Dance! - The Road to Heavies: lesson 7. December 9, 2011
A nice result
As bad as it went the last few lessons, such a different story is today. I jump around like a jolly one, get my lead-around right the first time and than move on with my sidestep, two 1-2-3's (with a hop in the first), after that my second sidestep (but then to the left) and the steps after that.
I now also notice what I was doing wrong with my sidestep. After the hop, I placed my right foot in front, where I had to place it out to close again with my left leg, in order to perform a good seven.
Doing so, I also find out why I had so much trouble covering distance in my sidestep. While I enter the sidestep, the teacher points a finger to the right, to let me know that I'm not covering enough distance. Slowly I come to the point I figure out where things start to go wrong and in the end I can follow him far better.
I don't panick anymore when I encouter an 'obstacle'
I also notice that the panic I encountered the first few classes when I found my teacher or a fellow dancer in my path, is gone. Since the second lesson, a fellow beginner joined us, who (ofcourse) has to learn the same steps and struggles with the same issues I was struggling with, or still am, with the prime ending the lead-around where you started it.
Not more than 2 classes back, I'd panic, stopped dancing or lost track of the music. Now I keep moving on with my sidestep and all the steps after them. I follow up with a new version of the 'hop' where I now have to place my foot down on the heel, with my toes pointed upwards, and performing a sidestep once again. After that, two hops and two 1-2-3's complete what I know so far.
I don't get it right the first few times, but eventually, I make it to the 'end'. Ofcourse, technically, I still have to improve a lot, but hey, I did it! And that for someone who thought he wouldn't survive his first class and thougt about quitting 2 weeks ago and only took practice by going through the steps in his head...
The lump is calling...
Though, as soon as I get home, I do have to cool things down. My left foot feels like it will have a huge lump again tomorrow. There is some fluid the next day, but less pain compared to two weeks ago.