Can’t remember when serious dancers get started on QM2

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Hello.

it has been a few years since we’ve done the TA on QM2, and wonky hips and one titanium knee later, we still want to dance. However, we are decidedly not anything like serious dancers. We just want to go as we can and enjoy each other’s company. However, we saw how, later in the evening, the floor gets crowded and the serious ballroom dancers show up. 
 

We would prefer not to get in anybody’s way, and I recall that, early in the evening, there were people like us who just wanted to do what they could and have fun. The problem is that I cannot remember when the serious ones come out. We are scheduled for early dining but would be willing to try switching to a late seating if that would leave us space for dancing and early would not.

 

So that is my long-winded way of asking who remembers when the floor gets crowded and people start swooping around the floor? We will adjust, but we’d like SOME time to dances we can, too.

Edited October 4, 2023 by 2Oldpeopleinlove

[Pushpit]

My perception is that some songs / dances are less popular. The dance hosts seem keen to suggest that it doesn't matter what your skill set is. I'm not one who dances (which I should get around to fixing) but it seems to me that you can easily spot those who take it seriously. I use that word quite specifically, since they may be good or bad dancers, but you can kind of tell that they aren't there for anyone else, even though the point of the exercise is the overall show of all dancers. So I guess there is perhaps a self confidence issue, but I think you just need to pick your time, not so much early versus late but quieter interludes which do come up. You can always leave early if too many people join you. Maybe speak to the dance hosts quietly to explain, I would see it as part of their job to make this happen for you.

 

The other thing is that if the floor gets crowded, everyone has to slow down: you can't swoop a Waltz around if there's too much traffic, and that applies to you as much as the serious dancers.

 

Last point: your money is as good as anyone else's. You have every right to the dance floor. This isn't a freebie.

[exlondoner]

I don’t dance either but sometimes used to enjoy watching from the balcony. I seem to recall that most of the participants were there simply to enjoy the dancing, at very different levels of skill, but a few, who clearly considered themselves very skilful, would take up a huge amount of space, to the detriment of others, and generally give the impression of showing off. I should have thought it was a mark of a superior dancer not to do this, but I actually know nothing about this.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I don’t dance either but sometimes used to enjoy watching from the balcony. I seem to recall that most of the participants were there simply to enjoy the dancing, at very different levels of skill, but a few, who clearly considered themselves very skilful, would take up a huge amount of space, to the detriment of others, and generally give the impression of showing off. I should have thought it was a mark of a superior dancer not to do this, but I actually know nothing about this.

Well, yes, and those are the dancers we want to avoid. They didn’t seem to show up early in the evening, but I simply cannot remember what the timing was relative to dinner.

[D&N]

I don't think that the sort of dancer described will always be skilful. If they are then you should dance in front of them to check it out. If they are skilful they will avoid you. If they don't, they are not skilful but inconsiderate and you should sue them for any injuries that you suffer.

 

In practice the only times we found the floor to be really busy were the first few dances on gala nights. Otherwise there was plenty of space for dancers of all levels of proficiency.

 

When party music is played in Queens Room sometimes there is a problem when ballroom dancers hear a piece they can dance to but the floor is full of disco dancers blocking the lines of dance.

 

Some recent threads have published programs listing when recorded music is on, or a small section of the Queens Room band are playing. The floor is usually less crowded during those times than the headline session of each night.

[Victoria2]

22 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I don’t dance either but sometimes used to enjoy watching from the balcony. I seem to recall that most of the participants were there simply to enjoy the dancing, at very different levels of skill, but a few, who clearly considered themselves very skilful, would take up a huge amount of space, to the detriment of others, and generally give the impression of showing off. I should have thought it was a mark of a superior dancer not to do this, but I actually know nothing about this.

I remember commenting on the 'arm flingers' ages ago.

Fellow dancers could get knocked out with the 'exuberant manoeuvres' if happened to be in arm distance!.

[D&N]

@Victoria2

Again it comes down to skill.

A fancy term might be spatial awareness. If you want to fling arms, as long as you know that you are flinging into an empty space there shouldn't be a problem.

I do prefer to see even beginners holding their arms up in latin dances as it looks far better than having them dangling at their sides like a "seagull with a broken wing" to quote a past dance teacher.

 

If the floor is that packed then we sometimes dance in a sort of cuddle hold that stops any elbows from sticking out and hitting folk. As long as we can keep our balance it doesn't really matter if we are not in the correct hold.

[Victoria2]

Just now, D&N said:

@Victoria2

Again it comes down to skill.

A fancy term might be spatial awareness. If you want to fling arms, as long as you know that you are flinging into an empty space there shouldn't be a problem.

I do prefer to see even beginners holding their arms up in latin dances as it looks far better than having them dangling at their sides like a "seagull with a broken wing" to quote a past dance teacher.

 

If the floor is that packed then we sometimes dance in a sort of cuddle hold that stops any elbows from sticking out and hitting folk. As long as we can keep our balance it doesn't really matter if we are not in the correct hold.

Arm flinging [is that a technical term] on a fairly busy dance floor not only looks ridiculous when no one else is doing it, but is also selfish and dangerous, this  from a lay person;s perspective.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

34 minutes ago, D&N said:

Some recent threads have published programs listing when recorded music is on, or a small section of the Queens Room band are playing. The floor is usually less crowded during those times than the headline session of each night.

I will seek that out. It’s the information I want. But if we stay with early dining, I suspect we might miss those easy times. Hence my question.

[D&N]

3 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Arm flinging [is that a technical term] on a fairly busy dance floor not only looks ridiculous when no one else is doing it, but is also selfish and dangerous, this  from a lay person;s perspective.

The teachers that we've come across suggest moderate "Arm Flinging" or "Armography" [sic] (from Strictly). I think teachers generally called it arm placement.

Competition dancers get a bit extreme but in that scenario it's expected.

For social, the arms are best to be roughly in line with your shoulders to create a nice shape and it can help with balance. It can also make movements look more flowing e.g. you make a sequence of steps to the left and finish by extending your left arm and hand. That all depends on you knowing you won't hit anyone. As a couple our heads will be about 18" apart and we'll both have close to 180° field of vision, so there's no reason why we shouldn't know where all the other dancers are.

 

You are entitled to not like it, but dance teachers tell pupils to use their arms correctly. They often say that drooping arms at your side or looking down at your feet while dancing tells those watching that you don't have any confidence in what you're doing.

 

 

 

[Victoria2]

11 minutes ago, D&N said:

The teachers that we've come across suggest moderate "Arm Flinging" or "Armography" [sic] (from Strictly). I think teachers generally called it arm placement.

Competition dancers get a bit extreme but in that scenario it's expected.

For social, the arms are best to be roughly in line with your shoulders to create a nice shape and it can help with balance. It can also make movements look more flowing e.g. you make a sequence of steps to the left and finish by extending your left arm and hand. That all depends on you knowing you won't hit anyone. As a couple our heads will be about 18" apart and we'll both have close to 180° field of vision, so there's no reason why we shouldn't know where all the other dancers are.

 

You are entitled to not like it, but dance teachers tell pupils to use their arms correctly. They often say that drooping arms at your side or looking down at your feet while dancing tells those watching that you don't have any confidence in what you're doing.

 

 

 

It's not a case of not liking it. I have no thoughts either way. This wasn't 'Strictly' and they looked silly. it was selfish to try and take up so much space on a busy dance floor,  and dangerous at times.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

While we don’t look at our feet…times aren’t THAT hard!…we likely would fail your style tests most of the time. I don’t WANT to get in the way or worry about it. That’s why I asked the question. Being judged? That’s not my wheelhouse, so if anyone wants to judge us, they should make that choice. That’s not our business, it’s a simple question of WHEN we can expect not to be trampled or pushed around. We are happy to accommodate by absenting ourselves at those times.

[D&N]

@2Oldpeopleinlove

I was concerned after last time that we could have made more effort to maximise our dance opportunities so went back through the programs and listed all the events in Queens Room or G32. Next time we'll try and plan our days to catch as much as possible.

 

The attached file abbreviates Queens Room to QR.

Anything pre 19:00 is dance classes, not including line dancing or zumba that don't interest us.

The main event was always 21:00 and if a band in G32 that was at 21:30.

I note that the current trip to Canada has those at 20:45 and 21:45 respectively.

 

Judging is perhaps a bit extreme, but folk (including other dancers) watch and can't help thinking one couple is better than another. Often that means that their eye follows dancers that they think are good and don't really bother with the rest.

We don't care that much what others think of our dancing but try and maintain a standard that our past teachers would be happy with if they were to see us.

Thankfully the 10 seconds of us I discovered on YouTube looked ok!

 

Hopefully the file is understandable.

 

Dance events QM2 June 2022.pdf

[ClaireRuss]

Floorcraft to me is about reading the floor at that moment in time and adjusting accordingly.

 

If its a crowded floor dancing cha cha, then an experienced dancer should curtail the arm placement accordingly, but conversely a floor full of experienced dancers doing the quickstep, is probably not the right time for a much less experienced dancer to take to the floor.

 

We all want to have the chance to dance to the best of our ability. However the floor is rarely our own, so we all have to pick our moments and be considerate to the other couples. 

 

My dance teacher talks about  'levels' of exuberance! L1 being first few lessons to L10 professional competition. Its up to each dancer to balance their ability with what is appropriate at the time on the floor.

 

Dont forget, even the most serious dancers started somewhere too, so do enjoy giving it a go 💃🕺

[fourmile.ranch]

5 hours ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

  it’s a simple question of WHEN we can expect not to be trampled or pushed around. We are happy to accommodate by absenting ourselves at those times.

This is a bit of a crystal ball question. As far as I have seen there isn't a posting about what time dancers of a certain level should report to the floor. It will all depend on who you're sailing with, what time their own dining occurs, etc. etc.

 

Sounds like your leaning towards dancing early in the evening and I would agree the Queens Room get more full as the evening progresses rather than less so. Might want to just trust your instincts and adjust your dining to late.