Category: lessons

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behind the curtain lessons

Chicken arms, beach balls, and a sharp poke in the knee

I spent 2 hours yesterday at a workshop at Academy Ballroom in Atlanta learning tango technique from Eddie Ares & Nancy Senner and spins/turns technique for Latin & Rhythm from Jorge Morales.  It was lots of hard work for brain and body but so worth it.  Watching experts like Eddie, Nancy, and Jorge break down the basics of solid dance technique serves as a reminder of how important those basics are.  Improving the basics like posture and frame makes even the most simple steps look more “advanced” because the dancer looks so much more polished and in control when doing the steps.  Plus, correct posture and a solid frame are essentials for good leading and following.

Chicken arms and beach balls are two images that Eddie used in his part of the workshop to illustrate points about proper dance position.  One of the advantages to taking workshops from different instructors is hearing ideas expressed in different ways.  In two hours yesterday I learned only one thing that totally was new to me (and it was a biggie), but I heard a lot of things I already thought I knew explained and broken down in ways that will help me remember and practice them.  We are planning to start taking some private lessons with Eddie and I can’t wait to be exposed to more of his teaching style.

Hopefully we’ll start lessons with Eddie in about two weeks.  Daniel saw his orthopedist again on Friday after an MRI on Monday.  The orthopedist said he had a muscle sprain in his knee that had caused the joint to become inflamed.  He had to have an injection into the joint which is supposed to coat the joint and allow the inflammation to heal; he is also taking anti-inflammatories every day for two weeks.  Once the two weeks is up, he should be healed up and ready to dance again.  Hooray!

Tonight is our monthly Sunday Night Dance Party at the Howard Community Club, 6:30-9:30 p.m.  Hope to see you there!

Categories
lessons

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way

Daniel couldn’t make it to Paula‘s class last night, so I went on my own.  It was a great class–Paula and Jim are really pushing everybody to work on technique and styling.  We worked on rumba and cha-cha and Jim drilled us on Cuban motion and on the different types of chassés (he called them chassés but I think I’ve heard other names too) in cha-cha.  By the time we’d done 5 different chassés (in place, left, right, forward locks, and back locks), I was pouring sweat.  Ballroom dancing is one of the few pursuits I’ve encountered that gets more strenuous as one becomes more skilled/advanced at it!

After working a few minutes on technique for each dance, Jim switched to working on steps.  Paula asked me to learn the men’s parts.  As a follower, I find it extremely useful to switch sides and see what leading feels like.  It’s a good way to figure out how I can improve my following skills.  I have a bad habit of anticipating leads, but when I have to lead I can feel the need for the follower to wait to be led instead of doing the step she knows is coming.  I can also see how important it is for a follower to have good posture and a solid frame.  I’ve never had trouble keeping my frame up but I sometimes collapse inward toward my partner too much.  Last night we worked on a step in cha-cha consisting of (for the man) 3 forward locks, a rock step, and 3 back locks.  If the follower doesn’t have a solid frame, she can’t tell when to change direction.  Leading when one is accustomed to following makes me feel a little like my brain’s on backwards, but it’s such a great learning experience.