✍️ Replacing anticipation with focusing on different things: myself - rhythm, shape and symmetry, momentum, sence of dancing Different mindset on classes 2:41 Rythm - expressing timeliness, clear steps 3:28 Shape - keeping body between arms, keeping connection in hand with awareness oh feeling in connection 4:39 Momentum - separating awareness from expectation (of e.g. swingout); going as slowly as leader allows (linear and rotational), pinpointing destination 5:23 Dancing - following might keep away from dancing. Looking around, listening, balancing in-between self expression and hearing leader & reacting.
As a complete beginner to all forms of dance, your take on what the follow should be doing helps me understand the role of a leader a bit more. I’d be curious to hear a video from the leader’s perspective as well.
Excellent video and advice!! Re- emphasizes what I learned in lindy hop/ Charleston lessons. Frustrating for me most of all is keeping the frame from extending. All of the points made though are so pertinent 💙
Love this! Esp #1. One thing I have always struggled with is when my lead is seriously rhythmically off. To me, the music is the boss of the experience and my main motivation within the space of the partnership. Sometimes I have tried to emphasize rhythm to get a lead on track but they don't always get it and it can feel unpleasant because we aren't really dancing together. Sometimes I just give in and follow even if we are off but then I feel like I am cheating the music and myself because what I am doing is not fun and makes no musical sense. The former feels like trying to teach on the floor and the latter feels like reinforcing bad rhythm...what can I do in such a situation?
Yeah, that is so hard. This is probably an unsatisfactory answer, but to me, when dancing is rhythmically off, dancing is no longer the goal, you know? If I'm in open position, I'll definitely be on beat. If my lead is on beat, but not on the 8, I might verbally talk to that person -- I might tell my lead that I'm hearing the 8 differently, and is it ok if I count off so we can check? If my lead is just not on the beat and it doesn't seem like it's going to happen, my goal is just to be a nice person and to try to support them where they are. Chances are high that this person is a beginner and is just trying to get something done. In that moment, I want to be encouraging so that person sticks with it - the beat is learnable. Chances are high that I'm dancing to a recording, so even if this is my favorite song, I'll hear it again later. If I'm dancing to an amazing live band and I'll never hear this song again and my lead can't hear the beat at all, it's a sacrifice. Fighting or explaining isn't going to make it better, so my main goal is to not get frustrated and to not be an asshole. I wish there were a better answer, but that's the best I got! Hope it helps!
Laura - I'm an energetic 81 year old lead with a knack for getting novice Follows started on the floor. As I direct the Follow onto the floor and into an underarm turn I tell her "There are three rules. 1. Keep moving no matter what; 2. Look here whenever possible (looking her in the eyes as I say that); and 3. If you see a hand being offered, take it in time to the music." Then we dance without any instruction regarding footwork or body position, except that I might tell her a few minutes into the dance if she is holding my hand tightly, "Your thumbs are unnecessary, just make a hook with your fingers, like a trailer hitch." That's it. Then I model the rhythm of the song in my own arms, legs and body and I find that the Follow can pick that up and even get the changing rhythm of complex and jazzy tunes. I love to bring a novice through those tunes with a slow introduction that burst into a swing rhythm like Bei mir bist du schön or Stompin' at the Savoy by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong. That's like a college course in rhythm changes.
I have a few questions How do you find the rhythm in Swing Dancing Music? Like how do I feel & follow the music, & dance to it? How do you move your body & feet uniquely as your stepping in the music in the dance like the lindy hop?
✍️
Replacing anticipation with focusing on different things: myself - rhythm, shape and symmetry, momentum, sence of dancing
Different mindset on classes
2:41 Rythm - expressing timeliness, clear steps
3:28 Shape - keeping body between arms, keeping connection in hand with awareness oh feeling in connection
4:39 Momentum - separating awareness from expectation (of e.g. swingout); going as slowly as leader allows (linear and rotational), pinpointing destination
5:23 Dancing - following might keep away from dancing. Looking around, listening, balancing in-between self expression and hearing leader & reacting.
I'm so happy these are helpful to you, too! I don't know how I'd dance without them!
As a complete beginner to all forms of dance, your take on what the follow should be doing helps me understand the role of a leader a bit more. I’d be curious to hear a video from the leader’s perspective as well.
Yeah! I'll see what I can do to get more leader perspective on this channel
I may have to listen to this several times.....Good stuff! Thanks for being you and breaking things down!
"as a follow, you're a ~~magician~~" love it :D This whole video is both hilarious and super informative, thanks Laura!!
Oh, I'm so glad! Thank you so much!
i've never felt so flattered as a follow :D
Excellent video and advice!! Re- emphasizes what I learned in lindy hop/ Charleston lessons. Frustrating for me most of all is keeping the frame from extending. All of the points made though are so pertinent 💙
Love this! Esp #1. One thing I have always struggled with is when my lead is seriously rhythmically off. To me, the music is the boss of the experience and my main motivation within the space of the partnership. Sometimes I have tried to emphasize rhythm to get a lead on track but they don't always get it and it can feel unpleasant because we aren't really dancing together. Sometimes I just give in and follow even if we are off but then I feel like I am cheating the music and myself because what I am doing is not fun and makes no musical sense. The former feels like trying to teach on the floor and the latter feels like reinforcing bad rhythm...what can I do in such a situation?
Yeah, that is so hard. This is probably an unsatisfactory answer, but to me, when dancing is rhythmically off, dancing is no longer the goal, you know? If I'm in open position, I'll definitely be on beat. If my lead is on beat, but not on the 8, I might verbally talk to that person -- I might tell my lead that I'm hearing the 8 differently, and is it ok if I count off so we can check? If my lead is just not on the beat and it doesn't seem like it's going to happen, my goal is just to be a nice person and to try to support them where they are. Chances are high that this person is a beginner and is just trying to get something done. In that moment, I want to be encouraging so that person sticks with it - the beat is learnable. Chances are high that I'm dancing to a recording, so even if this is my favorite song, I'll hear it again later. If I'm dancing to an amazing live band and I'll never hear this song again and my lead can't hear the beat at all, it's a sacrifice. Fighting or explaining isn't going to make it better, so my main goal is to not get frustrated and to not be an asshole. I wish there were a better answer, but that's the best I got! Hope it helps!
Really quite a marvelous exploration of following techniques, a vastly understudied subject. Thanks for sharing!
Laura - I'm an energetic 81 year old lead with a knack for getting novice Follows started on the floor. As I direct the Follow onto the floor and into an underarm turn I tell her "There are three rules. 1. Keep moving no matter what; 2. Look here whenever possible (looking her in the eyes as I say that); and 3. If you see a hand being offered, take it in time to the music." Then we dance without any instruction regarding footwork or body position, except that I might tell her a few minutes into the dance if she is holding my hand tightly, "Your thumbs are unnecessary, just make a hook with your fingers, like a trailer hitch." That's it. Then I model the rhythm of the song in my own arms, legs and body and I find that the Follow can pick that up and even get the changing rhythm of complex and jazzy tunes. I love to bring a novice through those tunes with a slow introduction that burst into a swing rhythm like Bei mir bist du schön or Stompin' at the Savoy by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong. That's like a college course in rhythm changes.
I would so love to dance with you. 😊
Another great video! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your perspective! 💖
Thanks Laura, I needed that, really badly.
Thank you, this was so helpful!!
Totally agree thank you for sharing!
Great video!
Amen to this!!!!
I have a few questions
How do you find the rhythm in Swing Dancing Music? Like how do I feel & follow the music, & dance to it?
How do you move your body & feet uniquely as your stepping in the music in the dance like the lindy hop?
Rachel Ama ❤️✨
It's a good book!
dance dance dance...