Ms. Poppy Chiffon — the doyenne of dance, the baroness of ballroom etiquette, the sultana of Southern hospitality — is pleased to answer your dance-related questions. Here are a few queries that Poppy deigned to extract from her mailbag this week. If you have a question that you would like Poppy Chiffon to address, please e-mail her at askpoppy@dancestationusa.com. Ms. Chiffon regrets that she cannot respond individually to questions.
Dear Poppy,
I can’t stay on time with the music no matter what dance I am dancing. Sometimes I don’t ever find the right timing before the song ends. Is timing that necessary?
Can’t Keep Time
Dear Can’t Keep Time,
Honey, you have to keep time! We enjoy the music and our bodies move to the music. Dancing to the correct time of the music is absolutely necessary and facilitates the execution of your dance steps. Sit down and listen to the music that you like to dance to. Just listen for the timing: 1, 2, 3 for the Waltz; slow, slow, quick, quick for the Foxtrot; distinguish the 1 for Cha Cha and Rumba and the 2 for Mambo. The more you listen, the easier it will be for you to hear the timing, and surely your dancing will improve if you dance on time to the music.
Dear Poppy,
I can hear my partner counting to the music when we dance. It is very distracting. He is a great lead, but I don’t like to hear him counting out loud. What should I do? Ask him to count to himself?
Distracted
Dear Distracted,
Your partner is a good lead because he is counting and keeping time with the music. Counting out loud is one of the best training tools for both the lead and the follow to hear the timing of the music. Perhaps you should try it.
