Favorite kind of Workshops to attend

[Arjay]

I'm curious what everyone likes to attend and experience in workshops....
I'm always one for feedback and creating fun, interesting, and informative workshops.

[Scott S.]

For me, the best approach is what I personally think of as a "Lego" approach. This is where people are NOT taught patterns, but instead are taught two or three unusual little moves and then challenged to figure out how to insert those moves into existing patterns.

Instead of being handed a ready made pattern, students are handed "Legos" and encouraged to assemble them on their own. It helps inspire creativity and gets people thinking about customizing their moves to the music and the moment rather than regurgitating "cookie cutter" patterns.

**Edit:
Another thought came to mind and I apologize if this takes a bit to explain... but I don't know any term for it:

Arjay, what about actually teaching that it's not only ok for a follow to play, but that it's important for a leader to be able to play back off of it? Simple lead/follow is ok but it looks better if the follow embellishes with some styling. It takes things to the next level.

Then, when the follow actually gets to really play, it goes one level higher...

But the height of a great dance seems to be when the lead is able to play back. The original lead is built upon by the follow's play, and then the leader almost seems to sight follow the follow.... if that makes any sense.

It really boggles my mind that so many follows seem to be pleasantly shocked when I enthusiastically encourage them to play... they seem to react as if no one ever encourages them to experiment. For me, it forces me to play back and takes the dance to places it couldn't ever go without that kind of spontaneous improvisation.

[CrazyKate]

I like workshops where the instructors get personal - be it having a couple dance in front of everyone, and give feedback to have the whole class work on ... or just that the instructors make it around to everyone in the class to tune people's dancing as the class goes on.

On a not-so-personal level, I prefer technique classes over patter classes. There are enough leaders out there that "know" patterns, but don't have the right technique for them - so it should get to be safer for me. Also, if my technique sucks, my dancing will suck...

Fun & entertaining helps as well. :)

[Dima]

I like watching workshops that are not WCS, like your Hip Hop one. I get to pick out things I can incorporate into WCS.

[dancin_weezie]

I loved Angel & Debbie's "Jack & Jill Survior Island". I realize it's not for everyone (mainly competitors), but it gave a really cool look into a couple of different judges brains and also how everyone else in the class perceived the dancers.

BEWARE: The 4 couples picked to "compete" must be able to take constructive criticism in front of a group well!!!

[chandra]

The one critique session I went to with Jordan and Tatiana was my favorite workshop so far!
I really like smaller workshop environments with more personal interaction and feedback... Probably why most of the time I skip workshops, and just take privates instead! hehehe *oops

[Arjay]

thought this thread would be kickin....
am i to assume that because not many people post means that not many of you attend workshops?

should i change the topic to why don't you attend workshops???

[Arjay]

oh yeah...thank you to those that have...much appreciated...i am monitoring this one....

[Kelly]

I admit, I do not take workshops very often (actually haven't attended a workshop in years, usually take privates)....however the workshops that do appeal to me as an Advanced/All Star dancer are ones based on technique and styling. I think as a follower I'm more drawn to classes that don't focus on patterns but whats going to make my dances better with my partner. I also would be drawn to classes dealing with musicality. I think both technique and musicality are two things that you cannot get enough classes on and that you constantly need to be revisiting.

[CrazyKate]

I know I already responded with what workshops I like best, but I also don't go to many.

My #1 reason: I'm up until a ridiculous hour doing late night dancing.

Other reasons...

Too many are pattern-based. Maybe I just need to see through the patterns to get the technique from workshops.

If workshops are for a certain level (ex: intermediate/advanced), it isn't enforced. Some of those workshops will cater to the lower levels, thereby slowing the entire class down. Some of those workshops will leave the lower levels behind, thereby making it painful to dance with those people 'cause they don't know the technique for the basics that the material works off of.

Lately, if I go to a workshop, I usually go to observe how someone teaches. I'd like to get into teaching, so I figure I should do my homework & figure out what I think is more effective.

Of course, at BTP this weekend I'm hoping to take Arjay's hip hop class & Marty & Valerie's balboa class just so I can learn some new stuff. :)

[christina]

Took me a while to think this through and decide how I wanted to say it. I've come to the conclusion that it's not possible for me to say "this is my favorite kind of workshop" and "this isn't my favorite kind of workshop".

In my mind there are two very distinct workshops - 1. at an event and 2. a local offering. Neither better or worse than the other, just what seems to be different - and necessary - approaches.

And both have something to offer - whether or not the student gets anything out of a particular workshop depends on their own attitude going in. In essence, many of those people not responding because they do not go tend (from talking to them) to have the attitdue that they are not going to learn anything new or that the skill level of other students is far below theirs. Not very condusive to ebsorbing new information.

At an event, I find many more workshops geared to a general mass audience. There are so many people of various skill levels and with different goals/interests. As a result, workshops seem to be more pattern based. Being at an event also seems to be more competition oriented with themes of how to do well in a J&J.

For local workshops, you have a smaller audience that has been studied a bit to know what will and won't work. You can determine if the audience is interested a particular subject - are they looking for patterns or technique, spins or styling, etc.

Based on that, I prefer a local workshop over an event workshop. The subject matter seems more refined as one class is often one of three in a series for the day and is targeted to me/my peers.

What I find is that the generalized pattern-esque workshop of an event is too much and yet too little. These types of classes seem more gear towards the lead, offering a little flurish of styling for the follow; in this respect, too little. At the same time, while I know now a new flurish, I don't know how to incorporate it into anything other than that pattern and often because of there being a few moves to the pattern I don't remember much of what was just taught. That's not to say something against these style workshops, they are great for people who want to be inspired to add something new to their repetoir and for new dancers who are not yet at the "go back to the beginning and tweek your technique" stage or someone working on fine-tuning their social skills because of the wide range of skill levels available to them.

Of local style workshops that I've recently enjoyed the most, there is often a lot of solo work, things focused on me individually as a dancer within the partnership. For example, Blake Hobby teaches a footwork variation workshop. Using the basic count (1,2,3&4, 5&6) with alternative crosses and hooks to the final triple step, you work predominatly as an individual. Mark Eckstein starts his workshop with walking - first alone focusing on balance and centering, then partner without any specific timing, just working on walking together in closed position. I like that these give me the ability to focus an actively change and improve my dancing without relying on a partner who may be of a varying skill level. Festa teaches a reoccuring workshop that does rely on partners. Two hours of a basic whip! No flurish! Sounds a bit dry but myself and many of those who attend regularly find there is something new, some different area of focus, that suddenly makes a basic whip one of the most exciting things to do.

[coastswing]

I haven't taken one either in a while, but through working at various dances I have had the opportunity to sit in on many workshops.

There are a few things that always get my attention....
The teacher's attitude is first. If you can get the whole class to warm up to you from the get go....you're half way there....besides, if I pay for a workshop, I don't like being talked down to. I want to have fun while learning something.....after all this is a recreational activity.
I love a workshop that talks about 'mechanics'. I like a workshop where they pick an eye catching move and then show the breakdown of how to lead/follow to make that happen. Those pointers are what I listen for. Most of the great pointers are usually the fundamentals that hold true for most things we lead/follow. So not only did you possibly learn a new move, you learn how to be a better leader/follower in every move that you do.

[christina]

Another thought to add...

In the Lindy Hop community, the past few years have seen a rise in "Girl Jams" - like a weekend event the three days are of workshops and they bring in a band for a main dance followed by late night.

I love the concept of this. One of the common complaints I hear from other followers is that there's not enough for them in a regular class or workshop. There is so much focus on getting the lead to do his job, and if he's struggling, there's no way she can do hers.

The way these Girl Jams work is that guys are basically filling the dummy roll - everything they have to lead is simple enough for them to focus on just that. A class may consist of swingout after swing out - easy enough for any regular leader to execute. The focus is on the swivel for the girl, learning to stay in his hand as he rotates her - things very easily adaptable for the WCS world.

As a result, women are learning something. They're not tuning out half an hour of the workshop as the teacher goes over the mens footwork again or trys to explain how the lead for a particular move works.

[Kelly]

If workshops are for a certain level (ex: intermediate/advanced), it isn't enforced. Some of those workshops will cater to the lower levels, thereby slowing the entire class down. Some of those workshops will leave the lower levels behind, thereby making it painful to dance with those people 'cause they don't know the technique for the basics that the material works off of.


Kate, this is a great point. No matter what "level" they describe a workshop its always a mixed level crowd. I think they need to find a better way of filtering when levels are recommended for the workshop. This issue has been a factor for me when I first started taking workshops as well...I felt it was slowed down due to this issue.

What I think would be great is if there was a sign up for workshops. I would definitely take an advanced workshop if I knew that it was monitored to be just that. I think for higher level workshops this would be great.

[bethany]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the workshops that start out with individual isolations. Deborah S. does this a lot, especially if the workshop is in the morning. The attendees can wake their bodies up, wake their brains up, and loosen up before working on what the rest of the workshop has to offer. It's also a good time for instructors to see what their class can and can't handle, who in the class is a bit over-isolated, who doesn't know how to isolate their bodies, etc.

I really like the workshop weekends with dances in the evening as opposed to workshops at events. Events have the late-night dancing, as was previously mentioned, plus the added stress of competitions depending on how many a competitor does. I don't want it to sound like I'm all about comps at events, that's definitely not the case, but for some it is the main focus.

[HoosierIUSB]

One of the best workshops - probably one a lot of people don't know about - was one entitled "So You Didn't Make Finals" with Kyle Redd and Sarah Vann Drake. It was at Swing Fling a few years ago, and yes, that was the exact title. I remember being absolutely crushed at not making finals after dropping down a level (Int to novice) and needed to talk about this. I thought the title might have been tongue-in-cheek, but people very soon started asking questions about J&J's and competing and what judges look for.

Believe it or not, there was NO dancing in this workshop, just Q&A. Both Sarah and Kyle were forthcoming and honest about how they judge and their personal disappointments in competitions. One thing I remember Sarah saying is that if she sees a lead "take care" of his partner, she would always put that person in the finals.

Before this workshop, J&Js were all about me me me. If I got a partner who wasn't skilled, it showed in my face, and I lost a lot of energy (just would go throught the motions). After this workshop, I did very well in my next comp because all I thought about was having a good time and taking care of my partner - no matter what her skill level was. I danced with a rather large follow (some would say obese), and so I couldn't do any spins to speak of, but I had a blast and ended up finishing 2nd.

If I hadn't attended that workshop I very well might have stopped dancing all together. Now the hard part is figuring out how to dance that way all the time . . .


Hoosier

P.S. - I wish that a "So You Didn't Make Finals" workshop was part of every comp - it would sure be valuable to a lot of dancer, IMHO.

[Arjay]

These are all great comments. In response to K and S teaching "So You Didn't Make Finals" Melissa and I once taught "How to Make Finals" what was even funnier was that the event director had arranged the workshop to be on Sunday after most of the comps....It was a great turnout and the response was "why wasn't this taught Friday before my comp!!"

[BJW]

Some of my favorite workshops are the ones that present dancers with a way to practice a specific aspect of the dance. One example I can think of is Deborah and Robert taught a class in which there was only physical connection for the first beat of a pattern.

I liked it because it helped me realize to not rely on connection too much, which I think is easy to do. Another thing that I noticed, was I felt more capable of following visual syncopations since I wasn't so enveloped in concentrating on conneciton.

Anyway, workshops that help present ways to practice different skills are great.

Other faves; critiques, styling, mechanics, connection.

Least fave (but still great) pattern shops. I do love working on basic patterns, but if a workshop focuses on a pattern I prefer some different, or more difficult patterns coupled with technical work. One or two patterns is enough then a dancer can figure out how to incorporate it themselves.

Idea for a thread, "how do you teach". I love to see how things are being taught, especially since I teach locally and I am always looking for great ways to explain things.

[TheRedMex]

I tend to try and go to only a couple of workshops when I attend events, primarily because I cannot remember them all if I attend too many.

I enjoy attending one (1) class teaching a new pattern/move, and will also attend a Musicology class, or something to 'Dress Up the Basics.' Another big factor for me regarding workshops that teach patterns is whether or not the pattern is socially leadable.

[Arjay]

How creative would you like or not like the teacher to get with the classes?
At home, students have really learned to embrace our creativeness and experiment with ideas of material we teach and how we deliver the material.

I assume it's also based on the size of the group. It gets difficult to be "creative" with a class that is large.

Or is creative bad? would you prefer we drill straight through the class and just tell you what to do?

[dancin_weezie]

I propose two types of workshops - Free-flowing creative ones and structured ones.

I think both ideas are necessary but everyone learns differently. So advertise what "type" of workshop it will be first, then advertise what will be covered.

As a beginner I needed structure - now as a more advanced dancer I get bored with those types of classes (even as a leader).

I had one of my most valuable lessons ever with Tat in 2002. I was a dyed in the wool "follower". I didn't know how to break out of the box AT ALL. Not even within the pattern.

She taught me some tricks and basic styling variations and it took off from there. I think your "creative" classes could be the mold to teach that to followers today.

[Arjay]

I'd like to teach a workshop on how to lead two follows and another workshop on how to partner steal.

What events do you think these type of workshops would do well at?

[dancin_weezie]

I think this would go over well at any event - especially if highly promoted. Most people don't look at what "type" of workshop it is - they just go because they have time or they admire those instructors.

At the Tulsa event - Jeannie highly promoted a workshop done by Jessica Cox, Erica Berg, and Jen DeLuca only for women..... It was PACKED!

[KingstonSwinger]

Arjay -

I LOVED your Two-follow class at the Tea Party..

Just stumbled across this thread..

I would really like to see workshops on the 3rd T - TEAMWORK ... getting the leader to follow when I hear something in the music - getting the follower to tune in more, etc.

Maybe even do a 3 -workshop series at a weekend on the 3 T's - Tightening your Timing, Tweaking your Technique, and Tuning your Teamwork...

Maybe when you come here ??? :)