RT's Group Class - Beginner Social Latin

A lot of you maybe know, and if you don't you should! RT teaches a group class on Monday nights at 8pm. It's a Latin class, but not really Ballroom/Rhythm Latin it's more of what you will find when you go out to a Latin club or a more social style Latin party. If you have taken Ballroom/Latin classes then go out to the Latin club or other social setting you may have the same shocked look that I did when I first went. Those are not the dances you've been learning! Well, the basic of Salsa and Mambo are similar enough that you can probably hold your own on the floor, but there are a few more Latin dances that most competitive style or formal style lessons won't teach you. That's what RT's class is for. I would be completely lost on a lot of what I see and do out socially if I hadn't learned from his class.

First you get to brush up on your Salsa, which most of the students at the studio I dance at don't work on... they work on Mambo... similar... but if you're like me...one small change can ruin the whole thing... this is good old On1 Salsa...you get to learn Shines, those playful little steps that happen when partners break frame during a Salsa. Which is great, I actually got to use one the other day and they make GREAT at home practice!

RT also covers Bachata which is gaining in popularity at a rapid pace here in Chicago, nearly any social Latin event you go to has a beginner class at the start, lately they're ALWAYS Bachata classes... RT's class is the opportunity to work on it in a much smaller, much more friendly environment. One or two of RT's classes and you can show the classes at the social events a thing or two about Bachata. Not to mention that a nice social Bachata is FUN!!! It's a lot more playful than even a Cha Cha, and if you get really good...watch out! You move your hips, get to spin, all the things everyone is always worried about doing well in public you can get the BEST foundation in this class!

Lastly, the dance I'm probably the most proud to have in my social Latin repertoire is Cumbia. RT doesn't cover it in every class, but if you request it he may be able to make the time. Cumbia is a Columbian dance, and is very similar to Salsa in attitude and has a similar up tempo. The basic (I describe as back-cross-side-tap... repeat) can be done as part of Salsa, but to make it official Cumbia you add a bounce on the 2 and the 4 beat. Which combined with the Cumbia music makes me think of a chicken bopping around the pen. That's just me though... you may listen to the music and think I'm crazy, in which case you'd be in good company.

Compared to the other two dances RT covers Cumbia takes a while to learn, it took me THREE full classes before I could even remember the basic (back-cross-side-tap....repeat) and a lot of practicing in my cube at work... now I can't get it out of my head... I really like it- bouncing and all! What I like the most is that it's like that one trick card you always want to have up your sleeve, because it's rare to find someone that can do it. I'm all about knowing something rare or unusual. I love it when I'm out and a Cumbia song comes on. The floor will likely clear out, or some couple will attempt a Salsa, very few actually know the Cumbia step, even fewer as exacting and attractive as RT teaches it. This is the ONE time I'll actually step on to the floor (albeit close to the edge) and start dancing Cumbia all by myself, or if my dance friends know it too so they'll join me. Sometimes I can remember some of the other steps that go with it there is one that scoots, and the turn is preceded and followed by 5th positions... I'll attempt those too...but really I'm all about the basic right now.

I began attending RT's group class when he started it maybe a year ago... then it got to the point where I pretty much knew everything he was teaching so I took a break. It is a beginner social Latin class after all so there is a point at which it all gets very repetitive, but I will pop in every now and again to keep my social skills in tune. If I'm having a bad day or coming off a rough weekend I'll use it as a great way to get in a good mood. I also love to see new people in there discovering dances they didn't know existed!

So, if you're looking to start picking up on some Social Latin, the kind of thing you'll see when you go to the Latin Clubs then jump into RT's Latin class... it will give you the foundation you need to really feel comfortable about your skills. The class is not cycled in eight week sections or anything, anyone can come at any time and it costs the same as a party. Definately dress comfortably and be prepared to get a bit of a work out in, the fun kind!

If I'm around and you're feeling stuck don't hesitate to ask me about the steps after class. RT can always help you too, but he unfortunately only has a minute before his next lesson, where as I am never usually in a rush and can always practice!

Lesson: Salsa, Rumba, Bolero and Samba

My last lesson was a real mix of what I know and am comfortable with and what is new and pretty much foreign to me. RT and I opened with Salsa and I immediately received the comment (or was it a compliment?) "Wow, you feel much lighter today!" I'm not quite sure how to take that really, but we'll go with it being a good thing. I think it means I was lighter on my feet than the last lesson, which is really good. I CAN be lighter on my feet, but by nature I'm really not. So I was pleased with that comment. We also did some lesser known elements, more social Latin like the Cumbia step (one of my favorites) and some little things you can do in Salsa, but don't generally see on the competition floor. Which I LOVE, mainly because I have become by definition a social dancer. After a nice warm up it was time to move on.

Rumba it was... it simply wouldn't be a lesson if we didn't do any Rumba at all...which is why I was perplexed when RT said "Wow, it doesn't feel like we've done Rumba in forever." My reply? "Yep it's been at least a week!"
"No, we haven't actually danced Rumba in a while." he states. Which come to think of it he's right, we kind of cruised over it the last few lessons because we needed to slow down, or just wanted to get my spiral right. RT also introduced me to a new lead where I turn 90 degrees after my second quick step and kind of side step into my slow. At least I think that's the timing of it...Anyway it was new to me and took some getting used to. THAT will look pretty cool once I get it. We worked on that, and the rest of my Rumba... it doesn't take me long to loose that fragile grasp I have on the Cuban motion if we don't work on it regularly, so I was glad for that. Cuban motion is vital to all things in Latin dances. I even did a very respectable spiral step at one point which I was very excited about!

The lesson continued as teacher's choice... I didn't really have any requests this week... so we worked on Bolero. What I affectionately call the Waltz of Rhythm dances... It totally is!! It's slower than Rumba, and has a LOT of knee work for rise and fall, it also has a lot of corresponding big arm movements that just makes it incredibly graceful. So you know I feel like a bull in a china shop when I'm doing it. I have a lot of trouble staying lowered on my knees... I've spent a good portion of my life doing things in such a way that keeps my knees from hurting because they've been bad most of my life. I'm happy to say that my knees are stronger then they have ever been, but the habits of protecting them, like popping up right after I've lowered myself to prevent the pain I anticipate really ruins what could be my Bolero. Also, because I am so new at this dance, I'm still working out what my feet are supposed to be doing so I don't use my arms...at all...
Another instructor saw us and said "Ok, Kat your arms are supposed to do this." which he followed by doing a big sweeping motion above his head. I just looked at him with a yeah right face.
RT responded for me and said "We're just working on the feet right now, and we work our way up."
The other teacher found that very amusing, I guess most people learn more elements at one time... me... I have to work on one, then add another, then blend them together. I never could do anything the conventional way.

RT even asked me if my knees were hurting, because he kept having to remind me to stay lowered, I told him they didn't hurt, but I was anticipating that they were going to, so I kept popping up. After a few more cycles reminding me I think it got a little better, but we did decide to rest Bolero for the remainder of the lesson. Back at the music machine, RT asked me the dreaded question... the one I fear during every lesson...

"Ok, how about Samba?"

Oh no! I think... every time he asks me about Samba I do a quick mental check of how many times I've turned him down in the past, (it's not nice to turn anyone down for a dance, it's terrible manners) and I do a really fast "systems check" mentally to see if my legs are up for it. After determining that I've turned him down too many times in a row, reminding myself that I really do want to learn this dance, and my legs reporting back that they are up for the challenge, I say "Sure, I feel like making a fool of myself today... let's do Samba." (I don't know why I said that exactly... anytime I get put in an even slightly uncomfortable position I have an open-mouth-insert-foot moment.)

Away on the dance floor we go and RT makes a very uncharacteristic statement "Ok, we're just going to work on the steps." Which I never believe, he's technical by nature so he naturally just has corrections for me even if we're just working on where my feet will be placed, not how they will be placed. It actually didn't go so badly... I don't think... I seemed to be getting parts of it really well... other parts, like the Samba walks were not going well at all. I also think I was hanging on him too much, I felt like I was hanging on him too much, which likely means I was... and I HATE doing that to any lead. He didn't say anything though, so I tried to correct myself where I could, and hung on for dear life where I couldn't. We worked on Samba for a while... and my legs held on like real troupers... I was very pleased with them. It seems my legs are getting exponentially stronger lately, my knees are still the weakest element within my legs, but they are catching up! Towards the end my calves were a little weary, but that's to be expected.

There also were a lot of people in the waiting area watching the floor, I think they may have been watching my failed attempts at the Samba walks... I think that because RT changes ever so slightly when someone is watching. I made an effort to not pay attention to onlookers because I change drastically if I know I'm being watched, and I didn't want to ruin whatever momentum I had going. We ended our Samba round with a brief review of how I can practice at home and really nail the finer points of the counts.

Then, I think because there were on lookers... I don't know for sure...just a guess... we went back to Salsa, which is now officially my strongest dance. I asked about a particular step I had learned from an instructor outside this studio and turns out RT knew it... so we worked on that, and just some fun Salsa stuff too. More Cumbia step, some turns, he probably threw a Coca-Cola in there as well, that's one I've almost got. What I like most about Salsa is that I'm at the point where I can follow and I'm not really thinking about the step...I'm just following the lead. Now, because I dance the VAST majority of the time with RT it's very easy for me to read what he's leading... which is just plain fun. I can even recover from a surprise lead faster than with a guy I'm less familiar with. We ended on a very high dance note and parted ways with my promising to work on my Samba.

Last Week's Lesson.. A Little Showing Off

Sorry for the delay gang, unfortunately life has been busy with non-dance related events. Which keeps me from updating you all as much as I'd like….I hope this post finds you all well… Lets get straight to business.

Last week's lesson was a blast! I had a guest come in and my lesson was right after hers, she really enjoyed dancing with TNG, and wanted to stay and see me dance… RT and I were only too happy to oblige! We started with a Cha Cha…one heck of a fast one too, then we slid right into a West Coast Swing, and then East Coast, back to West Coast, and another Cha Cha! Then we checked in with my guest… by this time my face must have been beat red as RT and I have not whipped around the floor that much in a LONG time! Then RT mentioned Salsa, so we placed ourselves where my guest had a prime view and I said "Ok, if we go out dancing, this is the kind of thing you'll see."

Off we went, it was so funny, I was trying much harder to actually dance like I do when I'm out socially, as opposed to making comments and laughing my way through it as my lessons normally go… every time I looked at RT when I was supposed to, per instructions he's always given me, he was either clearly thinking about what he wanted to lead me into next, or checking to make sure my guest was watching. It was the first time in a long time that I actually felt like we were dancing. That's a feeling a girl can get addicted to! At the end of that Salsa I was really tired…and I think only 15 minutes had passed, but my workouts at home are much lower impact than actually dancing… so RT asked me what I wanted to do next and I told him we should slow it down, I'd even let him pick something smooth!

Teacher's choice for smooth was Fox Trot… which after doing all that Rhythm made me feel like a fish out of water, but we managed to get something that resembled a Fox Trot out. Then I think we did another Cha Cha… and a East Coast that RT changed to West Coast half way through… some songs work out that way… and we slowed down for a Bolero, which I am VERY new at, but if I can muster the patience, would like to learn more of... Then I noticed my guest leaving, so we stopped real quick again so I could thank her for coming and say goodnight. Then it was off to some technique work for the last few minutes.

Technique lately has been all about pivot turns… specifically the Coca-Cola turn. Apparently I wasn't doing it at all… there was a session a bit ago where I spent the entire lesson trying to pivot to my left for a Coca-Cola and every one would end with my saying "Nope, that's not it." – "That's a little better." – "That wasn't it at all, lets do it again." And RT would fill in any gaps with "That was better, really." – "Come on Kat." - "Uh, no you should try that again."- "Yes! That was it!."

Well, we worked on it again... and I had tried to practice a little... but after hitting my head on my refrigerator because I lost control on a spin I've been practicing all of that a lot less aggressively lately. I am pleased that not only did the Coca-Cola feel a lot more solid, but I wasn't popping up either! (I have the habit of popping up to the balls of my feet when I pivot or spin, instead of allowing my knees to absorb the weight shift... I just pop up. Something I've been trying to break)

So it was 35 minutes of dancing and 5 minutes of technique, but actually that 5 minutes was probably the most improvement I've been able to display in one lesson in a long time!

Why Ballroom/Latin is PERFECT for Everyone!

Hi all! Recent discussions in my personal life have brought me to this post. Most of the people in my life have no issue staying in shape, and have had no real issue with working out or maintaining the motivation to stay healthy. I, am not one of these people.

Working out in the conventional sense of keeping my heart rate up to X number of beats per minute for a minimum of 30 minutes is less than thrilling to me. I find it boring, repetitive, sometimes painful, and the LAST thing I really want to do at any given point during the day. So, how is it you may ask that I've managed to do everything I've done over the last 20 months? I've said it before, I've been quoted, and I'm going to say it again... Ballroom/Latin Dancing is the inspiration behind every change I've made.

I know I'll never be one of those dancers you see on America's Ballroom Challenge, but I do so desperately want to be a good dancer! I find that in order to help myself achieve that goal, a healthy lifestyle has to be in place. So therefore I have that daily argument with myself over the icky kind of working out, and I have that internal battle every meal time over what to eat. Thankfully, it's more and more habitual than conscious battle. It wasn't easy to start, it's not going to be easy to continue, but it's a fight worth having every time.

A lot of people have questioned my choice to use dancing as my source of inspiration, and even more have questioned why I insist on singing the praise of my chosen inspiration everywhere I go. So to them, and for anyone else that may need it stated in plain English I'm going to tell you why Ballroom/Latin dance lessons are PERFECT for improving your life, that's right... not just to lose weight and get into shape, but for improving your life top to bottom, inside and out.

Ballroom dancing is ideal for those who have NEVER worked out a day in their lives because these people need to start slowly... Those first lessons when you begin your Rumba, and your Waltz move very slowly, and allow for the beginner to catch their breath and absorb the information. Private lessons are the best because each lesson moves at the student's pace, as the student progresses, the lessons progress and therefore get quicker and move at a faster rate. Simply by moving one is technically "working out," ah...but you're also dancing!

To me, working out is a very private thing... I don't belong to a health club, I don't generally go outside to work out. Many people are this way... dancing is the solution to this because when you go into the studio to dance...you do just that, you DANCE. You learn from your instructors, you get into the music, and you're NOT working out. It's even less of a "work out" in that icky "working out" way because you don't have to wear the oh-so-attractive gym clothes to do it. Simply wear clothes you can move in, and feel confident in... plus since when have dance shoes ever looked like shoes you'd wear to your local gym! In this respect, the most important thing is that no one has to know that you're dancing as part of your work out. It doesn't even have to be a discussion you and your instructors have. You're there to learn how to lead or follow and how to develop your relationship with your partner, the floor, and the music, anything else that ends up happening is icing on the cake.

Lets not forget that it's SOCIAL... oh my goodness if I could tell you about all the wonderful people I've met and had the opportunity to spend time with since I started dancing! People from ALL walks of life take Ballroom/Latin dance lessons. They have become my friends, my support, and my audience. Everything they've done for me I do in return, I am their friend, their support, and their fan. It's such a wonderful community! It's so cool when someone you don't really know asks you to dance, and you can lead them, or follow their lead! It's two people coming together and essentially working as a team for the duration of that dance. Thats one of the MOST social and confidence building things I've ever been a part of. In a world of e-mails, text messages, mp3 players and a host of other advancements that make us islands unto ourselves... Ballroom/Latin dancing brings us together and helps us realize we still need to be face to face connected with the world.

Oh, and the propriety of it all... this has to be the ONE thing that absolutely got me hooked before anything else! In the Ballroom world, the women get to be the ladies, and the men are the gentlemen. I have never felt so pretty or lady like as I did that first time I actually danced with RT. In my normal life I'm a very strong person, strong willed and strong body... generally, and I know it's odd to say, people don't view me as a feminine person. I'm rather genderless in most of my activities... I do things and have skills that most other women don't do, I have that because I have an insatiable need to know pretty much all there is to know about pretty much everything. I never thought of anything as "girls do this" and "boys do that"....I never realized I was missing that traditional role of being a lady...I still get to be everything that is me on the dance floor, only instead of being that strong person... I get to be that strong woman. (and sometimes even graceful!) I can only imagine it must be the same for the men... having the opportunity to take up that role and lead their ladies around the floor, to develop that confidence that they can decide the step, and develop floor craft to protect their follows, it's all very manly really.

My favorite thing to this day is the rule that all ladies must be escorted by their dance partners during a lesson. I loved that the first day when I was introduced to the concept, and love it still when RT makes sure he's with me no matter where we go on the floor.

So, you see... Ballroom/Latin dancing is ideal for improving your health, your confidence, your social graces and it can probably help things you didn't even know you had issues with! I know it did and continues to do all that for me!

I think that pretty much settles it... you don't have a reason not to dance... get out on that floor already!

Practice Party Friday March 07th!!!

Hi All! I know.... I know... not much notice... but if all of you that talk to me about starting dancing would get your butt into the studio already you'd be telling ME that there is a Practice Party on Friday...

Theme: Margaritaville! - do I see some Jimmy Buffet in my near future???

Time: 8-9:30pm CST

Cost for brand new students: $25...and that includes an introductory dance lesson too!

I haven't been to a practice party at my home studio in what feels like ages... so I can't wait to see you all there!

DIRECTIONS
Phone: 847-634-1100 for more questions.

I'll save a spot on my dance card for you!
no, we don't use actual dance cards... silly!

Lesson: Smooth Beginning to a Near Wipe Out, and Spinning In Between!

Greetings all! I had a second lesson last week that I just haven't had the chance to post about before now... This is a GOOD one too!

When we started this lesson there wasn't really a warm up, RT and I just took up frame. I could tell whatever we were going to do was smooth, so I thought Great! I'm going to get to maintain my smooth skills! Well, yes... we started dancing and I was just concentrating on following. My internal monologue for the first few measures went something like this:

We can't be, are we? Yes, oh...wait...maybe not...oh damn, yep he's making me Waltz!

Yes ladies and gentleman, RT wanted to Waltz. I can't even tell you the last time I actually worked on a Waltz as part of my lesson. Way back at the start of this adventure I had it as one of my majors, even had a coaching with Tony Dovolani on it more than a year ago. Sometime over the Summer I became so frustrated with my lack of progress in this dance that I insisted it be removed from my list of primary dances. I have NEVER felt completely solid or balanced when working on Waltz. I feel like a complete fish out of water. I thought it would only be for a moment that we would do this, maybe RT just wanted to see if I remembered it at all.... Well, we worked on a pretty basic Waltz for a bit, and I came out and asked point blank "Why are we working on Waltz?"
"Because you like it." RT responded.
"Oh, yes so much!" Was my reply, soaking in sarcasm.
He said with all seriousness,"Look, I'm hoping to change your mind."
I'm sure I came back at him with some biting remark, I don't recall what it was, but that didn't stop him! Come to think of it, I don't think a freight train, mack truck, or pack of wild horses can stop RT when he has his mind set on something. Lucky me, on this night Waltz was the something. We focused on fine tuning the rise and fall, and on that silly outside turn I ALWAYS have issues with. I do have to say that while it doesn't feel natural in the least, I think I may actually remember how to finish it now. Blissfully the Waltz portion of the evening was over, although I am glad we worked on some aspect of smooth, Waltz is not my cup of tea.

Next up RT suggests Bolero, to which I could only say "You just made me Waltz, and now you want to do to the 'Waltz of rhythm'?" It didn't make sense to me, why move from one excruciatingly slow dance to another? Don't get me wrong, I think if I ever get the Bolero basic down I could actually like it a lot, but I was not in the mood for that! Guess what? We worked on Bolero! Not for a long time, but we did. (RT's way of reminding me who actually dictates the lesson) I pretty much kept quiet during this particular study, I'm still trying to understand Bolero so I didn't want to muck it up with protests. I guess my face told the story though, because after a song or two RT suggested Mambo.



Well, I should say he suggested Mambo, but it ended up being Salsa. This is because I always like to clarify if it's going to be On1 or On2 because if it's On2 I really have to pay attention to follow, whereas On1 is easier for me to get closer to that feeling of actually dancing. So after I asked for clarification, RT said "Ok, Salsa then." I don't remember the beginning of the dance, I do remember getting that look though... the one and only look I can't read from RT. It's the one I get after I've done something, a spin or a pivot or a cross body lead...and when I see it I never know if he makes that face because I did it right and he's surprised, or if I've completely blown it when I should know better. Anyway... that look bugs the heck out of me, but in the end I figure if he didn't correct me then I must have done something at least passable if not right. Then for whatever reason RT decided it was time for a test...

We were working out the Salsa, having a grand old time and RT raises his and my arm for a spin, I complete the spin, and we're back to the basic. He then raises his arm again and I spin, only his arm doesn't come down, that's my signal to keep going... so I did. By the time his arm came down I had lost my spotting and was a tad dizzy, so we stopped for a second. RT asks "Have you done that before?"
To which I respond "I don't know, how many was that?" (I'm really serious when I say I don't count when I dance.)
"Kat, that was four." RT states.
"Oh, ummm... Nope, never done that before." I wasn't sure I could do it again either to be honest.
"How did you know what to do?" RT inquired, seeing as he's never lead me for that many consecutive turns... I understand the question.
So I reply "I just know I'm supposed to keep going until you bring your arm down, that's all."
RT had kind of a puzzled look on his face and we picked up with Salsa again, and again he leads me into a spin...so I do... again, and again, and again, and again! This time I actually spotted so I wasn't nearly as dizzy. Gotta be honest that was a blast! "That was four again?" I ask.
"Yes, your spotting was right on. You're becoming a pretty good spinner." RT replies.
I was all cool calm and collected on the outside... inside I was leaping for joy! YEA! I used to be able to spin with spotting when I took ballet/jazz about 17 years ago, I never thought I'd be able to get it back!

Then RT says "Ok, now try to do two on your own." Meaning he wanted me to spin twice in a row without having him hold my hand above my head like before. I knew it wasn't going to work, but I tried it anyway.... boy was I right! I over rotated something terrible, lost my balance to the point where I did that oh so attractive trying to catch myself by taking some giant awkward steps thing and for only the second time in 19 months of dancing I almost completely wiped out!

We decided to stop Salsa at that point, and I simply stated "It's a lot easier when you've got my hand above my head, I think I find my center better." I then put in a request to get a Cha Cha in before time was up, and my request was honored...

During the Cha Cha RT was going to take advantage of the recent spinning discovery and lead me into a single spin from a point I had not done before. Only he lead it...and I was in no way ready to spin! Both of us thinking it was me messing up on the footwork we tried it again. Nope, not a chance I was going to be able to spin from that lead! I would topple over every time, and I told RT as much. He stopped for a second, and I could see him counting it out and walking through it in his head. He then looked up at me and with a smile and a chuckle said "Oops, my fault I was leading you into that on the wrong count."
"Well, it doesn't happen often, but I knew it wasn't me that time!" I said, and we tried it again on the correct count. That made it so much easier!

With that the lesson ended. Between my surprise Waltz, and my successful completion of FOUR consecutive spins in Salsa. This lesson definitely goes into the history books as one of the most accomplished lessons ever!