Ballroom Dancing Report - QM2

[BobBranst]

It appears that some here are of the opinion that following Ballroom Etiquette rules will somehow take the "fun" out of dancing. Actually, most of the ballroom etiquette dance floor rules are nothing but good old common sense so that everyone on the dance floor can enjoy their dancing experience. No one has "fun" when the dance floor is turned into a human version of amusement park bumper cars.

 

Unfortunately, many dancers were never taught about Ballroom etiquette while they were learning to dance. If you are interested in learning about it, check out this link on Ballroom Etiquette .

 

Bob

Edited September 20, 2016 by BobBranst

[Cruise Liner Fan]

Here are 2 youtube videos that show ballroom dancing aboard the Queen Elizabeth. The first one even has Captain Wells in it. Here are the links

and

Regards,Jerry

[loerie]

Holy Mackerel -this has scared the living hell out of me ! -all I want to do is dance with my husband to celebrate 55 years of marriage -may be we will waltz in the cabin and not offend any one.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[GCurry]

Holy Mackerel -this has scared the living hell out of me ! -all I want to do is dance with my husband to celebrate 55 years of marriage -may be we will waltz in the cabin and not offend any one.

because, they are not. You are part of a mosaic out there and there are many pieces to it, all moving at once.

You paid yer money, just like the rest of us so get out there and celebrate!!:)

 

I mentioned being a leader in two clubs, and one of the tough jobs was getting women to dance with someone other than their husband. We'd do at least one "mixer" a night and I'd work the mic to make it happen. One lady accused me of exploiting women by encouraging them to dance. I informed her that I had exploited women, and had been exploited by women, and getting them to dance wasn't even close.:D

 

 

Edited September 20, 2016 by GCurry

[josumello]

Holy Mackerel -this has scared the living hell out of me ! -all I want to do is dance with my husband to celebrate 55 years of marriage -may be we will waltz in the cabin and not offend any one.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

This made me chuckle. After watching the 2 videos I was ready to nod off. [emoji3][emoji3]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Dancer Bob]

Regarding Crystal Serenity, on what was allegedly a ballroom theme cruise, two dance floors of acceptable size, rarely busy so they compared favourably to Cunard. The music was atrocious, for example when I asked about a waltz at 90 beats per minute, "we don't know what you're talking about". The CD treated ideas about music as an annoying imposition. Six dance hosts, of which one could dance, the others were good enough, barely, for the lacklustre partners available. Two dance couples, competent, but usually in rehearsals for a DWTS type show- with staff, not passengers, which should give you some idea. So quiet at night, I once asked myself if I could literally hear a pin drop. Not at all a six-star experience.

Good etiquette is no more difficult than navigating the restaurant during rush hour.

The dancing in the first video is only a bit of samba, which if I recall correctly, is rarely played.

Edited September 21, 2016 by Dancer Bob

[Slow Foxtrot]

......Unfortunately, many dancers were never taught about Ballroom etiquette while they were learning to dance. If you are interested in learning about it, check out this link on Ballroom Etiquette .

 

Bob

 

The advice in the Ballroom Etiquette attachment indicates that at American social dances it is customary to frequently change partners. Is this still the norm? At the UK social dances it is quite rare for dancers to change partners. Generally, partners practise together and therefore dance much better as a couple and, in any case, our ladies are not keen on their menfolk getting too close for comfort with assorted partners, especially if they are very attractive! Perhaps American ladies are more understanding ???

[GCurry]

 

The advice in the Ballroom Etiquette attachment indicates that at American social dances it is customary to frequently change partners. Is this still the norm? At the UK social dances it is quite rare for dancers to change partners. Generally, partners practise together and therefore dance much better as a couple and, in any case, our ladies are not keen on their menfolk getting too close for comfort with assorted partners, especially if they are very attractive! Perhaps American ladies are more understanding ???

Certainly not down here Foxy, as I touched on above, we would have one "mixer" a night at our club dances, and it was difficult to get the ladies to participate. I would think up ways and words to encourage them in my best radio announcer voice. The word cajole comes to mind.:rolleyes:

We did have an instructor that would have us change partners as part of learning a step, but not all that often in the course of a lesson.

 

With all due respect, my little wife would return from the mixer having been stepped on, and comment that some men were dance legends in their own mind!!:D

Edited September 21, 2016 by GCurry

[BobBranst]

The advice in the Ballroom Etiquette attachment indicates that at American social dances it is customary to frequently change partners. Is this still the norm? At the UK social dances it is quite rare for dancers to change partners. Generally, partners practise together and therefore dance much better as a couple and, in any case, our ladies are not keen on their menfolk getting too close for comfort with assorted partners, especially if they are very attractive! Perhaps American ladies are more understanding ???

Since the link was from an American University website, it may have been more reflective of younger dancers. However, it is not uncommon at senior dances when there are dancers who have lost their partners due to death or divorce.

 

I have noticed that it is common practice at most dance studios to insist that those attending group dance lessons change partners frequently and not just dance with your spouse/partner. They say that this practice helps men become better at leading properly.

 

Bob

[fezziwig]

In the vintage dance community, changing partners is the polite thing to do. It stems from the Victorian era, where one shouldn't be seen favouring another excessively. Even at supper, couples were not seated next to one another, after all you can talk to your spouse any time. Social dancing should be social and how can one be social without meeting other people, and what better way to do that than on the dance floor.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Slow Foxtrot]

In the vintage dance community, changing partners is the polite thing to do..... Social dancing should be social and how can one be social without meeting other people, and what better way to do that than on the dance floor. .....

 

Just shows how things vary in the dancing world vis-a-vis the USA and the UK. I would imagine that the nearest thing to a 'vintage dance community' is our Old Time Dancing. There are very few venues that feature this in the UK and even then I doubt if they are continually changing partners.

 

At our social dances we are certainly social inasmuch as we have some wonderful dance friends at many venues. Of course we all chat between dances and during the interval but it very rarely leads to an exchange of partners. Perhaps it's the traditional English reserve!

[GCurry]

Just shows how things vary in the dancing world vis-a-vis the USA and the UK. I would imagine that the nearest thing to a 'vintage dance community' is our Old Time Dancing. There are very few venues that feature this in the UK and even then I doubt if they are continually changing partners.

At our social dances we are certainly social inasmuch as we have some wonderful dance friends at many venues. Of course we all chat between dances and during the interval but it very rarely leads to an exchange of partners. Perhaps it's the traditional English reserve!

Our ballroom clubs are private, and accepte couples only for membership or as visitors for that matter. Rarely would a single person be brought as a guest.

 

There are certainly any number of other public venues where singles could dance and meet other singles. But our ballroom clubs are exactly as you describe yours.

[Slow Foxtrot]

Our ballroom clubs are private, and accepte couples only for membership or as visitors for that matter. Rarely would a single person be brought as a guest.

 

There are certainly any number of other public venues where singles could dance and meet other singles. But our ballroom clubs are exactly as you describe yours.

 

Actually, Gene, the vast majority of social dancing venues in the UK are not private clubs and all competent ballroom and latin dancers are welcome. In addition there are hundreds of dance venues that specialise in Sequence Dancing but these appeal mostly to elderly people who seldom have the ability to dance competent ballroom and latin etc.

Many venues offer a combination of ballroom, latin, sequence and jive etc and these are very popular even with very experienced dancers.

As stated, these are not private clubs and no membership is required, just pay at the door.

[Lakesregion]

The advice in the Ballroom Etiquette attachment indicates that at American social dances it is customary to frequently change partners. Is this still the norm? At the UK social dances it is quite rare for dancers to change partners. Generally, partners practise together and therefore dance much better as a couple and, in any case, our ladies are not keen on their menfolk getting too close for comfort with assorted partners, especially if they are very attractive! Perhaps American ladies are more understanding ???

 

so many thoughts of how to respond but none that won't get my post censored. But due relax, most partners on this side of the pond also do not relish switching off.

[BobBranst]

Actually, Gene, the vast majority of social dancing venues in the UK are not private clubs and all competent ballroom and latin dancers are welcome. In addition there are hundreds of dance venues that specialise in Sequence Dancing but these appeal mostly to elderly people who seldom have the ability to dance competent ballroom and latin etc.

Many venues offer a combination of ballroom, latin, sequence and jive etc and these are very popular even with very experienced dancers.

As stated, these are not private clubs and no membership is required, just pay at the door.

Actually, most of the dancing venues in the US are not private clubs.

 

Bob

[fantasy51]

As a single dancer, I have found it not very worthwhile to attend classes here in the UK. I have a private lesson once a week and dance with my teacher. (Unfortunately that spoils me for dancing with other men as their lead could never be as good as his. That's a bit ironic as I started the lessons in order to learn how to follow well after too many years of medal dancing with a set routine.) Couples dance together in classes here. If you build up good relationships with the couples at a dance school, then at a social night a single lady may be asked to dance once by a couple of the gentlemen if their partners want a rest but they want to continue practising.

 

An acquaintance recently told me of the dance school she attends for modern jive where people have to rotate partners in order to be sure they have learnt the step properly. As an educator, I approve of that. As a single lady, I heartily approve. :D

[GCurry]

As a single dancer, I have found it not very worthwhile to attend classes here in the UK. I have a private lesson once a week and dance with my teacher. (Unfortunately that spoils me for dancing with other men as their lead could never be as good as his. That's a bit ironic as I started the lessons in order to learn how to follow well after too many years of medal dancing with a set routine.) Couples dance together in classes here. If you build up good relationships with the couples at a dance school, then at a social night a single lady may be asked to dance once by a couple of the gentlemen if their partners want a rest but they want to continue practising.

An acquaintance recently told me of the dance school she attends for modern jive where people have to rotate partners in order to be sure they have learnt the step properly. As an educator, I approve of that. As a single lady, I heartily approve. :D

Question, what is "medal dancing".

As part of competition dancing here in the states, there is the classification of Pro/Am where you would have danced with your instructor; did you ever try that?

 

Actually, most of the dancing venues in the US are not private clubs. Bob

Bob is correct, there are few private dance clubs in the States. The dues for our Ballroom Clubs is minimal, and pays to rent a hall once a month for a club dance, and for a band twice a year for formal live music. Dare I say that both encouraged bringing a "Covered Dish" that the club might dine together; just plain folks who love ballroom dancing. The vast majority of the members are married couples with a few singles that come as couples.

[BobBranst]

 

Bob is correct, there are few private dance clubs in the States. The dues for our Ballroom Clubs is minimal, and pays to rent a hall once a month for a club dance, and for a band twice a year for formal live music. Dare I say that both encouraged bringing a "Covered Dish" that the club might dine together; just plain folks who love ballroom dancing. The vast majority of the members are married couples with a few singles that come as couples.

I don't know if our case is normal or unusual, but our local ballroom has (3 to 7 piece) bands twice a week playing music for ballroom dancing. They also have the bring a "covered dish" on the last Sunday afternoon dance of every month. The charge is usually $10 or $12.50 per person except when they have 18-21 piece big bands for formal dinner dances a few times a year.

 

Bob

[fantasy51]

Question, what is "medal dancing".

As part of competition dancing here in the states, there is the classification of Pro/Am where you would have danced with your instructor; did you ever try that?

 

Sorry about that. It must be a difference in terminology between countries. 'Medal dancing' is exams. I started in Australia when I was a teenager. We had a year of basic dancing and then started exams with our Bronze medal. It could take 6 months or a year to get from one level to the next. (We actually received a little medal that we could wear when we passed.) We could do the exams in ballroom, latin american or old time. You learnt a sequence of steps and in the exams you danced with your teacher. This meant I did not ever learn to just follow a partner and dance.

 

I came back to dancing a couple of times during my adult years and then dropped it for further studies and a move to the UK. On a Cunard cruise 25 years later I rediscovered dancing but found I really did not know how to do it. I could not follow a lead. Since then I have been to classes for Argentine Tango (3 months) and now have private lessons in most dances, recently learning Salsa, Mambo, Merengue and Ceroc (Modern Jive). We dance without a routine so that I have to follow my teacher's lead. I am improving but I don't think it will ever come naturally. I think that's something you have to learn from an early stage of dancing - for the man to feel happy stringing together all the steps he knows instead of relying on a sequence and for the woman to follow wherever he leads.

 

I have never tried Pro/Am. We do have a version of it in the UK, I have been told. It is for dancers who have concentrated on their medals rather than competitions and are not up to the same display standard as competitors. They dance with their teachers in competitions. I am not interested in competing.

Edited September 22, 2016 by fantasy51

[GCurry]

Sorry about that. It must be a difference in terminology between countries. 'Medal dancing' is exams. I started in Australia when I was a teenager. We had a year of basic dancing and then started exams with our Bronze medal. It could take 6 months or a year to get from one level to the next. (We actually received a little medal that we could wear when we passed.) We could do the exams in ballroom, latin american or old time. You learnt a sequence of steps and in the exams you danced with your teacher. This meant I did not ever learn to just follow a partner and dance.

Now I understand; in social ballroom, no one pays much attention to the medals any more, it remains a standard for competition dancing, however.

 

The first club we joined, Two Left Feet, was started in the 70s and you had to test out in bronze to join. The dance instructor who was the founder, would come out on the floor and berate any of his students that were getting it wrong. By the time that we joined around 2000 there were no such restrictions or dance Ogre!!:D

 

Bob,we have attended some senior dances that were subsidized by the community with 20 piece orchestras and Dance Weekends in the Texas Hill country(our Cotswolds:D) for a fair sum of money, to dance with the Glenn Miller rendition, and Sentimental Journey Orchestras. The latter all wore WWII Army Air Force uniforms, a nice touch.

[BobBranst]

Bob,we have attended some senior dances that were subsidized by the community with 20 piece orchestras and Dance Weekends in the Texas Hill country(our Cotswolds:D) for a fair sum of money, to dance with the Glenn Miller rendition, and Sentimental Journey Orchestras. The latter all wore WWII Army Air Force uniforms, a nice touch.

We have similar weekly senior dances here too sponsored by the various community centers in the metro area. Unfortunatley, most of the "dancers" that attend these dances tend to be more elderly and seem to have no concept of real ballroom style dancing or of ballroom dance floor etiquette. However, we are fortunate that several of the area dance studios and ballrooms regularly feature live dance bands in addition to the usual recorded dance music. Being a retired professional musician, we try to support the places that hire live musicians for their dances.

 

Bob

[Slow Foxtrot]

We have similar weekly senior dances here too sponsored by the various community centers in the metro area. Unfortunatley, most of the "dancers" that attend these dances tend to be more elderly and seem to have no concept of real ballroom style dancing or of ballroom dance floor etiquette. However, we are fortunate that several of the area dance studios and ballrooms regularly feature live dance bands in addition to the usual recorded dance music. Being a retired professional musician, we try to support the places that hire live musicians for their dances.

 

Bob

 

In our part of the UK most of the best ballroom-dancing venues vary the dance nights between recorded strict-tempo CDs, live music on keyboard or organ, and occasionally a 'big band' night.

However, it has to be said that some of the 'big bands' are not always consistent at strict-tempo and, for this reason, many experienced ballroom dancers prefer to dance to strict-tempo recorded music. This also rings true for some of the dancers on the various Cunard ships.

 

Of course, it's always nice to hear the 'big-bands' and many people feel that the band's cavalier attitude (and sometimes sheer lack of knowledge) is a small price to pay for the pleasure of live dance-band music. Never the less we have a few specialist dance-bands that really know their business and these are often used for the top competitions.

[BobBranst]

In our part of the UK most of the best ballroom-dancing venues vary the dance nights between recorded strict-tempo CDs, live music on keyboard or organ, and occasionally a 'big band' night.

However, it has to be said that some of the 'big bands' are not always consistent at strict-tempo and, for this reason, many experienced ballroom dancers prefer to dance to strict-tempo recorded music. This also rings true for some of the dancers on the various Cunard ships.

 

Of course, it's always nice to hear the 'big-bands' and many people feel that the band's cavalier attitude (and sometimes sheer lack of knowledge) is a small price to pay for the pleasure of live dance-band music. Never the less we have a few specialist dance-bands that really know their business and these are often used for the top competitions.

Yes, I understand that many dancers with far more experience than myself insist on "strict tempo" music. However, having a real live dance band in the Queens Room is one of our top reasons for cruising with Cunard. It doesn't bother me if the tempos are not absolutely metronome perfect. I can always adjust my dancing to the music - live or recorded.

 

Bob

[fantasy51]

Now I understand; in social ballroom, no one pays much attention to the medals any more, it remains a standard for competition dancing, however.

 

I think medals are a good money-spinner for dance schools. They start you on the medal route and and you keep going because you have to be ready for that next exam day in 6 months. I spoke to someone last night at a social dance who said she felt they'd lost focus because they were not doing any medals at the moment and were not learning new routines and new steps.

 

Medals are also great for someone like me who is single and does not have a dance partner. I can still dance.

 

Here in the UK, and in Australia when I first learnt, medals are an alternative to competition dancing. You do one or the other.

[GCurry]

Being a retired professional musician, we try to support the places that hire live musicians for their dances. Bob

I don't think that I've ever met a professional musician who could afford to retire; did you marry well?:D

What did you play or still do, did you teach or have a 2nd career?

 

I think medals are a good money-spinner for dance schools. They start you on the medal route and and you keep going because you have to be ready for that next exam day in 6 months. I spoke to someone last night at a social dance who said she felt they'd lost focus because they were not doing any medals at the moment and were not learning new routines and new steps.

Medals are also great for someone like me who is single and does not have a dance partner. I can still dance.

You compete in Bronze, Silver, & Gold over here.

As we always took group lessons as a couple, medal dancing never came up. That's not to say, that we weren't learning steps in the three, as we were.

Our first instructor was a National Dance Champion in the 50s, worst old curmudgeon you'd ever meet and had to walk with canes as dancing had destroyed his knees. But, he'd get bored and teach us very advanced steps.