dancelvr
Forum Master
Yikes! Been there.
What are you excited about in your dancing right now?
- Thread starter latingal
- Start date
Yikes! Been there.
JudeMorrigan
Forum Master
Still open smooth Viennese. The theory behind my open routines has been to take my silver routines and tweak them so as to introduce certain concepts into my dancing. (What, *I* have to spin? Madness!) But while, for example, my foxtrot is pretty much unchanged (as it was already the most open-ish of my silver routines) - by Viennese has all sorts of new toys. Very exciting!
Dancing Irishman
Forum Master
Partner and I are in the "self-directed" phase of our dancing now, i.e. our coach expects us to walk into each practice weekend and lesson with a list of topics we want covered and focus only on those topics. That combined with focusing each practice weekend on only one dance seemed to really, really help when we got together this past weekend - our cha cha felt totally different at the end than it did at the beginning, and on top of it I feel so much more confident in what my arms are doing (finally). Can't wait to do the same with rumba this weekend!!
And even cooler is having a partner who really cares...she worked a ton in the almost month we took off from practicing (as did I) and it was a little like we had barely taken a break at all - minus the stamina haha.
Also exciting is the laser focus we're going to have - our one goal for the next year is to massively improve our performance in the Prechamp division at NDCA nationals 2017, which means our quality work is exclusively focused on Cha, Samba, and Rumba. Which means each of them has ~10 weekends of dedicated practice like the last one we did for cha. Can't wait to see where they end up!
And even cooler is having a partner who really cares...she worked a ton in the almost month we took off from practicing (as did I) and it was a little like we had barely taken a break at all - minus the stamina haha.
Also exciting is the laser focus we're going to have - our one goal for the next year is to massively improve our performance in the Prechamp division at NDCA nationals 2017, which means our quality work is exclusively focused on Cha, Samba, and Rumba. Which means each of them has ~10 weekends of dedicated practice like the last one we did for cha. Can't wait to see where they end up!
scullystwin42
Forum Master
Excited for comp next thursday! Wisc State, closed smooth only, but i'm looking forward to it! the frustrations and discouragements have dissipated a bit, which is nice. I did not know if they would or not, but i like that i happy coming back from lessons again, even when they are frustrating.
fascination
Site Moderator
good luck
danceamandadance
Member
While I'm going through a phase of thinking I will never be much of a rhythm or Latin dancer, my smooth dances and Argentine tango are really coming along and I'm having SO MUCH FUN working on a foxtrot performance. Hoping to enter my first comp sometime this year, but even if I don't, I'm having a blast (about a month out from my one year anniversary of starting).
fascination
Site Moderator
after 10 years, it is finally starting to look and feel the way it is supposed to
scullystwin42
Forum Master
Pleased with my dancing at the comp last week! I danced the way i'm supposed to dance! Not gonna lie, happy with my results, but I'm honestly more happy about my dancing! I was so discouraged earlier this year, but maybe it was one of those periods when it takes forever for all the new stuff to get settled (and a bunch of other factors too). Ready to do more, there is definitely a lot of improvement needed!
s2k
Well-Known Member
Nothing.
April was the cruelest month in terms of practice - life got in the way for me and for DP. We'd thought we'd do a comp at the end of May, but we've only practiced maybe six times the whole month. And then last week we learned that there's no "swing" in our swing. So that's awkward. And fixing it is in the early stages of "that feels so weird it just can't be right." So basically, I've been eating worms for a few weeks now.
I'll swing back.
April was the cruelest month in terms of practice - life got in the way for me and for DP. We'd thought we'd do a comp at the end of May, but we've only practiced maybe six times the whole month. And then last week we learned that there's no "swing" in our swing. So that's awkward. And fixing it is in the early stages of "that feels so weird it just can't be right." So basically, I've been eating worms for a few weeks now.
I'll swing back.
Janson
Active Member
That's we feel we're finally making headway into being comfortable with our dances again. After a few months off - ballroom was hard to get back to competition standard, although now it's feeling better than ever. Cha Cha is now feeling easy, after being a lot harder before. Still choreographing the rest of the Latin dances, but by focusing on 'dancing' and 'performance' rather than merely one figure after another we're having great fun.
danceamandadance
Member
I had an amazing lesson today!
I was fairly certain I had forgotten how to dance, as other than two dances with my instructor during general dances at a competition last week, I had not had a proper lesson in about 10 days. No group classes, no social dances, nothing but trying to stay ahead at work and keep my dogs from imploding.
That competition was the first one I had gotten to spectate at, and I saw AMAZING dancing. Well, apparently sleeping on all that must have done me some good. With the exception of a couple of typical bobbles in my rhythm stuff, I felt feel confident. My foxtrot routine is really coming along, and I finally am feeling like I am owning the character. And, the nice thing is, since I danced so little the rest of the week, I'm doing a second private tomorrow, so I can compound on the feeling I was getting today.
Good stuff.
I was fairly certain I had forgotten how to dance, as other than two dances with my instructor during general dances at a competition last week, I had not had a proper lesson in about 10 days. No group classes, no social dances, nothing but trying to stay ahead at work and keep my dogs from imploding.
That competition was the first one I had gotten to spectate at, and I saw AMAZING dancing. Well, apparently sleeping on all that must have done me some good. With the exception of a couple of typical bobbles in my rhythm stuff, I felt feel confident. My foxtrot routine is really coming along, and I finally am feeling like I am owning the character. And, the nice thing is, since I danced so little the rest of the week, I'm doing a second private tomorrow, so I can compound on the feeling I was getting today.
Good stuff.
SwayWithMe
Well-Known Member
Finally starting to feel on top of things after a lot of upheaval in my dance life. Am partner moved to Florida in December, pro moved to Chicago in February, new pro is 4+ hours away; things look very different these days!
Super changes in body mechanics from my lessons with coach; very exciting.
Settling into the normal of (lots of driving for) chunks of lessons every couple of weeks with new pro. Choreography is done, and starting to feel like actual dancing (rather than an "OMG what is this?!?" hot mess). The bar has definitely been raised. Starting to get excited about my first comp with him in August!
Super changes in body mechanics from my lessons with coach; very exciting.
Settling into the normal of (lots of driving for) chunks of lessons every couple of weeks with new pro. Choreography is done, and starting to feel like actual dancing (rather than an "OMG what is this?!?" hot mess). The bar has definitely been raised. Starting to get excited about my first comp with him in August!
danceamandadance
Member
So, it's semi official that I will be doing my first competition in August. We're going to stick with just smooth and Argentine tango for now, as I feel most confident in those dances (though, I need to learn Viennese 
). But I'm really excited and happy to get busy polishing everything up. I haven't had a serious competitive itch for anything in a few years, and now I'm really excited to get going!
I'll be selling some of my "accessories" from my past competitive life (a horse trailer, getting down to just my horse's basic needs) to help fund this new equally pricey adventure!
). But I'm really excited and happy to get busy polishing everything up. I haven't had a serious competitive itch for anything in a few years, and now I'm really excited to get going!I'll be selling some of my "accessories" from my past competitive life (a horse trailer, getting down to just my horse's basic needs) to help fund this new equally pricey adventure!
My dance day started by watching a little bit of one of the New Guys practice with his professional partner which was quite inspiring. Then a coaching session with Eddie Simon and Pro. Then with Michelle Officer and Rhythm New Guy. Then Eddie Simon and Pro again. I am pretty much in heaven, both because of what I learned and because, well, dancing with Eddie Simon is heavenly and I got to do some of that. Just going to go be happy for awhile....
Dance Redeemer
Well-Known Member
At the weekend practice party, I danced with another student at my level with whom I hadn't danced for a while. It showed me how much I have improved - and how much he has improved. We both were more grounded and our movement was much more controlled and sharper.
When I dance with my Instructor, sometimes I doubt that I've really improved. I'm not sure how much is me and how much is just that he's gotten better at covering for me. But dancing with another Bronze student - WE had to have improved. I improved; he improved. It was very satisfying and inspiring for both of us.
When I dance with my Instructor, sometimes I doubt that I've really improved. I'm not sure how much is me and how much is just that he's gotten better at covering for me. But dancing with another Bronze student - WE had to have improved. I improved; he improved. It was very satisfying and inspiring for both of us.