Saturday, November 29, 2008

Lesson this Week... Everything I Like To Do


Oh my goodness, first, I hope all my US readers had a very nice Thanksgiving! I can't believe the holiday season is upon us already!!

My holiday was good, but I was really looking forward to my lesson this week... I hadn't danced with either instructor last week and by the time my lesson had been rescheduled with Largo I was DYING for dancing! I had warned him earlier in the week that I wanted to DANCE during my lesson... I did NOT want a lesson full of technique. I don't get to just DANCE that often with my instructors, and it's one of my favorite things in this life to do... so after a few technique and theory filled lessons... I start demanding it.

I gotta say... Largo is really good to me... he remembered about my wanting to dance... we opened with some really fun Hustle... then worked on Rumba...where we did work on a few things...but it was mostly within the dancing, and that's my preferred way to learn anyway. Once we were relatively pleased with my Rumba and had the discussion about why I don't always have my feet turned out... (for me there is NOTHING natural about having my feet turned out) we moved on.

East Coast Swing... we worked on tweaking a few steps... we were doing a lot of single spins... which I love...and I think I'm pretty close to trying an independent double... There is one spin at the end of what is commonly referred to as the "back to back" step...that I usually just let rip with no control and it usually means that I kind of stumble my way through the last triple step at the end... Largo kept laughing at me, and telling me how to improve it. Then I ignored what he told me and just really whipped around... I bobbled and Largo got a scared look on his face as he reached out to stop me.
"Don't worry, I do that all the time, I never fall." I say with a huge smile on my face.

"Don't say you never fall, never say that." Largo responds

"Ok I gotcha...then I haven't fallen YET." He's being serious...but I'm still smiling over his trying to catch me.

"Ok...that's better." He states.

So then I decide to focus a little more and tell him "I can do it... I'm not taking control of that spin...lets do it again."

So we did... and I controlled the spin... and what do you know, I completed the step with out nearly falling!

"Ahh...good!!" Largo exclaims.

"Yeah, well I told you I could do it." I was just letting the spin rip before....because I like to do that... but I do have the ability to control it.

Largo just laughs... which I enjoy, it's pretty easy to make him laugh... Largo is a hard core competitor... he doesn't like it when dancing isn't at it's best... but then he's got me as a student... so I hope I'm reminding him of the lighter side of dancing...

Then we started doing Salsa... I was surprised... it's pretty rare that Largo leads me into Salsa during a lesson... which is too bad... because I really enjoy his Salsa. So we were having fun with a little Salsa...nothing too fancy... he walked me through this move where I have to duck under his arm then get spun one way followed immediately by spinning the other way. Hmmm... well I'm not a fan of the ducking under the arm thing...but I do like the spinning... and changing direction that fast is something I definitely need to work on!

We then went to the music machine and he asked me what I wanted to work on... we only had a few minutes left in the lesson...

"Well... lets see...to make it a perfect lesson... let's work on Cha Cha." I tell him.

"It's not a perfect lesson." Largo responds...

"No no...I'm not talking about my actual dancing! Silly, but we worked on all my other favorites... Cha Cha would make it perfect."

So he puts a Cha Cha on... and my following wasn't as good as it could have been but we went over some older steps.. and polished a few of the newer ones. I thought I got that spin at the end of a step we're constantly working on... then I was told it was "actually a little slow" Ack... so we did it again... and I am getting better at going straight back rather than landing that spin in a 5th position. So I was pleased.

We ended the lesson with a big hug and some laughing about my getting ready for the party later that night... Largo had me working so hard I had to wash my hair again! (the first place I show signs of sweating is under my hair)

That lesson was my perfect balance of learning/practicing and dancing!

2 comments:

Michele Rasmussen said...

Hi Kitty, I LOVE your blog and I, like you LOVE to dance! Although, I am a bit jealous you found your passion in your twenties, and I didn't start dancing until I was 48!!

I dance 4-5 nights a week and can't get enough. My favorite dances this wee are the Country Two Step and the Cha Cha.
You might enjoy some of the stories on my blog, check it out if you would like, I would love to continue to share in your successes!

Happy Dancing,
Michele
My blog is www.ras-this.com

Unknown said...

Thanks Michelle... I'll be sure to stop by your blog!