Hongster World

Random bits collected across the internet and personal thoughts.

[hongster]

Analysing Each Step

When a biologist studies blood, she uses a microscope to observe blood in detail. In the context of mastering a dance figure, how do you “magnified” and study each step in detailed?

Doing It Slowly

Sometime when you are moving too fast, you miss crucial details. You may be unbalanced, but you took next step before you fall. This is not a good sign, you have not truly mastered the figure. It is worse if you are not aware of it.

Performing each step in a figure slowly allows you to observe and analyse each step in detail. Stop after each step, and check if you are doing it correctly before moving on to the next step.

Checking Each Step

These are some of the questions to help you check each step

Are you able to stop after each step? Or do you find yourself unbalanced and falling?

Have you shifted your body weight to sending leg?

Is your body facing correct direction?

Is your feet pointing correct direction?

Is your partner standing balanced?

Have your partner shifted her body weight?

Are you swaying?

Is there a CBM?

Is your leg supposed to be forward/backward/side/CBMP?

What other questions do you ask to check yourself?

Patient

Patience you must have, my young padawan.

- Yoda

Usually I do not play music when I take time to check each step. Then I might take a bar for each step, and gradually accelerate to normal speed. Repeat it again if something is not right. Even if you found no mistake, you might want to repeat it few times to get consistent result.

This can be a boring and frustrating process. But the result is satisfying.

Positive Side Effect

There are times you might find it hard to catch up to speed for certain fast figures. Breaking the figure into individual step, and taking time to check each step actually help in this situation. Once you are able to master the figure and consistently perform it correctly, you can easily speed it up without issue.

[hongster]

Keeping Ego In Check

Man can be quite egoistic, and that gets in the way of learning.

Being Aware

I have started a new partnership this year. Although she has been doing Latin dances for a number of years, she has just started learning Standard dances barely less than a year. Sometimes she is not able to stand balanced and there are times I felt that the is rushing and pushing me.

Ego Me

The egoistic part of me is quick to think that she is too fresh and lacks control. As a result, I get impatient and thinks that she is not catching up with me. The more I think about it, the more I realise it is the "ego me" at play. I started to question deeper, how can I improve the situation?

A Positive Perspective

Once I am mindful of my ego moments, I started to think differently. When encountering difficulties with partner, I will ask myself, "How can I make it better?". I changed from assuming she is bad, to focusing on how I can fix it.

Example: Waltz Natural Spin Turn

You may refer to this page for detailed description of the steps. On step 5, leader is supposed to lead follower to turn on toe. Most of the time the leader moves back into step 6 too quickly, before follower fully shifted her weight to left foot, before she can perform brush through with right foot. That is why she don't feel balanced, as she was forced to move into step 6 before she can stand on her left foot.

Due to mistake in step 5, leader rush to step 6 too fast. It also caused follower to fall forward. In order to maintain body contact, follower has to rush forward. So leader may felt being pushed or she is rushing ahead of time.

From this incident, I learned that I was the cause of her unbalance, and pushing. This learning occurs when I become aware of my ego, and changed into positive thinking.

Advise To Self

Ask:

How can I lead her to slow down/speed up?

How can I lead her to stand balanced?

How can I lead her to move in the desired direction?

Am I doing it correctly? (I could be the one making mistakes)

[hongster]

Ending Partnership

Ended our partnership yesterday. I didn’t know that I can get so emotional about it.

For half a year, Winnie has been quarreling with her husband over dancing. Her husband does not allow her to spend so much time on dancing. Recently her husband states his disagreement with her dancing with other guy. I think he is finding all sorts of reason to stop her from dancing (with me).

She can continue to stand firm, but I think it is unhealthy for her to continue quarreling with her husband over this matter. We came to a conclusion to end this partnership. She cried, I can see that she is really upset about it.

Winnie is a really good partner. This are the things that make our partnership works

We agree not to blame one another when we did not do well in competitions

We never take feedback personal. She can tell me what I did wrong, and I take her feedback seriously. Likewise when I point out her mistakes. We never had any argument throughout the partnership.

Both of us think that basics is really important. We can spend a lot of time working on the basics without getting bored.

We push and motivate one another.

I am grateful for this partnership. For 3.5 years, we worked hard together. We just rise from beginner to novice level, and we have to end it abruptly. This really sadden me.

All things come to an end. I can only move on and find a new partner. I wish her all the best and continue to enjoy dancing.

[hongster]

Tough Time

I am going through a tough time now. Business has been bad. I have not been drawing salary for 9 months. Fortunately i have been saving for raining days, but saving is depleting soon.

I had numerous quarrel with wife over my business, and my persistent in continuing dancing. There are always ups and downs in business. We are at our lowest point. Things can only get better as long as we do not give up, as long as we can pull through.

The thing that upset me the most is not business, but not being able to talk about it with my wife. I am really passionate about my business and dancing. I love to share what I am going through with my wife. But her sense of insecurity will only upset her, and we ended up quarreling whenever I talk about work/dancing. I have learned to keep it to myself, and not mention anything about work/dancing in front of her.

She imposes a restriction of 2 dance competitions per year. I have just completed my second competitions this year. Now i have to stop attending class due to lack of income. I have just started competing at Novice level, and I have to stop dancing right when I needed to spend more time on it. Sigh...

[hongster]

Dance Practice 190325

Have not been practising with Winnie for a long time. Yesterday’s practice was a good one.

This is what we did

Walking forward and backwards

Waltz Natural Turn & Reverse Turn

Waltz routine

Quickstep routine

Warmup

The walking and Natural/Reverse Turn feels more synchronized. No kicking of legs and jerking is lesser. I think the self-practice and joining of Friday beginner class help strengthen our foundation. I tend to pull backwards when I rise, I need to work on maintaining a straight posture.

Keeping Up With Timing

For Waltz routine, we tend to fall behind time starting from Runing Spin Turn, Synchopated Side Cross and Bounce Fallway. We have to keep repeating it numerous time to get up to speed.

Lack Familiarity With Quickstep Figures

We don’t know what we are doing. So we need to slow down and check each step. Lots of questions for teacher in next class.

[hongster]

Sweet Child O’ Mine On Homemade Drums

You don't need expensive equipments to show real talent, and pursuit passion.

[hongster]

Havana On Indian Tabla