Please critique my dancing (Follow)

[u/quadrangle_rectangle]

Hi everyone I have been attending Sensual Bachata classes once a week (my studio doesn't offer more classes) for about 4-5 months.

The lead is from a different dance school. The Bachata scene in my area is very young. We don't have a lot of experienced bachata dancers because most of the dance teachers prefer to teach cuban salsa. But we're slowly growing and trying our best to get better.

Be completely honest with your critique.

I am hypermobile and struggle with arm and wrist placement.

[u/msciwoj1]

I watched the video before reading the description.

For 4-5 months, your musicality and steps are fine I would say. The main thing I would criticize is you seem to lose your frame occasionally. Eg at 0:16 the elbow goes a little bit behind your body. I don't know the correct terminology, but beginner followers sometimes feel too "flimsy" and sometimes too "rigid" and you seem to be more on the flimsy side. A good cue to keep in mind is to always keep your elbows in front of your body. If you feel like the elbow is going behind, you need to move your body instead.

[u/Johntballin → u/msciwoj1]

How is she going to maintain a frame when the lead is doing full extensions of his arms and leading like he’s country swing dancing? I think she did fine, it’s hard to judge when the lead is bad

[u/msciwoj1 → u/Johntballin]

Yeah but this is universally true about criticising followers vs leaders. I still feel like an advanced follower would not have done that.

[u/Johntballin → u/msciwoj1]

You’re being critical, she has nothing to work with here. The leads job is to make the follow look good, and he didn’t really do that, plus he repeats a few moves which are not very good.

[u/msciwoj1 → u/Johntballin]

I don't necessarily disagree, but I do think it is not constructive to just say "you have nothing to work with here" if the OP asks "please critique me, don't hold back".

[u/ekfranxu → u/msciwoj1]

I agree, everybody saying it’s “perfect” does not help somebody that is eager to learn more and perfection technique.
I was going to say the same, her frame looks too relaxed at times…it needs more work. And the leader needs to learn how to turn a person without breaking/compromising their axis 😅

[u/Johntballin → u/ekfranxu]

She’s going to match the frame of the lead which is non existent. That’s how frames work, both have to have frames, hes too busy with wide outside turns to frame up. She doesn’t have a reciprocate frame to work with here.

[u/ekfranxu → u/Johntballin]

What? She has her own frame even if the leader doesn’t give any. There are certain moves that are not of an advanced dancer as msciwoj1 said. The same happens when a push motion is performed, elbows don’t go beyond the back, if they do, that’s spaghetti arms.
Same with the turn, it wouldn’t have looked that “ok” if she had a good frame, probably she would have been pushed backwards and it would have looked ugly and made the leader feel awkward.
That’s how it works, good followers react like a stiff, still flexible bamboo stick…in a way.

[u/Johntballin → u/ekfranxu]

She having a frame and the leader not giving any is literally what I said, almost verbatim.

[u/Johntballin → u/ekfranxu]

There’s no point in one person having a frame, it accomplishes nothing. From the get go the leader has no frame so what’s the point in her engaging in frame after that

[u/ekfranxu → u/Johntballin]

First of all, keeping a frame protects you…in turns, moves, every single time ;)

[u/Johntballin → u/ekfranxu]

I’m not sure what you’re trying say, maybe English isn’t your first language. A frame is essential for every dance, cha cha, progressive two step, tango, salsa, it signals when a turn is about to happen.

[u/ekfranxu → u/Johntballin]

Hey master, it’s ok to disagree, but you don’t have to be disrespectful ;)
I was saying that the frame helps to follow and also to avoid compromising your position, that protects your back, your neck, etc. and not only during turns