DANce StepsNotes from Dan

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Solo Exercises

1. Neck/Body Isolation
   1. Turn body without turning the head or feet
   2. Swivel the feet and head together without turning the shoulders: Feet shoulder width apart, then swivel on the balls of the feet with both feet flat on the floor. No bounce whatsoever.
2. Closed Changes (forward and backward) and Sideward Hesitations
   1. Maximize foot rise, as smoothly and continuously as possible, with the rise causing the feet to close
   2. Never get caught with two heels on the floor as you lower.
3. Feather Step/Three Step (fwd and bwd): Swing the sides to rotate body w/o turning the feet or head.
4. Diagonal Walk Exercise
   1. Keep both feet pointed straight forward
   2. Use heel leads on forward diagonals and release the front toe (pull the heel) on backward diagonals
   3. Alternate opening and crossing the legs
      1. When the legs are open, the step is bigger and the inside edges of the feet are used.
      2. When the legs are crossed (CBMP)), the step is smaller and the outsides of the feet are used.
   4. Stay relaxed and allow the legs, feet and ankles to swing freely with a paintbrush action of the feet.
5. Consecutive Lock Steps (forward and backward)
   1. Feet and head face DW. Stretch arms out to the sides, if necessary, to keep shoulders toward Wall.
   2. Release the front toe on steps one and two of the Back Lock (Say, “Release, release, cross, pull.”)
6. Backward Walk
   Release the front toe, then collect that foot to the back foot as early as possible. Do not lower the back heel until the other front foot has collected to it.
7. Dance complete routines, basic and advanced, without a partner. Only perfect practice makes perfect.
8. Visualization: Be able to sit at the edge of the floor and visualize every figure in your routines.

Partner Exercises

1. Outside Partner/Lock Exercises
   1. Staying on toes, leader walks forward, outside partner, leading an occasional lock action by shifting sideward slightly to cause the feet to cross. Repeat with leader moving backward.
   2. Dance a series of basic Forward Locks (follower dancing Back Locks) repeating the timing SQQS. Switch to Backward Locks (follower forward). Monitor head, foot and body alignments closely.
2. Consecutive Chasses in Promenade Position (12&3)
3. Dance complete routines, basic and advanced, in the following practice holds:
   1. No hold
   2. One hand hold: leader’s left hand and follower’s right hand
   3. Follower’s hands on the front of the leader’s shoulders, fingertips pointing inward
      1. No hands for leader (to learn forward weightedness, using the legs and feet to move the body, and leading and following by weight change)
      2. Leader’s hands on follower’s back (to learn connectedness and body alignment with partner)
   4. His right arm across her right shoulder
   5. Her right arm across his right shoulder, his left hand on the side of her right shoulder
   6. Change the one hand hold to linking the backs of the wrists (to learn lateral opposition)
   7. Her right hand and his left hand on the near side of partner’s face (for space awareness)
   8. Take turns dancing with hands on each other’s hips (to learn hip drive and partner awareness)
   9. Take turns dancing with hands on own hips, the partner with hands on partner’s shoulders

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