It's the pixels. I can tell.
April 25, 2012 5:51 PM Subscribe
I went to the beginner's lesson at a contra dance the other night and the instructor immediately picked me out as having danced previously. I hadn't danced a single step yet. How did he know?
There were six of us holding hands in a circle and listening to the instructor, who started off explaining that most figures begin and end with the lady on the man's right. I noticed that my partner and I were the only ones switched around, so I started to walk around behind her. Before we finished trading places, the instructor had stopped mid-sentence to ask whether I had danced previously.
As it turns out, I have done, but only a few times, and we hadn't done anything yet. I could believe that if he were to watch me swing he might be able to tell, but I really doubt I walk around a woman's back any differently. So is there some extremely sensitive tell for people having danced contra before?
There were six of us holding hands in a circle and listening to the instructor, who started off explaining that most figures begin and end with the lady on the man's right. I noticed that my partner and I were the only ones switched around, so I started to walk around behind her. Before we finished trading places, the instructor had stopped mid-sentence to ask whether I had danced previously.
As it turns out, I have done, but only a few times, and we hadn't done anything yet. I could believe that if he were to watch me swing he might be able to tell, but I really doubt I walk around a woman's back any differently. So is there some extremely sensitive tell for people having danced contra before?
You knew what he was getting at before he finished, you walked *behind* your partner, and I'm betting you did so with no awkwardness or hesitation.
posted by Specklet at 5:59 PM on April 25, 2012 [8 favorites]
posted by Specklet at 5:59 PM on April 25, 2012 [8 favorites]
I noticed that my partner and I were the only ones switched around...
You demonstrated that you were listening to instructions and intuitively were aware of your placement relative to your partner. That places you ahead of most people the instructor sees. "Hey, you're smart. Have you done this before?"
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:00 PM on April 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
You demonstrated that you were listening to instructions and intuitively were aware of your placement relative to your partner. That places you ahead of most people the instructor sees. "Hey, you're smart. Have you done this before?"
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:00 PM on April 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
It sounds like you could be giving more credence to the question than was intended. The instructor could've been asking if you had any dance experience because he wanted to know the answer, yes or no.
posted by cardioid at 6:00 PM on April 25, 2012
posted by cardioid at 6:00 PM on April 25, 2012
I imagine that in his experience with hundreds of people in his class, people who have studied dance before are the ones who immediately understand, as you did, that that was a recommendation to get in the correct place (not just an anecdote), while most brand-new students just wait until they are explicitly told what to do.
posted by argonauta at 6:02 PM on April 25, 2012
posted by argonauta at 6:02 PM on April 25, 2012
Where were your hands?
People who haven't danced before often feel (and thus look) awkward while they're standing in a circle holding hands. If you were comfortable holding the people on either side of you, that's a subtle tell, and if you're engaged with the circle (arms up, and not hanging on anybody) that's another.
Then you swapped places with your partner. Did you use a subtle hand pressure/tug as you stepped behind her to make sure she realized that you're swapping places and she's going in front of you? That's what "leading" is, in dance terms.
posted by aimedwander at 6:10 PM on April 25, 2012
People who haven't danced before often feel (and thus look) awkward while they're standing in a circle holding hands. If you were comfortable holding the people on either side of you, that's a subtle tell, and if you're engaged with the circle (arms up, and not hanging on anybody) that's another.
Then you swapped places with your partner. Did you use a subtle hand pressure/tug as you stepped behind her to make sure she realized that you're swapping places and she's going in front of you? That's what "leading" is, in dance terms.
posted by aimedwander at 6:10 PM on April 25, 2012
I teach Scottish Country Dancing, and I've done contra (and Irish, English, swing, salsa, International, squares, polka.....) and I can tell when someone's danced before, and more than that, if they've had training in a specific form, like ballet, jazz, Irish, etc.
When I'm teaching beginners, I pay attention to how the dancers move, and if they can listen and move a the same time. So, if you followed directions and ended where you were supposed to, you demonstrated that you can move and listen at the same time. You said you hadn't done any spins, but your carriage and stance tell a lot about you. Were you standing in first position? How did you hold your arms? Do you have an erect bearing and move gracefully? Was there music playing? Did you move in time to the music? Were you unconsciously moving to the beat? How did you interact with your set? Were you comfortable taking hands and maintaining your space? All of these can let someone know if you've danced before.
posted by bryghtrose at 6:20 PM on April 25, 2012
When I'm teaching beginners, I pay attention to how the dancers move, and if they can listen and move a the same time. So, if you followed directions and ended where you were supposed to, you demonstrated that you can move and listen at the same time. You said you hadn't done any spins, but your carriage and stance tell a lot about you. Were you standing in first position? How did you hold your arms? Do you have an erect bearing and move gracefully? Was there music playing? Did you move in time to the music? Were you unconsciously moving to the beat? How did you interact with your set? Were you comfortable taking hands and maintaining your space? All of these can let someone know if you've danced before.
posted by bryghtrose at 6:20 PM on April 25, 2012
I have no dance experience, but when I watch the auditions for So You Think You Can Dance, I can tell the people who have real dance training vs. the people who think they can just bust a move by the way they walk up to the stage and take their mark. It's a sense that every muscle in their body is working deliberately towards a certain end. I'd suspect it's the same kind of thing here.
posted by KathrynT at 12:04 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by KathrynT at 12:04 AM on April 26, 2012
Response by poster: Specklet, what is the significance of walking behind my partner? (Now that I think about it, it would feel odd to walk in front, but I never knew this was some kind of rule.)
posted by d. z. wang at 6:18 PM on April 26, 2012
posted by d. z. wang at 6:18 PM on April 26, 2012
I've never done contra dancing, but I have done a lot of salsa dancing in the Casino Rueda style, which I understand to be similar.
In my experience, a lead would never walk/cross in front of a follow (unless it was choreographed that way). I'm not sure if there is a specific rule about it or whether it's just part of understood dance etiquette, but either way, the fact you instinctively did this indicates that you've probably danced before.
posted by Specklet at 1:58 PM on April 27, 2012
In my experience, a lead would never walk/cross in front of a follow (unless it was choreographed that way). I'm not sure if there is a specific rule about it or whether it's just part of understood dance etiquette, but either way, the fact you instinctively did this indicates that you've probably danced before.
posted by Specklet at 1:58 PM on April 27, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
(Also, there's no downside to his saying that to any random person in the class right off the bat: either you're convinced he's psychic or he butters you up by saying, "Ah, you move like a dancer...")
posted by Etrigan at 5:57 PM on April 25, 2012