A Disaster Waiting to Happen?

I can’t believe it!!! I really can’t believe it!!! My dear friend, Lai Kuan and I are going to enter our first ever dance competition!!! Seriously, we’ve been taking classes for only about 2 and a half months. It’s a dream come true ! Well, at least for me.

It all happened yesterday after our dance class when Royce informed our class that there is a party on the 29^th of April held by the studio at a community hall nearby the dance studio. He further added that who would be interested in joining the rock n roll competition held earlier that day and that is when he got my full attention. No one dared to reply, me included. I was surprised that he even asked because we are all just beginners. But I was definitely interested so I went to see him after he went out of the class along with Lai Kuan and Jennifer to get further information. It seems that for the competition, if Lai Kuan and I join, we will be dancing with each other in an event called the Ladies Event. This event is solely catered for the ladies as there’s not many male dancers compared to the ladies. That means, one of us will need to dance the men’s steps, and that would be me. I don’t mind, it will be fun! Furthermore, we will be competing among the beginners of the dance school, I think. Royce is kind enough to train us for the competition which I appreciate a lot!

I’m so excited and nervous at the same time now as I don’t know how good are my competitors and there’s only 2 weeks left before the competition and we don’t have any concrete routine to practice on. Also, Lai Kuan and I don’t meet that often which make it harder to practice together. Well, I’m trying to pick up steps from all sorts of media so I could use it during the competition. Hope all turns out well and I don’t fall flat on the floor during competition. I’m keeping my fingers cross.

Sam, a-ba, Sam, a-ba !!!

Last Saturday was the first class of beginner 2 Latin ballroom class. As suspected, it was a little harder that beginner 1 where I did Cha Cha, Rock N’ Roll and Waltz. From my previous post, Samba is my first dance. To tell you the truth, this is the first dance that I’m nervous of before the class and maybe during the beginning of the class. I was not sure if I had accidentally picked up bad habits from the CD that I’ve learnt from previously. Also, it has kept me up for few nights thinking about the moves, how I moved and how it’s suppose to be like.

Anyway, the first exercise that Royce had us do was to step front with the left foot, make a quick transfer of weight to the right foot at the side of the left, then step back on the right foot to get familiar with the count and the quick transfer of body weight and at the same time, counting to the beat, 1, a-2, 3, a-4, etc, etc... Next came the hip movements. The hips should sway the most when it comes to the transfer of weight. So instead of bending our knees (bobbing) up and down, the height should remain the same and only from waist below should be moving. Also, feet should be turned out when pointing back. I felt like I’m doing a mix of belly dancing and ballet. Sounds difficult? Yeah.. it definitely is. I was so uncomfortable moving the hips that I look like a total beginner of all beginners! The same goes for the whole class, especially the guys and we all started laughing because of the awkwardness of the movement, at least that’s how we felt at that time. Knowing that the class totally sucked at the basic hip movement, Royce had us do only the bobbing, to get us familiar with the beats, then, progressively taught us from there. I notice that he had a tough time teaching us too. Well, I don’t blame him.. LOL.

Things started to get better during the 2^nd half of the class when we were taught the Samba swift and walk. The Swift was cool as I manage to get 80% the hip movement! Samba walk was alright although during practice, I slipped twice at the back foot, that’s suppose to be stationary and is used to pull the front foot back by a few centimeters. That made my friends and Royce laugh. LOL. Well, at least my technique is correct and also I think its time to get a pair of Latin ballroom shoes. I wonder it will be even more slippery to dance in the shoes ?? I have to get one eventually so might as well visit the shoe shop after class. Also, my feet is hurting every time classes ends.

Anyway, by the end of the class, I was moving my hips like no one’s business…LOL. I’m so glad that I could do it although it’s not as good as Royce’s but boleh tahan la for a beginner. I just have to practice a whole lot to do be PRECISE and PERFECT. I left the studio feeling relieved.

A Long Break

Finally, I’ve successfully completed beginner 1 Latin ballroom class. It has been great fun dancing the Cha Cha, Rock N’ Roll and Waltz. In beginner 2, the dances that will be taught comprises of Samba, Salsa and Rumba. Yeah.. completely Latin! I’m starting to wonder if I’m cut out for Latin dances. I’m afraid.. I’m deadly afraid!

Actually, Royce, my dance instructor gave the class a brief demo on the basic of the 3 dances at the end of the last beginner 1 dance class and I have to admit, it looked difficult, especially Samba, the dance with the most movement from the waist down. The way he moved was so PRECISE and PERFECT which has made me doubt if I can ever do what he did, ever! Also, that will be the first dance that I’m going to learn in beginner 2! Salsa came next but I’ve already learned that in college last time. Last but not least, Rumba, the dance of love.. That’s another dance I’m worried about as I have not learnt it before in college, like Samba. But I had a crash course on rumba before, I mean, really a crash course. It lasted for about 10 minutes where William taught the class the basics of rumba because one of my college mate ask about it. Thank goodness for that!!!

So during the 2 weeks of break before starting beginner 2, I bought few VCDs on Latin ballroom to watch and maybe get some moves from there. The first 2 CDs I bought was on professional Latin ballroom competitions. I was in awe when I saw them dance and my jaw literally dropped to the floor. Hmm.. I wonder if I will every dance like them. Well, I doubt it.. as for now. The other 2 CDs was on Samba, the dance that I’m destined to learn. Actually I bought it because I wanted to learn before the class start so that I could get familiar with the moves and also I wanted to prove to myself that I could shake my butt like Royce did. To be more precise, it’s the shaking of hips and not the butt. But the word ‘butt’ sounds nicer. Both CDs on Samba was great as it teaches more technique than steps which what I’m aiming for. Unfortunately, there are 2 disadvantages of learning through the CDs. First, although I’m getting a head start compared to others in the class, I’m not sure if how I move is the correct way. There was once I tried to samba walk to the front and it feels like a Rumba walk. Second, the whole CD is in mandarin and I can only understand about 20% of it. I’m just trying to follow how the instructor moves in the CD!!!

Anyway, I’m prepared to forget everything I learnt from the CD and start off with a clean memory when I go for my first Samba class. Wish me all the best! I hope I can shake my hips like a pro during the class! LOL!!!

D.A.N.C.E

DANCE! That all I've been thinking of ever since I've enrolled myself in Latin ballroom class about 2 months ago. Actually, to tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, attending dance classes has been one of my goals even before I completed my degree. Now that I have fulfilled one of my many goals in life, I’m definitely looking forward to expand my experience in dance a whole lot more than before.

I first came across the world dance when I was 7 years old. At that time, I was asthmatic therefore my mom signed me up for ballet classes every week in school to strengthen my lungs. I have to agree that it really helps as I was declared asthma-free when I turned 12. 2 years down the road, mom decided to stop my ballet classes as the fees kept increasing and I don’t really need to go for classes anymore given the fact that I’ve recovered from my childhood sickness. Ever since the day, I’ve made a promise to myself never to let my bones harden and continued to do stretching everyday till I’m too old to walk. 4 years had passed until one day, a friend of mine asked me to join ballroom class with her in our college. That was the first time I’ve ever dance ballroom and I did Rock N’ Roll, Salsa and Jive. Needless to say, at first, I prefer ballet more than ballroom, maybe because ballet was my first love. But when I decided to stop ballroom class after 2 months, I started to miss dancing and from that day onwards, I vowed to take up ballroom again when I start working.

Alas now, after 4 years in college, I’ve managed to get a decent job nearby the dance studio that’s owned by the dance instructor, William, who taught me in college 3 years ago. Glad I could finally meet his again and he was glad to see me together with a friend of mine that he had taught before. We were invited into his office for a chat before our class started. Anyway, it was a great feeling to be back dancing as this moment has been long overdue.