Dancing dancer likes to dance

[clevermanka]

I like this style, and I think I could learn it (and lead it) without having to take a class. My one gripe about the dance style is it apparently allows for underarm turns of the follow (he leads one at 0:50-:51). I think these look ugly, have the potential to be absolutely graceless, and make my shoulder joints hurt just thinking about following them. Ugh. WHY, DANCE STYLE? WHY USE THAT STYLE OF TURN?

A discussion of the music and dance was on NPR yesterday. I loved this line of the story: ...early bachata functioned much like weepy country-Western music in America, popular with Dominican truck drivers and in rural bars. SIGN ME UP, YO. While perhaps not standard, you could totally use this base step for a cha-cha beat. The turns and such look much easier to lead than for cha-cha, at least to my eyes. I'd love to just fucking learn to lead cha-cha, but that would require this foreign thing called "Spare Time."

I could watch this sort of dance all day, although I don't think I'll ever be able to do it (see "Spare Time").

Sellout is playing the Bottleneck tomorrow night. I haven't seen them since Brian left the band, what? Five years ago? I have a movie date with some friends earlier in the evening, but I might haul myself off the couch to go boogie down afterward. Anyone else interested?

Oh! Oh! I forgot to mention what inspired this post. I made myself stop by Hippie Drum Circle last night, mostly because I absolutely had to return to Brayden one of her drums. I hung out for about an hour, during which we mostly just chatted and listened to songs pulled up on YouTube while some people danced and some people drummed. This usually happens later in the evening when people are, you know, chillin'. Last night everyone was just sorta interested in hanging, not drumming, though, so the chillings happened earlier than usual. Which meant I got to dance a little bit, and I sorta half-assed partner danced with one of the girls there (whom I'd never met before) and we did pretty well in our tiny little two-by-two foot dance area. I think I could be a really good lead if I put time and energy into it.

Comments

[pennswoods.livejournal.com]

Hot damn is that breakdancing cool. Wow! Why is that not an olympic sport?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

For real. I love hip-hop dance styles.

It's not recognized (or widely appreciated) because it originated in Black culture, which means it's scary and probably delinquent and outside the acceptable standards of white culture. Just...you know, maybe.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I can't say if I will or won't go tomorrow, it's going to depend on how the shoulder feels.

Speaking of that, the dance style is way cool. I dislike how the narrator says "touch" but to my eye, there's also a little hip lift that's part of the style. And I'm confused by the underarm turn you're talking about? What am I missing here? Ack. Is it the reverse turn aspect?

and holy shits, that slow-mo of the underarm moves at :58 by that kid? !!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I'm confused by the underarm turn you're talking about

In ballroom dance, the lead generally turns the follow by crossing arms between their two bodies (in a closed position), raising the arms once the hands have crossed the chest line, and letting the follow go under. The other way they're turning in this video is the lead opens his arm to the outside of his body (in an open position) and the follow basically turns into her armpit.

Unless you're incredibly graceful and an excellent follow with good shoulder mobility, this type of turn has the potential to be downright ugly.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

But those turns are used in many ballroom dances as well, which is why I suppose I'm confused. It's just an inside vs. an outside turn, right?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Yes. And I hate them. HATE THEM.

I miss ballroom:(

[femfataleatron.livejournal.com]

That's the diff between inside and outside underarm turns. the inside turn starts as you described. The lead can, and in swing dances, often does, cheat this turn by moving in the opposite direction to his partner... This guy also leads a bunch of these. The first sequence is only inside turns.
The textbook lead to both turns has a lead hold his hand directly over the follows head throughout the turn, this is easier with inside turns as a rule but, in all cases necessitates that the dancers remain fairly close together. Only leading inside turns would make you a very boring lead... I think that the hight difference account for some of the discomfort. also note that the woman keeps her elbows out as she turn... this can be a reason that her lead stays perhaps further than he should. I can't see their foot work and I know virtually nothing about Bachata per se. but even when you are turing far apart it's good practice to put your leading hand on you opposite hip (especially in the back pass) to keep from spilled drinks or pride or whatever.
The woman's technique is not very snappy in her turns and both of their steps look too big. anyway I could ramble on all day about this.

Re: I miss ballroom:(

[femfataleatron.livejournal.com]

It would be weird with cha cha cause it breaks of the two (like mambo) this dance "breaks" on the four...

Re: I miss ballroom:(

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Only leading inside turns would make you a very boring lead

*harumph*

Well, I've not had any complaints. Yet. =b

I miss ballroom dance, too. I especially miss following. It's been seven years since I had a regular dance partner (lead). I don't mind learning lead, but it's a completely different experience and I miss having a good strong lead to follow.

We were a really good dance couple. Too bad the rest of the relationship turned out to be kinda crappy.