strathspey@strathspey.org:44708

simon scott

RE: Teaching and guns

March 14, 2006, 7:23 p.m. (Message 44708, in reply to message 44703)

xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xx.xx wrote:

> My feeling
> is get them in by lowering the bar as far as possible, certainly below
> any sense of having to master footwork first.  Once they are in, they 
> will begin to look around and rather enjoy the superior footwork of 
> those around them.  Then they will look down at their own hippo feet 
> and feel slightly embarrassed and want to improve themselves.

I totally agree with getting new dancers moving, enthused, and actively
dancing without a "huge" or "laborious" technique session, initial.

HOWEVER, I do believe that some aspect of the elegant style of this
dancing, much of which comes from its precise footwork, should always be
a part of each class.

One if the reasons I believe this is that bad habits are very easily
formed. I know that it is more difficult to break bad habits than it is
to form good ones to begin with.

Simon
Vancouver