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Dance, Dance Revolution.
So, my instructor has moved on, and I've had the first few lessons with my new instructor Miss. P.
And I want to whine. But I don't want anyone to think that she's not a good dancer, or think that I dislike her. But gods I want to whine.
I like her, but she's a very subtle lead - and I don't know her as well, and I don't have the kind of acquired trust that I had with Mr. L. This means that my learning speed has dropped down by more than half. With Mr. L I usually learned 4 new patters, and sometimes as many as 5-6 per lesson. So far we're at 2 new patterns per lesson. What's slowing us down is two things: The first is that she's not really aware of how fast I learn, the second is that I learn it quickly, but when we blend (the new patterns in a random order while doing the dance they are from) I have a hard time, because I can't follow her very well, so I'm fighting her, and missing the cues...so we blend for a very long time. Lesson takes about 10 minutes and the blending takes the rest of the half hour, then we change and do it again in another dance.
I keep telling myself that this will, ultimately make me a better dancer and a better follow. Also Miss. P is much more about nitpicky technique in the forefront, than Mr. L was - we did have lessons in it, but they generally were separate lessons, where Miss. P is into the technique in each lesson (at least so far.)
But the joy and easy dance and the fabulous gliding and talking across the floor is gone. I used to get though the "dance parties" and the group lessons where I was dancing with people who couldn't lead (they're learning of course and we're at the same level, and honestly some of them just suck) by knowing that I could follow it up with a lesson with Mr. L where it would be natural and easy - and now it's all difficult and hard and uncomfortable.
So, I'm in a whining mood and not excited to go to dance class. And, it looks like the people the owner is looking to hire, may not actually already know Ballroom dance. *bangshead*
And, before you suggest I leave, I'm stuck there for quite a while. I paid for lessons in advance and there's no refunds.
I am however thinking of adding a Ballet class this fall - I found a place in Seattle that only teaches adults, and now apparently you can learn to get on Pointe past forty years old - obviously it's going to take a while. But it's something I've always wanted to be able to do, and it's the kind of muscle I want to have, long and lean. Downside, they require the leotard and tights. Guess I'm going to have to shove my vanity in the box, and just suck it up. They also have a prep course "Pilates for Ballet" that I might do first. We'll just have to see. One of these days on my way to dance class, I'm going to hit the Ballet studio and ask questions.
If anyone knows of an adult Contemporary or Modern dance class let me know. I'm looking at branching out. :)
Also still working out twice a week at Curves and doing the daily Yoga. And, I'm pretty sure I'm not loosing weight anymore, but I'll do a weighing/measurement tomorrow and we'll see. I'm going to try to keep this up even if I don't loose the weight. I just have to remind myself that it does good things for my body, even if it doesn't really do anything I can see. My blood pressure had dropped the last time I hit the doc, so that's good, right?
Still fucking depressing.
And without that joy of dance that I had as the main motivator for all this....it's so much tougher.
And now off to prep for dance class.
Yay.
Ah, Mr. L my life does suck without you.
And I want to whine. But I don't want anyone to think that she's not a good dancer, or think that I dislike her. But gods I want to whine.
I like her, but she's a very subtle lead - and I don't know her as well, and I don't have the kind of acquired trust that I had with Mr. L. This means that my learning speed has dropped down by more than half. With Mr. L I usually learned 4 new patters, and sometimes as many as 5-6 per lesson. So far we're at 2 new patterns per lesson. What's slowing us down is two things: The first is that she's not really aware of how fast I learn, the second is that I learn it quickly, but when we blend (the new patterns in a random order while doing the dance they are from) I have a hard time, because I can't follow her very well, so I'm fighting her, and missing the cues...so we blend for a very long time. Lesson takes about 10 minutes and the blending takes the rest of the half hour, then we change and do it again in another dance.
I keep telling myself that this will, ultimately make me a better dancer and a better follow. Also Miss. P is much more about nitpicky technique in the forefront, than Mr. L was - we did have lessons in it, but they generally were separate lessons, where Miss. P is into the technique in each lesson (at least so far.)
But the joy and easy dance and the fabulous gliding and talking across the floor is gone. I used to get though the "dance parties" and the group lessons where I was dancing with people who couldn't lead (they're learning of course and we're at the same level, and honestly some of them just suck) by knowing that I could follow it up with a lesson with Mr. L where it would be natural and easy - and now it's all difficult and hard and uncomfortable.
So, I'm in a whining mood and not excited to go to dance class. And, it looks like the people the owner is looking to hire, may not actually already know Ballroom dance. *bangshead*
And, before you suggest I leave, I'm stuck there for quite a while. I paid for lessons in advance and there's no refunds.
I am however thinking of adding a Ballet class this fall - I found a place in Seattle that only teaches adults, and now apparently you can learn to get on Pointe past forty years old - obviously it's going to take a while. But it's something I've always wanted to be able to do, and it's the kind of muscle I want to have, long and lean. Downside, they require the leotard and tights. Guess I'm going to have to shove my vanity in the box, and just suck it up. They also have a prep course "Pilates for Ballet" that I might do first. We'll just have to see. One of these days on my way to dance class, I'm going to hit the Ballet studio and ask questions.
If anyone knows of an adult Contemporary or Modern dance class let me know. I'm looking at branching out. :)
Also still working out twice a week at Curves and doing the daily Yoga. And, I'm pretty sure I'm not loosing weight anymore, but I'll do a weighing/measurement tomorrow and we'll see. I'm going to try to keep this up even if I don't loose the weight. I just have to remind myself that it does good things for my body, even if it doesn't really do anything I can see. My blood pressure had dropped the last time I hit the doc, so that's good, right?
Still fucking depressing.
And without that joy of dance that I had as the main motivator for all this....it's so much tougher.
And now off to prep for dance class.
Yay.
Ah, Mr. L my life does suck without you.
no subject
how can you hire a Ballroom Dance instructor who doesn't actually know Ballroom Dance? i mean, i was a synchro coach for a couple of months before i joined the team, but they needed me solely to tell them when things weren't synchronized, *not* to choreograph or teach them.
i am sorry that the fire is gone. if it takes you that much longer to reach the level you paid for, will you run out of lessons before you hit the goal?
good luck on the Ballet. i bet you'll be great at it. invite me to your recitals please?
no subject
You mentioned the part about the new partner being "a very subtle lead" the thing that immediately jumped to mind was when I was taking wing chun in Issaquah. There's a lot of drills there that focused on contact and picking up super-subtle movement cues. Obviously, the intent is/was very different, but it struck me that similar training might have value here.
Okay, i was right, this *does* sound too crazy to post. :)