DANce StepsNotes from Dan

Download Dan Calloway’s Class Notes – BAM-20140414

Beginner Waltz: Review

Quickstep

1. Natural Spin Turn                               SQQ SSS
2. Progressive Chasse to Diag. Center    SQQS S
3. Chasse Reverse Turn                          SQQ
4. Progressive Chasse                             SQQS
5. Forward Lock                                     SQQS
6. 1-3 Natural Turn                                 SQQ
7. Tipple Chasse to R                             SQQS QQS

Tango: Review Groups 1 and 2 with followers back leading to develop self-sufficiency and more responsibility for the couple.

Foxtrot

1. Feather Step                SQQ
   Starts with leader’s RF, uses a heel lead on step one only, and ends outside partner
2. Three Step                  SQQ
   Starts with leader’s LF, uses a heel lead on the first two steps, and in danced in line, not OP.

Followers: Release the front toe on every back step, but not too high. Keep it natural looking and feeling.

Rumba

Back Walk (two bars) ends with a LF to side for him, RF forward for her. Then, Natural Top (3 bars) and Closed Hip Twist. Keep shoulders perfectly square to each other throughout the Top.

Cha Cha

Three Cha Cha Chas is followed by 1-5 of the Basic, which ends with a chasse to his L (RF forward lock for her). Then, Natural Top for three bars and Closed Hip Twist.

Jive

1. Throwaway Whip
2. Whip
3. Mooch
4. Walks: 1,2 3a4 3a4 SS QQQQ
5. Change of Places R to L
6. Change of Places L to R
   Re-start.

Silver Standard

1. Promenade Position is the most offset positioning of any figure, except Line Figures. This offset is the lead to and from PP: He moves ahead of her, almost leaving her, to achieve PP. He slows his body speed to allow her to catch up to close from PP.
2. The back of the head is the head weight used to oppose each other. If your face turns too far away from your partner, your head weight comes in on your partner detrimentally. The follower should turn the back of her head to the left to enter PP, and to the right to close from PP.

Jive

1. Achieve hip swing by picking up a foot to the knee and letting the opposite hip swing laterally to make room for the foot. This hip swing occurs at the end of every chasse with the timing, 3a4a.
2. The Back Rock is with two types of swing: rotational and lateral.

Latin Technique

1. Connection: Number the “weight” of the connection from one (no weight) to ten (over-toned obnoxiously). Feel free to disagree with each other about these ratings, but having the ratings automatically resolves almost all connection conflict because discussions about it are so effective.
2. Keep the connected arms activity position. Do not let the elbows swing high or wide.
3. Spirals: End high on the toes, legs straight, ankles closed to each other. Use figures 1-7 of the Silver Rumba routine to practice spirals.

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