Topic: What makes a good dancer?

[Pricey]

Take good in any context you like


What makes a good Le Roc dancer?

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Somebody who knows enough moves to enjoy themselves unselfconsciously...

[bobthebracers]

I just wanna have fun, and that goes for most of the lovely ladies that I dance with. I ain't too fussed about getting things "right", about looking good and striking all the "right" poses, making sure that my hands are "right" etc.  I have never taken anything too seriously, and that goes for my dancing - maybe I will grow up some time but why should I start now? That is why I have developed my own "style" over the years and it works. I really enjoy dancing and when I am dancing I am having a good time, having a ball and the ladies seem to enjoy it too. When I do the "beginners" (or "improvers" as they are called at Trinity Le Roc) classes I do make sure that I do it "right" then and do the moves properly, and the intermediate classes but when it comes to free style I do my own thing. One thing I do try to get right is to dance in time with the music.  I may never win any competitions but I don't care. I spend a lot of time dancing with "beginners" or "improvers" which I really enjoy and I always tell the ladies just to dance and have fun, and that there is no such thing as a "wrong" move - only "different". If you ain't dancing and enjoying it, you ain't dancing.

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Quite so - there's a difference between being a good technical dancer and a good social dancer!

[Karen Mary]

I dance for relaxation, exercise and enjoy the social life that goes with it.  

To me a guy is a good dancer if:

1) He can lead a reasonable number of moves in a gentle but firm way without pulling me around!
2) He is relaxed and happy to be dancing with me.

If he can lead hundreds of different intricate moves then I guess technically he's a very very very good dancer - but unless he's got a happy face and having fun  "it don't impress me much" !

[philsmove]

What an excellent thread Pricey
I would like to suggest, that a good dancer is:
Regardless of how many years, or weeks, they have been dancing, they will make their partner feel “at ease”
 E.g. a complete beginner who smiles, does not “fight” their partner and moves with the music is IMHO a good dancer
The good dancer will adapt their style to suit their partner and the music
A good dancer is happy dancing to any type of Music, from Adrienne Bailon “Big Spender” to Alisa’s Attic “Pretender got my heat”  they can dance to classic 60s tracks or the current chat toppers, despite the fact,  they never heard either track before
How do tell a good dancer? Simple, they are the ones who, regardless of the music, never come off the floor, if you want to dance with them, you have to be quick, otherwise some else is going to get there first  

[Pricey]

Some good answers.  It's a question which I've been pondering for a while and I keep coming up with different answers.

I sometimes dance with one gent who knows an impressively huge range of moves but his lead can be a bit sharp and his concentration on his lead (to give him the benefit of the doubt) means that he often leads the lady into other dancers on the dance floor.  Sometimes it hurts to dance with him 

I've danced with some amazing dancers at Competitions when I've been to watch but, like Karen Mary says, sometimes they never smile and you feel that you've put them out by asking them to dance.  I danced with one guy a few years ago who had his eyes closed the whole time.  I didn't accept a second dance with him.   

I like a dancer who is gentle yet firm in his lead and doesn't get angry if I don't follow properly or I play a bit.  Musicality is a huge bonus but I've danced with beginners who haven't yet conquered musicality but still lead a great dance. 

I guess it comes down to someone who makes me smile and makes me feel like we couldn't have danced to the track any better.   

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Actually that brings up a new point

Eye contact and smiling are important - can't stand dancing with people who don't bother to look at me, but instead dance for the "look at me" effect.

I can live a lifetime of my/our choice in the space of a single dance with a lady, if the lady connects with me.

[Karen Mary]

Eye contact and smiling are important - can't stand dancing with people who don't bother to look at me, but instead dance for the "look at me" effect.

 

[spindr]

I'll let the ladies describe a good lead

For a good follower:
1. move when led, don't move when not led
2. no thumbs
3. spin with an L-shape arm -- upper arm horizontal, forearm vertical in front of the face
4. if there isn't a "connected" lead for an arm, then keep it relaxed
5. keep frame and mirror your arms
6. keep both hands in a "hook"

SpinDr

P.S. Where are the classes to find the good dancers -- and the good teachers that train them

[philsmove]

P.S. Where are the classes to find the good dancers -- and the good teachers that train them

Next Monday 12 April Folkhouse

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

I'll let the ladies describe a good lead

For a good follower:
1. move when led, don't move when not led
2. no thumbs
3. spin with an L-shape arm -- upper arm horizontal, forearm vertical in front of the face
4. if there isn't a "connected" lead for an arm, then keep it relaxed
5. keep frame and mirror your arms
6. keep both hands in a "hook"

SpinDr

P.S. Where are the classes to find the good dancers -- and the good teachers that train them

Ah, now that line opens up a whole new avenue.

Do I want a passive dance partner, or one who isn't afraid to do her own thing?

I enjoy ladies who aren't afraid to experiment a bit on the dancefloor - both with style and technique.  And ladies who aren't afraid to do resister moves etc.  After all, there are two of us dancing, not just a leader / follower.

This gives me a chance to adapt my lead and my moves to my partner.  (Has "the ability to adapt to their partner's needs" been added to this list yet? )

And here's another point: I like dancers who have the ability to recover from a cock-up and continue dancing, providing "cover" for their partners where needed in order to save face...

John.

[spindr]

Rephrase "move" as "travel" then:
1. travel when led, don't travel when not led

There are many ways for followers to dance without travelling -- shimmy, body roll (up or down), hip roll, etc.,etc.

If a follower travels on their own, then they aren't following a lead -- some ladies seem to want to constantly travel in a circular orbit.

SpinDr

[bobthebracers]

So, I guess I am a good "social" dancer as opposed to a good "technical" dancer? That's fine by me and I reckon it is more of a laugh to be a good "social" dancer and that is what I would rather be known as. What is better a good "social" dancer or a good "technical" dancer? Can you be both? One thing I would say about dancing with the more "advanced" dancers is that sometimes it is hard to lead them as they spend a lot of their time, and mine, trying to anticipate my moves and so misread or don't even wait for any signals. Over the years I have been badly hurt by some dancers because they have suddenly dipped or dropped without getting any kind of signal from me and I have instinctively suddenly lunged forward to save them from any injury and ended up putting my back out! This is what makes the gorgeous Katya from Trinity Le Roc such a good dancer and such a joy to dance with as even though she will always be a better dancer than me and knows a helluva lot more moves than me, she will actually let me lead her.

[Karen Mary]

And here's another point: I like dancers who have the ability to recover from a cock-up and continue dancing, providing "cover" for their partners where needed in order to save face...  

That's a very important point - guys that are good dancers can recover easily when the lady misses a lead and doesn't make the lady feel stupid for doing so.   

What I do find irritating is men that instead of doing something else insist on 'teaching' the lady what they were trying to lead during a social dance (it is OK during lesson freestyles).