DIARY OF THE BEGINNING OF A SERIAL JIVER : BEGINNERS WORKCLASS PT 2

[michael wilson]

The next part of the class was the basic style points. This covered holding the hand, start move, eye contact, leading and keeping relaxed.

The one thing here that really stood out was keeping relaxed. In the fact that a lot of the women always feel so tense. To me it's not a sexy dance which may be embarrassing if done with a stranger or even someone to hardly know. I just put a warm smile on my face and make it all out to be not such a big deal.

Next on the list is returns. I hate returns. The whole point of returns is when the women is spun one way you return her the other way to help keep her balance. Also to help slow the dance speed down. In theory good... bad if your me when it comes to freestyle. Only because I seem to miss so many of them out.....I think. At this point I will like to say I'm still learning.

I have to say my returns when I remember that I have to do one are pretty good. Always try to keep my hand inches above her head and no stirring. Basically thats when you just sweep around her head and potentially hurt your partner.

We then moved on to learning ten of the twenty basic moves. Each move started with walking through the move, explaining the key points of make the move work and then practice until we felt comfortable to move on. We started three left handed moves - shoulder slide, side to side ( let go ), basic pushspin and then the stepacross.

All these I had learnt at jive fever, So just having the time to practice these In my own time was great. The village hall where the lesson was being held was so hot. The sun was shinning in through little windows at the top of the room and by late afternoon were burning a little hole in my head (I'm 6'4). In the end we opened the double fire doors. At that point we took a break and drank plenty of water. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the class and were taking about there favourite moves and the one they hated. For me it's a choice between the comb and the lady spin..... yuk.

The next moves we learned were right handed moves. These were the hatchback, comb (yuk) and the caltpult. Now the hatchback and the catapult are quite easy moves when you done them a few times. But the bloody comb. You do a return and then take ladies right hand over mans head and down onto your shoulder as if combing your hair. You rest your left hand on the woman's hip.

I find it so hard to move into this move when coming out of any move, I just don't bother with it. You then finish the move by by pushing gentle the woman away with your left hand collecting the woman's right hand with either hand.

I love the catapult because it actually lasts a little longer than most moves giving me time to think and rest. Also it looks good especially when I do it..... honest.

The last three moves were two handed moves. The basket is a great move which I enjoy doing just cause it looks good and easy to do. Both dancers are side by side moving together, it just feels more like you dancing with each other than the other moves.

The other two were the arm-jive push-pull and the wurlitzer. Both similar in style and good moves when done correctly.

A quick break and then the games began.

We were set in two teams. One person from each team was asked to pick three moves each. Then build the three moves into a routine that the group had to do in time with each other.

Both groups did really well but of course here's the twist. We then were asked for the men of one group to show the women how to do the routine from the other group. It was harder but manage to pull it off quite well.

Last of all, we had a little freestyle for twenty mins which the teacher gave us a teaching sheet. That's the only reason I've been able to remember all the moves we did and what hand they are.

All in all, It was a great day. I got so much from the lesson like learning to dance to the beat.

There is a another class in a few weeks time teaching the other ten moves.

I've already signed up for it.