Exercises

[dream a little dream]

I am currently not taking lessons, but I don't want to forget everything I have learned in the past year of lessons.  I dance Standard and I'd love to know what others do in order to keep their skills sharp. 

I have access to a dance floor, but no partner!

[QPO]

Yes that is hard, how do you maintain.....your dancing level. I have one friend that has a private lesson with a male teacher so she can keep up her skills..I know that some can afford it....so then it is difficult

I am currently not taking lessons, but I don't want to forget everything I have learned in the past year of lessons.  I dance Standard and I'd love to know what others do in order to keep their skills sharp. 

I have access to a dance floor, but no partner!

[SwingWaltz]

One thing you can practice anywhere and everywhere is your posture!

[QPO]

Yes that is a defiante and everytime you sit at a computer sit up straight shoulders back, and I have started to look up more...

One thing you can practice anywhere and everywhere is your posture!

[elisedance]

There have to be social dances .  I know that they can be character testing - both because one can sit out much of the time (unless you are like me and aks the guys to dance - I always find them to be polite and appreciative, if not always accomodating - and because you often get guys that have no clue.  However, partly because of the latter it forces you to become more independent in your dancing ability.

Pluck your courage up and get out girl!!  You just might meet a practise partner - and that could lead to much more..., not least an introduction to a new pro. 

[emeralddancer]

paging Some Guy, Dora and Masha..... HELP

Um .... let me look at my notes that our mutual friend gave me. She told me some exercises to use at anytime that fits in with standard. I will look it up tonight.

[ttd]

There was some really good advice in the latest issue of Dancebeat ("it takes a woman" column). The author suggested adding cardio intervals where you would run faster for 1:30, then slower for 0:30 (it's different from intervals program on the machines, where they make you work harder to maintain same pace).

[dream a little dream]

Well, I am hoping the fencing will help with the cardio and maintaining my core, etc.   Maintaining posture is a good thing to continue to remember, too.
Thanks ya'll!

[QPO]

I agree good posture is essential and unforuatnely computers are not a good thing for that, as people dont sit properly in the chair and get a rounded back or forward projecting head

I try constantly to make sure that I am aware of how I am sitting, but fall back into bad habits quickly

Well, I am hoping the fencing will help with the cardio and maintaining my core, etc.   Maintaining posture is a good thing to continue to remember, too.
Thanks ya'll!

[Bordertangoman]

Yes that is a defiante and everytime you sit at a computer sit up straight shoulders back, and I have started to look up more...

One thing you can practice anywhere and everywhere is your posture!

guilty look, as he slumps over his desk

[elisedance]

One thing you can practice anywhere and everywhere is your posture!

You are absolutely right - but I would put it more emphatically: one thing you can DO all the time is posture.  Good posture is a life-time investment as it takes the stress of your body that can lead to severe problems in time wiht joints and even bone structure.

I hate to say this but posture for living is actually even more important that posture for dance - but why not use the latter as an excuse for the former?  Works for me.  I used to have a dreadful crane-neck - slung forward off my shoulders.  Coaches thought it was a permanent dance liability but its almost imperceptible now - so you can change.  And BTW I was in my late 40s when I started to do something about it...

[Bordertangoman]

One thing you can practice anywhere and everywhere is your posture!

You are absolutely right - but I would put it more emphatically: one thing you can DO all the time is posture.  Good posture is a life-time investment as it takes the stress of your body that can lead to severe problems in time wiht joints and even bone structure.

I hate to say this but posture for living is actually even more important that posture for dance - but why not use the latter as an excuse for the former?  Works for me.  I used to have a dreadful crane-neck - slung forward off my shoulders.  Coaches thought it was a permanent dance liability but its almost imperceptible now - so you can change.  And BTW I was in my late 40s when I started to do something about it...

so all that banging the front of your head with a mallet paid off!

[Rugby]

There was some really good advice in the latest issue of Dancebeat ("it takes a woman" column). The author suggested adding cardio intervals where you would run faster for 1:30, then slower for 0:30 (it's different from intervals program on the machines, where they make you work harder to maintain same pace).

Is that Ieva?

[ttd]

There was some really good advice in the latest issue of Dancebeat ("it takes a woman" column). The author suggested adding cardio intervals where you would run faster for 1:30, then slower for 0:30 (it's different from intervals program on the machines, where they make you work harder to maintain same pace).

Is that Ieva?

Yes

[QPO]

OUr excerice is a soical dance. since we know most of the dances we only get to have about a 1.00 break before we do another one, each time we are on the floor we try to really do good styling and movement, which is quite strenuous...I really feel we have a workout after a two to three hour dance.