Relocation Downtime

You may have noticed lack of posts recently. This is because I am busy packing up, selling all my furniture, and preparing for a road trip all the way to northern California! I will be driving my car with just essential belongings. It’s a one week trip. I am leaving this Friday, first to Charlottesville, to say goodbye to lots of old friends. It will be much more difficult to see them again. Then I will start my one week journey, driving through St. Louis, Colorado, Las Vegas, San Diego, and finally to Palo Alto, CA.

I will start dancing again after I settle down in the SF bay area. Then I will resume my dance notes. In the mean time, I might upload some of my old dance notes if I have time. So stay tuned!

 

Genya’s Class 5/19/2008 Jive

Jive

(1) Basic, underarm turn, reverse underarm turn, basic changing hands.

(2) Windmill (12 3a4 5a6 repeat twice)

After rock step, Men triple forward with left side body forward towards Lady. Then Men triple to side, while use hand to push Lady turn ~180, basically Men in front of Lady, Lady left hand touch Men’s left shoulder. Then Men turn and triple step, now Men should be in the back of the Lady.

Do this again, Men use hand to push Lady turn, Men in front of Lady; then Men turn and triple in the back of Lady. Do one more time.

(3) Do a basic

(4) Two hands hold

Instead of doing a rock step, Men left foot cross in front of right foot, Lady right foot cross in front of left foot. This is on count 1. Hold on 2.

On 3 Men right foot point to floor, close to left foot, on 4 Men right foot heel point to floor and to the side.

On 5 Men right foot cross in front of left foot, hold on 6. On 7 Men left foot point to floor and close to right foot. On 8 left heel point to the side.

Then do a syncopate version: 1234 5678 Exactly the same steps as above.

Then Men keep doing 1 (right foot side) 2 (right foot cross in front of left). Hold on 3. Do &4 move slightly to left for Men while keeping right foot crossing in front of left.

Continue with 5a6 7a8 (just basic steps).

Lady’s step is exactly the mirror image of Men’s step.

Use two hands connection to lead Lady into the proper move.

 

Genya’s Class 5/5/2008 Rumba

Intl’ Rumba

Three-three:

(1) Start with basic Men forward, ladies back, 2-3-41

At the end Men close feet, and use left hand to push Ladies natural turn 180 degrees into shadow position. Men left hand on Ladies left shoulder, the other hand disconnect.

(2) Cucaracha with a spin turn 2-3-41

Men cucaracha to the right, Ladies to the left, after 4-1, Men both hands on Ladies shoulder and turn Ladies reverse direction (to her left) for 360 degrees.

(3) Cucaracha 2-3-41&

Men cucaracha to the left, Ladies to the right. At 4-1, Ladies right foot cross in front of left. Then on &, Ladies turn to her right 180 degrees facing Men, don’t change weight.

Note that Men and Ladies should be completely disconnected during the cucaracha.

(4) Ladies walk and turn 2-3-41

Men just do a basic backward. At 4-1, right foot forward. And grab Ladies’ right hand.

On 2 Ladies left foot forward towards Men, while turning 180 to her right on &, now backing Men, her right foot should be in front. On 3, Ladies step forward on right foot. On 4-1, Ladies step forward on left foot. On & Ladies turn to her right for 180 degrees, now facing Men again. At this time Ladies weight should be on her left foot, and right foot pointing forward towards Men. Note that on 4-1 Ladies are walking away from Men, but she should extend her right hand back so Men can grab her right hand.

(5) Ladies do a basic back, Men do a basic forward, 2-3-41. Continue with Alemana.

Hand-to-hand into Aida:

(1) Start with 4-1 to the side, then hand-to-hand 2-3-41, 2-3-41

(2) Continue with another hand-to-hand 2-3-41, but on 41, Men’s left hand should grab Ladies right hand and lead her into a reverse spiral (she turns to her left for 360 degrees while keeping feet in place, just twisting legs, and don’t change weight).

(3) On 2-3, Men walk back two steps, Ladies walk forward (start with her left foot) two steps. On 41, Men step back with right foot, Ladies turn back to counter-promenade position, and step back on her left foot. Men’s right arm, Ladies left arm extend naturally up and above head.

(4) Rock rock rock. 2-3-41

On 2, Men rock onto his left, then on 3 rock back to right, on 41, rock onto left and change direction to open position facing partner, with right foot pointing to his right.

Ladies on 2 rock onto her right foot, then on 3 rock back to left, on 41, rock onto her right while turning 90 degrees to her right, facing Men, with her left foot pointing to her left (her weight should be on her right foot).

(5) Switch turn 2-3-41

Use palm-to-palm connection to lead.

 

Lydia’s Class 4/30/2008 Chacha

Intl’ Chacha

Some new steps.

Start with chacha lock forward for Men, Ladies back lock.

(1) 2 3 ccc

2 Men forward on left, 3 move hip, close feet but don’t change weight! Ladies here turn 180 degrees to left but don’t change weight!

ccc both cc forward.

(2) 2 3 ccc

Men do same step as in (1)

On 2 Ladies turn to her right facing Men and right foot back.

On 3 Ladies turn to her left again without changing weight! Same as in (1)

Then cc forward, same as in (1)

(3) 2 3 ccc

Men just do basic forward on 2 3.

Ladies brush feet and right foot forward on 2, then turn to her right 180 degrees to face Men, and brush feet again, left foot towards Men on 3. Ladies right forward on c, turn to her right about 180 degrees and close feet (change weight to left) on c, and right foot back on c.

Men go back on left on first c, right foot slight forward on c, and turn to his right, change place with lady, and back on his left foot on the last c.

(4) 2 3 ccc

Men go FORWARD on right foot on 2, change place again with reverse underarm turn. 3 turn right 180 degrees, change place, and go back on left foot. Ronde Chasse with right foot cross behind left ccc.

Ladies go forward on left foot on 2, turn to her left 180 degrees with reverse underarm turn and go back on her right foot on 3, Ronde Chasse with left foot cross behind right ccc.

Now the couple face each other again.

(5) New York with Ronde Chasse 23 ccc, 23 ccc

(6) Syncopated New York 2a3 4a1

(7) Kick ball change and time step 2a3 ccc, 2a3 ccc

Men left foot kick to right 2, close feet on & while changing weight onto left foot briefly, then right foot side on 3. Close feet on c, change weight on c, left foot side on c.

Ladies right foot kick to left 2, close feet on & while changing weight onto right foot briefly, then left foot side on 3. Close feet on c, Change weight on c, right foot side on c.

Repeat with the other direction. Men right foot kick to left on 2, close feet &, then left foot side 3. Close feet on c, change weight on c, right foot side on c.

Ladies left foot kick to right 2, close feet on &, right foot side on 3. Close feet on c, change weight on c, left foot side on c.

 

Lydia’s Class 4/30/2008 Jive

Technique for Kicks

Really it’s not kicking using your leg, instead, bend your knees and extend your leg, point feet towards floor.

Start with right foot free for Men. Rise on a and lift the knee, while the other leg straight

(1) Right foot kick to left a1, kick to right side a2, kick left again a3, close feet a4.

Repeat with left foot kick to right a5, kick to left a6, kick right again a7, close feet a8.

(2) Right foot kick left a1, close feet a2, left foot kick right a3, close feet a4.

Right foot kick left a5, kick right a6, Silo Shuffle 7a8 (right foot cross behind left, then left close on right, right foot side)

(3) Repeat with left foot kick right a1, close feet a2, right foot kick left a3, close feet a4.

Left foot kick right a5, kick left a6, Silo Shuffle 7a8.

Move hip left when kicking to left, move hip right when kicking to right.

4 steps movement:

(1) Hip, rest weight on the hip, while bending both knees (&)

(2) Rise, supporting leg straight, while lift the other knee straight up. (&)

(3) Kick, bend the supporting leg, while the other foot pointing towards floor.(1)

(4) Rise again, straight the supporting leg.

Rest on hip again.

 

Michael Rye’s Class 4/20/2008 VW and Quickstep

VW

No new steps. Keep practicing reverse turn, natural turn, and fleckerl.

Technique: Keep my head always to the left, smile. My left arm should not extend to the left too much or push forward against my partner’s arm. Make sure her arm is straight with her shoulder so she won’t feel uncomfortable. And since her posture is to her left, I should extent my right shoulder, also use left arm to push a bit to the right, to help her into that posture. Always keep shoulder steady, let body turn, don’t swing the shoulder. This way I will naturally have my left side forward when I do reverse turn, while my right side forward when I do natural turn.

Quickstep

Same routine as last time, just add a spin turn.

(1) Basic quarter turn, then lock step

(2) Natural turn, into natural pivot

(3) Basic quarter turn along short wall, lock step

(4) Natural turn with hesitation, then into chasse reverse turn

(5) Quarter turn with lock step again

(6) Natural spin turn

(7) Back to quarter turn

Interesting note: quickstep originated from Charleston, also having elements from Foxtrot and Waltz. This explains why there are so many similar moves between quickstep, foxtrot and waltz, while quickstep also have the jump and hop feeling like swing.

 

Bachata 4/19/2008

Bachata

The moves are pretty much the same as last month’s Bachata party.

(1) Basic, keep Latin hold. Note that Men should focus on moving rib cage while ladies focus on moving hips. ALWAYS keep knees bent. Make sure you do the “pop” at 4 or 8, so that Ladies have a clear sense which foot is free. 1-2-3-tap, 5-6-7-tap

(2) Cross basic: double hands hold, more distance, cross feet when doing the basic.

(2) Shimmy. After half basic, stay in place, keep feet apart, and just rock back and forth, make sure you do the pop correctly and clearly, (just make sure the weight is on the supporting foot). This is a very intimate move.

(3) Ladies underarm turn, then reverse underarm turn. Starts with a basic into single hand hold, in the second half of basic, use single hand hold to swing side ways (left-right-left-up), then lead Ladies into underarm turn.

(4) Men’s underarm turn, then Men’s reverse underarm turn.

(5) Second half of basic, Men scroll Ladies’ arm around Men’s neck. Men two hands hold ladies back, Ladies hands on Men’s shoulder. Do basic, or Shimmy in place. Again, an intimate move. To get out of this move, simply move apart from the Lady, and let hands scroll down to double hands hold, keep doing basic.

(6) Basic with changing hands, Men’s left hand under. The first half of basic, turn Ladies to her right half turn, Ladies do step-tap-step-tap. Men just do basic to left. Then both basic to right. Men and Ladies’ left hands extend out, right hands on Ladies belly right side. Do basic or shimmy. Keep a bit body distance if you don’t want to be “too” intimate. To get out of this, Men slowly move hands to Ladies’ shoulder, do another basic, then scroll hands down. No connection. Ladies do another basic. Then use the Michael Jackson turn to face back to Men, continue with basic to men’s right, Ladies’ left.

(7) Men can also do step-tap-step-tap to back the Lady, then both do basic. Then Ladies’ hands scroll down, disconnect, another basic, Men do Michael Jackson turn to face Lady and continue with basic.

(8) Promenade. Half basic, then lead Ladies reverse underarm turn into sweetheart, then walk promenade back and forth. To get out, just do a Ladies underarm turn in the first half of basic.

(9) Basic with turns. Do first half basic, then step in between Ladies legs on 5, and keep turning to right on 6-7, then tap. Continue with basic.

(10) Basic forward and back, instead of side. Also shimmy forward and back.

 

Genya’s Class 4/7/2008 Samba

Samba

(1) Start with whisk to left, then to right. 1a2 3a4

(2) Whisk with underarm turn on the second count 1a2 3a4 facing promenade position

(3) Samba walks 1a2 3a4 1a2 3a4 push out on the last count

(4) Boto Fogo with changing places 1a2 3a4 1a2 3a4 facing each other again at the last count

(5) Corta Jaca 1a2 3 4a5a6a7 8a1a2a3 4a5a6a7 8a1a2a

1a2 just do a whisk to left (Ladies right)

3 Men step forward on right foot. Ladies back on her left foot.

4 Men use left hand down to waist level and push Ladies away, Ladies try to move hip back as much as possible. Men left foot heel, and lift Men’s right foot a bit on &. Ladies back on right toe, lift left foot a bit on &.

5& Men back on left toe, lift right foot a bit on &. Ladies forward on right heel, lift left foot a bit on &.

6& repeat

7 Men step back on left, Ladies step forward on right.

8a1a2a3 Now do the same thing but with the other foot. Men step back on right toe first. ladies forward on left heel first. On 3 Men should step forward on right foot, Ladies back on left foot.

Repeat 4a5a6a7 8a1a2a

Arm styling: only take hands down to waist level on 4, on 5 already raise Men’s left hand (Ladies right hand) up into normal Latin hold, and keep this hold for the rest of the figure.

(6) Instead of keeping doing Corta Jaca, we continue with a Boto Fogo 3a4 5a6

Men do forward Boto Fogo. Ladies do back Boto Fogo.

On 3 Men step right foot across left, instead of forward. & Men left foot side, 4 change direction to face right and step on right foot.

On 3 Ladies should step back with her left foot, & Ladies right foot side, 4 change direction to face Men’s left and step on her left foot.

On 5 Ladies step back with her right foot, & ladies left foot side, 6 change direction to face Men’s right. Men does forward Boto Fogo to the right.

At the end change Ladies direction to promenade

(7) Volta 7a8

Both face promenade. Men right foot cross in front of left, Ladies left foot cross in front of right on 7. Volta along promenade direction a8.

(8) VW cross 1a2 3a4

1 Ladies go back on right try to push hip away. a Ladies turn to left and side step on left foot, 2 close feet. Men go forward on left, also try to move abs in then push hip away from partner. Men cross feet.

3a4 Ladies move forward on left foot on 3, side on a, 4 left foot cross in front of right. Men close feet on 4. This is the same as the Viennese Waltz reverse turn.

 

Genya’s Class 4/7/2008 Intl’ Rumba

Intl’ Rumba

Start with 4-1. One hand hold.

(1) Basic with open hip twist 2-3-41&

2-3-41 simply an open basic, Men forward, Ladies back. On 41 Men should close feet and change weight. Ladies also close feet, then on & Ladies change weight and do a hip twist to face Men’s left, preparing to go into fan.

(2) Fan 2-3-41

Men do back basic, Ladies go into fan position

(3) Hockey Stick 2-3-41, 2-3-41

Men close feet on the first 41. to the side on the second 4-1. Turn the Lady on & which is after 3. Ladies steps: 2 right foot back to close with left foot and change weight to right, 3 walk forward, 4-1 walk forward on right foot. 2 keep walking forward, 3 keep walking forward, turn to her left 180 degrees on &, then back on her left foot on 4-1.

(4) Alemana with spiral 2-3-41, 2-3-41

Men do forward basic with close feet ending. Ladies do a back basic on the first 2-3-41.

After that, Ladies left foot cross in front of right outside of Men on 2, and turning to her right, then move forward on right foot on 3, keep moving diagonally forward on 4-1, do a spiral on & (keep feet fixed, but turn body 360 degrees to her right so knees will be touching each other with right foot cross in front of left foot. After spiral, Men use right hand to touch Ladies back.

(5) Rope spinning 2-3-41, 2-3-41

Ladies walk around Men for three steps, 2-3-41. On 2 Ladies move forward on right, on 3 left foot forward, 4-1 right foot forward, and then turning to her right sharply to face Men (&). Now ladies weight should be on her right.

On 2 Ladies left foot forward, 3 right foot forward, and left foot close on right but don’t change weight (&), then Ladies left foot forward. Now the couple should face each other but with slight shift, Ladies are stepping outside of Men on the last step.

Men do a left side cucaracha, then back on right (2), side to left (3), right foot forward again (4-1). This is to give the Ladies some space and to create the body shift position between the couple.

(6) Opening out 2-3-41

On 2 Men should use left hand to push Ladies turning to her right and step back. Ladies go back on her right foot. On 3 Ladies rock onto her left foot. On 4-1 Ladies right foot close left and change weight to face Men’s left, preparing to go into fan position again. Men do a forward basic with slight turning to right. Men close feet on 4-1.

(7) Ladies walk into fan again 2-3-41

 

Michael Rye’s Class 4/6/2008 Viennese Waltz

Viennese Waltz

We kept doing Fleckerl today. The whole routine would be like:

(1) Start facing LOD, reverse turn until traveling to the further corner of the room

(2) Change step and do natural turn until traveling to another corner

(3) Then do change step and reverse turn into the middle of the room

(4) After reverse turn, do reverse Fleckerl 123 456. Note that both should stay on flat feet, no bouncing. Remember to lock behind on 5 for Men, lock behind on 2 for Ladies.

Do Fleckerl again 123 456

Continue with reverse turn.

(5) Or we can do a contra check, then start natural fleckerl 123 456, twice, then continue with natural turn.

Note that Men have to keep left foot in place (Ladies also) when doing the fleckerl, otherwise it would look like a normal VW cross.