The core...

[elisedance]

To my surprise we have no topic that goes to the core of dancing!

I think anyone who has had dance lessons has listened to instructions on 'moving your core'.  I know we've discussed 'centres' and DSV has pointed out that there are more than one (three I think, I should go back and review). 

The reason I was thinking about this came from a point in my last lesson where we were doing pivots and my pro said I was not giving him room to dance.  He wanted me to sit back, rather like a motorcycle.  I tried that but it felt very odd and tended to put me off my ballance (no one messes with my ballance!!).  I rephrased the issue in my mind and realized I was not keeping my core over my ballance point. 

The way I imagine that is a line through my spine basically down to my ballance point on the floor.  I hope that makes sence.  When I moved this back a bit it seemed to solve the issue.  But how does everyone else imagine one's core - in a practical sense of what to do with it when you dance, not a theoretical one.

[QPO]

I wonder if you imagine pulling your belly button to your spine... I think that would help keep your core where it is mean to be. That may be too simplistic.... but it does help

[elisedance]

There are of course lots of ways to think about this but one needs a practical way that takes as little effort as possible.

I've been imaging a straight vertical line through my hips which I move backwards and forwards.  The object for me is to make sure my body moves as a unit. 

[pruthe]

. . .
The reason I was thinking about this came from a point in my last lesson where we were doing pivots and my pro said I was not giving him room to dance.  He wanted me to sit back, rather like a motorcycle.  I tried that but it felt very odd and tended to put me off my ballance (no one messes with my ballance!!).  I rephrased the issue in my mind and realized I was not keeping my core over my ballance point. 
. . .

What did your pro mean by you not giving him room to dance and your needing to sit back? Was this only during pivots? How do you go about sitting back? Just wondered. :-)

[QPO]

that posture xstructre is very uch promoted by Richard Gleave so you know the pedigree

[elisedance]

that posture xstructre is very uch promoted by Richard Gleave so you know the pedigree

can you expand Q?

[elisedance]

. . .
The reason I was thinking about this came from a point in my last lesson where we were doing pivots and my pro said I was not giving him room to dance.  He wanted me to sit back, rather like a motorcycle.  I tried that but it felt very odd and tended to put me off my ballance (no one messes with my ballance!!).  I rephrased the issue in my mind and realized I was not keeping my core over my ballance point. 
. . .

What did your pro mean by you not giving him room to dance and your needing to sit back? Was this only during pivots? How do you go about sitting back? Just wondered. :-)

First, it did come up during pivots but has been raised several times since.  How to do it I have no idea and don't really want to learn since it seems to involve putting your centre off ballance.  I've achieved the same thing by focusing on keeping my centre further from my partner - which is not sitting back exactly although it has the same outcome - I just hate the mental image of sitting on a chair while dancing!

[Some guy]

What if you think of it as leaning on a tall bar stool, kind of like a partial sit?

[elisedance]

What if you think of it as leaning on a tall bar stool, kind of like a partial sit?

well, if I can also imagine a nice martini I may live wiith it

[QPO]

that posture xstructre is very uch promoted by Richard Gleave so you know the pedigree

can you expand Q?

one of our coaches explained that yiu shiuld dance as if there is a pillow between you and your partners hips. I f yiu try to have forqrd hip projection you willa ppear back weighted.

we are currently having lessons with a dutch teacher and she come from the stephen hillier linage who was taught by benny tolmyer. she says sometime my bottom is sticking out! but the gleave style has no problem with that. I am sure that the differnece between the two is not so great but it is the  interpretation that I have yet to master.

[elisedance]

first and formost you should feel comfortable.  Maybe the bar stool idea is that but its not the mental image I want to get there...

[pruthe]

First, it did come up during pivots but has been raised several times since.  How to do it I have no idea and don't really want to learn since it seems to involve putting your centre off ballance.  I've achieved the same thing by focusing on keeping my centre further from my partner - which is not sitting back exactly although it has the same outcome - I just hate the mental image of sitting on a chair while dancing!

Thanks for your comments. I also think you should do what works best for you. Good luck and please post again if find out more.