Dance! - The Road to Heavies: lesson 52, February 6, 2015.
Continue that Single Jig!
Well darn: I just got on the ferry and I already need to go to the loo again. That happened to me 2 weeks ago as well, but then 10 minutes after I left home (where I already took a tingle). I made use of the facilities at Amsterdam CS, considering the time the ferry would take. This time I quickly enter the hall when I get to the NDSM-wharf.
Over to dancing: the Beginners reel is flawless, although I feel it's not easy. My teacher provided me with some extra warm-up time, but don't notice such a difference.
I skip the Light Jig: I did practice and the hops are starting to look like something, but the movement between the series of hops just doesn't stick with me. It doesn't help I didn't write those steps down.
When I ask my fellow-beginner how to do them, I suddenly manage and I immediately write them down.
With big letters and with a big circle around it I warn myself that I have to repeat the series of steps with my RIGHT LEG, where most lead-arounds have the same steps that are first done with right and are then performed on the left leg.
The Slip Jig takes some refreshing my memory but eventually I manage. My fellow beginner mentions how much she messes up with that dance as the last step is so much alike the last step of the Single Jig.
I slightly mess up the Slip Jig but pick up at another part of the music.
That's easy... oh... it's Primary-speed
I'm surprised when we get to the Single Jig and I hear the music. This is Primary or Intermediate speed and not beginners. I try to come along but quickly notice I'm going to fast. When I hop past my teacher I ask her, surprised as I am, why she started this slow music and then she hears it too.
Wrong is right
The fast music is played and we start over. Now things turn out right until the last steps of the lead-around, where I nearly mess up. I continue but really have to pay attention where we are.
I mess up the sidestep again. I manage to improvise and continue dancing. With the last series of steps I really do switch to Slip-Jig steps. Even though the timing is different I correct myself and dance on. When I get to the end and mess up for the fourth time I have to give up. No I have to think so much that I can't cope anymore.
My teacher however is very happy: 'You did something completely different but you kept on going. You did something wrong THREE times but you corrected and went on! That's GOOD!'
And yes, I did. I still feel that I was a bit better at this in Haarlem, probably because it was so much more quiet compared to this hall.
My heavy shoe-stuff works out somewhat good, but I don't like how many times I don't even hit the floor. My teacher emphasizes how important it is to at least try to do the right moves and perfection is not what she is looking for in beginners. My own opinion differs and I would love to get it right.