20 Jun
2015
20 Jun
'15
2:28 p.m.
John, respectfully, I have to disagree with your disagreement. A simple walking swing
works just fine even when the other person is doing a buzz step.
The HUGE problem that I see with beginner lessons is that people stand around bored while
the teacher talks and talks. All the air goes out of the room. Keeping the beginners
moving is job number one.
So, I have them do a right elbow swing, to get the body dynamics right. Then maybe 30
seconds of talking about ballroom position, have them do a walking swing, a moment on how
to balance, and they are good for the night. Especially if they get to practice that with
three or four different people during the lesson.
I can move a competent newcomer from walking-swing to buzz-step swing during the dance,
just with "look at my feet."
Always appreciate the perspectives on this list though.
On Jun 20, 2015, at 5:16 AM, John Sweeney via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Dale said, "Don't teach advanced techniques to new dancers. Forget the buzz
step."
Sorry, but I must disagree most strongly.
In an average evening of contra dancing you will spend nearly thirty minutes
swinging (if the dances are in the Modern Urban Contra Dance style rather
than the older styles).
I think it is incredibly unfair to a newcomer to make them suffer for thirty
minutes rather than teach them how to swing. They can also cause a lot of
suffering to whomever they are swinging with if they have lousy technique.
I would not agree that it is advanced either. I strongly believe that a
couple of minutes teaching the basics of a buzz step swing will give
everyone a much more enjoyable evening. Some of them won't get it, but for
those that do it can completely change their experience of the evening.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
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