DANce StepsNotes from Dan

Download Dan Calloway’s Class Notes – GUBDT – 20140129

Advanced Rumba                                 # of Bars

1. Three Threes                                 4
2. Continuous Hip Twists                2
3. Circular Hip Twists                      4

End with Habanera Timing to Fan Position.

Technique

1. Always know the number of measures in a figure and what the vision and purpose for that figure are.
2. The Advanced Opening Out should show perfect matching of partner’s alignment and position on each step.

Jive: Development from Mooch to Flick Across

1. Bronze level Mooch with West Coast Swing points (with strong hip rotation) on one side and Jive Flicks on the other.
2. Replace the Back Rocks with Flick-Ball-Changes and add slipping action
3. Replace the FBC with Back FBC’s

Typical open Jive routines are approximately 60% Jive and 40% West Coast Swing choreography.

Waltz: Bounce Fallaway with Weave Ending (1&23 123)

1. Waltz rise is typically more vertical (like a high fly ball in baseball).

Foxtrot rise is typically shallower for the purpose of projecting the couple across the floor.

1. There are three times when a heel lead occurs on a quick in Foxtrot: Step two of man’s Three Step,

Step one of man’s Basic Weave and Step five of Lady’s Reverse Wave.

Fall Newcomer

Waltz/ Quickstep/Tango: Review Basic Amalgamation (Groups 1-3 in Tango)

Foxtrot

1. Feather Step                            SQQ
2. Reverse Turn                          SQQ SQQ
3. Three Step                              SQQ
4. Natural Turn                           SQQ SSS

Restart with Feather Step.

Foxtrot Technique

1. The leader ends the first two figures outside partner. The follower has no outside partner steps.
2. The follower closes her feet on the second step of each of the turns. Otherwise, the feet do not close in the Foxtrot.

Rumba/Cha Cha: Review Bronze routine through the Natural Top and Closed Hip Twist

Jive: The leader always moves forward, toward his partner, on the second chasse of underarm turns.

Samba

1. Basic Movement                     1a2 1a2 1a2 1a2
2. Four Whisks, end in PP          1a2 1a2 1a2 1a2
3. Four Walks in PP                    1a2 1a2 1a2 1a2
4. Four Whisks                           1a2 1a2 1a2 1a2

Restart with Basic Movement.

Samba Technique

There are two rhythms/actions going on simultaneously:

1. The bounce timing in the knees and ankles is 1&2& (This is an even, steady bounce action)
2. The foot timing is 1a2 1a2 (This timing is uneven: hold the one count longer and delay stepping on the “a”)

Intermediate Waltz: Review Natural Spin Turn to Turning Lock

Intermediate Foxtrot

1. Feather Step                            SQQ
2. Open Telemark                       SQQ
3. Feather Ending                        SQQ
4. Hover Telemark to PP                        SQQ
5. Feather Ending                        SQQ
6. Closed Telemark                     SQQ
7. Feather Step, beginning OP    SQQ
8. Hover Telemark (not to PP)   SQQ

Restart with Feather Step, but outside partner.

Remember: To lead promenade position, the leader normally outstrides his partner, causing her to open to PP. To keep her body closed to his, his step is smaller, enabling her to keep up with him and stay closed.

Quickstep: V6!

Group 1

1. 1-3 Underturned Natural Turn           SQQ
2. V6
   1. Back Lock                                     SQQS
   2. Outside Change                             SQQ
   3. Forward Lock                               SQQS

Group 2

1. Underturned Natural Spin Turn (in corner)    SQQ SSS
2. 2-11 of V6                                                       QQS SQQ SQQS
3. Natural Spin Turn (full turn)                          SQQ SSS
4. 2-11 of V6                                                       QQS SQQ SQQS

Review Silver Rumba routine

Cha Cha

1. Review Leader’s Chasse variations
2. After Spiral to Aida, use Switch Ending: Side Rock facing partner (2 3) and Split Cuban Break (Quick New York: 4&1), then Solo Spot Turn
3. Cuban Break Combination (with Double Hand Hold)
   1. Cuban Break                                 2&3&4&1
   2. Cuban Break on other foot           2&3&4&1
   3. Split Cuban Break (twice)                        2&3 4&1; 2&3 4&1

Do not move your head excessively. Isolate the actions of the feet and legs.

Samba

1. Reverse Turn, end backing DW                                  1a2 1a2 1a2
2. Three Back Rocks                                                       SQQ SQQ SQQ
3. Plait, twice                                                                  SSQQS SSQQS; or 123&4 123&4

There is no bounce action on figures which use slows and quicks in their timing.

Each Back Rock turns ¼.

On the Plait the follower swivels to right when stepping with the right foot and to the left when stepping with the right foot. The leader steps back on the ball of the foot, delaying the lowering of the heel until the next foot starts to move. This is called Merengue action.

Spring Newcomer

Review Waltz: Quarter Turns; Box Step to turn corners

Quickstep

1. Quarter Turn to Right                         SQQS
2. Progressive Chasse                 SQQS
3. Forward Lock                         SQQS  Keep the crossing step small so the lock does not turn!

Tango

Exercise: Dance two Closed Boxes, then two Open Boxes. Timing: QQS QQS, for each Box

Keep knees compressed throughout.

Routine (Begin facing Diagonal Wall)

1. Two Walks, curving ¼ to Left to end facing Diagonal Center            SS
2. Reverse Turn, Lady Outside (1/2 Open Box, ½ Closed Box)            QQS QQS

End facing DW. Repeat.

Rumba/Cha Cha: Review New York – Hand to Hand group of figures

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