when was the last time you social danced or went to a group lesson?

[Terpsichorean Clod]

1. If your regular partner is with you at a social dance, what percentage of dances do you give them (on average)?

70-100% of the standard/smooth dances

2. Do you ever refuse someone who asks you to dance with whom you may not feel comfortable?

"may not feel comfortable", meaning someone you haven't danced with before, but you think there's a chance it wouldn't be comfortable? I've refused people, but only if I've danced with them before. And my DND list is pretty short. I can count it on one hand....actually...one hand and a little bit more... And people get on the list because of personality rather than dance issues.

3. When you do attend group classes, does your teacher encourage you to rotate partners? Has this helped you?

No rotation unless we're working on a partnering concept. My classes are usually technique classes, so most people come with their own partner.

4. When you are dancing with the less skilled, what techniques do you "dial back," and what techniques do you insist upon using?

Less volume - less standing leg, less foot usage, smaller frame/hold
Maintain posture/poise
More responsiveness (I'm a lot more open to going where they're going even if it deviates significantly from what I led), more foot strength (to compensate for their poise/balance issues)

5. Do you "work the room," or do you restrict your choices in partners to a select number?

I try to work the room (I'll offer to follow newbie leaders), though I tend to be pickier about the standard/smooth dances.

 

[Terpsichorean Clod]

I'm quite surprised by the lack of group classes attended - I'm assuming most are having private lessons otherwise. As someone who takes the vast majority of lessons in groups, it's a lot different to my week. However I am finding groups to be less and less beneficial, although I think I have a lot of stuff I 'know' that I can work on really well just in private practice.

Depending on how they're taught, technique classes can be quite useful, especially if the instructor takes time to provide individual feedback. At times when I haven't been practicing enough to justify private lessons, I've taken exclusively technique classes.

 

[snapdancer]

1. If your regular partner is with you at a social dance, what percentage of dances do you give them (on average)?

Not applicable in my case. Personally would rather not spend the whole night dancing with one person, nor do I often dance more than one dance in a row.

2. Do you ever refuse someone who asks you to dance with whom you may not feel comfortable?

On occasion. Like the cougar who attends group classes sometimes.

3. When you do attend group classes, does your teacher encourage you to rotate partners? Has this helped you?

Yes. And I'm all for that.

4. When you are dancing with the less skilled, what techniques do you "dial back," and what techniques do you insist upon using?

When asking someone new, I start with simpler moves to get a notion of how well she follows. If she's giving me a good connection, then I'll start challenging her with more complex figures until I reach her limit.

5. Do you "work the room," or do you restrict your choices in partners to a select number?

I work the room generally, though there are a select few I don't ask. I tend not to ask the ladies who show no notion of what following is. While I'm not extremely picky on skill level at following, I expect it to be higher than zero.

 

[fascination]

This is a nice, provocative thread. Here... let me help! Although I do not compete, I do social dance. I also host many dances at my chosen studio.

Some competitors don't social dance while other competitors enjoy it! This raises my curiosity!

lol...and I say this mostly in jest but....thanks for highjacking my thread....I'm cool with it though b/c I don't want to do the work of splitting it...now to answer you

1. If your regular partner is with you at a social dance, what percentage of dances do you give them (on average)?

I don't have a partner...I have a spouse and a pro...neither of whom ever/rarely dances with me socially...if my spouse goes, we dance mostly together but are open to all others...my pro, if I am at a social where he is, will dance with me either not at all or once...and that is fine

2. Do you ever refuse someone who asks you to dance with whom you may not feel comfortable?

this has never happened but I will hide from people who have been arrogant, rude or smell bad

3. When you do attend group classes, does your teacher encourage you to rotate partners? Has this helped you?

I have always rotated...the instructor has never had anything to do with it

4. When you are dancing with the less skilled, what techniques do you "dial back," and what techniques do you insist upon using?

usually a less skilled lead will not move well in standard and smooth and so I will cut back and only move as much as they move (as it should be)...and I will dance to whatever tempo is in their head....I try not to sacrifice my posture if at all possible

5. Do you "work the room," or do you restrict your choices in partners to a select number?

as a follow, I tend to wait to be asked but will, if I have sat too long, look for men who don't manhandle me and who are pleasant people...their skill is not relevant

 

[ajiboyet]

Tomorrow.

 

[Gorme]

Social dancing: yesterday. I do more social than dancing.

Group class: If you count the drop-in kinds before parties, then it was a few weeks ago for some Hustle.

 

[latingal]

Social dancing: Ummm....three or four years ago?

Group class: Ummm....I took a workshop a couple of years ago, and a dance camp last year. Does that count?

 

[latingal]

1. If your regular partner is with you at a social dance, what percentage of dances do you give them (on average)?

100%, everybody else gets scared off.

2. Do you ever refuse someone who asks you to dance with whom you may not feel comfortable?

Yes, but rarely - and usually due to the possibility of getting injured or stalked.

3. When you do attend group classes, does your teacher encourage you to rotate partners? Has this helped you?

I always rotate. Does it help? Ummm...help what?

4. When you are dancing with the less skilled, what techniques do you "dial back," and what techniques do you insist upon using?

I always keep the correct footwork and leg action (even if it's somewhat smaller).

5. Do you "work the room," or do you restrict your choices in partners to a select number?

I will normally dance with whomever asks.

 

[Mengu]

I usually do social dancing as part of another event. Last time was a showcase about 3-4 weeks ago, where there was plenty of social dancing. I don't go out of my way to go to a social dance.

I haven't taken a ballroom group class in probably a decade. But I have assisted here and there. Only group class I'd be interested in would be a standard class, and there are none around me. Most groups tend to rotate through multiple dances and styles, and usually just the american styles.

I also occasionally get random chances to help people warm up, practice, or substitute as a warm body for missing partners, injured instructors, or instructors who want an outside view of their student. So I do occasionally get to dance with people other than my partner or instructor.

1. If your regular partner is with you at a social dance, what percentage of dances do you give them (on average)?

90% of ballroom music, 30% of latin music. The rest I either sit out, ask a friend, or ask someone who looks like they are itching to dance.

2. Do you ever refuse someone who asks you to dance with whom you may not feel comfortable?

On the occasions I get asked by a lady I've never refused. I have not met any ladies with whom I would not feel comfortable dancing.

3. When you do attend group classes, does your teacher encourage you to rotate partners? Has this helped you?

In most classes I've seen, yes. Back when we did have one standard group about a decade ago, I liked that particular instructor's system, where most of the time we danced with our partner, but a few times a lesson he would have us switch around, for a different perspective.

4. When you are dancing with the less skilled, what techniques do you "dial back," and what techniques do you insist upon using?

Socially, I do what I need to do to make it work. I insist upon nothing, other than finishing out the dance.

5. Do you "work the room," or do you restrict your choices in partners to a select number?

I don't work the room, and I don't restrict my choices.

 

[Hedwaite]

We don't usually dance together at socials, for each of us rotating between our students. We get maybe two dances in together, and it's not a problem.

The only two times I will refuse someone is if they're a creeper, or if they're a cranker- excepting newbie crankers, then I address cranking in classes so nobody feels isolated. If that doesn't work, then I politely help them.

When we teach group classes, we don't rotate (and the roof just caved in) because we've found at all the group classes we ever took, it was just frustrating and time-consuming.

There's no reason to dial back any technique one uses in dancing with someone new/New. I rely on it to help me adapt. Showmanship/styling, yes.

I dance with students and my coach, usually.

 

[regis]

The Studio just had its Halloween social last night which began with a very basic beginner's class.

1) I don't have a regular Partner. My instructor is usually the DJ so I pretty much leave her alone or leave her to be available to help newer students. I will grab her if a Samba or Bolero comes up though and sometimes for the goodnight Waltz.

2) Being a lead I'm usually doing the asking, but will accept any offer. The studio teaches that it is rude to refuse a dance so rarely does aanyone say "No" anyway. There are a couple of ladies that I think we have an understanding that it's just not good for us to dance together.

3) Yes. The studio is very big on social dances and is always saying that dancing with multiple partners makes one a better dancer. As a lead it does teach me how to dance and adapt to the different styles and techniques (or lack thereof) and I understand it helps women to learn how to respond to the different leads.

4) that is alot of explaining ... I really try to keep in mind my training and remember what I learned at the various stages and try to dance down to the level I perceive the person is on.

5) it depends on the dance - if I just learned something in a lesson then I will look for someone on my level with whom I am confident I will be able to practice my new step. Otherwise I do try and spread myself out and dance at least one dance with each lady at the event.

 

[twnkltoz]

Went to an AT workshop today.

 

[kckc]

Other than a couple of well-known pros who conducted group classes in the last year, I haven't done a group class in years I believe. Oh, wait, I just remembered a line-dance class at a friends party at a country bar. Was that this year? LOL

Missed the social last night due to illness but generally go every Saturday. Occasionally there is a special event-type dance that I will go to but they don't occur very often.

 

[Standarddancer]

Last time went to Group class was yesterday at Manhattan Ballroom for the Exam/Figure Class taught by Bill Davies. Basically studying the Details of syllabus figures in "The Ballroom Technique" book. Interesting class and Bill covered some nice summary and history of the standard dancing. Great class! Highly recommend it!

 

[nikkitta]

oh, I would love that... jealous.