So we have been studying musicality in the 6.00 class this month, and it made me realize, how often I "know the song" but I don't really listen to it. I'm one of those people that seem to be able to feel whats going on, and whats going to happen in songs that follow a standard structure, but for some reason, I cant take advantage of syncopation to save myself!
Anyway the ever faithful Pat shot me though the links I asked for in class, the YouTube to go with my favorite version of "Love Me or Leave Me". If I could dance half as well as these guys, I'd be happy with myself. Bryce and I spend a stack of time when we were teaching partners trying to nail some of the moves, and I wont lie, it was hard work!! The routine is obviously choreographed but just look at how these guys NAIL all of the high lights, accents, breaks and beat changes. These boys who rule my love of swing !!
On a different note, through a million clicks I also found this little gem! I'm not the biggest fan of hers but, if I could have this ladies wardrobe I'm pretty sure I would just go ahead and marry myself - also keep a watchful eye on her back up dancers. Next time there is a solo Charleston class - this is what we are talking about!!
For those of you who are really dying to know - this is the film clip that I mentioned in my previous blog, the one that got me into swing dancing (yeah I know - I've been asked to hurry up and write the next installment of the adventures of Relle and Mr T, but I gotta draw out the suspense!!)
Watch all three film clips in a row and you may need a cigarette after (wink), welcome to what makes me tick!!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Old Times = Good Times
Im not sure what the rules are when it comes to not having a face book, and someone else sending you a photo that they saved off someone elses face book to show you what you looked like many years ago and as a broody brunette.. but for the giggles I got I thought it was worth sharing.
There is another photo somewhere from the same TasSwing ball, where I'm standing next to Kara, and I must have been standing on something cos I almost looked tall.. My hair is quiffed up, I have my white singlet on, black braces, attempting to look hella tough-a-billy.. someone saw the photo and asked when my brother had been in town, and how he knew Kara. Not sure who should be more offended, my brother or I, but I'll chase down that photo, again for giggles.
It does show that we all go ALL OUT for the TasSwing balls, and the one coming up in November will be NO EXCEPTION.
There is another photo somewhere from the same TasSwing ball, where I'm standing next to Kara, and I must have been standing on something cos I almost looked tall.. My hair is quiffed up, I have my white singlet on, black braces, attempting to look hella tough-a-billy.. someone saw the photo and asked when my brother had been in town, and how he knew Kara. Not sure who should be more offended, my brother or I, but I'll chase down that photo, again for giggles.It does show that we all go ALL OUT for the TasSwing balls, and the one coming up in November will be NO EXCEPTION.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Meet You at Around Midnight @ Syrups #2
So there we were, me partying on Fri and Sat nights, Mr T bouncing downstairs till ugly hour. One chilly evening decided not to stay warm in a sensible top and pants, but instead wear the beanie that I had finished knitting the night before. "Cool beanie" said Mr T, "Ta" said I, "I made it last night".
From there the conversation went along the lines of me promising to teach Mr T to knit, and in return he would owe me a favor.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't judge, but I'll tell you know, it is quite a giggle to see a 6 foot 6 bouncer learning to knit one, pearl one to make himself a killer scarf!! A few dropped stitches, and a few added on and he was off like a rocket.
We sat there in silence, knitting our scarfs and watching rage when BAM it came on, i heard for the first time the song that made me learn how to swing dance.
"Jump Jive and Wail" b
y Brian Setzer made me fall in love at first site. I'd always harbored a slight psycobilly crush, mixed with a love of "happy days" and poodle skirts, but this was different, this was sexy, this was pencil skirts, quiffs and hot rods all in one song!
"LETS LEARN TO SWING DANCE" yelled Mr T excitedly over his knitted creation. Hang on a minute, wasn't that supposed to be my line? Wasn't this going to be the favor that he owed me? "Come on - lets do it, Ill owe you another favor!!" he pleaded. Where did this guy come from??
It was my job to find out when and where - although he secretly got all the info before I did and just acted all casual when I told him about it.
Week one was hard, week two was hard, week three was hard, week four was hard, week five, somewhat easier...
By week five we had already attended an aerials workshop taught by some crazy cats from over seas, we were no longer worried about the dancing, more the throwing of me around in the air and the him catching me before my face hit the floor.
THIS is what it was all about, THIS is what they did on the film clip that looked so cool.. and Mr T being built like he was, and me, well a midget by comparison, it all seemed toooooo easy.
We did day one of the workshop, all good, pretty stiff and sore, but it was ok. Day two was a killer, a whole hour of warm ups concentrating on the thigh area, and I wanted to go home!! OH THE PAIN.
The teachers were great, they told us to make sure we cooled down properly, and that we went for a light walk when we got home, pfft - what would they know- a cool down is a warm shower and a little nap in my book. WRONG
I woke up in time to go to dinner at my mums house, I kinda swung my legs out of bed and THONK, I hit the deck. My legs did not hurt, I could not feel them at all, my thighs would not support my own weight! I had to slide down the stairs of my two story town h
ouse and call my mum to come and pick me up!
The next day at work, after limping around and generally looking like I had been hit with a truck, I got called into my bosses office. After skirting around the subject for a while she eventually handed me a business card for a counselor and suggested if things weren't ok at home there were people I could talk to - She thought I was stuck in an abusive relationship. I realised that I was COVERED in bruises, on my arms, neck, legs, and one big hand shaped bruise that I had to later explain to my boyfriend at the time.
Apparently "I'm a swing dancer" is in the same vein as " I walked into a door", it just made me all the more determined to get good at what I was doing and "show them all".
Next post I will tell you the pros and cons of determination, partnering up with a BJJ enthusiast, and how the war was won.
From there the conversation went along the lines of me promising to teach Mr T to knit, and in return he would owe me a favor.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't judge, but I'll tell you know, it is quite a giggle to see a 6 foot 6 bouncer learning to knit one, pearl one to make himself a killer scarf!! A few dropped stitches, and a few added on and he was off like a rocket.
We sat there in silence, knitting our scarfs and watching rage when BAM it came on, i heard for the first time the song that made me learn how to swing dance.
"Jump Jive and Wail" b
y Brian Setzer made me fall in love at first site. I'd always harbored a slight psycobilly crush, mixed with a love of "happy days" and poodle skirts, but this was different, this was sexy, this was pencil skirts, quiffs and hot rods all in one song!"LETS LEARN TO SWING DANCE" yelled Mr T excitedly over his knitted creation. Hang on a minute, wasn't that supposed to be my line? Wasn't this going to be the favor that he owed me? "Come on - lets do it, Ill owe you another favor!!" he pleaded. Where did this guy come from??
It was my job to find out when and where - although he secretly got all the info before I did and just acted all casual when I told him about it.
Week one was hard, week two was hard, week three was hard, week four was hard, week five, somewhat easier...
By week five we had already attended an aerials workshop taught by some crazy cats from over seas, we were no longer worried about the dancing, more the throwing of me around in the air and the him catching me before my face hit the floor.
THIS is what it was all about, THIS is what they did on the film clip that looked so cool.. and Mr T being built like he was, and me, well a midget by comparison, it all seemed toooooo easy.
We did day one of the workshop, all good, pretty stiff and sore, but it was ok. Day two was a killer, a whole hour of warm ups concentrating on the thigh area, and I wanted to go home!! OH THE PAIN.
The teachers were great, they told us to make sure we cooled down properly, and that we went for a light walk when we got home, pfft - what would they know- a cool down is a warm shower and a little nap in my book. WRONG
I woke up in time to go to dinner at my mums house, I kinda swung my legs out of bed and THONK, I hit the deck. My legs did not hurt, I could not feel them at all, my thighs would not support my own weight! I had to slide down the stairs of my two story town h
ouse and call my mum to come and pick me up!The next day at work, after limping around and generally looking like I had been hit with a truck, I got called into my bosses office. After skirting around the subject for a while she eventually handed me a business card for a counselor and suggested if things weren't ok at home there were people I could talk to - She thought I was stuck in an abusive relationship. I realised that I was COVERED in bruises, on my arms, neck, legs, and one big hand shaped bruise that I had to later explain to my boyfriend at the time.
Apparently "I'm a swing dancer" is in the same vein as " I walked into a door", it just made me all the more determined to get good at what I was doing and "show them all".
Next post I will tell you the pros and cons of determination, partnering up with a BJJ enthusiast, and how the war was won.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Meet You at Around Midnight @ Syrups
I get asked a lot how long I've been dancing for, and what got me into it in the first place, and whilst I'm not sure how long I've been teaching for let alone dancing, I know exactly what started the ball rolling.
For a few years I was a shift worker at the local chocolate factory, It meant plenty of coins, but a pretty hard to juggle social planner, when I was awake, everyone was asleep, when everyone else wanted to party, I was at work. It got harder and harder to stay in contact with my collage mates, and for a while there I just gave up.
Enough was enough I said out loud one sat night - to no one but me and some "from the vault" 80's RAGE hit tune. I put on my jeans and singlet and decided, I was going out.
Twice I stopped to turn back, I was scared about going into town by myself, about not knowing anyone, about having to walk into the pub by myself. I made myself sick with nerves but suddenly I was there.. the Salamanca strip.
Pretty soon I either met new friends or stopped caring, no one knows you're dancing by yourself to an 80s cover band till the band is over and you have to buy yourself a lemonade and contemplate your next move.
My next major mile stone, would be to leave the comfort of the pub I had started to claim as my own, and take it up a notch to TackyLand.
I would walk past the line up every Friday and Saturday night, wanting to cut foot loose but too nervous to go in by myself - Plus the bouncers were a deathly duo, of a battle dwarf and a man who could stop you dead with one flash of his fantastic mustache!
Not usually a fan of the stash, I could not help but be in awe of this one, night after night it would haunt my dreams, I had to tell the face that owned this stash how I felt.
It was a busy Saturday night, even if I had gotten the courage up to actually line up to maybe get into this club, the chances of getting in within an hr were pretty slim. My awkward and unfaltering stare caught the bouncers attention, bold as I could be in my Jeans (with long socks underneath so I could tuck my id and phone into them so they would not bulk out my back pockets) and singlet, I walked up to the bouncer and I said to him "I just have to tell you, that is the most Porno mustache I have ever seen in my life".
That night was my first night up at Tackyland, turns out the bouncer in question, Mr T (Trev), did not mind a little bit of flattery, and so he encouraged me to walk on in, compliments of the house that night. I danced till my feet bled and then I danced some more, all the 80's hits I wanted, in one night. It was magical. All of my hard work paid off - being brave gets you good music!
Eventually we got to chatting on the quiet nights. Trev and I because good friends, I would smuggle him chocolate from work or the occasional home made baked cheese cake, and he would make sure I was looked after. He would check on me during the night if I was out solo, and split a cab with me if I danced all the way though ugly hour. It turns out that going out solo, had actually given me the opportunity to make a really good friend.
So how did I start dancing?? hmmm so far its a long post, read this one again, remember the names and places, and I will give you part two of Meet You at Around Midnight @ Syrups next time!!
For a few years I was a shift worker at the local chocolate factory, It meant plenty of coins, but a pretty hard to juggle social planner, when I was awake, everyone was asleep, when everyone else wanted to party, I was at work. It got harder and harder to stay in contact with my collage mates, and for a while there I just gave up.
Enough was enough I said out loud one sat night - to no one but me and some "from the vault" 80's RAGE hit tune. I put on my jeans and singlet and decided, I was going out.
Twice I stopped to turn back, I was scared about going into town by myself, about not knowing anyone, about having to walk into the pub by myself. I made myself sick with nerves but suddenly I was there.. the Salamanca strip.
Pretty soon I either met new friends or stopped caring, no one knows you're dancing by yourself to an 80s cover band till the band is over and you have to buy yourself a lemonade and contemplate your next move.
My next major mile stone, would be to leave the comfort of the pub I had started to claim as my own, and take it up a notch to TackyLand.
I would walk past the line up every Friday and Saturday night, wanting to cut foot loose but too nervous to go in by myself - Plus the bouncers were a deathly duo, of a battle dwarf and a man who could stop you dead with one flash of his fantastic mustache!
Not usually a fan of the stash, I could not help but be in awe of this one, night after night it would haunt my dreams, I had to tell the face that owned this stash how I felt.
It was a busy Saturday night, even if I had gotten the courage up to actually line up to maybe get into this club, the chances of getting in within an hr were pretty slim. My awkward and unfaltering stare caught the bouncers attention, bold as I could be in my Jeans (with long socks underneath so I could tuck my id and phone into them so they would not bulk out my back pockets) and singlet, I walked up to the bouncer and I said to him "I just have to tell you, that is the most Porno mustache I have ever seen in my life".
That night was my first night up at Tackyland, turns out the bouncer in question, Mr T (Trev), did not mind a little bit of flattery, and so he encouraged me to walk on in, compliments of the house that night. I danced till my feet bled and then I danced some more, all the 80's hits I wanted, in one night. It was magical. All of my hard work paid off - being brave gets you good music!
Eventually we got to chatting on the quiet nights. Trev and I because good friends, I would smuggle him chocolate from work or the occasional home made baked cheese cake, and he would make sure I was looked after. He would check on me during the night if I was out solo, and split a cab with me if I danced all the way though ugly hour. It turns out that going out solo, had actually given me the opportunity to make a really good friend.
So how did I start dancing?? hmmm so far its a long post, read this one again, remember the names and places, and I will give you part two of Meet You at Around Midnight @ Syrups next time!!
Friday, August 21, 2009
womens weekly cooking from the 70's
Such a fine line, trying to decide - do we get it right and feel proud - or do we get it nearly right and have more fun? Sometimes we think we have it right, have a stack of fun, but then realize we have been doing it wrong all along.
For me dancing is like eating. Its like eating your mums chow mein, and then growing up and going to a real Asian restaurant and realizing that chow mein is indeed not fried mince with two minute noodles and tomato sauce, which is actually more delish than what it sounds but still no where near the real deal. This simple dish is actually a master full dish full of delicate flavours, subtle nuances and depending on where you go, a real feeling of authenticity.
Dancing is the same, for years and years you can get away with thinking that you're dancing chow mein when really you're just dancing fried mince, and although, you will always love that home made recipe, there is a whole new world out there, god forbid some Peking duck, some udon noodle, something that you cant even pronounce on the menu but looks like its good when its served up at the next table.
The thing is though, when you go home and your mum cooks you your "favourite" chow mein, you cant exactly say to her, "mum, you've been doing it wrong for years, this is some on the cheep recipe Womans Weekly released in 1973 to be all exotic", you just gotta love your mum, pile on the soy sauce and tell her that you loved it and would love it again next Sunday.
When you have traveled the world, eating out at restaurants highlighted in swing dancings "gourmet traveller" and you have sucked the bones clean of many a miscellaneous animal, remember, someone out there is still living at home with their mums, still eating fried mince and calling it chow mein, offer them some soy sauce, but don't be too keen to tell them how badly the have it wrong, sometimes, we all just wanna enjoy the simple things in life.
I guess what im really trying to say is, be kind to your fellow dancers, no one needs to be told their mums chow mien is rubbish, and no one needs to be told their dancing is not quite right, takes us all time to figure that out ourselves - you need to keep in mind, your chow mein, might not be the same as mine, or his, or hers, or thiers, does not make it not as good, just makes it a provincial recipy of yours!
For me dancing is like eating. Its like eating your mums chow mein, and then growing up and going to a real Asian restaurant and realizing that chow mein is indeed not fried mince with two minute noodles and tomato sauce, which is actually more delish than what it sounds but still no where near the real deal. This simple dish is actually a master full dish full of delicate flavours, subtle nuances and depending on where you go, a real feeling of authenticity.
Dancing is the same, for years and years you can get away with thinking that you're dancing chow mein when really you're just dancing fried mince, and although, you will always love that home made recipe, there is a whole new world out there, god forbid some Peking duck, some udon noodle, something that you cant even pronounce on the menu but looks like its good when its served up at the next table.
The thing is though, when you go home and your mum cooks you your "favourite" chow mein, you cant exactly say to her, "mum, you've been doing it wrong for years, this is some on the cheep recipe Womans Weekly released in 1973 to be all exotic", you just gotta love your mum, pile on the soy sauce and tell her that you loved it and would love it again next Sunday.
When you have traveled the world, eating out at restaurants highlighted in swing dancings "gourmet traveller" and you have sucked the bones clean of many a miscellaneous animal, remember, someone out there is still living at home with their mums, still eating fried mince and calling it chow mein, offer them some soy sauce, but don't be too keen to tell them how badly the have it wrong, sometimes, we all just wanna enjoy the simple things in life.
I guess what im really trying to say is, be kind to your fellow dancers, no one needs to be told their mums chow mien is rubbish, and no one needs to be told their dancing is not quite right, takes us all time to figure that out ourselves - you need to keep in mind, your chow mein, might not be the same as mine, or his, or hers, or thiers, does not make it not as good, just makes it a provincial recipy of yours!
Friday, July 24, 2009
chicken in a dumpling?
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
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 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
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