Topic: How Close to Dance?

[andy14bike]

At the Strictly Ceroc dance 14 May after 12:00 when the slower blues music was playing some couples were dancing close.  When is it ok to start dancing close?

[philsmove]

The gap is dictated by the follow and it is up to the lead, to detect, and comply with the follows request  
Modern Jive is a “contact sport”   IMHO, some moves only really work in a close hold,  I don’t think Blues, like Tango, can be danced properly, in anything other than a close hold, but some ladies prefers a bit more personal space and the man must respect this

 In the second part a “Switch” evening, I tend to only invite ladies I know are happy in a close hold
(People who are uncomfortable in a close hold tend leave after the witching hour and I have no objections, to strange women inviting me to dance in a close hold)

To answerer the question
When is it ok to start dancing close
Answer - When it feels right

Another Question
Can ” I've got a feeling” - Black Eyed Peas, be danced in  anything other than a close hold

Andy, If you want to learn

Dancing In a close hold
Understanding “The frame”
Understanding your axis
Improving your posture
I strongly recommend Tango West absolute beginner course.  Learning Tango takes many years but getting the basics right will make an immense difference to your modern Jive. If you bounce Tango west will get rid of that too  

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

There are only a few ladies that I do bluesy close dancing with, and then usually only for a few seconds (e.g. during a break in the track).

I'd only do this kind of move with a partner I am very familiar with though.

With moves like this, up close and personal seems to work best though - you can't do a contact move standing at arm's length...

Each to their own though, I guess.

I wonder if there is a difference in dancing styles used between married and single men?

[Andy McGregor]

At the Strictly Ceroc dance 14 May after 12:00 when the slower blues music was playing some couples were dancing close.  When is it ok to start dancing close?

The advice I give guys during the lesson is that you "can get close enough to hold a donut between you, but not so close you'd squeeze the jam out".

Both lead and follow can change/dictate the distance you are apart. The lady can hold the guy away by placing gentle pressure on his shoulder with her left hand on the front of his shoulder. And, in moves like the comb the guy can hold the lady away by placing his palm heel on the front of her hip.

When can you get closer and put pressure on the imaginary donut? My advise as a dance teacher and event organiser has to be that this is usually too close for comfort which could, and often does, result in complaints to the dance teacher or organiser. My advice as a dancer and a man is that you will get a clear, non-verbal, indication from the lady that closer contact is acceptable. Unfortunately us guys are rubbish at reading non-verbal signals from a lady. We're not that good at reading verbal signals either

[Anita]

I think you'll find Andy is already a fairly experienced Tango dancer Phil !! 

[philsmove]

I think you'll find Andy is already a fairly experienced Tango dancer Phil !!  

oops ..just worked out who AndyBike  is  

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Probably a daft thing to point out, but...

Personal hygiene rules in dancing, doubly-so for up-close stuff.

I don't fancy dancing that close to somebody who needs a change of clothing or a bath...
And I wouldn't try and do a move like this when I'm really hot and sweaty.

Also, I always make sure I brush my teeth and use mouthwash before a class or dance too, just in case.  (Garlic / spicy foods before dancing - always a challenge).

[Anita]

  --but an awful lot of people dont do this, and they're not very pleasant to get 'up close and personal' to !! And, I don't feel guilty refusing a dance with them either-- If they can't be bothered to keep clean & fresh, I can't be bothered to dance-- so there !!

[andy14bike]

Dancing the combe with someone hot and sweaty is also unpleasent. 

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Depends on how you do it.

When I do a comb with a lady I generally never make skin / hair contact - just move my hand around the neck face.

I've seen a few people who do make full contact on this move - it can be done well, but it can be seen as a little err... creepy by some ladies, dependant on the man, of course.

[bobthebracers]

I agree with the idea of us men being aware of our personal hygiene and keeping fresh, (not actually acting "fresh"(!)). As many of you will know I am always dashing out to the gents for a "pit stop" - having a quick wash, spray on a little deodorant and change of shirt. On a good night when the music is good and there are enough lovely ladies to dance with - aren't they all? I ain't never yet met in all my years of dancing like I do a lady that I didn't want to dance with.  This can be up to 7 or 8 times a night, if not more. I will also give the lady the option as to how close she may want to be with me, I will try and guide them in close but never try and drag or pull them in with a bit of force as I have seen some guys do. Nor do I feel offended if they decide not to get as close as I may want them to get, it is their choice. Anyway, I was always told that only men and horses sweat, women perspire....

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Ah, technically, the quote is "Horses sweat, men perspire, and women simply glisten."

Obviously, some ladies "glisten" more than others...    (is it possible to glisten profusely??)

[Andy McGregor]

Ah, technically, the quote is "Horses sweat, men perspire, and women simply glisten."

I thought it was "ladies simply glow". Perhaps it's "women" who "glisten".

Speaking for myself, I rarely sweat when dancing nowadays. I think I've become more efficient over the 33 years I've been dancing and burn less calories - this message has been sent to me by the extra two inches on my waistline.

And when I do sweat a bit I regard it as a clear message from my body that I need to cool down. I take a trip outside and let the sweat evaporate and do what my body dispensed the sweat for - cool me down.

If you simply remove the sweat by changing shirts you have not cooled down, your body will stay hot and will dispense more sweat as it is still trying to bring your temperature down to normal. It is no wonder that the guys who keep changing their shirts need to keep changing their shirts!

[Anita]

Yes--' horses sweat, men perspire, and ladies glow' 

[bobthebracers]

So, women "glow" or "glisten" then - well you live and learn don't you. Actually I do take a bit of time out and cool down enough each time when I have changed shirts.  The reasons why I soon start getting hot and sweating so much is again because of the amount of dancing I do and the fact that the dance halls are usually so hot and stuffy as well even though sometimes the doors and windows are open. Also, some people do sweat more than others, or glow, or glisten. I have always found that I don't feel the cold like most people do but do suffer from the heat more, maybe that has something to do with it, maybe it's in my genes. I am really dreading the heatwave that we have been promised (again(!)). The same can be said of those people who seem to able to eat whatever they like and they don't put on any weight at all....