clevermanka | Aw, yeah, baby

It's Friday. Uh-huh Uh-huh It's Friday. *perform stupid mortar-and-pestle-arms-in-a-circle dance*

Oh yeah, baby, it's Friday and I'm fucking exhausted Uh-huh Uh-huh. *throw in a head flip for good measure*

Woo! Yeah! \m/ >_< \m/ THUD

So the Rhythm Busters/Rumblejetts/Three Bad Jacks show was fantastic, although I didn't stay for Three Bad Jacks. Good thing, too, because as it was I only got five hours of sleep last night. I'm just the teensy-weensiest bit tired.

For added fun, I'm super allergic today--although perhaps that's just the result of my body being too tired to fight the allergens. This morning I sneezed so hard and for so long I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head.

Good times, good times!

I did get in one dance with a friend of mine (sorry,

roya_spirit--next time we need to dance to The Rhythm Busters. Rumblejetts just play too goddamn fast) and learned a few very valuable lessons about following. Things that I would never have learned had I not been trying to lead. This is why some dance instructors make people switch the lead/follow at least a little--so the other person knows how they are affecting the partner. Now I know! So, for all you women out there who have volunteered to help me learn to lead, may I offer this bit of advice (I'm sure I'll learn other things, but this is a good one to start with): A spin is just that. It's a spin. Not a turn. Several dances have turns (waltz, cha-cha) but in general, swing is not one of those dances. When someone spins you, plant your foot and spin. If you turn (moving your feet to make a circle), you'll wind up way too far away for me to bring you back to home in time for the one beat, and then we're off for a whole measure, and that makes for some awkward foot-fumbling if you're not both excellent excellent dancers. So, ladies: Spin.

Also, if you ask someone to dance (as I was asked to dance) and you expect that person to lead, please make that clear at the outset. You might think this is a stupidly sexist presumption leftover from the eeeeeevil patriarchy, but partner dance has its own rules, and those rules generally assume that the person asking for the dance is the person who will lead. In this day and age, a lot of girls dance together, and the majority of the time, the girl who asks is the girl who leads. I think most girls wouldn't be offended by another girl coming up and saying "Would you lead me in this dance?" And the ones who would be offended are probably snotty bitches and you wouldn't want to dance with them anyway. Asking ahead of time is vastly preferable to getting out on the floor, stumbling around a bit, and then having to yell over the band "Who the hell is leading? Am I leading? What?"

Nothing like learning in the field!

Last weekend,

mckitterick purchased David Macejka's newest CD "Sookh Tan," which, according to the back of the CD, calls itself "fusion Sufi." Macejka is the rather roundish man with the dark hair who drums for Tartanic. None of the songs are anything I would perform to, but oh my goodness is this some sexy music. For those of you familiar with ME standards, the entire CD is reminiscent of Omar Faruk Tekbilek's Firedance CD--especially the opening song on that CD. The sarod and voice on Macejka's CD are soothing and engaging at the same time. This is a CD that could provide excellent background music for a number of activities, from yoga to lovemaking. Just. Wonderful.

This is Tartanic's last weekend at KCRF, so if you want to directly support the musicians by purchasing the CD straight from them (something I try to do as often as possible), do it this weekend! Be sure you purchase the "Sookh Tan" CD and not his African rhythms one (I don't remember the name but it has a bluish-black cover and a mask on the front). The CD girl isn't necessarily in the know and might sell you the wrong one. Just sayin'. *ahem*

One last note: There's no way I'm going to be able to hit the library book sale tonight, this weekend, or really anytime before it's over. Would anyone who plans to go please look for a book for me?

Nine Coaches Waiting, by Mary Stewart, in hardback. Dust jacket would be nice, but lack of one isn't a dealbreaker.

Thanks in advance.

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=D

Thank you so much! I've been looking for this particular title for ages, but can never find it in hardback. I'm sure

the_themiscyran will understand my desperate desire for this one in hardback.

Yes, so with you on the dance advice! That couple who were ALL Over the Fucking Place? Good example of how NOT to spin. Sheesh. That poor gal will be sore tomorrow and not have a clue why, the way he was throwing her out and jerking her back.
Also,.. followers need to keep their hands where you last let them go. Makes it a nice flow when you guide them back and the hand needed is right where you left it for the next transition. I learned that from *cough* disco *cough* dancing long ago.

Thanks for the heads-up on the cd, I'll be checking that out fo sho!

You are a really awesome follow. I wish we'd had a chance to dance. Damn.

That guy last night was an ass. He might be a really nice guy and a great dancer, but he has no respect for other people on the dance floor. Now, if that girl is used to dancing with him, she's fine. I know Dean and I could move all over a floor like that because my shoulders are super flexible and we danced together all the time. But we never danced like that when the dance floor was crowded and I've not seen him throw anyone else around like that. In that couple's case last night, the crazy spins were solely the "fault" of the lead. And if they'd been on a deserted dance floor with no audience standing around it would've been awesome. As it was, I just just so annoyed with him I wanted to stand there with my keys jabbing out between my fingers. Grrrr.

Re: keeping your hands in place. YES. God, yes. And don't let go of the lead's hands unless the lead lets go first.

"If you turn (moving your feet to make a circle), you'll wind up way too far away for me to bring you back to home in time for the one beat, and then we're off for a whole measure, and that makes for some awkward foot-fumbling if you're not both excellent excellent dancers."

That's easier to deal with than you think. If a follower is going to trip you up with this sort of thing, they'll usually be pretty consistent about it. That is, when you lead a particular spin, they'll probably spin themselves in the same way every time. Trying to bring them to where you want them is a recipe for disaster, so don't do it unless they're about to run into someone. Instead, just take a step or two so that you're in the right position to catch them at the right time. You want to put your arm out to gently catch them a little bit before they expect it, and make sure that you're moving in the right direction by the time your arm catches up to you (followers like this often come with a bit of momentum).

"Also, if you ask someone to dance (as I was asked to dance) and you expect that person to lead, please make that clear at the outset. You might think this is a stupidly sexist presumption leftover from the eeeeeevil patriarchy, but partner dance has its own rules, and those rules generally assume that the person asking for the dance is the person who will lead."

I think this goes backwards for guys. When a girl asks me to dance without specifying, she always expects me to lead. And, smaller sample, but most of the time, when a guy asks me to dance (or when I ask a guy to dance), the one who is doing the asking is probably going to follow. This convention makes me happy because following is really damn hard!

Anyway, I've only done much dancing in San Francisco and Ann Arbor, so things might be different in Kansas. Like, you know, maybe Fred Phelps shows up when too many guys dance together.

I think this goes backwards for guys. When a girl asks me to dance without specifying, she always expects me to lead.

Yes. I was primarily talking to girls asking other girls to dance. Guys do NOT dance with other guys here, although if that happens with any regularity in Ann Arbor, I am going to come visit you guys SOON because that sounds AWESOME.

I think it's funny that you think following is so hard. I'm having a hell of a time learning to lead. =D

Thank you for the tip on dealing with a difficult follow. Right now it's taking all my concentration not to fall back into the follow position after a spin--the last thing I need is some crazy chick flying all over the room, forcing me to run after her! Augh! Muscle memory can be a blessing, but it is also a difficult thing to overcome when you want to do something different.

"if that happens with any regularity in Ann Arbor, I am going to come visit you guys SOON because that sounds AWESOME."

It happened more in SF, but there are quite a few guys in Ann Arbor who can follow. I just recently moved to DC, and we haven't gone dancing here yet. But .. yes, guys dancing with guys IS awesome. It's a ton of fun. And (more in SF than Ann Arbor), it's often a lot more fast paced, high energy, showing off. I think that's a mix of guys-being-guys and the fact that guys don't usually learn to follow until after they're decent at leading, so most guy followers are pretty good dancers.

As a side note, not having guys as followers sucks for teaching purposes. I learn a ton when I'm leading a 6 foot tall stocky guy who I really just *can't* push around.

Heh .. if you get annoyed at the over-energetic followers, just wait till you get a noodle-armed waif. Your frustration will know no bounds.

guys don't usually learn to follow until after they're decent at leading, so most guy followers are pretty good dancers.

That makes complete sense. Reminds me of a fabulous YouTube clip that

shanmonster posted a long time ago, of two guys lindyhopping. It was incredible.

oh man .. youtube lindy scenes ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTg5V2oA_hY

I found the one I was talking about (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWYZM4Wj7ZI&mode=related&search=). It's pretty obviously choreographed, though...I didn't remember that.

very nice

I still have that book on my g-sale list, didn't see any Mary Stewart hardcover at the library sale

*sigh*

I'll find it someday, and that day will be BEAUTIFUL.

Thank you for continuing to look!

Aw, yeah, baby

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