Hyperreal

Fantastic night at JJ’s!!!

I was wearing my new shoes!!!! I got lots and lots of compliments from the girls when they either noticed them or if I pointed them out.

I’ve got to say they were fab to wear too! Nice and slippy without being over the top, and quite comfy, though my feet aren’t used to wearing hard-soled shoes, so it’s not so much a case of breaking the shoes in as breaking my feet in.

Had lots of good dances, was jumped for a second dance by a lovely lady who can spin like a ballet dancer (probably because she’s studied ballet dancing…) Was also forcibly escorted to the dance-floor by another lovely lady for … was it our third dance of the night? This makes me feel good.

What were the moves? Let’s skip the beginner’s… Unsure about the order of these moves…

• wurlitzer – classic move of the night.
• secret hatchback lady nelson mambo? – Hatchback/yo-yo start with spare arm offered behind; after turn out, bring arm over head, stepping to side; lead lady forward with left-hand kept low, right-hand high, stepping back and turn her CW into half-nelson L-L, and lady comb R-R, stepping into the comb to start mambo steps back and forward. Couple of them and then push off left, spinning the girl (maybe with a bit of lead from the RH?) clockwise. Travelling return…
• first move push spin to rear block something?? – from the travelling return go straight into first move (push spin) position (snap!) Push spin to rear (need to use right hand to make sure girl goes back as you step forward); stick out right hand behind to block girl’s right arm as she finishes her clockwise spin; send her back to your other side and, stepping back, lead her back to the front of you, spinning her clockwise again. Finish with a return.
• side-to-side shoulders block travelling return? – normal side-to-side, then go for a “let go” finish, but block on girl’s right hip as she comes past. Push her back, reconnecting L-R, and then a normal travelling return finish going double-handed for the wurlitzer.

Liked all these moves, and with the exception of the first move variation, practised them all during freestyle and felt more-or-less comfortable with them.

I’d never done just the wurlitzer on its own, and so it was good to isolate it and be able to practice it without the complication of something stuck on the end of it. I like it – but why is it no longer a beginners’ move???

The hatchback mambo was easier to freestyle into than I thought it would be. I found that every time I was trying to do a simpler, but similar move, I ended up doing this one instead as it was fresher in my mind. Had problems in the class making sure I was on the right foot for the mambo bit (right foot stationary, left foot back and forward), but in the freestyle it seemed to go better, though once or twice I just missed out the comb and mambo and just led a step-back from the nelson position.

The side-to-side variation is easy enough to do even with beginners, I think I’ll try to keep this move!

The first move thing didn’t go so well in class, though I’m not exactly sure why… I didn’t manage to get a good connection with most of the girls for the part of the move behind the back, and reckon it’d be hard to lead the rear spin unless the girl’s expecting it.

Anyway, like I said, it was a very good night, with lots of good dances!

Downsides… we’re losing a taxi! Still making loads of mistakes.

Other upsides… it was a friend’s birthday which was cool. She was mega embarrassed by everyone singing her happy birthday!

Overall, it was double plus good. Tomorrow it’s the GUU with a couple of guest teachers – looking forward to that!