Falling

[GreenEyes26]

In Latin, pendulum swing never takes over.  Once the metronomic motion is exhausted, it has to be re initiated.  You keep your body metronomically (is that even a word?) tipped in athletic position if you want to keep moving forward.  It feels like you're the Leaning Tower of Pisa but in the mirror it looks like you're just standing straighter than usual.  Keeping your body metronomic also lets your legs swing underneath you with a straight knee naturally (without having to straighten the knee).  In Latin, metronomic motion stays in the body, which causes the legs to react to catch your weight: so the leg action looks a lot faster since the legs are working out of reflex.  Using reflexes rather than conscious muscular control makes it less draining and requires a lot less effort.  Also the balance is a lot better.  This is why I said falling is "required": reflexes don't kick in unless it's real.  Latin has one "swing" dance which is Jive, and Standard has one Latin-ey dance (I'm inventing all sorts of words!) which is Tango (each movement is metronomic and never pendulum swing).        

I think I finally get what you're saying. It sounds like the action is then out of the dancer's control: oh boy. I need a lesson in falling.

[Some guy]

Now, that shows you what a few lessons in falling can do for you. Get up and get on with it....with ease. Thank you for posting that SG. Most top couples learn to fall and that is why they are able to go beyond what most others do. They have found the edge.

DSV

Yep, you don't drown when you fall into the water.  You only drown if you stay there.

[Some guy]

I think I finally get what you're saying. It sounds like the action is then out of the dancer's control: oh boy. I need a lesson in falling.

Yep, when you let go of control is when your body truly gains control.  If you make conscious actions you never give your body the chance to take control and hence you never let your body demonstrate its full potential. 

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I think I finally get what you're saying. It sounds like the action is then out of the dancer's control: oh boy. I need a lesson in falling.

Yep, when you let go of control is when your body truly gains control.  If you make conscious actions you never give your body the chance to take control and hence you never let your body demonstrate its full potential. 

My teacher often said "When you let go of control then you gain more control than you ever though possible"

DSV

[samina]

Was talking recently with my son about the lessons in being "supported", in losing the feeling of falling, that we've learned the past couple years, and he gave a great analogy... that of a ping pong ball that is supported in the air by someone's breath. That's the experience we each have had... as long as we allowed that support and relinquished the fear of falling, we remained in the experience of being supported like that. And that is so powerful... it's liberating. Even though one has given up all fear of falling and one *could* ostensibly fall without that support... the knowing that one is supported, that that is part of natural Law and the order of the universe... that allows so much delicious freedom and peace.

It's been transformational. And I've noticed body & movement changes that seem to correlate with it. Very cool to observe & experience.

[elisedance]

Nice analogy Sam ... compliments to your son

[skipper]

I'm terrified of falling and I know it. I'm afraid of it all the time in Latin. I like to think that if I could conquer that fear, I could do anything - lol.

Try to do this - it worked for me.
Go home - stand 1 foot away fom your bed--FALL face first on your bed. Do it every day. You know the bed is soft and will catch/support you. Next step - stand on your bed and fall. Don't you remember jumping on your bed as a kid?  Same idea.

[samina]

I'm terrified of falling and I know it. I'm afraid of it all the time in Latin. I like to think that if I could conquer that fear, I could do anything - lol.

Try to do this - it worked for me.
Go home - stand 1 foot away fom your bed--FALL face first on your bed. Do it every day. You know the bed is soft and will catch/support you. Next step - stand on your bed and fall. Don't you remember jumping on your bed as a kid?  Same idea.

gonna do tonight... great sensation!

[Some guy]

Try to do this - it worked for me.
Go home - stand 1 foot away fom your bed--FALL face first on your bed. Do it every day. You know the bed is soft and will catch/support you. Next step - stand on your bed and fall. Don't you remember jumping on your bed as a kid?  Same idea.

Great idea Skipper!  I wish I knew this.

[Some guy]

Interesting choice of song, good demonstration of it too, perfect for this thread!   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7L-ziLQ92U

[elisedance]

Have to wait - can't do Utube on my BBry

[drj]

Interesting choice of song, good demonstration of it too, perfect for this thread!   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7L-ziLQ92U

Love the song. Great demonstration of falling. Otherwise, I don't like it. <ducks for cover>

[Some guy]

Why duck for cover?  Nothing wrong with having an opinion.

[elisedance]

Why duck for cover?  Nothing wrong with having an opinion.

...twas my thought too. 
And BTW, ducks don't make very good cover, they tend to squawk a lot - unless you mean a duck feather coverlet, they work beautifully

[samina]

Interesting choice of song, good demonstration of it too, perfect for this thread!   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7L-ziLQ92U

love this so much. the sensitivity of her feet...how she waits for him and responds so fluidly...how connected their nervous systems seem to be, so exquisitely passing the "baton" of their energy and action back & forth...how she completes the trajectory of her movement and is in such deep sensation of her dancing...and yet how light.

exquisite. oh yah... the falling too.