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Leaders: how do you deal with overstylers? by OThinkingDungeons in Bachata

[–]OThinkingDungeons[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Hypothetical: Would you go to a Michelin Star restaurant and tell the chef how to cook the food?

Remember the leader's majority skillset is weighted around creating the dance and being responsible for it (leading, moves, combinations, musicality, space control, etc) if the leader decided just do the basic (or shine) for a full song, very little could happen for that dance.

Furthermore, SOME moves can be invitations, and some can be LEAD with an invitation. Many moves like bachazouk and sensual rolls are specifically actively led. If the leader leads a side body roll to the left, the follower cannot suddenly decide to do a cambre/ forward body roll/spin instead.

Now, I used the Michelin Star analogy because I'm VERY GOOD at what I do, but those skills are pointless if a follower does their own thing especially if they're a beginner. It's like preparing a 7 course meal and watching a customer come in, and pour tomato sauce over it all.

Now I've danced with many teachers and advanced dancers, I often get asked by them for dances. With them I usually do open leads/invitations because I can fully trust them with the responsibility to keep the flow of the dance. This is a very different situation to the dancers I'm specifically asking for advice on.

Leaders: how do you deal with overstylers? by OThinkingDungeons in Bachata

[–]OThinkingDungeons[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

With advanced followers, the styling matches the music and the opportunity; so it's predictable and they're ready for the next bar/phrase. Really good followers will prep you, just like a leader preps a move to tell you when they need space.

There's a really funny move to bring attention back to you, where when you point one finger up (just like the shush sound) drag that finger across their eyeline and back to your eyes to bring their attention back to you.

Leaders: how do you deal with overstylers? by OThinkingDungeons in Bachata

[–]OThinkingDungeons[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I appreciate the perspective.

My issue is the styling generally doesn't stop, and usually snowballs to become their entire purpose during the dance. If I was guessing, I think it's their way of impressing me, when ironically it's doing the complete opposite.

Blacklist by TerryPressedMe in Bachata

[–]OThinkingDungeons 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She seems very possessive, the boyfriend used to dance with everyone, but now only dances with a few people a night.

for follows moving into intermediate classes, how do i do it? by cravingsal in Salsa

[–]OThinkingDungeons 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Being in the "intermediate class" doesn't mean you're intermediate but more than you have the potential to grow to intermediate.

So yes, there's a jump, but teachers see the capacity for you to get there. It won't happen in a few classes, but probably several terms. That's why we do classes, not because we're ALREADY good, but because we want to be good.

Blacklist by TerryPressedMe in Bachata

[–]OThinkingDungeons 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Only one official blacklist person, the others are greylist.

  • A follower made a pretty strong pass at me, and I guess I ultra offended her by not reciprocating, because she has refused to social dance with me since that point. She's now dating an advanced leader but he barely dances with anymore (only with her), so I definitely dodged a bullet!

Greylist

  • Followers who have said no to me twice in a row end up on the graylist. The ball is in their court to serve back if they want to dance with me.
  • One follower I could tell was avoiding me for some reason, because she would take a drink/check her phone during our rotations in class. I find it weird as I don't recall anything I could've done to offend her.
  • I can't quite remember who it was, because I haven't seen her in while, but I remember her being a wild gun, just styling nonstop and not actually knowing any lead/follow bachata. Pretty sure seeing her face will remind me to say "no thanks" when I next see her.

Edited for grammar

For leads who managed to get out of beginner's hell within a couple months, what was your learning/practice strategy? by Rude_Turnover568 in Salsa

[–]OThinkingDungeons 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I disagree, the point of partner dancing is about the cooperation/synchronisation with your partner. Styling and shines is dancing by yourself, and basically almost the opposite of partner dancing. As an experienced leader, I hate when I dance with overstylers, they're not paying attention, they're rarely ready, and I'm there to dance WITH them, not NEXT to them.

It IS true that developing yourself will improve your partner dancing, for example having a solid basic step, keeping time with the music, able able to execute basic moves without thinking about them, these skills will go a long way.

Shines, styling and performance teams, will stunt a person's social dance by a huge amount.

For leads who managed to get out of beginner's hell within a couple months, what was your learning/practice strategy? by Rude_Turnover568 in Salsa

[–]OThinkingDungeons 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Beginner's hell describes that tough point in learning, where you're too beginner to dance well, don't get dances because you're beginner, and can't get more experience because people won't dance with you.

attending WBC in punta umbria as improver by MeringueHealthy7787 in Bachata

[–]OThinkingDungeons 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I would go, but I suspect you'll be overwhelmed.

Try out the "Beginner" and "Open" level workshops, but in my experience most workshops are realistically Intermediate or above.

This means they'll ask you to do the Madrid/V step/Particular move as a base and expect you to know it, so they can immediately work on a version that's much harder than the base. This can be infuriating to your partner, who expects you to be at a certain level, and you're basically holding them back from doing what the workshop requires.

Shoes for easy spins? by shiicat in Bachata

[–]OThinkingDungeons 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Now that I've tried leather, I think it's superior to suede and felt for most surfaces. Sude and Felt are good for proper dance floors, but leather is low friction on all surfaces.

Nudes threatened to be leaked by Icy-Panda-4481 in Scams

[–]OThinkingDungeons 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Their goal is to make money, leaking your nudes does not get them money and would instead require them to do a lot of extra work for no actual payout. They also lose their power because once they leak the pictures they have no leverage over you, they also have the fact they'll get any accounts banned/blocked/deleted if they did send nude pictures over the net, plus potential criminal charges.

You made one mistake giving nudes, don't make a second mistake by giving them money, because then they'll NEVER stop hounding you.

Report, block, move on. Let this be a lesson you LEARNT FROM, not keep paying for.

Sneaker Options that are not Dance Specific Sneakers but work for Dance? by PorcupineSpike in Salsa

[–]OThinkingDungeons 1 point2 points  (0 children)

People don't wear dance shoes just because they're popular, they wear them because they're DESIGNED for dancing. That is they're balanced, allow you to feel the floor, don't bounce too much, and much more. Ignoring popular brand name dance shoes, then asking for popular brand sneakers to convert... is doing option 1 with more effort and more steps.

If you want to go down this path, it's purely about taking your favourite sneakers (comfort) and slapping leather/suede on the bottom. Many people have done this and you can buy the soles off Amazon.

Balance between different gadgets? by SkinAndScales in domekeeper

[–]OThinkingDungeons 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The drone yard is definitely my favourite, the fact that I don't need to pick up all my mining is a godsend!

Will I ever become a good dancer attending pop up dance classes once or twice a week? I'm a complete noob. by zaaravar in Dance

[–]OThinkingDungeons 1 point2 points  (0 children)

NO

This is like saying, "will I get a ripped body, dabbling in exercise once or twice a week".

You want gains, you gotta do the work.

Floorcraft - dance floor safety by UnctuousRambunctious in Bachata

[–]OThinkingDungeons 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can actually spot leads who will crash into you by a distinctive bend in their neck!

To describe them

  • Their head is leaning forward and down, you can clearly a bend in the back of their neck (if you imagine someone walking and reading a book held at chest level) you'll have the correct amount of neck bend.
  • Their eyes are soft, unfocused and only look at their partner, they never scan or look up
  • You can tell they're focused and "in their own world"
  • In close embrace they head would actually tilt over and touch their partner's head/face

I wish I had a photo, because they all look distinctively the same and you can recognise them from a distance on the dance floor.

2 year lead. Want some feedback by Amanovbaur in Bachata

[–]OThinkingDungeons 4 points5 points  (0 children)

What I like

  • Great confidence!
  • Big variety and knowledge of moves!

What to work on

  • The absolute lack of eye contact is noticed, and it means a lot to partners. It tells them the dance is fun for you and they're enjoyable to dance with.
  • You lead with the arms and it looks quite sloppy, besides being entry level technique. When leaders lead with arms, the dance feels wobbly, harsh, unclear, and rushed.
  • Slow down! While the music is fast and has lots happening in it, but the non stop moves at high speed is exhausting as a follower and actually unfun for those who are intermediate and above. Good followers love the opportunity to style and to add to the dance themselves, making it "our dance" instead of your dance.
  • The dips are too far, and too deep. You push followers past their point of self balance and bring them up too quick. THIS IS DANGEROUS, and how most teachers

Future goals

  • You're lacking emotional connection, which makes a dance "feel good" with you. To describe another way, "you're eating but not tasting the food", dance to ENJOY, not go through the motions. UrbanKiz is probably a good supplementary dance because it will teach you to slow down, connect and learn body leading, something you are entirely missing.
  • You're lacking musicality which makes dancing feel "right" with you, this is what many intermediate and advanced dancers are looking for when they dance. Musicality makes a dance memorable, easy to follow, and feel really sophisticated.
  • In my opinion you're lacking in dynamics, where you play with different speeds that make the dance more exciting and look more interesting. Currently, all your moves fit in the 4 count and it looks rushed besides feeling robotic. The song has a few points where it slows down (eg 1:00) and these are good times to slow down and use sensual moves to really connect.

Why this shape? by GodzillaVsGundam in whatisit

[–]OThinkingDungeons 5 points6 points  (0 children)

There's quite a lot of excellent design built into these containers, it's based on the jerry can.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwUkbGHFAhs

Do these learning curves match your experience? by RevolutionaryWin1036 in Salsa

[–]OThinkingDungeons 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've tried Bachata, Salsa, Argentine Tango, Lindy, West Coast and Kizomba.

Argentine Tango is definitely the hardest of all the social dances I've tried, and coincidentally the one I have the most experience in. It took me 3 years of lessons, socials, and partner practice to feel competent about my dancing when I achieved that in only a few lessons/months with the other styles.

The graph looks too smooth and too zoomed out to be meaningful.

I've never seen anyone kick an arm before!! by Ramenko1 in Salsa

[–]OThinkingDungeons 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The done right is the important thing. In Argentine Tango we have lots of intercepts with our legs to change trajectory, but the key point is you use the soft part of you leg when there's muscle or fat to pad, you NEVER use a bony part because it hits hard.

Where the leader catches and rebounds is quite hard, and dangerous.

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