today. I don't know how much snow fell last night, but it's still snowing. They are expecting 2 more inches. My lesson would have been the first of the day for my teacher, so I'm glad I sent him a message early so he doesn't need to drive these streets either.
scullystwin42
Forum Master
Finally a decent latin lesson. I spent a ton of time during my solo practices on trying to figure out WHY i am doing things the way i'm doing them, and that helped quite a bit with the lesson yesterday. I could tell my pro why I was doing certain things, and he was able to come up with alternatives so that i could do the steps and movements better. Going to continue that in my solo practices.
I'm getting my new material for the year. The more things I'm trying to think about at once, the more I revert to a slack-jawed vacant facial expression, kind of like this
_O I figure this is a perfect time to improve my default practice face, so, in the middle of deep discussions about technique I will throw in "and I need to close my mouth." 
I usually find learning new material something of a nightmare--not the basics of it, but feeling like I'm really dancing it well. Thus far, it's going much better than usual. I'll admit that I'm slightly suspicious. There are two more FA silver steps that I haven't seen yet and I'm wondering if they saved the worst for last, but I'll find out soon enough. Then there will be the "now let's change it for the NDCA competitions" phase which should be fun. I hope. I love it when new material encourages (i.e., forces) me to up my following, and that has been happening. Makes me happy.
_O I figure this is a perfect time to improve my default practice face, so, in the middle of deep discussions about technique I will throw in "and I need to close my mouth." I usually find learning new material something of a nightmare--not the basics of it, but feeling like I'm really dancing it well. Thus far, it's going much better than usual. I'll admit that I'm slightly suspicious. There are two more FA silver steps that I haven't seen yet and I'm wondering if they saved the worst for last, but I'll find out soon enough. Then there will be the "now let's change it for the NDCA competitions" phase which should be fun. I hope. I love it when new material encourages (i.e., forces) me to up my following, and that has been happening. Makes me happy.
Purr
Forum Master
Lesson Friday with long time pro...started with rumba...only comment was hold the position and show the foot on one figure...then moved to am. waltz, am. tango, and v. waltz, trying to remember old routines...comment from me about allowing sufficient time to get set up and in position starting...worked it out...end discussion was it wasn't a train wreck, while it very well could have been, and it was a good jumping off point...then on to WCS...some conflict of information regarding holding/finishing the basic...heavy sigh...but, if that's all it is, I'll make the adjustment depending on who I'm dancing with, if it's appropriate
Had good time at party following lesson...felt confident, grounded and on my own balance...haven't had that feeling at a party for awhile so felt nice..
Had good time at party following lesson...felt confident, grounded and on my own balance...haven't had that feeling at a party for awhile so felt nice..
FancyFeet
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I know I've been quiet on the board lately, but really haven't been enjoying lessons with main pro.
I haven't competed since August, and for a number of reasons, have indicated that I am not sure when and if there will be a next one each time next year's plans are raised... am only sporadically practicing, which was commented on today.... have been talked into dancing at the holiday show, so we've spent the last 2 lessons on it and I am NOT looking forward to it (the politics/social expectations part, am rather ambivalent about the dancing part)... really starting to think that I might be done with pro-am. And given the reaction that I've gotten when I talk about doing my pro exams, teaching, working toward competing rising star, etc., that may mean done with pro. Haven't quite figured out how to have that happen and not be done with personal skill progression in dance, standard especially. This makes me sad.
Secondary pro (who I see for latin) continues to make me feel great. Too bad he's much shorter than me and isn't really a valid competition option, because I love his energy as we work.
I haven't competed since August, and for a number of reasons, have indicated that I am not sure when and if there will be a next one each time next year's plans are raised... am only sporadically practicing, which was commented on today.... have been talked into dancing at the holiday show, so we've spent the last 2 lessons on it and I am NOT looking forward to it (the politics/social expectations part, am rather ambivalent about the dancing part)... really starting to think that I might be done with pro-am. And given the reaction that I've gotten when I talk about doing my pro exams, teaching, working toward competing rising star, etc., that may mean done with pro. Haven't quite figured out how to have that happen and not be done with personal skill progression in dance, standard especially. This makes me sad.
Secondary pro (who I see for latin) continues to make me feel great. Too bad he's much shorter than me and isn't really a valid competition option, because I love his energy as we work.
scullystwin42
Forum Master
That must be frustrating as well! I hope it can work out somehow...
scullystwin42
Forum Master
oh had an amazing latin lesson yesterday with the pro i usually do rhythm with. he is also latin dancer, and actually really really loves latin better than rhythm, so it was fun to see him get extra excited. we spent the time trying to smooth out my stilted movements in rumba, and i *think* his perspective helped quite a bit. I was all excited after and didn't want the lesson to end. going to review it today with him and then latin lesson with latin pro, so HERE'S HOPING THIS TIME IT STICKS.
FancyFeet
Forum Master
OMG, all. Epiphany when speaking with my psychologist today. (Yes, I see one regularly. It helps.) Yes, I am at a bit of a crossroads with my dancing and may indeed be done with pro-am, which is not a new thought... but me not wanting to be at main studio unless it is closed lately isn't really about that.
I've been working in an open plan office with no walls and unassigned seating (while managing a team) since the summer, and it's not fun. Some days are so over stimulating that I feel like I am crawling out of my skin and all I want to do is go home, curl up on the couch and get some blessed, blessed solitude. But I am supposed to go to dance. Where there is more people, and noise, and open space with movement. And I CAN'T, because I've used up all of my available energy from my tank at the office. But I love to dance, so I go, and it's horrible.
My enjoying ballet and the other studio more than standard and main studio/pro lately has nothing to do with the dancing and everything to do with the peopling. At the other studios, I'm not as well known and there is no issue if I come in, dance, and leave without having a single conversation. They're also generally not as busy. Not so much at home base.
I want to dance at the holiday show/party, because I want to dance... I just don't want to people. Because the thought of peopling right now makes me feel like I can't breathe. I think I need to share this epiphany with pro, explain that the sporadic practicing isn't actually sporadic at all, and try to work out a deal where I can do the holiday thing but just hide in the storage room, dance my bits and then leave without it becoming a major thing. And that this might continue until I figure out a better way, and I can't keep feeling/being made to feel guilty about it.
Dance Redeemer
Well-Known Member
FancyFeet - Your entire last post really resonated with me. As a fellow open plan sufferer, I completely understand the need to have more personal quiet downtime and I find "regular" work days in the office far more draining. (We also have obligatory work-from-home periods, and I go stir crazy after several days of that.) But your comments on how you reacted to different studio environments was pretty eye opening for me and definitely a bit of an "aha" moment. I've been back to more of a regular dance schedule now for a couple months and had started to notice that I didn't always want to go to lessons. I really like my pro, so I couldn't quite identify why I was feeling that way.
My current pro is independent and works out of several different studios, so where we end up depends on schedules, floor availability, etc. One location is very busy and very well known with a lot of high-level pros and coaches. My pro likes using it, but it's crowded and distracting and I realize that especially if I'm coming from the office, this is where I'm feeling like sometimes I have to force myself to go. The environment is good for practicing rounds, but horrible for focusing on technique or learning anything new. The other locations we either rent the room (yay!) or are typically one of just a few couples practicing. I am so much more focused, and the interactions with my pro are much more relaxed. But if I am there after working from home all day, they can be a bit of a let down. I also find when we go only there for a few times in a row that I miss the camaraderie of the busy environments. I hadn't really considered how much the location, environment or other interactions were affecting my dancing, but I definitely will going forward. I also take salsa lessons now, which is always loud and busy and I love it. But the classes are group lessons, and focus more on steps and generally characterization of the dance, and less on technique (although we do have technique).
Having said all that - the last lesson I had with my pro was a double lesson in the studio we rent that's just us. We ran through all 10 dances, tweaking as we needed, but we really cleaned up some weak spots in rumba. I hadn't cared for this rumba routine (okay - I don't really love rumba in any event), but this flows much better, has much better lines, and I'm getting excited to work on it! I love that my pro is really considering how we interact together, what works for me, and what looks good on us. He tests different combinations/timing to see what works rather than just reusing a generic routine he created for someone else, which is a nice change.
My current pro is independent and works out of several different studios, so where we end up depends on schedules, floor availability, etc. One location is very busy and very well known with a lot of high-level pros and coaches. My pro likes using it, but it's crowded and distracting and I realize that especially if I'm coming from the office, this is where I'm feeling like sometimes I have to force myself to go. The environment is good for practicing rounds, but horrible for focusing on technique or learning anything new. The other locations we either rent the room (yay!) or are typically one of just a few couples practicing. I am so much more focused, and the interactions with my pro are much more relaxed. But if I am there after working from home all day, they can be a bit of a let down. I also find when we go only there for a few times in a row that I miss the camaraderie of the busy environments. I hadn't really considered how much the location, environment or other interactions were affecting my dancing, but I definitely will going forward. I also take salsa lessons now, which is always loud and busy and I love it. But the classes are group lessons, and focus more on steps and generally characterization of the dance, and less on technique (although we do have technique).
Having said all that - the last lesson I had with my pro was a double lesson in the studio we rent that's just us. We ran through all 10 dances, tweaking as we needed, but we really cleaned up some weak spots in rumba. I hadn't cared for this rumba routine (okay - I don't really love rumba in any event), but this flows much better, has much better lines, and I'm getting excited to work on it! I love that my pro is really considering how we interact together, what works for me, and what looks good on us. He tests different combinations/timing to see what works rather than just reusing a generic routine he created for someone else, which is a nice change.
Purr
Forum Master
Lesson yesterday afternoon...opened with bolero, which apparently is rusty and needs a lot of work, step size is wrong and there's not enough differentiation between level of movement...switched to am. foxtrot, remembered old routine, more or less, held frame better and overall was surprisingly good...moved to WCS and rumba, same feedback as last lesson
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