Southern UK Jive

[Southern Jiver]

I noticed that on June 6th at Wilton, RichardP is teaching a Sabotage class before the freestyle. I haven't had much contact with sabotage tactics but when I have, I haven't enjoyed it very much. In my opinion, it breaks my "flow" and totally throws me off the beat. Perhaps that is what it is designed to do, but why? And why even teach people to do it? I suppose one could argue it's to give the lady more of an opportunity to impose her own style on the dance but this seems to be at the expense of the man's role as the leader, by taking the initiative away from him however briefly, and I feel that unless the man is a pretty good dancer, this could really give him a bad feeling about dancing with the lady and may well not ask her to dance again. What does anyone else think?
_________________
"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."
~Japanese Proverb

[TeeDee]

I actually quite like it - I find it a bit of a giggle.

I guess any lady who does this sort of thing would need to assess the chap first to see how they think that chap would be able to cope and/or react to having the lead pinched.

One of the ladies at Newquay Jive (hope they don't mind me mentioning them here...) does this with me a bit and it makes me laugh each time!

Then again - I don't mind playing the follow part and that can, sometimes, end up swapping the lead role a fair number of times throughout the dance. Sometimes even fighting for it or stealing it when your partners' guard is down. For me it's a scream!

Similar fun to stealing the lady from another chap or swapping partners in a group - all fun and games that are fun to take part in and fun to watch.
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[Southern Jiver]

Ok, that's all good feedback, TeeDee but you are a very accomplished dancer and can deal with the sabotage well. What about people not quite as accomplished as yourself?
_________________
"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."
~Japanese Proverb

[DJ Andy]

I also don't mind a bit of sabotage either.
It shows your partner has some of her own ideas about the dance, and if her moves/steps fit the music better than the ones that you'd got in mind, then so much the better!
Teaching a few sabotage ideas for followers sounds like a good idea to me.
_________________
DJ - ModernJivePortsmouth
www.ModernJivePortsmouth.co.uk

[TeeDee]

[TeeDee]

I didn't actually answer the bit about if it's a good idea or even necessary to teach sabotage...

I think it is down to timing - the venue has to be ready for it. Assuming that the venue has been developed to the point where the majority of regular attendees are happily freestyling at an intermediate level then, yes, I think it is a good idea and a neat way to add something fresh and different - nobody likes the moves being taught to go stagnant.
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[Southern Jiver]

Hmm...I'm still undecided..perhaps it would be a good idea for me to attend Richyp's (oh dear , looks like he's saddled with the name) sabotage class just so I know how to deal with it when it occurs. It's all a bit of a foreign concept to me and I freely confess my ignorance about it.
_________________
"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."
~Japanese Proverb

[Diane]

Always good to try something new sj and it can be fun.

I would always suss the man out first Well, depending on my mood

[dizzydancer]

Its only a bit of fun...
I have done it a few times but only with guys that I dance with on a regular basis, in fact one commented last week that I hadnt sabotaged the dance yet, with a big grin on his face, well that was just an invitation, wasnt it!! both of the guys I do it to find it amusing...

[Nicky]

I have to say that I don't particularly enjoy sabotage classes. I feel that the very fact that particular moves are being taught, basically takes away the sabotage aspect of it.....In the freestyle after such a class, every single man that I dance with tries to lead a sabotage move, even to the point of giving me a nod and saying, "Go on then, its that move we did!".

However, that said, I have to admit that I do enjoy the occasional spot of sabotage myself, usually when I feel that the leader is missing a prime opportunity to interpret a particular part of a good track... It may be a stop, or something within the lyrics themselves that lends itself to a bit of artistic interpretation, shall we say For example: Metro Station's "Shake It", is just asking for the odd shimmy to be put in!!!

Obviously, most followers aren't going to be aware of the fact that they can, on occasion, take the initiative unless they have been to a sabotage class...Maybe the answer is to make such classes open to ladies only; that way the surprise element of the sabotage works as it should do.

TeeDee wrote:

[drunkenjiver]

I consider sabotage as totally pointless & dangerous,the man who is leading is getting in position for the next or possibly 2 or 3 moves ahead,I have been sabotaged a few times & although it can seem funny to the lady it can result in pain for the guy,I have had a night ruined by this act which resulted in a back injury,so I would say it is totally irresponsible for any teacher to even consider such moves,but some people i guess are more interested in the money to be made out of it,just make sure your insurance is up to date if you are planning these events.

[DJ Andy]

[qdos]

[Nicky]

Drunkenjiver wrote:

[qdos]

Ah righty the old wiggle routine 'fraid I'm one of the many folk who just does not do wiggles. Sorry