Dance! - The Road to Heavies: lesson 73, August 28, 2015.
On a trusted floor... a very slippery floor
We're back at the NDSM-wharf. The group that uses the hall before us is taking their time and is even still in the room while we are doing our warm up.
It is also during that warm-up that me and my teacher notice that part of the floor is extremely slippy. When I rub over the floor with a finger, it appears to be greasy. It looks to be something like silicon-grease or spray. Either way, the floor is extremely slippery and when I dance the Primary Reel later on, I nearly crash to the floor in my clockwise turn.
The teacher decides to do something about it. To avoid her getting into trouble I won't tell you how.
The soft-shoe stuff works out more or less, just not to my liking.
I even get a nice cramp and stop right away.
The Primary Reel slipped out of my mind partially. When I get my notebook out, I can't remember that what I wrote down was the start to this dance. That's right, they are the steps after the lead-around and that are so hard so far. Especially the 'skip-hop-down' isn't in there yet when it comes to the rhythm.
Dancing on my heavy shoes isn't bad. The Russian woman in our group asks if she can dance her version of the Treble Jig. But the teacher is very clear: that will not happen.
She asks why. The teacher explains that doing so at a competition runs a great risk of getting a complaint filed against you, as she than performs the dance of another school, a quite high risk as the school she started dancing at (In Russia) is rather big.
I ask if such complaints can only be made from a specific level, because I know my reel is from a different school, while I can't remember ever getting into trouble for it.
But she's clear about that too: I run the same risk of getting a complaint filed as the steps are from a different school, but performed under her name. As it is just the first dance a beginner learns, the chance of actually getting that complaint is rather small, but possible.
When we get to the saint Patrick and the try to remember the Hornpipe, I have to think deeply to know what I need to do. Well, I don't anymore...
And I'm not the only one: The Russian woman and another person also can't remember.
After instruction and practicing it slowly, the music starts and the three of us all really try to get along with the superfast steps. I'm glad I can hear when I need to start, but the speed is still so high that I can't keep up yet.
When I stand waiting for some short instructions and start dancing again, I apparently have placed my arms to my waist, I really don't notice it. When the teacher interrupts and says 'Oh look at his arms, all riverdancy! Flatley like... ' I know enough. She mumbles some tune and look at the Russian woman, who, just like me, pulls a slightly scared face (we both don't really like Michael Flatley).
With our homework (the Hornpipe) we head for home.