Southport Extravadance Extravapost!

Big post. I haven't actually proof-read it yet and I probably could have gone on a lot longer about all the things that made the weekend so good (well the dancing made the weekend so good; but in more detail). It's quite long.

I went to a dance weekender over the weekend. A whole weekend of focused dancing.
It's obviously the first one of these that I have been to. The atmosphere
was fantastic! Everyone there to dance; the dancefloors packed from morning
to evening (to morning again). It was so good heading into the main hall
at midday and so much dancing going on and likewise heading in at midnight
and that same atmosphere.

I met so many nice people as well; right from the start where I met the forum
crowd, to talking with random women in a workshop, to talking with the very
experienced dancers or just dancers from all sorts of background. I was hoping
for that friendly atmosphere that you get in classes but it was wonderful
to see that it applied to a much larger scale event.

Anyway I'm going to describe the events and stuff that I did in-between. I'll
try and keep it interesting :D.

Icebreaker Class

Led by the wonderful Marc and Rachel. After seeing them dance together
I was gob smacked at the style and technical skill of the both of them.
It also turns out that both of them are really lovely people (especially
Rachel; I'm forming a fan club for her). Anyway they gave a good introductory
class with a few fairly simple moves but all new to me so I really enjoyed
it. Since I didn't jot down notes till 6am the move descriptions might be
a bit sketchy.

• Almost Man Spin. Start a Man Spin
  but turn clockwise to face your partner and push out rather than complete
  the spin.



• First Move Slide. First Move. Step out but then bring your
  left hand forward and down to bring your partner to face you while taking a
  quick step on the right foot and then slowly slide the left to meet it.
  Then a fast step on the left and slide the right to it.



• Travelling Twirl Into Left Handed Comb. Twirl the woman past in
  front of you and take her left with your right on the way past. Go into a left
  handed comb and walk past facing your partner. Let go with left and catch
  again at waist.



• Twirl into Push Out. I think we then did a double twirl with the
  left before then pushing out to step stylishly away from our partners.

Forum Gathering

Not a class at all. Just found it a great experience meeting lots the people
from the Ceroc Scotland Forum.
Chatting with them... well you just realise what a lovely bunch of people
go dancing (even if they often pretend otherwise on the forum).
I think the fact you get to meet the people in real life like
this emphasises what a great resource the forum can be. Danced with
as many of them as I could before my second workshop...

Total Blues 1

Since I've had no experience with Blues dancing before that evening and
I was expecting to spend a bit of time in the blues room later then
I thought I'd better try and pick up some moves. Found the sudden absence
of personal space with a complete stranger a little uncomfortable
(hey; I'm shy) but I got over it. Loved the fact that they gave the move
list out; so this is just me copying from that :D.

• Basic/Penguin/Slingshot. Basic position, sinking form
  side-to-side, changing tempo on spot or with penguin, slingshot ladies out.


• Lady's Walk/Squat/Shimmy Down Sit. Lady's teasing walk and turn,
  both squat. Guys pull ladies into 'reverse' position with right hand in manly manor
  (basically into a sit-down but by using hand on her wrist), both shimmy down with ladies sitting
  on guy's knee or guys legs on either side. Ladies out into Wurlitzer position.


• Reverse Lean/Double Outwards Lean. Guys wrap ladies into side, and
  clamp with right arm (around back of waist) facing opposite directions, ladies stepping and turning. Both lean, guys
  bring ladies up, grap lady's right arm, ladies cross over right in front of left, guys
  lock lady's back foot with guy's right, both lean outwards. Travelling return changing hands.


• Wurlitzer/Wrap in Dip/Seducer. Travelling bluesy Wurlitzer
  with hands low, spin ladies in front and dip, guys taking left hand over lady's shoulder. Ladies placing
  right arm around guy's waist.


• Hip Rolls. From basic position. Guys lead ladies into roll by bending knees and rotating clockwise.


• Flashy Caveman Exit. Just for fun! - guys drag ladies helplessly away.

Late Night Dancing Friday

So it moved into late night freestyle where I started with the faster
music in the main room later moving to the blues room and trying some
slower dancing. Found the Blues lesson useful but still wasn't overly
comfortable with Bluesy dancing.
By this stage I had already been intimidated enough
that I'd often be quite shy about asking people I didn't know. Anyway
at 04:30 I called it a night.

Next Day

Well the next day I woke up feeling like crap (I don't think I drank
enough water or ate enough on Friday). I started doing the Silky Smooth
Jive class but I bailed about three quarters of the way through (it
was extra men on so I didn't feel guilty about leaving). Anyway some
of the moves I did do (feeling not well may have affected my recollection
though).

Silky Smoooooooth Jive

• First Move Mambo. Start a first move on pushing
  the woman out move forward placing left foot forward into
  a mambo step with her.


• Cha Cha. Start to back off with the mambo changing
  both hands to an curled just-below-chest-height sort of
  open hold. Take a step with your left foot to the right then
  release with the left hand while stepping to the left (as
  the follower does the same) turn to face taking hold of other
  hand and wiggle a cha-cha-cha with your hips. Do the same to
  the right. You can spin the woman at a release stage. Hopefully
  you can get in a cha-cha-cha before she turns to face.


• ...err... told you I wasn't really doing that well :(.

From there I tried to eat, had a massage and, tried to hydrate myself.
I basically wasn't wanting to go to bed so I could attend Frank's
class. Which I did :).

How To Slow Jive

Whereas Bluesy dancing promotes a new range of moves more suited
to Blues track this class was focusing on how to slow down
jive moves to be more suited to slower tracks (though not generally
as slow as bluesy dancing). There wasn't really a list of moves
it was just the First Move and the Man Spin we used. It focused
instead on how to distribute weight and move someone around using
that. I found it a really useful class and though I still need
practice I felt it was a really good way to dance; I'm glad
I stayed up for it. Anyway I'll try and describe the technique
taught.

First Move; as you move out you take the right hand into a very
high position resting the hand between your follower's shoulder blades
and hopefully having her arm resting against yours with her putting
just a little bit of downwards force in it (a bit like a ballroom frame).
This keeps a better
connection and allows the lead to control the dance better. The
left hand also has some tension though you really controlling with
the right. You pretty much bring the left down to move your partner
to face. From here you can shuffle your and her body to
the music controlling both your and her weight distribution to a given
foot or a sort of neutral both feet. You can then use this to, say,
put her weight on her front foot; put your foot to the inside of her
back foot and then lift and push that back transfer weight to the
back and slide in the front foot. I've recreated it a few times
in freestyle now to a variety of effects. He also taught a quick
left hand sweeping up and around then past her eyes for some meaningful
eye contact :D. By pushing her slightly away with the left and then
pull her back in (also changing your weight distribution) you can
also sort of get this away-in-away-pause or visa versa in step to
the music. Lower the frame and then you are back to a regular First
Move. We also did a slow turn by just pivoting on the balls of your
feet on the man spin to slow the move down rather than waiting
half a count. Frank put it that it's like you just don't want to
let the lady's hand leave your waist. It was a good way to put it.

It went well in most cases though one woman I didn't get that connection and
I didn't follow the routine at all just because I didn't see the point
of trying the more tricky stuff while the actual point of the lesson hadn't been achieved.
Anyway she basically called me shit; which, to be fair, I probably
wasn't at my best but it certainly made me feel crap.

Then I went to bed :).

Saturday Evening

When I woke up Saturday evening I was feeling a bit better and
though I took my time (and think I started annoying a partner I
danced with a bit for not really wanting to find someone else
to dance with). By 3am I was all ready for some serious dancing
(well as seriously as my dancing gets) and had some really good
dances until just after 7 when they finished.

Sunday

Sunday I was feeling much better than I was Saturday afternoon so I went to a big bunch of workshops!

The Waltz

Sunday afternoon I attended The Waltz class. As it has always been
a dance I've wanted to do it was keen on the class. LMC and I decided
to stay as fixed partners rather than constantly swap around. Seemed
to be a good plan as I initially had a little difficulty getting into
the flow and she was a very patient partner. Anyway ballroom frame
(well... yeah) and then step forward (for the sake of this post) left foot step and then to the same
distance but with separated legs with the right foot then bring the
left foot together with the right before stepping on on the right
foot taking the same steps. The same can also be done backwards or
just effectively around in a little box by alternating forwards and
backwards. Turning involves pivoting as you make that step (you plan
a pivot on the first step by turning it). To pivot you effectively
need to step back with the first foot (as you can't use the same
foot twice). Why am I describe this; there are probably about a
million resources for waltzing out there and they'd do a better
job than me.

Anyway great fun; which I could practice it more :(.

Smooth and Sassy Jive

Not sure how smooth and sassy this class really was but it did have
some good moves that I'm still using and are good for surprising
people at my usual venue.

• First Move Penguin Walk. Start a first move
  go into a high frame (like in Frank's class). Then guide with
  left to get your partner facing you standing close and put your
  left hand down to your waist. Take small steps around quickly
  changing your and your partner's weight and you can get to a
  very quick spin which can be great fun. I did get it wrong
  at least a few times afterwards though.


• Almost Pretzel Manhattan. Offer as a Pretzel
  but snatch away while turning moving your arm into a half
  nelson behind you and turning 180° clockwise and placing
  your right hand on your partner's shoulder with
  right foot forward. You then do a
  mambo step (though you are offset from your partner) then step
  forward pulling left arm behind much like the end of a Zipper
  and spin your partner turning to face yourself.


• Dip Return Move. Return your partner. As you do so place your
  right hand on her left shoulder when her back is turned and keep
  turning her so she has her back turned away again with your right
  arm stretching across her. Transfer her right arm to above yours.
  From the left. Run your left arm down her arm taking her left
  in yours (at waist level). Hopefully she has tension in that
  arm as it acts as an additional support. Use right leg as a support
  (like parking a bike they said) then lean her backwards before
  correcting and exiting out right-to-right.


• Use a long dragging kick (I know there is a name for this; I've forgotten it though)
  to turn away from your partner then pull her into your right into
  a sway position using the long kick again you turn both of you around
  then go into a standard Sway exiting as normal.


• Move past the woman on the left drawing your arm out to the right
  so you are standing behind her. You keep a strong tension allowing
  her to move past fully and go into the same sort of long kick
  turn that you did (except she does it for two beats). Return comb.


• Bring left hand high walk behind your partner (in the left) then
  step right then move back to face her spinning her twice then
  do a stylish push off (so removing hold entirely).

Dips, Drops and Seducers

I was going to give this class a miss, given the fact it was marked as Intermediate/Advanced,
but I found a willing fixed
victimpartner to do it with me so I went to the
class. I'm glad I did it was a really great class and my partner was
excellent; I couldn't have asked for a more fab girl to do the class
with. Anyway big bunch of moves:

• Move right hand to woman's left shoulder; push away then move
  right arm in a big circle (just to indicate the move) moving in
  to the left of her (not quite hip to hip though). Let go
  with the left as she places her left hand on to the right of yours on
  her left shoulder locking your arm in. You then turn her to face your
  right side (still very much to the right at a 90° angle). You place your left hand
  on her upper back for additional support and keep your left leg facing
  away. She raises her left hand in a stylish pose (that helps keep your hands locked in).
  You then lunge to the left drawing her into a drop that gets
  quite close to the ground before bringing her back up and using
  the right-to-right on her left shoulder to turn her around and
  return (or whatever).


• Left arm. Offer right in a strong downwards sort of poise (facing
  your hand to the floor). Loop in your right under her right. She should
  (if she knows the move) wrap her right hand around your right shoulder.
  If she doesn't best to abort at this stage. Anyway while that's going
  on you take your right arm up her back from the around the lower part of her back
  and your hand (with palm pointing away from her) to her upper back
  moving just slightly past her. If you like (and I really do) you can
  place your left hand on her left shoulder. Again you are lunging
  away bringing her low. Bring her back up sliding right out and taking
  her right in your right arm.


• Start with right. Return changing right hand into a ballroom and
  then moving to a comb. Move really close in and place right (?) leg
  between the woman's as she does the same with you. You then begin
  to sit down on each other's leg (sort of a squatting position) supporting
  her back with your left.
  Then when you are securely in that position you can take your right
  hand from behind your head leaning back to counter balance your
  partner doing the same. Then you begin to stand taking your hand
  behind her head into a lady comb. When you get back up you move
  into a the latter part of a neck break and continue from there.


• Right hand start. Offer left at waist level on right as you switch
  to a ballroom grip at the same time. Turn her out to the right
  extending right hand out. Make sure she is at least on your right
  hand side possibly more locking herself in with the left hand hold (if she is too far
  to the left she will be far enough back to possibly hit the ground).
  Move into a firm stance with your left leg slightly forward. Lower
  her backwards by lifting your arms taking her into a full ballroom
  drop against using your left leg to help control her descent. Lift
  her back up and you are in the Accordion.


• Sway start. Step left foot in front and lean woman slightly forward
  (so she is leaning towards the floor in front of you). Take the hands
  high turning her to face the ceiling and then take her into a ballroom
  drop using a claw grip. We didn't feel comfortable with this move
  so I didn't really do it. I'll see if I can find a partner to
  try it with at some stage so I can get the description nailed.

Please note if you haven't done these and you are thinking about
trying it based on the descriptions above... you're mad.

Anyway my partner was lovely even when I subjected her to gentle
persuasion :D.

A Little Late Nite Swing

I didn't know what to expect of this class at the beginning. It
was sort of a set routine to a song. It was interesting doing it
it was also interesting to see being used to taking instruction
to try and lead a move was paying off as the women (who don't normally
need to learn how to perform all the bits of a move) were struggling a little
more than the guys because they didn't get a lead. Anyway it was to,
unsurprisingly, A Little Late Nite Swing. I thought that the moves
wouldn't be very useful in freestyle but I recently learnt one of the
moves at a Ceroc class so that just goes to show. We did a little
jump aerial which was quite stylish. Some good things to keep in mind
but I shan't try and recall it.

The Last Evening

Well so the end of Southport was nearly on us. I ate, went home and cleaned
up a bit and then headed back for a night of dancing. I started in the
main room mostly before moving on to the blues room at the end of
the evening. I had some of my best dances that evening. With my
confidence higher than on Saturday and being a lot more prepared
to ask people I hadn't met before to dance I had a wonderful time.
I taught a woman some dips and drops during the evening
(she had been dancing a year
and was keen on learning them but wasn't particularly confident
about going to the class). Again I was amazed just how many good
dancers were there and I saw some stunning dancing. At one stage I
was being blown away by Marc and Rachel doing their thing and then
Rachel asked me to dance (I wouldn't refuse an opportunity to dance
with such an experienced dancer but I was thinking "did you see how
you were dancing a minute ago"). Anyway I managed to be a few women's last
dance (well there last dance ;) ) and just had a fab time dancing
with so many fab people. I'll finish how I started and say that
the people I met were so friendly even when sleep deprivation should
really make them cranky. I left at 7am for a couple of hours sleep
before the journey back. It's amazing how a long weekend can just
fly by.

I have to really thank all the women I danced with for making the
weekend so wonderful for me.

Tags: Ceroc