That's What I'm Talking About

Despite a few of my favourite dancers not being there tonight and me feeling a little ill I had such a good night tonight. Most of my dances were just fab (maybe they weren't for my partner but they certainly were for me). I only had a couple of dances that I didn't enjoy and only a handful that I thought were a bit average. Lots of great tunes as well and I really liked the set the DJ picked (except the last song being Now That I Can Dance; arrrrgh!). I am certainly hoping to be able to repeat nights like this.

The moves were nice as well and I certainly hope I can fit them into my routine. We ran out of time in the class and in the end dropped a bit off the third move. As I think I had it and went over it at the end of the class then I'll give the complete move.

• Catapult First Move Thing. Start a One Handed Catapult; as the woman is behind you under tension (without the left hand) turn anti-clockwise to face switching from right to left and pulling her straight in for the start of a First Move. Push her into the outward then turn her anti-clockwise while pivoting to face her.


• Wurlitzer Barrier Accordion. Wurltzer; as you push the woman out to the side swap from right to left hand and draw her past your right side so she makes a Barrier. Turn her out of the barrier and go into an Accordion then do a two handed return.


• Secret Move Double Twist Into Walk Thing With Stuff. Start a Secret Move but take your right hand to a higher Yo-Yo position. Effectively Hatchback out of it keeping hold with your left. Raise your left hand as you turn to face rotating her anti-clockwise for two turns. As you turn her for a third time take her other hand with your right at waist level. As you turn her take the right hand high. As she comes to face again take the left low and let it flow around her so she ends up with her left across her abdomen and you have your left hand at her right waist and your right extended out (a bit like a swizzle out) at her right side with her back turned to you. You then quickly unwrap her clockwise and as she comes to face take the left high and the right low to repeat the action in mirror. Then as you turn her anti-clockwise to unwrap keep the right low so you put her into a half nelson as you continue to turn her then put your right on her shoulder as support and take her into a dip (with her facing your right at an angle; I've done this loads before). Unwrap and put her into a Lady Spin catching right.

Tags: Ceroc

Edinburgh Party Number 5

So my 5^th party arrived and gone. We arrived early in the evening and I started dancing pretty much straight away. I didn't take that many breaks and I was pretty exhausted at the end only having the occasional burst of energy (for my favorite songs) and probably generally not dancing as well as I should. There were a quite a few good tracks but they seem to have been spilt apart by a few fairly dull tracks as well so I found the music average really. I like tracks that I can mess around on more I guess. It was a good night; I enjoyed meeting all the people from other cities as well as seeing the regulars at the party night (maybe it’s because they are more dressed up; an effort I could do with making as well).

At the end of the night I was invited out to a post-party party as well but I was exhausted so turned it down and headed home. Still I hope that I'm invited to any future parties :).

I should note that I backdate any posts to just after the event; I didn't actually write this at the timestamp given :D).

Tags: Ceroc

Dancing in Aberdeen

Well a quick trip to Aberdeen meant I decided to go dancing up there on Thursday. Given Thursday is the big night in Edinburgh it was interesting to see that it was the quiet night in Aberdeen (I don't think the icey roads helped attendance though). There was an interesting latin and hip-hop style of music as a whole which made a good and interesting change. Most of the songs I hadn't heard before so it was all new stuff to dance to. I did have a good fun dance when on of my favourate tracks Smooth by Santana (featuring that guy from Matchbox 20) came on. Had lots of nice dances with a woman I've met a few times before and some nice dancing with lots of lovely women I've never met before.

• Almost Pretzel. Start a Pretzel, snatch away the right hand, turn to face then pull her back across into a lady spin.


• Accordian Swizzle Sitdown. From a left high stage of the Accordian go into a Swizzle where you are behind the woman (it takes one and a half rotations to do this) then as you take her hand out pivot to your left as she does the same and sit her on your left knee. Extend and exit out of the Swizzle keeping a double handed stage for the return.


• Secret Move Block. Start a Secret Move, after the woman is out on your right then pivot to face as you raise right high and left low and lock when the woman so her back is turned. Pull on left while slightly moving right to turn the woman quickly back into an accordian.


• Sway into Swizzle Top. Start a Sway (I did a Accordian into Sway I found it worked better). Let go with left as you step back. As you move forward in the Sway take your left to a Swizzle Top position and spin her out catching left.

While waiting around for a while in a pub in Aberdeen afterwards a house song came on with the lyrics The Southport Weekender presumably they were refering to another Southport Weekender. In fact, that site has the song as the background music :D (though the one I heard was a different mix).

Tags: Ceroc

Slow Night

Tonight took me quite a while to get into. The music was such a strange mix including a few tracks that are my current favourites to a few tracks that I really didn't enjoy (I still fricken hate Tina Arena's Now I Can Dance; I hate it). Anyway had some real gems of dances that made the evening worth it.

• First Move Barrier into Sway. First Move take hand to hip when exiting and lead into a Barrier block. Turn the woman one and a half times and then take her hand down into a flick spin to spin her another half time moving into a Sway. Take her left hand up turning her under it and turning with her so you continue facing the same direction. Move into a double handed (sort of Accordion) move before double handed returning from that.


• Secret Walk Spin. Start a Secret Walk by taking hands across your abdomen. Pull the woman out but then turn and face and take the woman's hands out to the right and lady spin with them.


• Wurltzer Flick Spin into Backwards Lean to Seducer into Tandem Mambo Walk with Lady Spin. Lets break that down. Wurltzer with you going out as well. Wrap the woman in so she is on your right, hip-to-hip, with her facing the other way from you. Take her right in your left at your left shoulder in a ballroom grip and secure her with your right hand at her hip (I actually wrapped it around to her back as will become clear in a second). Lean to the left then pivot her in front of you into a seducer with left high. As you exit out turn her anticlockwise under the left hand so her back is facing after one and a half turns. Take her left in your right at her waist and your left hand down so she is in a basket like position in front. Mambo step for four beats. Begin to exit as you would a Basket take the left low but raise the right and wrap into her right side then take her in front of you and turn her one and a half time into a lady spin. What a move :D.

Tags: Ceroc

Get Your Kicks at Route 66

Mmmmmm. Went out to Route 66 and had a fantastic time. Had some really lovely dances and though I found the music challenging I enjoyed the new stuff as a whole and dancing to the different styles. I had a lot of lovely complements including a fantastic one from a little monkey :D. I didn't get there till a little later but went on the dance floor soon afterwards. I did dance with a lot of people I knew and not that many people that I didn't know. There were a few people there who had never done any partner dancing before and I tried to lead one of them to limited success. I hope they did get some more dances in but a couple of them I think were using the time to drink so I'm not sure how well they'd dance :O. Wish I had taken my camera along but I didn't; oh well.

Tags: Ceroc

Yeay! Guess Who's Back?

After a few not great nights I really enjoyed tonight. There were so many people I wanted to dance with but never got a chance but then I also got dances with my most of the people who I love dancing with. I also had someone say that I'm one of her top dancers (though she probably says that to all the boys) and compliments go a long way to helping you feel good about a night (and I had a few other compliments too :D). Felt my musicality was much better and things just clicked more. Dance floor was a little busy but you can't have everything.

• Secret Walk Back Thing. Start a Secret Walk; extend the right hand out then take it high so the woman turns her back to you. Take her hand over her head and wrap it in as if she is in a Basket in front of you. Let go with your left and unravel her into a ceroc spin and spin her out.


• Catapult into Something Else. Start a catapult but as you bring the woman into your left side take your left hand over her head so her left hand rests on her left shoulder while you keep your right low. Turn her clockwise as you turn yourself letting go with the right but then taking her right hand again and take your right hand to her right shoulder keeping your left low. Then turn her by raising the right as you both turn and you take your hands so you have a hand at your and her far shoulder. Slide out and travelling spin her.


• Flamenco Walk. Throw your left hand out to your right side while you turn to be back to back with the woman. Take her left hand in your left then wrap her into a Flamenco Walk for a couple of beats before turning the woman out and taking the right hand at waist level to go into an accordion. We did a double handed return into the Secret Walk at this stage.

Tags: Ceroc

Now That I Can Dance?

Well it was another fairly average dance night tonight. I'm not really sure why (I don't even have the sleep excuse anymore). My musicality just seemed a little off and at times it really just felt like I was going through the motions. The floor also seemed very slippy which felt like I was a bit all over the place at times. Strangely the beginners class was maybe one of the most enjoyable points of the evening.

Anyway it could have been a whole new move thing and perhaps on Thursday I'll get more into the groove.

Quick intermediate moves list.

• Basket Lady Comb?. Basket but as you step back keep your left hand high and take it over the woman's head to her neck. Release her hand and bring your hand to her waist where hopefully she'll take it again as she steps forward you can then hold her in this repeating the move as you like or exit the Basket. I tried doing this with other Basket variant exits and found it difficult to move into them but I'll continue trying to combine both.


• Mambo Swizzle Thing. Armjive Swizzle start. As you take the woman's arm out though you move (with left foot) into a Mambo Step for a few counts then you exit the Swizzle and take your right high and left low to lead into a mirror of the first part repeating again. You then repeat back to a Swizzle, hold for a single step and exit as a normal swizzle.


• First Move Barrier Cha Cha Thing. I didn't like the Cha Cha footwork when I was down at Southport and I found it difficult tonight as well. Start a First Move but return with the left arm low then take the woman out in front and form a barrier. Spin her around from that (one and three quarter times) straight into a Cha Cha out-step (so left hand out to the right side with left foot forward). Step into face and take her other hand for a Cha-Cha-Cha then repeat with right hand to left. Do the step in again then left out to right but both of you spin and face and go straight into a two handed Cha-Cha-Cha before taking the right hand left but take the left hand high so she turns underneath it and return.

Tags: Ceroc

Intermediate Workshop I

They were men short in the intermediate workshop so I went along to balance numbers :D.

• Open Handed First Move. First Move. Fling out and wrap right hand to lady's right hip. Lead forward then draw the woman in and wrap your left hand around pulling her out into the reverse position stepping again. Repeat the draw in and then move into a push spin exit.


• Single Handed Catapult. Just like in the charity ball.


• Slow Halleluya. Take the crossed hands and raise them over the head into a comb. Take your hands and slide them to her elbows or hips while wiggling.

• Man Wrap. Start like a Catapult and but as you push out turn anticlockwise and move into a half nelson. Wrap the woman into your right side and put your left hand on her shoulder or back to move walk around then unwrap using the half nelson then move her into a lady spin position and spin her.


• Hatchback


• Train. Turn into a Shoulder Drop position but walk forward instead. Then take your right hand out to the side (and back) turn to face the woman and turn her back to you and stop her with your left hand and walk her forward. Unwrap her with right and return.

• Swizzlestick


• Teapot


• Backhander. Left hand. Move slightly past the woman on the right and wrap her hand into a half nelson and take with the right. Move past her as you unwrap low and then take your hand high so she turns two and a half times. Return.


• Catapult Bounce. Catapult but in the middle stick in a move where you draw the woman directly in behind you and bounce her back.

• Secret Walkabout Swizzle. A secret walkabout (the move where you cross your arms on your chest and then expand out; bring around swapping sides). Finish on right extended moving out into a sort of Yo-Yo and then moving into a Swizzle.


• Accordion


• Double Handed Sway. Start the left hand high and put the woman into a sway from both hands.

• Catapult Walk. Catapult not offering left hand. Take her to left and wrap left hand around her (she should hopefully take it). Walk forward then turn taking both hands behind your back (so your back to back with your partner. You adopt a mirror of the position you were in and do the walk again. End by pushing her out and swapping from right to left return to a double handed hold.


• Walkaround. Walk her to your left hand side taking your left hand high and your right hand to your left waist. Walk her around behind you letting go with right and when she comes around to right turn her in front of you and move to a lady spin then spin and catch right.


• Lasso Sway. Start a return and turn her more to turn move her straight into a sway.

Tags: Ceroc

Charity Ball

I went to a charity ball event tonight. Apart from failing to get dressed up (which probably comes as no surprise to people who have been to party nights with me). Tiredness is still effecting my dancing (will sleep soon) though I did have quite a few good dances and the set was good. However I was asked to join a team at Blackpool this evening (which I can't make) but it still made my night :D.

Class consisted of some likable moves.

• Basket Pull Through. Start Basket step back then move the lady forward directly in front of you under tension before flinging her back and turning to face her catching left to right. Travel return her.


• First Move Block. Start a first move but move into a side position (like a strong frame) and as you bring the woman forward block with the knee (though really you are stopping with your arms). Then move her back slightly before exiting the first move as normal. Return.


• Left Hand Catapult Dip. Do a left handed catapult but turn to follow woman as you pull her under and pass from left to right hand extending the right hand out for a spin. Spin her and move in for a seducer of the spin. Spin her out and catch right.


• One Handed Catapult Into Flick Spin . Right handed catapult but don't take with left hand. Rather just use the right and take that over your head as you move back. At the woman comes forward turn her and then flick spin catching left.

Tags: Ceroc

Dancing Leads To More Dancing

It was a good night again tonight; however I'm still a little tired and that is still effecting my dancing. I shall try and catch up on some sleep. I also found some of the tracks a little too consistent with previous weeks; I prefer a mix of new and known stuff.

I also found out that someone I dance with is a physiotherapist and I asked her about my knee (at the end of the evening rather than just interrupt her dancing). She kindly went over it with me. It's apparently some patellofemoral thing (there's an article called (Partellofemoral Pain Syndrome if you are interested) caused by an imbalance in my quadriceps and calves (my calves are over developed and my quadriceps are like lard or something). She gave me some static exercises to work with to try and develop the quadriceps muscles to remove the imbalance. They basically involve trying to put the knee down while keeping the foot tense (though I'm going to try and do some more reading on this online to get it right). She's really fab anyway but especially so for taking the time to talk shop with me :D.

I was also invited to help in the Intermediate Workshop on Sunday. It's an early start but I look forward to help in the class and I'm delighted to be asked.

Quick move list.

• Didn't get the name last time either but we did this move here as well (the last move on the list). The first part of it basically a Yo-Yo while holding the other hand. In this variant we wrapped straight in for a basket at the end and then unwrapped her out and returned as normal.


• Start like a Basket but as you step back place your left hand on her right shoulder (with your arm in front of her) and draw her forward and into a spin with that before stepping slightly behind her and placing your right hand on her left shoulder and spinning her out catching right.


• Start a Wurlitzer stepping out yourself as well. Wrap the woman into your arm at shoulder height and then let go as she is being brought in still bringing your arm around her neck. Wrap her until she is turned to face your right hand side and place your right hand on the top of her back (you can also place the left high on the back as well). She takes your arm in her hand or hands as support (her call) and you dip her back possibly using your knee as a break (depending on how low you want to go). Correct and then lead her into a Neck Break style unwind.

Tags: Ceroc

New Day; New Dance Blog

This is my new dance related blog. I decided to move it from LiveJournal to here because blogger gives a better access to the look and feel of the page and generally more control. I will start making new posts here and will backdate my old posts here as well (there are a couple that need to be written up still anyway). In the meantime you can still access my Ceroc and Salsa posts though I might well start to delete the ones that don't have comments. I'm going to stick with putting longer posts and, more likely, the move lists under a cut. People who access the feed should see the complete post and the full article will (obviously) have the full post.

Dancing!

Tonight's dancing was a bit average. I had a lot of good dances (not great but good) but my moves and energy seemed a little lacking. Still I've been here before so I'm sure it'll pick up again. The numbers were balanced (men a little over at times in the beginner's class) which was great I prefer that to a thousand extra women. Even then there were a lot of women that I would have loved to dance with that I never got the chance to.

Someone also said that a bunch of the women said they really enjoyed dancing with me. Yeay!

• First Move Tango Walk. Start a First Move but upon pushing out pivot to face and adopt a strong frame and a butterfly grip. Put the woman's weight on her right foot and then pivot her anti-clockwise so she cross-steps backwards with left behind right. Then redistribute her weight to her left foot and backwards cross step right then left again before kick-sweeping right around and moving back into your frame and then turning the woman out. Take both hands on a return.


• Basket Push Around. Start a Basket. As you step back take your left hand down (but let go) and place your right hand on her right shoulder. Bring her in towards you and swap the right hand with the left (so you can continue the motion). As her back comes around place your right on her left shoulder as you turn slightly to continue facing the same direction as her yourself. Then push with right to guide her into a half turn to face. Catch right. Return.


• Sway Comb Lean. Start a sway not taking the woman's left hand (doesn't really matter though). Exit by turning her then return and pivot side on from her. Lean as she moves into a controlled lunge (without any support by you). Exit by sliding your left hand to her right.

Tags: Ceroc

Dancing On A Thursday

Tonight was really good; I had some fab dances and one that just really connected and worked. It had been a while since I had danced with the woman and she got all cheery and said how much I had improved and how much she enjoyed the dance. I shall definitely ask her to dance more in the future.

I feel that Thursday night's playlist could do with a bit of a change though; maybe just a slightly wider pool of tracks would help. I mean, I like dancing to familiar tracks, but the introduction of tracks I haven't heard presents a challenge and keeps the music fresh. Salsa often drives me mad due to the similarity of the tracks; I'd hate to think that Ceroc would end up doing the same.

• Wurlitzer Back High Hand Thing Into Basket. Wurlitzer start then pull the woman under your right hand (apart from it being right to left it's just like a Catapult) and offer your left hand high on your right shoulder. Bring her in and she takes that hand turning anticlockwise (both of you) to move her straight into a Basket. In the lesson we directly moved out of the basket rather than remained in it and returned.


• Under Arm Thing. Move in a bit like a First Move but keep the left hand low. Put your partner's right hand behind her back in a half nelson and take it with your right. Unravel her and as she comes around move underneath your hands then take the hand out for a Lady Spin. Spin her and catch right.


• Man Spin Butt Wiggle. Start a Man Spin but get the woman to walk around you (while still keeping hold of the hand) and wiggle while she does so. As she comes around again take her other hand and let go with the left then bring her back to back and spin her catching left to right I assume.

Tags: Ceroc

What's With The Techno?

I think the DJ was being a bit experimental with a couple of tracks. Including a very strange techno one. This was another post that I delayed for nearly a month and therefore I can't remember that much about the evening. Anyway I jotted down some notes on the moves.

• First Move Travel Return Walk First move out the back to shoulder. Travel return for two twirls. As you twirl her travel right of her so you can take her hip as she is turning to face then take her out to your side, back to shoulder and repeat the move. Exit with a regular first move exit.


• Wurlitzer Thing. My other notes for this were useless so I think it is: Wurltzer start take her behind you using your right hand. Extend it out so you are back to back then lady spin her with that hand. I could just be making this up though.


• Accordion. When your right hand is low you pull her forward letting go with the hand (keeping hold with the left hand though). Take your right hand to her back (with your hand on her upper back but with the rest of your arm as support). Take her into a brief lean before stepping back into an accordion.

Tags: Ceroc