Greetings all. I'm at the level midway between pre-champ and champ in the international latin category. I am trying desperately to nudge my way out of the pre-champ level but there is still a significant discrepancy between me and the more experienced champ dancers. I was viewing videos of myself and champ dancers and couldnt help but compare. One of the most noticable differences had to do with the level of groundedness - most of the champ dancers look very grounded, and I am trying to figure out how to achieve this level of groundedness. I am sure there are various factors that play into being/looking/feeling grounded and I would love some input on them. I know one factor is to be over your weight at all times to help achieve this grounded state. Any further insight into this would be very appreciated. Thanks for reading. Also, any insight into other issues that I am having would be so very appreciated; for example, connection with partner, and developing speed. If you have any questions for me, please dont hesitate to ask.

This topic comes up from time to time, and it is always difficult to assess an " action " thru the written word, sight unseen .

Can you post a video of your dancing to YouTube and link it here?

Jonathan

Yes, ofcourse. This was at Nationals in April. As you can tell, I am very high up and not grounded. I believe my center of gravity is higher than my partner's. Does that have anything to do with being ungrounded?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt6hgZuCbPk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4zlEeKHqQ4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhGi8yjKct8

I built your links for you.

MysticRiver 1

MysticRiver 2

MysticRiver 3

Incidentally, you failed to mention which partner in the video is you.

jj

Thanks jj. I was wearing a red dress and black ponytail and my partner was wearing white and is short (relative to the others on the floor).

Glad to help. I was going to tell you how pretty you are but I wanted to make sure that you aren't the guy.

BTW, how did you finish in these heats? It's unfortunate that we don't get to see enough of your Samba.

jj

MysticRiver.First a video clip you can find does go into part of what you are concerned with. Google Latin Body Action. The couple are Johan and Nadia Eftedal. Former British Champions.
Second . Some of the best Latin dancers of all time have been towards the shortish side. I watched your clips and if you didn't get the results you hoped for . Whatever you do don't go chopping and changing things around unless told to by a coach who has hopefully had international experience. The only advice is in the Samba in particular. Get that heel down on the beat, which means the ball must arrive first to be able to get the heel down. If you don't you will be chasing the beat and become to light over the floor..
You looked as good as any of the others that I could see. Also I am sure others will agree you could both do with a few pounds in weight in the right places. You will notice that most of the top dancers are usually a little towards the solid size in the leg department. The legs have got to look strong. If anything in the Cha get that front foot out faster.
I hope you are aware of the politics involved in ballroom dancing. I think you both looked OK.
After the singing starts on or about the 13th bar in the Rumba, and most of the way through you aren't really looking at your partner. You've to to be able to act as well as dance. You are allowed to put your two hands on his shoulders and look as if you are about to kiss him on the cheek.
Just to add a bit more. Near the beginning of the Rumba when you have your back towards your parner and he runs his hands over your front and you then push them out of your way. You are both not living that moment. Its got to mean something. I mean get your arms on the inside and reject his overture to you. If this was real and you were pushing his arms away you would go a mile higher than you did on the clip. Then move away looking over your shoulder rejecting, look away and then back again, but still show you are interested. Leave an arm trailing act act act. At the very least 60 per cent of Rumba in particular, is acting.
In a lecture I went to Shirley Ballas told us that she was attending acting lessons. This is a person who was already a champion dancer.
We have an expression here She's a good sort. I'd agree with that.
For your partner if he can find something from Donnie Burns whose flirty manner comes across in his dancing. Just a tilt of the head can tell a story and thats what it is all about. You might Google Paul Killick go to video and choose the second one down. The Greatest Performance of my Life sung by Shirley Bassy. You will notice how Hanna at one time has both hands on Paul's hips for several bars of music as they move around. That would be easy to copy for a starters.
On a DVD called " The 2003 World Super Stars Dance Festival Latin ". When Colm Wikinson sings . When I gaze into your eyes. That's what Paul is doing. Gazing into her eyes. Remember with these top performers every expression even down to the finger tips is rehearsed and practised over and over and then again. For my money you are well on the way. Don't let anything stop you.
Hanna Kartiunen is now dancing with Slavic.
For grounding the excercise taught is with a table napkin under each foot. Rumba Walk and don't lose the napkins.

Jofjonesboro- thank you. We placed 9th out of about 34 couples(?).

Polished- THANK YOU for all of your very helpful advice. I will look at the videos and practice all of the technical and show pointers you've mentioned. I will also work on getting more built and in physical shape for dancing.

One of the other biggest problems I have is staying on beat to the music. I tend to not be able to activate and move my muscles fast enough to keep up with the music. And, as going into the championship level, I want to be able to more 10 times faster! So, my question is, how can I practice becoming a faster dancer? I've been reading up on isometric exercising (using resistance bands) and it sounds promising. Any ideas if isometric exercises work, or any other form of exercises? Thanks again, and as always, I welcome any advice anyone may have.

Hi, young lady,
It is un-professional for a qualified teacher, who is not your coach, to be giving advice on your performance. The watching of videos is okay if you want to get ideas on expression and presentation. In your particular case this is not the problem, in fact, you express your work quite good for a dancer in this grade. A credit to you and your coach. The advice I'm going to give is not for you but to all the lower grade dancers who may have a similar problem to you which is the lack of being grounded. This is usually the fault of not having floor contact, so:

1) The dancer MUST have foot pressure to the floor whilst transferring the body weight. Don't dance above the floor.
2) Discuss with your coach the beat values and on which part of the beat the transferring of body weight occurs.
3) Finally, if you don't have lessons in ballet then start!

The above are just generalizations which would improve the majority of dancers in your grade.

Postscript. Your coach has done excellent work with you and your partner to get you this far. Have faith in him/her and please be patient.