Hyperreal

It’s Wednesday, it must be the GUU…

I don’t think I’ve had a really bad night since I started dancing, and this one wasn’t any different.

Hang on though… it was…

Not bad though, just different.

Last week I commented on how balanced the numbers were. This week though there were more guys than girls at the intermediate class, with only 4 or 5 extra for the beginners’ class. This is in marked contrast to the typical night at JJ’s where “18 on, 18 off” isn’t rare, and so I’m curious why this is…

Anyway, I arrived on time for a change (well, only just!) and did the full Ceroc™ essentials, and the beginners’ class. Moves were… yo-yo, slo-comb, in-and-out, basket, and man-spin.

There were quite a few first-timers there, which is good.

The intermediate class didn’t have any new boys or girls, so Mairi decided to make it a little harder for us. I didn’t catch most of the names, but here’s an attempt…

• secret clicks and spin – yo-yo/hatchback beginning, with spare hand behind in half-nelson. On the sweep out let go and click! Turn ACW to face, turning the girl also ACW about 90º and click! You’re right-left at the moment. Bring her back just beyond facing and spin! (return)
• straight-jacket twists? – this move replaced the spin of the previous move with a shoulder-dislocating wrapping of the girl into a straight-jacket hold – I’m not going to go into the details of how :? – a few wee twists back and forward then open out clockwise, finish with a travelling return. (You’re left-right.)
• first move basic dips. This was this week’s classic move.
• half pretzel double turn spin?? – as you go into the back to back bit of the pretzel, let go left and double turn right. Spin back ACW to go from right-left back to right-right, ready for the start…

I’m glad we’re doing these classic moves. It’s something I’ve recently been more vocal about their apparent (to me?) absence. It’s nice to have at least one move I know I should be able to figure out and remember.

I’d seen the first move basic dips on a DVD recently and had two thoughts… 1. Where’s the dip? 2. That looks really dull.

Now having done it, OK, I can see where the dips are, and it’s not quite as dull and twee as it looks, but it certainly ain’t going to be a favourite of mine. I tried it once or twice during the freestyle and just managed to confuse my partner (who hadn’t done the class.)

The half-pretzel thing was good – I think I’ve done something a bit like this before. It’s a definite addition to my rep.

The others… the straight-jacket is too damn difficult to get into. I’ve not into the clicks of the other one, but might try it a few times leaving them out. I’ve learnt over the past few classes how better to make sure my partner can see my hand behind, though beginners never know to grab hold of it, and if they don’t and I’m trying a move like this, we have a wee problem… :?

As I said, we had a surplus of guys this week, but it was still the girls moving round, and occasionally each guy would end up partner-less.

Freestyle was good on the whole. With fewer women, and many of my “usual suspects” missing, it was much harder to get the dances you wanted. On the whole though, I did alright. Got to dance with some wonderful ladies, and some charming beginners. There was one dance though that was the most awful I’ve ever had.

So I’m about to say something nasty. And, worse than that, I’m about to say something nasty about a beginner. If you’re going to flame me for it, perhaps you better just miss out the next few paragraphs.

So, I danced with a lady during the class who explained to me this was her third week. She seemed to manage the moves OK though, if a little hesitant. She had the not unusual problem of being a “gripper”, hanging on tight to my fingers, almost to the point of pain. I tried to get her to relax her grip, but didn’t have much success. During the second freestyle she asked me to dance, and being the sort of guy I am, I agreed. I’ve never regretted accepting a dance as much. First there was the grip of death… then she was a yanker – trying to pull me about the floor. OK, I have dealt with these problems before, and I could cope if they were the only problems.

Next up, she couldn’t follow my lead for almost anything apart from simple moves like man-spins. Not even the yo-yo she had just learnt. Now I know what you’re thinking – I should be patient with her, she’s only a beginner. Believe me, it gets worse. As she continued to have problems following me, she first tried to back-lead a different move on me, and when I chose not to follow, she then stopped and tried to teach me the move she wanted me to do.

When I realised what she was trying to do, I instead resumed my lead – attempting another basket, to see if she might remember what she had learnt just a little earlier this time. (No such luck. ) She said something like, “don’t you want to learn, that’s why we’re here?” I replied I was here to dance, not learn (which at that particular moment was the complete truth.)

We parted a few bars before the end of the song with a muted “thanks”. I really hope though that she will get better, and perhaps I’ll ask her to dance again in a month or so. I just hope she doesn’t ask me first.

Other dances were a joy. A wonderful lady told me I had a really clear lead, that she always knew exactly where I wanted her to be, and exactly when. I think I blushed.

Another rather nice lady complemented me on my “dirty dancing” move (I really should watch the film again to actually see if and how Partick does it), saying “you’re got that move perfected.” It is one of my favourites.

I had lots of other nice comments, so over-all a rather positive experience, and we’ll pretend the other stuff didn’t happen.

And that’s it! Another excellent night, some lovely dancers, good moves, and fab music. What more could a guy ask for? (Um… How about more women to be there?!?)

Cheers!!!