Okay, first of all, I can recognize my tendency toward elitism here. But a lot of places that I have gone to lindy hop I find teach East Coast Swing in the beginner's lesson. Can someone explain to me why this is other than because it's easier to learn and gets people dancing? Blues is easy…
Originally posted Friday, July 20, 2007 (4 years ago)
Quoted from "Whisper" I can do private lessons, but I think that having the opportunity to practice right afterward is really helpful at this stage.
Yes it is. Because I know I won't always have the opportunity to practice right away, I take notes. I use a voice recorder at lessons, then I transcribe it later. When I get my opportunity to practice, I have my reminder how everything goes.
Back to how to teach a class; not how to take one :oops:.
Follows who don't want to get wet shouldn't dance with me.
Originally posted Friday, July 20, 2007 (4 years ago)
Thanks, Mouth! I think one of the suggestions you made will work out well. :D Mightythor, I'm afraid taking notes on it won't help me much - I have to get it into muscle memory right away by physically practicing.
Getting back to the topic of teaching beginners, I've brought a couple of newbies with me to beginner lessons, and dance with new people frequently almost every time I go dancing. They often seem to feel they can keep up in class ok, but once the lesson ends, their minds go blank when they try to dance socially, or they're just really nervous about it. I try to be encouraging, but if they ask if they're doing something right, or how to do whatever, I don't feel I'm knowledgable enough to help them. Usually I try to snag someone at random who looks like they know what they're doing, and they've always been willing to help us for 5-10 minutes so far. I've seen some people post on the threads about not asking teachers for help on the social dance floor. I haven't really been involved enough in the community yet to really know who is a teacher and who isn't - nobody has seemed upset yet, but is there a better way to handle this?
Originally posted Friday, July 20, 2007 (4 years ago)
I am jumping in very late and read the first two pages.
I can only tell you it is about counting and confusion. It is easier to count in triple step, triple step, rock step. Imagine a leader attempting 8 count and doing a sideways rockstep that offsets him from his partner.
Most beginners tend to take huge rock steps anyway and usually step to the side instead of straight back. Then they are off center with their partner.
I learned a rock step is only a weight change and no more than that. The second half of the rockstep is the lead. So it is rock - lead.
One instructor (who taught 8 count beginner lessons) would teach tap steps, double and triple steps and really confuse everyone.
Six count is for beginners to get them up and dancing.
Originally posted Saturday, July 21, 2007 (4 years ago)
I learned six count first. I can truly say from experience that I wish I'd never danced "the swing" until I learned lindy hop. Not only was East Coast not a good "gateway" dance, I feel like it actually hindered my ability to learn lindy. They were two totally and completely different things.
Six count may get beginners up and dancing, but if they ever decide to learn eight count, they're just going to be beginners all over again... and this time with as many habits to break as to learn.
Originally posted Saturday, July 21, 2007 (4 years ago)
When I started in 99', I learned six count first and never felt it hindered me in learning eight count. Maybe it was the teacher (Teddy Kern) who taught a very smooth Kansas City style of six count. Has anyone taught 8 count first and then six count? I
I also gove quarterly workshops to my University students and friends and start with the six count (using a triple step that's just pulsed) with a tiny rock step.
Originally posted Saturday, July 21, 2007 (4 years ago)
I personally had a problem with the transition having taken 6 count classes for three months before my Lindy class. And to make it equally confusiong I took WCS for a while while taking Lindy classes (I had given up 6 count by then). I found it difficult to say a word while dancing when I was counting from 6 to 8. It is good to teach 6 count to those beginners who may never come to another dance. It does get them up and moving.
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Teaching East Coast: Necessary?
Okay, first of all, I can recognize my tendency toward elitism here. But a lot of places that I have gone to lindy hop I find teach East Coast Swing in the beginner's lesson. Can someone explain to me why this is other than because it's easier to learn and gets people dancing? Blues is easy…
Page(s): < Previous 1 2 3 4 5 (127 items total)
Whisper, check your PMs.
(And thanks for the recommendation, Catlike.)
Yes it is. Because I know I won't always have the opportunity to practice right away, I take notes. I use a voice recorder at lessons, then I transcribe it later. When I get my opportunity to practice, I have my reminder how everything goes.
Back to how to teach a class; not how to take one :oops:.
Follows who don't want to get wet shouldn't dance with me.
Thanks, Mouth! I think one of the suggestions you made will work out well. :D Mightythor, I'm afraid taking notes on it won't help me much - I have to get it into muscle memory right away by physically practicing.
Getting back to the topic of teaching beginners, I've brought a couple of newbies with me to beginner lessons, and dance with new people frequently almost every time I go dancing. They often seem to feel they can keep up in class ok, but once the lesson ends, their minds go blank when they try to dance socially, or they're just really nervous about it. I try to be encouraging, but if they ask if they're doing something right, or how to do whatever, I don't feel I'm knowledgable enough to help them. Usually I try to snag someone at random who looks like they know what they're doing, and they've always been willing to help us for 5-10 minutes so far. I've seen some people post on the threads about not asking teachers for help on the social dance floor. I haven't really been involved enough in the community yet to really know who is a teacher and who isn't - nobody has seemed upset yet, but is there a better way to handle this?
I am jumping in very late and read the first two pages.
I can only tell you it is about counting and confusion. It is easier to count in triple step, triple step, rock step. Imagine a leader attempting 8 count and doing a sideways rockstep that offsets him from his partner.
Most beginners tend to take huge rock steps anyway and usually step to the side instead of straight back. Then they are off center with their partner.
I learned a rock step is only a weight change and no more than that. The second half of the rockstep is the lead. So it is rock - lead.
One instructor (who taught 8 count beginner lessons) would teach tap steps, double and triple steps and really confuse everyone.
Six count is for beginners to get them up and dancing.
I learned six count first. I can truly say from experience that I wish I'd never danced "the swing" until I learned lindy hop. Not only was East Coast not a good "gateway" dance, I feel like it actually hindered my ability to learn lindy. They were two totally and completely different things.
Six count may get beginners up and dancing, but if they ever decide to learn eight count, they're just going to be beginners all over again... and this time with as many habits to break as to learn.
When I started in 99', I learned six count first and never felt it hindered me in learning eight count. Maybe it was the teacher (Teddy Kern) who taught a very smooth Kansas City style of six count. Has anyone taught 8 count first and then six count? I
I also gove quarterly workshops to my University students and friends and start with the six count (using a triple step that's just pulsed) with a tiny rock step.
I personally had a problem with the transition having taken 6 count classes for three months before my Lindy class. And to make it equally confusiong I took WCS for a while while taking Lindy classes (I had given up 6 count by then). I found it difficult to say a word while dancing when I was counting from 6 to 8. It is good to teach 6 count to those beginners who may never come to another dance. It does get them up and moving.
Page(s): < Previous 1 2 3 4 5 (127 items total)
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