DANce StepsNotes from Dan

2014 Yuletide Ball Dance Camp
Download Dan Calloway’s Yuletide Ball Workshop Notes

Fulfilling the music is so important that it affects all five of the WDSF Judging Criteria:

1. Posture, Balance and Coordination
2. Quality of Movement
3. Movement to Music
4. Partnering
5. Choreography and Presentation

Not fulfilling the music means finishing too soon and not knowing what to do with yourself for the remaining time before moving to the next step. Musicality is making the most of the time you have on any particular step. Rushing is the mark of the untrained dancer and always looks hectic and anxious and makes the audience and judges feel uncomfortable at best.

1. Basic Musicality Exercise: Quarter Turn, Progressive Chasse and Forward Lock (all counted SQQS)
   • Use Four Step Rise, the most gradual type of rise in Ballroom dancing, and treat the four steps as four different levels. Ignore the technique book’s “Up” (meaning to maintain level) on step four.
   • Popping up too abruptly occurs when a dancer finishes the turn too early. Everything is a Feather Step or a Three Step.
2. Ten Consecutive Slow Amalgamation
   Checked Natural Spin Turn (SQQ SSS), Reverse Pivot (S), Double Reverse Spin (SSS for Leader), Zig Zag, Back Lock and Running Finish (SS SQQS QQS)
3.  Know Your Timing (including understanding the basic timing structure of every dance. Foxtrot: SQQ, Tango: QQS, Quickstep: SQQ)
   1. The first question the champion asks when given new choreography is “What is my timing?” It is the first question you ask when given a job or assignment: How long do I have? When is this paper due?
   2. Be able to count aloud. Know the beat value of every step of every figure. Every slow is a two part step (Heel-Toe, Toe-Heel or a step with a pivot)
4. The definition of Musicality is “Preparation.” Before every step:
   1. Move the supporting knee/shin forward
   2. “Over Balance” (Intentionally go off balance.) Good balance in dancing is defined as going off balance in preparation for the next movement.
   3. Turn the supporting leg from “inside the shoe”
5. Every weight change involves three stages: On, In and Out of the foot
6. Definition of Grounded: Pressure in some part of both feet at all times.
   1. Stroke the floor with the moving foot. The foot is a paint brush.
   2. Stay between the feet at all times (Bronze Tango Groups 1 and 2, as exercise)
   3. Change the weight distribution slowly when moving from foot to foot
7. Tango Box Step Exercise: To appreciate fully the amount of time you have in dancing, alternate between two closed and two open boxes, using the timing QQS. Change weight on the second half of the slow on the open boxes.

Share this Post: