I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a home cooked meal with friends, everyone brought a plate, or a bottle of something, and we all just got to sit down and chat. The fun started before all of the guests arrived when I was in the kitchen with my mate and he was cooking a secret family recipe, as I was chopping vegetables to roast in the oven.
We were both rambling on about our days, our lives, the sands in the hour glass, when I cheekily decided to steal a taste of the cooking while my friend was not looking.
This little bite sized delicacy was covered a crunch golden crumb coating, it was steaming hot, and I just could not resist.
I was expecting the most luscious chicken nugget, I was thinking it would be moist and salty, I was thinking it would be flavorsome and full of texture.. I was wrong.
What at first looked to be home made chicken nuggets, turned out to be a sort of sweet gnocchi covered in an almost biscuit crumb, that was steaming hot because of boiling, not because of frying.
I was horrified and wanted to spit my stolen treasure out, THIS IS NOT WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, but I kept chewing, exploring the new textures and flavours, and wouldn't you know it, it was delicious (I went back and stole a few more, this time with a different expectation).
How often we all go into a situation thinking we know what it will hold for us, or what the out come will be, and how often is it that our expectations dictate to us what that outcome will be.
For me teaching a class is a very similar experience. I can not afford to go into any class with an expectation of what the out come will be. Every class is different, even if I have taught the same thing a million times and I suspect that the students have learnt it before. If I went into a class with set expectations that were not met, how often I would be disappointed, confused, forced to try to have a second crack at it a week later with a different expectation in mind.
The same goes for attending a class. Each and every class you attend should feel in so many ways like your first. As an experienced dancer you can not afford to walk into a beginners class and demand chicken wings if we have prepared sweet gnocchi for you! It is so important to keep your eyes and ears open in every class that you do, so that you don't miss out on the perfect time to perfect your dancing taste buds and enjoy all the flavors and textures around you!
As a new dancer, every class will feel odd and at times not to your taste, but as you grow, and learn what flavors to mix in with your dancing, your appreciation will grow and you too will be able to hone in your taste buds!
I suspect this will apply more and more as we try to get the shift between all level 1, 2 and 3 moving up and down and sideways not just starting at level one and ending up at level 3. In the past we would encourage students to stay in beginners class for months and months, then when they made it to level 1 they were there for years, level 2 is a recent addition to the Tasswing structure that means we can iron out a few more crinkles before you are introduced into level 3. In the olden days you earned your stripes after years of beginners and level one classes, when you made it to "intermediate" as it was called then, you were there for life! You had seen it all and you were the cream of the crop.
These days, the scene has grown, the teachers have new philosophy's, and you guys seem to want to explore more and more faster and faster. That is why we are doing our best to provide a way for you to taste as many new flavors as possible, to find the flavours you like, to work on getting it all to work, and in as many levels as possible.
This means in some cases you can shoot through to level 3 in four short months. In our recent Balboa frenzy we had beginners students who were 4 weeks old, move into level 1 beginners bal for a month, into level 2 for a month and then into level 3 for a month. These guys did not stay in the level 3 class, most of them came back to level 1 or 2, because at the end of the bal frenzy level 3 were not teaching bal anymore.
With this new structure, its almost circular, and we encourage everyone to come back to level one (heck even beginners, you know i love it when you visit) as often as possible to see whats on the menu!!
Till next time..
Relle
Friday, July 24, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
I think I've got writers block.. and a blocked nose.. and a blocked bathroom sink.. there is a theme here somewhere... So I got out the plunger and I think I found the drowned long lost brother of Chew Bacca in my bathroom drain, I've managed to pump so many multi vitamins into my body that im pretty sure my hair smells like berocca, but still, the blog remains clogged...
Do I write about how classes have been and whats coming up? Do I write about how I'm tickled pink by the number of students moving up, down and along the class structure at the moment? Do I talk about how, every week, I meet new people, some go, some stay, some go and then come back? It all seems a little bit long and heavy.. so what I will write about is the real application of swing in our every day lives!
Application #1 - Riding Public Transport
How much better is my balance after learning some blues fundamentals? HEAPS BETTER, I was surfing the tram last time I was in Melbourne and I thought to myself.. hmmm somewhat easier now that I know how to transfer my weight, stand on my whole foot, use my knees as shock absorbers, and get down lower rather than fly into a tippy toe emergency break to my face!
Its sorta geeky but I was hoping for more bumps and abrupt stops, I kinda felt like I was dancing with the train, pretty confident that I can follow a foot lead now - and with no hands!
Application #2 - Dodging Traffic
Not like in dodgeball where you either get hit in the head with a spanner or have to run into traffic, but as some of you might know.. I'm a little bit short.. and sometimes I'm scared of crossing the road on my own, so now I can read the body language of the taller people, and see when they feel its safe to cross the road, works a treat when walking with friends and they decide to cross without using words..
Application #3 - Dodging Human Traffic
Like at Salamanca! I feel like I'm always ducking and dodging and ninja rolling to get out of the way of some pram or in a hurry teen (Geez I sound old). People stop suddenly to compare the cheep sunnies from one stall to the other ten meters up and bam - you either have some serious front bottom back bottom ramming, or you employ your swing spin on the spot, change of place, mini dip etc and manage to somehow avoid the collision.
Application #4 - Self Defence
I kid you not - I saw this one in real life. A local Hobart bouncer had just nailed the swing out, and boy was he stoked!! He left class, put on his security pass and went to work the seedy clubs of Hobart. Later that night - the inevitable happened, some crazed drunkard came RIGHT FOR HIM (hear that ladies.. straight in at him). This bouncer took the drunk by his hand, and led him right into a "pass by" - as if that was not gold enough - the drunk came back for more! This time the bouncer took his hand, led him through a full swing out.. and promptly used his momentum to swing the drunk right out the door!! Much easier than using brute force!!
I welcome your real life swing applications!! I know more are out there!!!
Relle
xxxx
Do I write about how classes have been and whats coming up? Do I write about how I'm tickled pink by the number of students moving up, down and along the class structure at the moment? Do I talk about how, every week, I meet new people, some go, some stay, some go and then come back? It all seems a little bit long and heavy.. so what I will write about is the real application of swing in our every day lives!
Application #1 - Riding Public Transport
How much better is my balance after learning some blues fundamentals? HEAPS BETTER, I was surfing the tram last time I was in Melbourne and I thought to myself.. hmmm somewhat easier now that I know how to transfer my weight, stand on my whole foot, use my knees as shock absorbers, and get down lower rather than fly into a tippy toe emergency break to my face!
Its sorta geeky but I was hoping for more bumps and abrupt stops, I kinda felt like I was dancing with the train, pretty confident that I can follow a foot lead now - and with no hands!
Application #2 - Dodging Traffic
Not like in dodgeball where you either get hit in the head with a spanner or have to run into traffic, but as some of you might know.. I'm a little bit short.. and sometimes I'm scared of crossing the road on my own, so now I can read the body language of the taller people, and see when they feel its safe to cross the road, works a treat when walking with friends and they decide to cross without using words..
Application #3 - Dodging Human Traffic
Like at Salamanca! I feel like I'm always ducking and dodging and ninja rolling to get out of the way of some pram or in a hurry teen (Geez I sound old). People stop suddenly to compare the cheep sunnies from one stall to the other ten meters up and bam - you either have some serious front bottom back bottom ramming, or you employ your swing spin on the spot, change of place, mini dip etc and manage to somehow avoid the collision.
Application #4 - Self Defence
I kid you not - I saw this one in real life. A local Hobart bouncer had just nailed the swing out, and boy was he stoked!! He left class, put on his security pass and went to work the seedy clubs of Hobart. Later that night - the inevitable happened, some crazed drunkard came RIGHT FOR HIM (hear that ladies.. straight in at him). This bouncer took the drunk by his hand, and led him right into a "pass by" - as if that was not gold enough - the drunk came back for more! This time the bouncer took his hand, led him through a full swing out.. and promptly used his momentum to swing the drunk right out the door!! Much easier than using brute force!!
I welcome your real life swing applications!! I know more are out there!!!
Relle
xxxx
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thrilling
Oh darlings - how I do love to see you all as zombies in my class! Usually I'm trying my best to rev you all up and get your excitement on, but for this month, we will be chillin and killin ZOMBIE style!
Thriller is being taught as a warm up for both the 7.00 and 8.00 classes, come one come all!!
Also - I will post a Devil City Swing wrap up relle style ASAP!!
love you all!
Relle
Thriller is being taught as a warm up for both the 7.00 and 8.00 classes, come one come all!!
Also - I will post a Devil City Swing wrap up relle style ASAP!!
love you all!
Relle
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Relle is for sale!
Its true and I sell myself by the hour!
It has made me so proud this year to see how many great dancers are moving between the ranks. Our new class structure seems to be helping you guys move up and along and sometimes back down with ease and without disruption! Good work to all of us I say!!
Sometimes though we get a taste for a particular move, or styling feature, but the teachers cant re teach that move to a whole class, this is where private lessons come in handy. Sometimes try as we may, we just cant seem to get the hang of that pesky swing out, or balboa foot work, again, this is where private lessons come in handy. Sometimes we just need to sit and chat about the state of the nation... I would not suggest choosing me for your private teacher in that instance!!
I don't like to do the hard sell, but I will just remind you all that I am available (as are the other Tasswing teachers) for private lessons. Teachers book themselves out so contact them directly, you can contact me via email narelle@tasswing.com.au for class prices and availability.
Looking forward to some one on one action with you all (so not as dirty as it sounds.. ok.. yes it is!!)
relle
It has made me so proud this year to see how many great dancers are moving between the ranks. Our new class structure seems to be helping you guys move up and along and sometimes back down with ease and without disruption! Good work to all of us I say!!
Sometimes though we get a taste for a particular move, or styling feature, but the teachers cant re teach that move to a whole class, this is where private lessons come in handy. Sometimes try as we may, we just cant seem to get the hang of that pesky swing out, or balboa foot work, again, this is where private lessons come in handy. Sometimes we just need to sit and chat about the state of the nation... I would not suggest choosing me for your private teacher in that instance!!
I don't like to do the hard sell, but I will just remind you all that I am available (as are the other Tasswing teachers) for private lessons. Teachers book themselves out so contact them directly, you can contact me via email narelle@tasswing.com.au for class prices and availability.
Looking forward to some one on one action with you all (so not as dirty as it sounds.. ok.. yes it is!!)
relle
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