Modern Jive is easy. You don’t have to refine it to enjoy it. “If you’re both having fun, you’re doing it right.”

“It is my aim that every time I dance with a partner, of any experience level, they will feel that is was uplifting. I want their experience with me on the dance floor to contribute positively to how they feel about dancing and themselves.”

Whether you are a man or a woman, a leader or a follower, I strongly encourage you to make this, or something like it, your dance mantra, your rule of thumb, your core value. It will mean that your dancing and your relational life will always be enriched.

Modern Jive – Ceroc is almost always lead by one partner and followed by the other. One engineers, constructs the pattern of the dance; it’s reference to and interpretation of the music. The other intuits, reponds and contributes, dressing the structure of the dance with flare, grace, style and flow. Both are very unique and uniquely difficult tasks.

Sometimes this adds a little tension to dancing that can sabbotage your mantra and your fun if you’re not careful.

Example 1. you’re a leader who is dancing with someone less competent than yourself and you are performing for the audience. You attempt moves that your partner is not familiar with, nor capable of, and feel that you look clumsy as a couple. You expect her to spin doubles, to step and to anchor on beat, to feel and anticipate the cadences. Of course she doesn’t, and so your in-dance conversation becomes a constant stream of little “tips” at what she should be doing. By the end of the song, you’re both ready to have a seat. She’s ready to go home.

Example 2. you’re a follower who is dancing with a newer dancer who has rotated round to you in class. You don’t want to lead him through the move but he seems to have such a frightfully slow rate of comprehending what the teacher says, you struggle to remain responsive. He obviously feels uneasy about his lack of understanding and you add insult to injury by by curtly reminding him that he’s meant to be the leader and you’re waiting for him to start.

Now in the second example. I’m forever telling experienced ladies to wait and respond and allow him time to learn to lead, but that waiting needs to be done with an accepting smile, an easy an open attitude that welcomes him to fail and try again, a partly truthful comment that he’s doing well and a sincere encouragement that the difficulty will pass with time so ‘don’t give up.’ Why not seek that person out in freestyle time and spend some time, showing the moves to them and then slowy lowering your strength as he steadily gains confidence and begins to initiate. Demonstrate the level of force and resistance that ought to exist between you. Help him make progress and then identify and celebrate that progress.

In the first example, the leader ought to realise early that he has pitched his coreography too high and apologise. “It’s my fault.” he should say. “If I can’t lead the move clearly enough for you to follow or be kind enough to lead moves that have some familiarity to you, then I’m being discourteous, so again I apologise.” Then drop the complexity back down as low as neccessary for you to succeed together. If you’re not content to just do basic footwork with a new lady, moving on time, feeling the rhythm, smiling and encouraging her as you thank her for the dance, then I offer that you’re missing out on the best that dancing has to offer and so is she.

Modern Jive is easy. You don’t have to refine it to enjoy it. “If you’re both having fun, you’re doing it right.”

Being spectacular is one thing, being pushy and rude in the attempt is quite another. When a couple is truly spectacular, you can see that both partners are comfortable in the partnership; the strength of the lead, the tension in the follow, the closeness of the moves, the tempo of the music, the danger and strength level in the moves chosen. All these choices have to be made with respect for both partners for dancing to be really fun and spectacular.

I’ve made these mistakes many times; so eager to show off or to try new stuff, that I’ve left a lady feeling awkward or inadequate or simply annoyed.

On the other hand, some of the most accomplished dancers I’ve had the pleasure of dancing with, didn’t seem to have any expectations of me. They genuinely seemed to enjoy the dance even when I feared that it was awfully repetitive and that I had gone “brain dead” somewhere near the start. They seemed content to do “man break throughs” and “manhattans” the whole song and throw whatever style and finesse into it that they could. They respected me as a partner regardless of how inexperienced I was. If you’re reading this ladies, thankyou.

We, most of us, are fragile creatures, seeking to find acceptance and identity in our circles of friends, to love and be loved, appreciated. Dancing is just a small part of that, but it really can and ought to be a helpful part. When you dance with someone, they have given you the power to do great good in their lives. Don’t miss the chance!

If you’re new and frightened, take a load off, take the pressure down, you’re not inadequate, the floor and the music is there as much for you as it is for the champions, so get out there.

Sincerely…

Brent and Corina Leggett.

For those of you who paid it forward AND have never downloaded our online videos before, you may have come up with a problem where you can hear the video but cannot see anything sensible. This problem, and it’s solution, are described below.

If you find in the end that all this tech stuff is a little too difficult to get your head around, you can just stick to good old faithful DVDs. Here are a few that we’ve listed recently: Click on the pic to go to the listing and make your purchase.

If you try to play a video from Jivemecrazy and find that you can hear it but can’t see anything, or what you can see is just a scramble of weird colours, this is because you are missing a “codec”. The codec we use is DivX. It is a very common codec for transport of high quality video. You can download it for free at their site: www.divx.com
What is a codec?

“Codec” stands for coder/decoder. It is an algorhythm that is used to compress video data when the video is created. To “compress” it means to attempt to reduce the file size without a proportionate loss in quality. While the “coder” part is used to create the video, the “decoder” part is used to view the video file.

Windows uses lots of codecs, some of which you may be familiar with like WMA (Windows Media Audio), WMV (Windows Media Video) and MP3 (an audio codec initially developed by Fraunhoffer). Divx is not shipped with Windows at this stage, but many set-top DVD players now come with the codec chip, so they can play DivX files right on your TV.

You only have to install it once.

Once your computer knows how to interpret Divx Video files, it will automatically use the DivX algorhythm whenever you try to play DivX video files so you won’t have to install it again.

If for some reason, you can’t hear the audio either, you may be using a machine that doesn’t have MP3 installed. You can also download an MP3 codec here http://lame.sourceforge.net/download.php

If you need further assistance with this issue, please feel free to call us on +61408826455.
We are in Australia (time zone GMT +10) so please be considerate about timing.

I take my hat off to all you dancers.

Why is it that at most parties these days, while the beat is pounding out of the sound system at a volume that makes all social interaction (except dancing) difficult, the majority of guests opt to sit and drink and attempt to talk. Occasionally a few girls get up and jig together, champagne in one hand, doing the “hitch-hiker” with the other and the guys look on, as if observing some endangered species at the wildlife park, stuck to their seats by the glue of fear.

And fear they should. Where else in society is your every movement of every limb under public scrutiny. Every new dancer feels like a dork and most of them look like dorks. On top of that there may be trouble with hearing the beat which makes you feel awkward, there may be parts of your figure that you don’t like and you don’t like others looking at them and on this lonely dance floor, there isn’t anybody who doesn’t notice.

But the secret is that they all secretly admire whatever it is that gives you the courage to care less about public opinion and breathe a good deep lung-full of freedom and just be yourself.

You all know what I’m talking about and you all have felt the fear of, say, turning up for your first dance class. Shaking in your boots and sometimes literally – and the boots didn’t help the whole affair either. You have to have a good deal of courage to learn to dance. It’s not courage over the fear of injury or death or the kind of courage an investor has about financial risk. It’s something much greater: courage to overcome the fear of ridicule or scorn, the courage to do what you want to do for your reasons even though it may make you an object of public humour or mockery, … otherwise known as “self-confidence”. It doesn’t matter that what we fear hardly ever happens. Our fear is a powerful obstacle nonetheless.

What I’ve noticed over the last 5 years since I started teaching dancing is that dancers are special people. They have a kind of class about them. On the whole they aren’t trying to be ‘mucho’ or to prove anything. They are generally more sincere and authentic than non-dancers. And if they aren’t when they begin, they usually are after a little while. I think dancing produces massive results is self-development. It challenges us in so many unique ways. One of these is the fear of proximity with the opposite sex, an activity which is so distorted and loaded by the sexual paranoia of our culture – but perhaps I’ll write about that later.

So congratulations to all of you. You are ALL courageous people, and here’s to your continued and increased self-confidence.

Brent and Corina

Jivemecrazy

The following is an article written for the dancer’s ball by Craig Delica. thanks to Craig for his permission to use it here.
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I like to read to you a literary extract by Paul Bottomer which was published in 1998.

“Dancing is both the most artistic of social pastimes and the most social of artistic pastimes. In all societies dancing forms an integral part of the lifestyle. Dancing is not only a reflection of life but is a basic human expression of life itself. While the initial motivation to dance is often a social one, once past the hurdle of actually learning to dance, many find in the music, the atmosphere and the dance, the opportunity to take on a new persona. The music and the venue create the atmosphere, but it is the dancer who expresses their own individuality through the language of the dance.”

“Whatever your musical taste or individual preferences, the huge variety of dances ensures that there is something to suit you. You do not need to be a good dancer to enjoy the dancing, the music, the mood, the atmosphere and of course, the social life. Dancing is, and should always be accessible to everyone.”

Partner dancing is arguably one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult sport to undertake. Two individuals with different backgrounds, most commonly of the opposite gender, different ideologies, and each with a different interpretation of music. But, ultimately trying to function as one unit, a team, to display an aesthetically pleasing performance and create an immensely pleasurably experience for each other. Yet despite all the pitfalls that partner dancing has, and its degree of difficulty, we all seem to return again and again to emulate the last performance.

The old cliché, ‘you dance your troubles away’, rings loud and true for many of us, and in more ways than one, for some.

Many men, who go through the pain of separation and a bitter battle with their spouse over children, often look for solitude in a pastime to enlighten their lives. Pastimes, which will help alleviate the pressure, stress, associated with separation, and also help to decelerate a pessimistic mindset, which in many cases if left unattended, could ultimately lead to a depressive state for the individual, and their peers.

One of these pastimes which many separated men have formed a strong association with over recent years is ‘partner type’ dancing. Dancing studios throughout the region have become a popular outlet for many men, who seek their troubles away by dancing.

For these individuals partner dancing is attributable to gaining confidence for them, not only being able to execute elaborate dance moves well, but confidence in regaining many life skills, that many of us simply take for granted. Such as perhaps shivery, or simply escorting a partner to and from the dance floor. Courtesy, friendship, and the ability to communicate and relate well to people in general.

With the conception of The Dancer’s Ball, it was decided that the organisation Dads in Distress be the first beneficiary.

I would like to thank Jo Dovey and Neil Martin for their efforts in raising funds which will help benefit the local branches of the Dads in Distress organisation. We hope that all money raised by these individuals, provides valuable counselling and associated aids, which will help benefit all members of the Dads in Distress organization.

The ultimate goal for the ball this evening, is to raise awareness amongst the dancing community as to the closure, reduction in size, and mixed usage of dance floors within the region. Despite the growing publicity that partner dancing is receiving with television shows such as, “So You Think You Can Dance”, “Dancing with the Stars”, and “Strictly dancing”. We are seeing an increasing number of registered clubs within the local areas declining to upgrade their existing dance floors.

For social & competitive dancing to survive, we desperately need places to showcase the sport / pastime which we all love. We need the clubs and floors to allow the sport to continue, for without the clubs support, the dancing community will be forced into isolation, therefore allowing us to only use facilities such as basket ball floors and obscure halls.

So how do we as a dancing community undertake this situation? Firstly look at becoming a member of the club. Vote at the meetings. Find out how to become a member of the boards. Voice your opinion in regards to the state of the dance floor, its usage, and the type of bands / music that is played.

Purchase a drink of some description. It doesn’t have to be an alcoholic beverage. Purchase a meal or snacks. Take an active interest in the club, the facilities and entertainment that the club has to offer. Remember clubs need our patronage to survive.

It’s been some time since we added a video routine to the library. We have been writing new routines every week but have lacked the time to get them edited and uploaded. I hope you enjoy this one.

I72 NTERMEDIATE LEVEL MODERN JIVE:

This dance lesson includes a lean of low difficulty. No dips.

• First Move Splice
• Continuous Lady Wrapper
• First Move Back Pass

The First Move Splice is a beautiful stretching lunge for the lady with her leg over the man’s leg. The continuous lady wrapper is a slightly coplex floor sequence that flows nicely and has the crowd intrigued. The First Move Back pass (or behind-the-back-pass) is a variation of the beginner First Move and which maintains the flow of the lady’s spin. You’ll love this one.

DOWNLOAD:Download it now.

Modern jive is really a conglomerate of dance styles and as such it is open to many changing influences. Go to a Modern Jive or Ceroc competition and you will see routines danced that look like anything between partner hip-hop and contemporary jazz ballet.

I’m often asked, “where is the ‘Jive’ in all of this. Traditional Jivers know that the unique skipping tripple step of Jive is nowhere to be found in modern jive. Commonly they say that it looks more like Salsa. In some ways this is very true. Salsa moves with little vertical rhythm. The hips roll in order to keep the head fairly much at the same height. The rhythm is expressed through the horizontal movement of the hips and legs and the shoulders neck and head remain isolated. Jive, on the other hand ‘bounces’ distinctly with the rhythm vertically and therefore needs a much faster pace. If you try to bounce to 115 Beats per Minute – you’ll find that it’s just too slow and you have to wait between each bounce. It feels very awkward. In many ways this is why we need Modern Jive (which is not jive at all) because we have very little music in the radio charts that is fast enough to jive to.

The influence of West Coast Swing has served to increase this gap between Modern Jive and Traditional Jive even though it sees the reintroduction of a tripple step (I believe). When you watch a couple dance west coast swing, you notice that the rhythmic punctuation is most obvious in horizontal movements, pauses at the end of the “slot” and the staccato finishes to spins and travels. The pause has become very prominent as a means of musical interpretation and rhythmic emphasis. Usually it is accompanied by some small non-foot movement, a shimmy or a body-roll until the couple resume travel and footwork together after the cadence. It looks great – but you will find that if you’ve been dancing Modern Jive for some time, it is a new world of techniques that are mostly foreign to you.

So what are you to learn? What is the right style to adopt? I have found myself asking this question as I dance and teach. Where is it all headed, where are the fads and what elements will stay with us?

I watched a routine last Saturday night performed by my old teachers John and Carolyn Woodman. They danced to a slow version of “Halo” and they danced beautifully. Carolyn’s arms are flowing and graceful – which is not a common element in some of the new influences mentioned and I feel that it is missed. It doesn’t eliminate strong punctuation or rhythmic interpretation.

The routine was full of dips and clever pattern work flowing smoothly inside musicality. There were hardly any body rolls or cute little gyrations – the music didn’t lend to that anyway. The overall mood was romantic and with a graceful dignity and pride.

On the other hand I have watched with great interest and delight as couples danced a totally differnt spin on Modern Jive. Playful, cute, fast and even cheeky. The most important thing about your style is that you enjoy it and that you let it evolve organically in ways that give the lead to the music. The more you let the music move you, the more inventive you can become and the more fun you will have. There’s no limit on what you can do or what is technically right or wrong – so enjoy the diversity.

Many of our older videos here demonstrate a very “straight” interpretation of Modern Jive. Our style has shifted a lot and will continue to do so. That doesn’t make those moves outdated by any means! The moves, and the style that is overlayed on those moves are two very different things. So much so, that I have seen moves that I have taught danced with such a different and creative style that I hardly recognised them. That in itself is an excellent quality of Modern Jive. Enjoy.

Brent.