Welcome to Lizzy's Log

This blog started accidentally and rapidly took on a life of its own. Lizzy is a social dancer, inhabiting the space between dance and dreams.


5 Mar 2010

Tease, moi??

The subtle and powerful art of playing an invitation to dance, is becoming an art in a small but select group of coquettish dancers that frequent Elenis’ classes. It's becoming an interesting from of foreplay... Broadening it out, I'm collecting strong lines from around the UK. The best and worst will go up on this page, a hall of fame and a line of shame.
Send me your offerings, the entertainment is endless....

Here are starter for ten of the most wanton teases, the blunt refusals and the hilarious retorts from those who are just up their own arse.

The wanton tease
Leader to follower: 
Q: Would you like to dance?
                A: This is one of my favourites, no pressure, but if you blow it you'll be following
                A: Yes, in close embrace,.. Very close embrace...
                A:  Perhaps if you were blond
            
Follower to leader..
Q: Would you like to dance?
                A: I'm not in my heels! (yes, this is the GUY responding)


Blunt put down
Q: Would you like to dance?            
                A:Sorry, I'm just not feeling inspired...
                A: I'm waiting for a drink

Up my own arse
Q: Would you like to dance?
               A: I've lost my mojo" ....yes really
               A: I'm not in the mood tonight. Lets dance at xxxx?" Fish-on-a-line refusal It never happens...
               A: How long have you been dancing? - Come back in two years" (yes he's still waiting, love               him, and he will so get his revenge)

Watch this space...

4 Mar 2010

Tango into darkness...

till 3am precisely, with two immensely talented tango teachers Andrea Reyero and Sebastian Misse.

Sandra and Loyd have persuaded Birmingham to embrace the dark art of tango and lay on the most exotic and lush music that Damian Boggio can smuggle past customs...

Last year we were drunk with the music and a level of excitment totally unsurpassed. Sandra had successfully courted the most talented tango dancers in the country to one spot, and for one night Birmingham had it all..

One year on they are set to run again. Later nights and a heady coctail of classes...

Birmingham is no more, the land that Tango forgot

3 Mar 2010

I have a pubi..

It's Official.


Thanks for getting in touch. Now I know I have a reader I'll do a spell check before things go up and keep the pictures clean


Thanks, silent girlie. It's me and you until Another makes themselves known.

Please send me your links and funny stories cas sometimes I'm a litttle pushed and my Mum writes a bit to help out.

Ta very much

Lizzy Xxx

2 Mar 2010

Bramshaw, Episode II Jenny and Ricardo

Clear teaching, humour, warmth and wit are Jenny and Ricardo's key assets. Ricardo's watch phase "come closer" draws the circle together until he is happy that we are receptive to their words.
They built from simple figures (ocho) to more complex dynamics (boleo), and encourage confidence in our bodies and empathy with our partners. Jenny advise "pretend to be mesmerised by them, follow wherever they go" brought giggles to the room, but yes of course to follow with such intention is both flattering and effective.

After we lunched we practiced. Jenny came over and worked with Livy and myself as we struggled to perfect the now elusive ocho, her presence is a gentle calm one. She could teach a bolting horse to knit, her skill is unconscious and very natural.

Jenny and Ricardo ended the weekend with applause from a standing group of elated dancers, they charmed, taught, guided encouraged and finally took us by the hand and led us through each figure.

An encore?

Of course, they must return.

Bramshaw Revisited

Friday night, a late entry to the milonga, the music was in full flow and the floor was moving with cadences that were almost orchestrated.

I stood just inside the doorway, taking in the moment, exploring faces for people I knew and taking in the ambience of the night. Subtle lighting, a kitchen but no bar, tables dotted around the edge and a pleasant array of dancers, weaving their patterns through the floor.

It was something I'd have liked to capture on video. Then compare it with the floor craft on other floors.The Negracha, in particular, has the atmosphere at times of a night in the jungle, you travel in convoys to avoid hostile natives.  London has left an impression that I now felt relieved to be leaving.

What  stood out so clearly was the gentle awareness of the dancers of each other, it was like arriving in civilisation after a period in the wilderness. Evidently, the three hour drive on busy motorways had also left it mark.

We changed our shoes and took to the floor, I was immediately enveloped in warmth, the dance flowed,  the music drifted developed and evolved and I felt the welcome of friends and the invitations to dance by strangers.

I had arrived at my first tango tangk