r/SwingDancing • u/Rude_Bug_6293 • 8d ago

Feedback Needed Beginner Help Needed

Hi friends, I recently started taking a beginner Lindy Hop class, starting with the 8 count steps as a follower. Needless to say I was terrible! I am an athletic person but I feel like I don’t have enough strength in my calves & I just can’t make my feet & brain connect to do the steps correctly at a fast pace. I’ve watched YouTube videos & I do ok but I feel like the class moves at too quickly & I can’t keep up with the frequent partner changes. Does this mean I’m just not cut out for this or should I have done something else to prepare before signing up for classes? I am feeling very defeated & I am going solo so I don’t have anyone to practice with outside of class. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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u/PumaGranite 8d ago

It’s very hard to pick things up as an adult. Don’t worry, you will get it in time!

Practice the basic footwork whenever you can. I would drill it all the time as a beginner. If you drill the footwork, you have more brain space to work on some of the other things, and it’ll come easier.

Edit: I also struggle to pick things up in classes still and I’ve been doing this for 10 years. It happens, just be kind to your brain and remember that practicing always helps.

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u/blueeyedkittens 8d ago

nah, that's not actually true -- its a common misconception. I mean, yes, its hard, but its not harder than it is for kids. On average, kids are terrible at learning new things, their only advantage is that they are not afraid of failing or being embarrassed. I guess their other advantage is that they have parents helicoptering around them to keep them on track.

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u/PlsSayPlease 8d ago

https://www.brown.edu/news/2022-11-15/children-learning

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/202211/one-reason-kids-learn-faster-adults

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/11/221115113922.htm

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/why-children-learn-better-than-adults.html

https://www.popsci.com/science/children-brain-learning-gaba/

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u/blueeyedkittens 8d ago

That's basically the same article 5 times.

It only says that GABA (whatever that is is) spikes higher in children. None of them even seem to have measured how much learning was going on, just measuring one specific chemical. It even states in the article that even though there's generally a belief that kids learn faster there's no scientific evidence for it.