Short Round

Dances:  Rumba, Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep
Part:  Lead
Workout:  chest and shoulders at the gym.
Flavor of the Day at the Gym:  Poop

Today's workout was going well until I ran into a particularly unpleasant patron.  The Cable Cross at that gym is one of the popular machines used.  It's constantly in use and there is usually a line to get to it.  It doesn't help that this gym only has one of them.  I had finished up all my other routines and left the chest flies for last.  Usually I like to do them first, but since the machine was in use, I had to move on.  So I asked this guy how many sets he had left and he told me he'd be about 5 more minutes.  No problem.  I just did abs in the corner and waited.  While waiting another gentleman came up and asked if I was in line.  I said yes and that he's welcome to work in between my sets.  So we waited.  Ten minutes passed when the guy on the machine turns to us and says "You know, just standing there isn't going to make me go any faster."  What an asshole.  Luckily I kept my cool and politely informed him that the two of us had finished everything else we had to do and had nothing else left.  He then ignored us and continued his workout.  I can't stand inconsiderate people.  In the end I took up two machines in the other room and created a makeshift cable cross to finish my workout.  I'd also like to point out that it smelled like poop today at the gym.  I know that sounds childish and funny, but unfortunately there is no other word I can find to describe that smell.

After a quick Rumba, to which Sarah freaked and nerded out about the music to, we picked out a video for our round and it began.  For some reason though, this video was edited VERY tightly and that meant we only danced about half of each of our routines.  Not what you're going for when you're trying to build endurance.  But that's ok.  At least it let us know what it feels like when the pacing is such.  We'll be ready for anything they throw at us after this.

Tango was next.  Our Back Open Promenade into Outside Swivel is VERY inconsistent.  It's tough getting two checks, in opposite directions, in the space of two quicks.  I focused on making sure my alignments were correct as well as going straight back into the second check.  If I don't, Sarah ends up falling on top of me.  Once we get to the outside swivel though, everything snaps back in place.  I wonder sometimes if our Outside Swivel needs to be bigger or more prominent.  I'll have to ask Simeon or Kora about that next time.

We ended with some lead and follow Foxtrot.  Not the best leading work I've ever done.  I kept getting into bad states where I would just repeat a few figures over and over again.  I guess everyone has brain farts from time to time.

The Pelican Dance and Back Open Promenades

Part: Follow

Dances: Rumba, Waltz, Tango, Viennese, Foxtrot, Quickstep

Hovers: 0

We warmed up to a rumba last night, and Jeff laughed at me because as soon as he turned on the "Pelican Dance," a random music pick that we hadn't tried before, I recognized it as a theme from the Polovitsian dances in Borodin's "Prince Igor Suite" and got all excited. I've loved that little piece ever since I heard it for the first time at a symphony concert many years ago, and I thought it would be great to dance to.

Then it was on to our round, but for some reason the competition clip we danced to this time was cut very short, so we barely made it half way through each routine. We didn't mind so much though, except that it meant no hover. I'm sure Jeff was thankful for that though.

The focus of practice was the back open promenade into outside swivel section of our tango. Our balance there is not consistent and the checks don't always happen, and when they do they aren't as clean as they should be. We did work on this section a bit, and went through it quite slowly a few times, and that went pretty well. I was working myself on keeping my feet more under my body, as I have a tendency to let my foot and leg fly out when we finish with the promenade link, though it's something I need to work on in general, as my foot placement could be much cleaner, especially in tango.

It was hard to tell at the end whether we made much progress with this section; I guess it's still just an awkward feeling part for me. After the tango, we ended with a bit of lead and follow foxtrot. For some reason last night I kept feeling our connection sliding around; I'm not sure why, but it seemed more of a problem than usual. Jeff also commented about our foxtrot that I often rush (or so it feels to him) coming out of the curved feathers in the weaves that usually follow, but I think that is how it feels to him because I do tend to drive into some pretty long steps there and they are probably too long given that he is going backwards and given the position we are in relatively speaking.

Tomorrow...probably more quickstep. Are you surprised?

When NOT to Bother a Man

Dances:  Nightclub 2-Step, Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep
Part:  Lead
Workout:  Arms and back at the gym.

Mondays are never easy as most people will tell you.  The whole cycle of work starts all over again.  That means arms and back at the gym followed by practice.  Today I had Sarah along for the workout.  She seems to like arms and back days.  For some reason those are the days she happens to workout with me.  Weird.

We warmed up with some Nightclub 2-Step.  It's probably our best dance, which is sad.  We've been joking that our first comp should be a Nightclub 2-Step heat and that's it.  I'm all for it.  After that we danced our round which was pretty good.  Rounds are easier at the beginning of the week.  I got through it with little trouble today.  Finally onto the meat of the practice.  Again with the Quickstep.  This time, the exit to the Rumba Cross section.  It involves a the second half of a Running Right Turn into a Closed Impetus.  For me, this section is pretty straightforward (other than the heel turn lead coming out of the Rumba Cross).  But for some reason, Sarah always feels lost to me.  It's almost as if she's guessing at what we're doing.  I'm not sure why.  I asked her and the answer didn't help.  I think it has to do with our positioning.  The Running Right Turn can be pretty brutal if you're off a little bit.  I found that out the hard way.  Sarah nailed me right where it counts for a man a few times today.

I had to explain to Sarah what NOT to do when you hit a guy's family jewels.  Don't ask what's wrong.  Don't ask if he's ok.  Don't try consoling him.  It's best just to leave him alone and NOT incessantly ask questions.  Though I have to say, it's really funny watching this all go down when it happens to someone else.  Luckily it doesn't happen often to us.  One of the many occupations hazards I guess.

Quickstep: Trying not to Die

Part: Follow

Dances: Nightclub 2-step, Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep

Hovers: 1

After an arms and back workout, we headed back to the practice room for our warm up nightclub 2-step, a round, and more quickstep work. For some reason my lower back was kind of messed up tonight, and my bad knee hurting more than usual, so that didn't help my form any. Yesterday night I had gone out social dancing (Jeff didn't go this time) and danced with a lot of different leads, some more successfully than others, and I think it took more of a physical toll that usual. I'm getting better about dancing somewhat "defensively" and being more adaptable, but there are still times when the leads want to try out all of their line figures and crazy turns on me and the balance and frame leave something to be desired, and usually my back takes the hit. There was one particular one in tango that I like to call "promenade floor" because the promenade is aimed directly at the floor...that whisked me into an involuntary sort of tipping eros line just to keep my balance. I've gotten very used to dancing with Jeff and the way our frame and his lead feels, comparatively speaking, but I need to make sure I don't get locked into a certain position because I'm so used to it. It'll help my dancing with others and with him if I continue to work on that flexibility.

Anyways, after the round (which by the way is getting easier stamina wise), we went to work on the section of quickstep following the rumba crosses, with the running right turn. Jeff says it always feels like I don't know what the heck he's doing, and to me I just feel sloppy in this section...just because of the way the balance and partnership shift, I guess. I also gave Jeff an unfortunate knee or two in undesirable places as I was trying to align myself correctly for the exit from the rumba cross. After dancing through it a few times, sometimes very slow and balancing, we finally got through the section a few times in a row that were quite passable. Jeff figured that was the best time to end practice as he knows how I hate to end on a bad note.

Jeff brought up a rather depressing thought yesterday, and it was that when we get to open level, quickstep will likely be the most drastically changed of our routines, and therefore the one requiring the most work. We foresee much more quickstep practice in our future. Once we get really good at it though, I think it will actually be quite fun. Once we get to the point where we aren't merely hoping to survive... Quickstep really is the all or nothing, make it or break it dance.