Hyperreal

GUU tonight… Much busier than normal – maybe because some of the folks that were missing last night on Valentine’s day turned up tonight.

I arrived in time for the first freestyle – I am not deliberately missing the beginners’ class, but it’s just the way things are working out.

If you read back last week, I think I had a better night last week at the GUU than at JJ’s. This week it’s been the other way about.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it tonight, but I just never really got into it. This was despite some of my favourite dancers being there, so I no longer have a clue what makes a really good night – they just happen.

Let’s go over the class… Tricky one tonight…

• Comb stroll – I don’t think anyone really enjoyed this, though I got more into it as I got better at it. Start with a normal comb, but catch L-L as the girl comes round, and turn CW a quarter stepping R to the R, forward. As you do so, you’re leading the girl to turn a further quarter ACW and step R forward also as she finishes her return by taking L-L to sort-of in front of where you are. Lead step forward L taking LH more in front of her. All this time maintaining R-R with girl’s arm behind your neck to provide lead forward. Step R. Step L. Both swivel on L foot to face the other direction (guy ACW, girl CW) now your R arm is behind girl’s neck. As you swivel round, lead R foot to step out left as before, but crossing over. Step, step, step. As you step L forward R, sweep L arm up and round and step apart facing. Double-handed return.
• Yo-yo change-hand step out. This is the stupid yo-yo move where you swap hands above your head. Don’t like it. Finish double-handed.
• Octopus unwrap into lady’s nelson. Another move I didn’t really like, and even harder to explain. Let’s just sketch it… Man wraps in. Walk around CW for 2 counts. Unwrap man and wrap lady into nelson so both facing for a ACW walk around. Unwrap lady, re-wrap man, ‘nother walk around. Let go L-R and turn the girl out with a full CW turn for her. Prepare and spin ACW to go L-R.
• Man spin to switch to R-R, return into comb stroll…

Not my favourite routine ever, though as I said I got more into the comb stroll the more we did it. This may reappear in my repertoire at a later date.

Over-all I had a good night. I can’t honestly say I didn’t enjoy any dance I had, though one or two tracks weren’t really to my taste. That George Michael thing should have been shot at birth. (And don’t worry, I told the DJ, so I’m expecting it to be played every night in the future now… ) Actually he played lots of good music, lots of stuff I liked, so I really shouldn’t grumble about one or two I personally didn’t care for…

There were a few dancers I hadn’t seen for a while, and so it was good to reacquaint myself with them, and have a dance or two or three…

Hope to see you all again soon… Cheers!