Party Time!

So I've just returned back from my first Ceroc party. I arrived pretty much when the party started and stayed until the end. I had a really great time. I will talk on that more but I thought I'd summarize the moves I did first.

Here we go:

• Started of with a move that is double handed. Move the woman clockwise in front of you while swapping places moving her hands over her head. When you swap places you will have your hands crossed. Then turn 90° clockwise while your partner does the same; as you move in, back to back, bring both hands in a large circle down towards waist while continuing to move across. If all goes well both people will have one hand bent across the back while the other is tense against your partner's other hand. Move back to back again before spinning the woman out and return.


• We then went into a wertzel or something like that. Again double handed as you move in flatten left hand and push slightly so both you and your partner can move out (a bit like a side step). Then spin her.


• It finished with a using the spin on the last move to move around the woman catching her in a First Move and quickly moving around before carrying on the First Move. On the return catch with both hands and rinse, lather and repeat.

I really liked the brief class. It was a good way for the strangers to integrate and for everyone to be on the dancefloor; I'll come back to this. The first move I used a few times during freestyle though I found a few women didn't really want to lower their hands and since I didn't want to break their arms then it caused a few failed moves (I imagine breaking someone's arm might also result in the moving being broken).

The dancefloor was empty when I arrived. Though my dancing could hardly do any justice I decided to get some early warmup. It was beginning to fill a little bit but obviously there was a bit of worry about being scrutinized by some people who might have otherwise come up dancing. That's why I loved the class as it brought people in a bit earlier (if they wanted to attend the class) and filled the dancefloor when it went back into freestyle.

I had a lot of dances (probably in the region of around 60) and so many of them were good I was over the moon. I mainly stuck to beginners moves again with the occasional intermediate move (generally sticking to ones I felt confident I could do) and though I still had problems leading some of them things went well. One moves involves spinning the woman in and then going into a lean. I was surprised when three women didn't take my additional support hand. Obviously they were move confident in my ability not to drop them than I was. Was amazed at some of the people I danced with; one women span four times based on a starting spin I was both amazed and left with very little to do :D.

Anyway I'm back home and sore. It's been a busy day.

Tags: Ceroc

I Am 10 Today

Well that was my 10th Ceroc evening come and gone. I'm looking forward to the party at the weekend though at the same time I'd like to buy some black jeans for it and I could do with some black trainers to wear with them so I expect much shopping to be occurring Saturday afternoon first. Anyway tonight was good; mostly. Intermediate was really, really hard and I struggled with two of the moves which I think everyone agreed were difficult but I seemed the only dancer to get the consistently wrong. I was over the moon when the class went on to freeform and I could drop all the moves. I stuck with a lot of the basic moves tonight (only rarely doing an intermediate) and I felt a lot better for it. At the moment, with intermediate, I'm to focused on the move and not really following the dance. With the basic moves I think I dance a lot better (even it if simpler) and I thought I had some reasonable footwork as well. I got complemented quite a few times and that did a lot to boost my confidence.

Beginners class we did First Move (into a twirl), Man Spin, Shoulder Drop and In-and-Out. It was good to revisit some of these moves again, I felt I improved in all of them. The In-and-Out had a twist where the woman put her hands on your chest at the end and then is pushed off by your rippling fat muscles or something. The instructor asked how many woman thought their partner's chest was macho and my partner stuck her hand up, bless her, though saying that so did one of the women that was dancing with the female taxi (that got a few chuckles). I didn't like that ending I thought it was tacky so I doubt I'd really do it on the floor.

Intermediate was tough. I'm not even sure I'm going to be able to describe it for myself. There was a lot to remember and my body and mind didn't want to do it so I failed moving properly. Just when I thought I might have been getting somewhere then we'd switch to the next move and I would have basically forgotten the move again.

• Double hand movement thang. Ready? Good. Both hands, rotate clockwise for 360 with hands above head when just moving back to face partner she moves 90 degrees and you rest your right hand over her left shoulder and she does the same. Then you continue to rotate clockwise(?) so you are behind her wrapping your right hand over then the left so she has her arms about her waste. Lift the right (?) arm and turn her around for fricken ages while moving her around you keeping the left arm against her waste (I think). Then you find that the left arm is still at her waist and position the right with a flat hand level with her ready for a spin. Spin her for 1 and 3/4 rotations (anti clockwise) then catch with left (?) before moving hand out to right for a brief ceroc spin and return. With the amount of doubt in here it becomes quite apparently that I have no idea how to do this move. I didn't when I tried on the evening either. This meant I messed it up which made trying to do all three moves twice through pretty difficult.


• First Move into Lean. This one was alright. Start first move but right leg should go out into the lady's path. She then wraps her leg around that leg and you lean away with the left leg using the left hand (to right) hold as support. You then return back up and resume a first move as per normal.


• Arrrgh. Start with a twirl (or follow from the return on the first move in this case). Fire her over to right hand side holding on to the right side of her hip and catching her left hand with your left. Move back and forwards like the basket before rotating a full 360 while moving the hands in such a way to have your right arm behind her. Take two full steps (so walking) forward before moving her directly in front of you place the left hand on her upper back and partially lean (not as long as a usual seducer). The dip should be performed in a single beat which makes it damn fast. Anyway I didn't really get this one either; I'm not sure why could have been my mortification at move 1.

I'm sure there was something else I wanted to mention but I've forgotten it now. Ah well.

Ah ha! I thought I'd leave that in to show my bubble headed nature. I was dancing with a woman tonight and she made a few comments. Anyway at one stage I was surprised and though that I couldn't be hearing her right asked her to repeat herself and then still looked surprised. I thought she said, That's a lovely bra and I was like how does she know, I thought it was virtually invisible (ok kidding) still I was wondering if she was talking about someone on the dancefloor or something. Anyway I basically stopped twirling her so I could ask again and she said, That's a lovely brass (the song in question did feature some lovely brass). So after I actually told her what I thought I heard her say and we had a bit of a giggle we finished our dance a little bit more amused if nothing else.

Tags: Ceroc

Do I Dance on a Tuesday?

Looks like it. I hope to keep this one short but I had a good night. Still having a bit of trouble keeping reasonable rhythm. I think I concern myself to much with opportunities to try out intermediate moves rather than just sticking to basic moves and keeping a good, flowing, dance going. I'll endeavor to do the latter a bit more in the future. I did attempt to write down some previous dances from a book they have but unfortunately the handwriting was difficult to read (I'm pretty sure no move would have drop kick in the title) and that isn't for this weeks moves anyway.

Started out with Armjive with a Swizzle, Basket, Shoulder Slide and Catapult. The catapult was into a left hand catch rather than a right. The instructor gave some really good hints about making life easier and improving hand grasp which I found very useful.

Intermediate were:

• Shoulder Drop into Yo-Yo (it might well have been called that. Loved this move; really simple. Start a shoulder drop but rather than return hand when stepping sideways instead move into the locked arm position of a Yo-Yo and proceed with the Yo-Yo from that point. Easy and good fun.


• Catapult into multi-twirl comb thing. Here we go; this was tricky. Start a catapult but when extending out offer left hand at right side (the woman will be too far to catch it). Pull her back in and catch with right at waist while still holding with left pivot her towards your front while still holding with the left (sort of like a swizzle) and then continue by turning yourself 180 while moving her around as well until you are facing again at the other side (right hand still holding left is not) twirl her anticlockwise and move into comb while moving the left hand up in a sort of windmill braking her comb and put left hand on her shoulder. Move hand down her arm, slowly (for 4 counts in fact) before going back into a left hand hold. There probably was a return.


• First Move into a Barrier?. Start with a First Move but rather than moving to shoulder move to waist instead then move the woman away from you still holding her right to your left which forms a barrier with her arm (so she can't move forward anymore). Then twirl her clockwise straight into a slight (180) spin before moving in and gripping holding her right hip. She then pivots like a basket (back then forwards, or at least I think) before holding right hand with her own right and rotating 180. Finishing with that right, right hold. We used the return on this to lead straight into the Shoulder Drop.

I'd still like to write more but I shouldn't. Maybe save the fact that I watched some other people dance and I have to say that I'd love to work on my footwork a bit.

Tags: Ceroc

Non-Ceroc Post (Just Kidding)

Tonight was excellent. Like most Thursday it was really busy. Also the music often seemed really, really, quick which was difficult to keep up with. I had many really great dances and it was just outright good fun. With all the extra women being rotated and retaught the beginners class ran quite late but it did help me learn the moves...

Beginners was Octopus, some Shoulder Slide thing (might have been called the shoulder slide), Catapult and the Comb. Out of those I hadn't done the shoulder slide (which basically involved a left handed move; move lady to right will turning anti-clockwise with her right hand on your shoulder; letting her hand run down your back and turn and catch with the right) and the catapult (which is a right handed move which throws the woman underarm behind you then lean forward catching with left hand as well move her to left side and then spin with left hand catching with right). They weren't too difficult; though, in freestyle, I kept missing the best point to do a catapult.

Intermediate were some of the most difficult I have done yet. They were quite long but all-in-all very good fun to execute.

• First Move Turn Round? - Start with the First Move then move out adopting a stance similar to of the other variants done before. Twirl woman twice in front not removing right hand from waist (just allowing it to flow around her) then move around her basically still in the first move hold pivoting her on the spot (for 270 degrees) then perform the same outward small steps for the woman as the one seen in this post. Then twirl her just once and step back.


• Move into a Basket and do the step back and forwards. Rather than uncoiling though turn the woman and yourself 180 while still keeping hands at hips (so the lady is now on the left). Then do a lean right; correct and then, while still holding on to her hands move her in front and then to the right. Then release with the right hand while pulling her with the left into a counter-clockwise spin at the same time move forwards and spin yourself clockwise and catch with the right.


• Catapult Steps into Lambada Drop - Start a Catapult but don't offer left hand, instead move back and wrap it around her to her right hand side of her waist moving along side her. Then take a step with the right foot out to the side; then the left; then the right (she does the same; so you move along the dance-floor). Then you use the left arm to wrap her in to face you; she brings up her left leg to waist level which you grab with your right while keeping your left on her back, then you drop her backwards using the right hand as support. That part of the move is called the Lambada. Anyway it isn't over yet. Bring her back up release her leg and pull her back to the left hand side; then bring her back to centre swapping hands to your right hand on her back then moving her to the right hand side. Finally put your left hand at shoulder height and move her back into touching that with her right. This basically moves you back into the first move with a strong stance so you can proceed with the first move here again if you want to. Otherwise twirl her and step back for a standard return.

Right well that was it; I found trying to keep the rotation in the first move short enough to fit in the time given was difficult. Other than that, though very difficult, I did like all the moves tonight (maybe the First Move the least). The last one really isn't suited to a busy dance floor at all as it takes up way too much space.

I left the hall with lots of energy still and danced all evening so I'm really happy.

Tags: Ceroc

Follow the Leader

Well I think it is time for another Ceroc update. Tonight was good though I didn't really seem on form. For some reason I had difficulty thinking of moves and often lead late (which made it difficult for my partner) and I'm not a very strong lead anyway so, though I enjoyed many of my dances, I messed up frequently and didn't make it very smooth.

It was very quiet which left a lot of space on the dance floor and I got to dance a few times with people give me an opportunity to try a range of moves. Beginners class was Armjive Push Spin, Yo-Yo, Shoulder Drop and, Sidestep.

On the intermediate front I think I had a really hard time trying to make the moves click. I'm not sure I managed to do any of them well. Unless we happen to go over one on Thursday I'm pretty sure I'll drop all the moves shown tonight. You never know I might have the opportunity to work on them further with it being covered in class. However there were some very patient women I was dancing with and for that I've very grateful.

• First up we did a Catapult into moving the woman to the left hand side while putting your (as the lead) left arm over her shoulder and keeping your right arm behind your back. Then you release the right arm and move it to the front where you take her hand again. This allows you to rotate her anti-clockwise and put the other arm over her shoulder and hers on yours. Then it is a case of running you hand down her arms to grab her left arm before sending her into a spin and exchanging places and then grabbing right to right. First I found that I was always finishing with my left hand. Second my poor description is partially because I still don't know the move though my body goes through the motions before my brain is really working on it.


• Use right to right to send woman into a half spin on the right. Stop her after a 180 degree rotation and have the left arm on her shoulder and right on her hip. This should then lead to an even push and pull motion to send her into a 540 degree spin anti-clockwise and then catch with the left. I think there is a return. Two things about this; first I never pushed hard enough; second I never seemed comfortable putting my hand on a woman's hip. More likely I'd go for the waist and you don't really want to pull there.


• Last move started of with a First Move :) into an anti-clockwise spin with the right hand then placed on the small of her back while keeping hold of the left and facing each other. Then step back quite far with the left foot bringing the woman forward with her lunging forward slightly with her right foot. The turn her to side for a small dip the step out of the move and return. I found that I was inclined to move towards a Seducer and drop the left hand when I actually still wanted to hold on with that as a support method. Not good; not good at all.


• We then finished with a Man Spin to go into a right to right for the first move (not the First Move though).

However the night flew by and I had a good time.

Tags: Ceroc

It's Dancing Time!

There were so many people this evening. I'm not sure where they came from but the hall was so full it made it really difficult to find a spot to dance in; especially as I don't seem to be able to keep my dancing to a confined space. However it did mean I got to dance with a lot of different women with a variety of skill levels. Though at times I don't think I was dancing at my peak (note to the women I dance with: it takes pretty much all my concentration to string dance moves together if you talk I'll probably just start doing 3 moves in sequence like a for loop).

Beginners' Class covered Basket, Man Spin, Yo-Yo and the Ceroc Spin of which only the last was new to me. Despite the fact that I kept missing the Ceroc Spin (it isn't the most obvious move to go into) I decided that I should do the intermediate class anyway.

• Started with a Basket based move that went out into a right handed unravel for the woman then she went under your right arm and moved to the left with your right arm across your back. Then you moved with her straight behind you, back to back, before spinning her and catching with your left hand.


• Almost Pretzel First Move? - Thankfully we did the same second move as the second move I did on Tuesday (it starts with the First Move :)). I got better at it; though still had difficulty leading into it on the FreeForm.


• Return Seducer - The last move was my first, and ever so slightly scary, dip. Twirl the woman past you anti-clockwise twice and on the second twirl put your right hand on her lower back while putting the left hand high on her back. Turn her around and dip her slightly (or more than slightly) to the floor. You can also put a knee out as an additional support. One woman seemed keen on nearly touching the floor; I was mainly relieved that I didn't drop her (or any other woman for that matter). Anyway I'm not overly confident with my dips but I'm keen on trying so I can rectify that situation.

A close friend of mine was also there this evening; which was great. She's been Ceroc dancing many times before but she hasn't been in a while. It felt a lot more comfortable dancing with her than most of the other dancers. Anyway, though it is unlikely they read this, I enjoyed all the dances I had so thanks go out to all the dancers I danced with.

Tags: Ceroc

Ceroc Goodness

Even I found that my conversations on Ceroc were so dull over the last few posts that I made them private so no one else would read them. Lets try making this one public...

Well this was my 5th lesson. It seemed to be going well, I had some really great dances and everyone was nice. So beginners class I think we started with a First Move Push Spin followed by a YoYo then the Comb and finally the Back Spin at least I think that's what we did. The freestyle slapped it out of me. Anyway due to it being a really quiet night they didn't run a basic revisited so I joined the intermediate class. I was expecting it to be difficult, and it was, but actually less difficult than the first beginners moves I did. I'm not saying I got them perfect, my execution still needs a lot of work, but I did do them in the second freestyle event and was pretty happy with them. Lets (for my own sake) go through them and wish I remembered their names (it's in a lead perspective as well):

• A two handed move where you shift sides with right arm extended and then locking your arm and moving the left foot forward and back a few times before twirling your partner right and keeping both of her hands above her head. Then turn clockwise (?) to unravel and finish with a twirl. The locking seemed a bit tricky and I think I'll need more practice before I can consistently get it right.


• Start the first move them pull your partner far out with right hand on waist and left guiding her. Twist her towards then away for four twists then she twirls twice before both back off and she sort of sits against the tension you are providing. Curl the left hand in for a sort of comb then quickly release bounce back while lowering hand to catch. It was actually easier to do than describe. Of course it was easier to do because, as you might have noticed, the woman does all the work pretty much so for me it was pretty much just standing in the right place.


• Pull with left hand to fire your partner to the right hand side, catch with right hand, she twrils in so your waists touch then you take her other (err right hand) at waist level and she leans on you while lifting her right foot. Then she unravels, is spun (since it is still right hand) and is caught with the left. There might be a twirl after, there is pretty much always a twirl.

That was it; the Comb was a slight variant on the Slow Comb I had previously learnt. The YoYo was new to me and I love it. It also give me a right handed move to do; though it only delays me needing to think of another right handed move since it is right to right. I loved the stuff in the intermediate class. When I first saw it I thought I was way out of my depth so I was really glad that I could pull it off. I'm not sure I'll go the next session's intermediate. Maybe.

Tags: Ceroc

Dancy, Dance Dance

Got back from a really enjoyable night of Ceroc dancing. Really for my own records we did The Octopus, Sidestep, Armjive with a Swizzle and the In-and-Out. I felt my dancing had come on and it was good dancing with some of the people I had first danced with.

Edit: Another post I thought I just open up so everyone could have the pleasure of reading it. I presume that I got bored of writing part way through this and never really wrote anything about the evening.

Tags: Ceroc

Third Lesson. I Was Addicted From The Start Wasn't I?

Urgh. Tonight felt like a step back (not in a good way; Ceroc starts with a step back but that's not what I meant) in my dancing. I think it was the heat of the hall. It was so hot it actually stopped my brain activity. At least I'm hoping that is the case rather than me just getting worse.

Don't get me wrong; I still enjoyed myself but I found it difficult to get into the flow of the dance and my moves seemed to lack any really grace and just seemed half hearted. I also seemed to have difficulty actually remembering what moves I actually know. Maybe my brain will be in gear on Thursday.

Anyway if one blogger can post detailed lists of what they did in class why not two (I backposted the others in the Blogger post)? OK my lists aren't going to be that detailed; just more of a way for me to remember the moves and hopefully it will help when I've forgotten little hints I've gotten.

• The Octopus (Both to Left). Like the basket apart from allow the woman to carry through while catching with right (so both hands) again. Put right hand over left to step underneath right hand while turning away from partner. Catch with left again to perform the first move again. Alternately stop the second move half way through for The Basket.


• Sidestep (Left to Left). Step sideways and move partner to touch elbows repeat until bored at which stage twirl woman past you to switch sides.


• First Move Spin (Left to Right). Move strong and confident like to woman's hip with both of you facing the opposite direction with right hand on hip and left against the shoulder. Twist left hand down to move the woman to face the front while moving the left foot back. Your right and the womans left should be facing forward together then move back into previous position with hand flat ready for a spin. Spin and catch with right.


• Backpass (Right to Left). Rotate to left facing away from partner while offering left hand behind back. Swap hands and twirl woman.

Tags: Ceroc

Dancing; Yeah

So after a cancellation tonight I went to another Ceroc class. Once again I had a really good time. There were a few people I found it difficult to dance with; I think because they sensed that I was a beginner and decided to lead and with both of us trying to lead it didn't work very well. My knees hurt a bit (I think more from the walking on Saturday) but as some other plans were canceled for Tuesday I was thinking about going again just to, you know, try out the other venue.

The season finale of The O.C. is on tomrrow. I'm sure I can catch it at the weekend though :).

• Armjive with a Spin (Left or Both to Right). Again with the not quite certain how to get into it bit.


• The Comb (Right to Left). Twirl then place hand on back of neck (drop your arm so as not to stick out your elbow). Slide to right then to left then release the hand and push back at the waist to allow the woman to drop her hand in the left hand.


• Some back facing move (Left to Left or Both). Err... step left; twist away from your partner with left hand over head. Twist again to face your partner again.


• In-and-Out (Both Hands). Move hands in a semi-circle inward as approaching partner then out as stepping away. Repeat until you thought of something to do.


• Basket.

Tags: Ceroc