Dance Like Nobody's Watching, Especially You

He Goes

Six weeks ago my Balboa partner Nell and I walked into the first class of the five-week course, and the lead-instructor came up to introduce himself.

"Are you together?" he asked.

"Yes," we said.

"Good, so you can practise at home in the kitchen."

"Oh, no," we said, embarrassed, "not like that. Not together-together."

Of course, Nell's embarrassment might well have been 100% over the misunderstanding. Mine was 50% that and 50%: "at home in the kitchen?" The simple fact is that I am a terrible fool to myself for practising outside of class. There are all sorts of things I promise myself I'll practise and then don't. Remember when I said I'd try to learn the Tranky-Doo? Well guess which guy has two thumbs and doesn't know the Tranky-doo.

Actually, it's not quite so bad. I've learnt some things by practising them at home. My trickeration steps are hardly perfect, but they're a lot better than they would have been if I hadn't been trickerating away like crazy while waiting for kettles to boil. I've done Balboa basics in ballroom classes while listening to the teacher explaining Quickstep steps. But it's a difficult thing. I have a feeling that what I'm doing is faintly ridiculous, and that outside of the circumscribed area where dance occurs I should be doing other things. I can't know what I look like when I'm practising, though. To find that out I do actually look faintly ridiculous I have to see it on film.

That's not to say that I'm upset with how I dance, but it's hard to see yourself on film without suddenly spotting that your posture is very different from how you imagine it in your mind - much more upright, in my case, so that I'm practically standing up straight. A move that feels good in my head suddenly appears clunky, but on the other hand I can see why it's clunky. I can see arms that aren't held at the right height, leads that are a beat too early or late. 

At least there's a pleasant slice of bread to go onto the stark filling of self-awareness in the sandwich of dance videos, which is seeing how good your partner looks. It seems weird to say that, since you're looking at your partner a lot when you dance (and if you're not, you should be!), but sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees - you can feel how smooth a swing-out is, but until you actually see it side-on....

She Goes

 I have a confession. I barely practice at home. Yes I know it will help me with footwork abilites. Yes I know it will help me go from being a good follow to a really good follow. But apart from the odd triple step drill and precious hours snatched with a lead for feedback loops... I ain't got nuffin to show you.

In my defence I haven't really got much time to, mainly becaise I'm always out dancing (!) but that's no excuse. Also I live in a tiny shoebox on the top floor of an old building, and everything creaks when I step on it. Combine that with me being home mostly just long enough to eat and sleep, I would doubtlessly get another snotty note under my door if I dare practice anything after midnight. (My first night in my place was a Sunday night and I was playing tetris with, well, my life, and the person downstairs was pretty indignant about the whole affair...)

That doesn't leave me with much time to go on. I sometimes do the odd step at work but it's not really appropriate or convenient.

I am trying to be a lot more mindful when social dancing though. The documentary maker who followed me around last year has me on film saying something about how I don't have to think about what my feet are doing.... *cringe*! Six months on and I'm of the opposite opinion.

What I'm currently trying to be mindful of while dancing is not fully extending my right elbow, keeping my left arm connection soft, responsive and not too heavy, and keeping my feet under me for everything, particularly swing outs. (It's the '-and-4' bit mainly at the moment)

The other thing I'm trying to work on is responding to those leads who have particularly gentle lead signals. There's two I can think of straight away, both of them awesome dancers. I'm embarrased to admit it but I've almost stopped asking them to dance because I get so upset with myself and then I get tense when we do dance and then I miss signals and then and then and then... and so it continues. I just need to man the flip up!!

It IS important to practice. Having seen myself dancing on film I know that I don't look as awesome as I think I might. I have the opportunity to go and practice with a group in a mirrored studio but it conflicts with prior commitments. Dammit! In the meantime I guess I'll just have to up my game on tube platforms and at bus stops. And practice non-footwork based stuff in the mirror at home when I can.

Don't cut corners, kids. Do your homework!