| Subject: Re: how best to learn competitive dancing... |
Author:
Karen
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Date Posted: 18:53:01 10/14/03 Tue
In reply to:
Justine
's message, "Re: how best to learn competitive dancing..." on 13:31:35 10/14/03 Tue
Having experienced it the German way for a year, I have to say that it's not as bad as people say. In fact, I would probably have progressed much faster had I not learnt stuff wrong in my first 2 years of dancing "cool" steps.
Fact is, people there learn basics inside out. You dream of them at night if you take it seriously enough. If you're motivated enough and actually practice between technique classes, you can reach a level higher than that of advanced dancers on the uni circuit in under 2 yrs, because once you can do the basics, the flash steps will look great pretty soon after you are first given them (cos you do them right). Pretty much anyway (technique practice NEVER stops of course).
The coaches in Germany, excellent by the way!, repeatedly said that learning how to do something right takes about 1000 repetitions, unless u've learnt it wrong first, in which case it takes about 5500 repetitions to get rid of the wrong moves. I certainly discovered that this was, unfortunately, true.
Unfortunately, on the uni circuit, there isn't really scope to teach people the basics first, because u have to be fit to compete with flash steps within 5 weeks of being put together. Plus you have to make people love it first, so they're willing to put the effort and concentration in that learning basics takes. I guess, with all this in mind, I have no reason at all to complain about having learnt flash steps first. However, I am glad to have been on the continent to see the other way of doing things.
I also enjoyed the way competitive dancing was organised in clubs, which made it SOOOO much more affordable than taking private lessons on technique over here. The club I went to had a few great guest coaches over 2x a months, like Holger Nitsche and Bianka Schreiber for Latin, and Roberto Villa and Morena Colagreco (who were in the semi for pro ballroom at the International and are just wonderful) for ballroom.
Anyway, back to work.
Karen
>I think the problem with technique first on the Uni
>circuit is that we are impatient, and see the cool
>moves others can do and want to emulate them. People
>get bored easily, perhaps if they saw the advanced
>couples working on their basics they might think twice
>though!
>
>I don't think there's anything wrong with teaching
>flash steps as long as you teach the technique with
>them. However, that risks the dancers being a
>one-dance wonder who can only dance with their partner
>and cannot lead/follow. This works fine up to a
>point, more so in latin, but leads to abysmal
>floorcraft and awareness of others. It does not make
>for a good balanced dancer though. It also means
>there is no repertoire of basic moves with which to
>improvise in sticky situations.
>
>For those who weren't at the International, William
>Pino & Alessandra did a whole side of the basic step
>in quickstep to huge applause from the audience after
>a stumble from her, they resumed to 100mph one he
>realised she was OK. What a partnership :)
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