Hyperreal

Back to JJ’s tonight – it seems like it was ages, but it’s only been two weeks!

Gotta say, it was a totally awesome night. Enjoyed every dance. No, really enjoyed every dance!!!

Thanks for the dances ladies! Thanks for the music Mr DJ!

But what happened apart from that?

Tonight we had a visitor from Aberdeen to Glasgow here to teach us. She’s a pretty cool teacher. Likes to get the girls doing style stuff. Always good for a laugh.

One gripe – twice she blamed all the guys for getting the count round of the girl wrong when we didn’t. On both occasions my whole row had it right, and we still were told we had it wrong by one or two. Something else must have gone wrong. :?

Anyway… the moves…

Beginners’: arm-jive swizzle; in-and-out; basket; shoulder slide; catapult. Straight forward stuff.

Intermediate:

• One-handed catapult. The classic of the night.
• Yo-yo something. Start with a normal yo-yo, but after sweep out, stepping two paces right, bring girl’s hand over your head into other hand, leading her out to the side. Travelling return back to the front.
• First move swizzle something. Normal first move, but on the turn out hold on to her hip as she turns to bring her into a swizzle position (without the half nelson though.) Pull on hip to do double turn with right hand ready to snap her in at end of second turn. Then push back and return.
• Tea-pot something (beginning with a T?) Straight into a tea-pot position, round for a couple of beats, then things get fuzzy. I bring her hand back in front of me and turn (CW?) to face her, bringing her into a turn (CW or ACW??? don’t know?!? I think anti-clockwise :?) double the turn and step in into a first move and push-spin catching right for the catapult.

Got the one-handed catapult pretty much nailed, though I think I’m a bit messy in my movement. Or maybe that’s style?

Didn’t really like the yo-yo move, I found it a bit dull… Maybe it suits a certain type of (dull ) song?

The first move swizzle thing was more fun. The girls liked the double turn and snap. Did it a couple of times in the freestyle and it seemed to go OK. Will need to re-visit it.

As I couldn’t get the tea-pot thing in class, I didn’t try it during freestyle. I like my first move teapot move, and that’s enough tea to be going on with.

As I said, it was an awesome night. The freestyle was just great. There were a lot of beginners again, and managed to dance with a good few of them. They were all doing really well. No complaints at all there. Danced with some more experienced ladies who like to do their own thing occasionally. I really like this. When I’m dancing I like to give the girl a surprise or two, and it’s great to be surprised back now and then.

Got to practice some other moves learnt outside class. Did a move that I saw in Dirty Dancing last night that worked pretty well and got a laugh from my partner. I love it when I can surprise a girl enough to make her laugh. Happened a few times, even with some of the more experienced dancers.

One dance I’d have liked, but didn’t manage to get was with our much-admired teacher. Someone was always there before me.

Next time!!!

At the end of the night the JJ’s DJ came on and did his usual thing of playing an extra-long mix of Grease and Jive-Bunny stuff. I quite enjoy this, but it has to be with a dancer who can keep up! Not seeing anyone immediately fitting that bill I was on my way out before I was grabbed and forced back to the floor. Glad it happened, as I had a magic time. Love these extra long, fast dances. Has to be the last dance of the night though, as I’d pretty much beat afterwards.

Hopefully more of the same tomorrow!!!