Standard Waltz: Bronze Level Practice Routine

Bronze level practice routine:

1. Natural Spin Turn  (123 123)  
2. Reverse Turn  4-6 (123)  
3. Double Reverse Spin  (1 2& 3 )  
4. Whisk  (123)  
5. Chasse From Promenade Position  (1 2& 3)  
6. Natural Turn  1-3 (123)  

Cha Cha Cha: Basics, Turns, Alemana, Hockey Stick

Back basic step on count "2": ack step on count '2': put body weight on LF and settle, which pulls the RF in and back to 'catch' the body.

Switch Turn (Left or Right): 1/4, 1/2, then 1/4 

Spot Turn (Left or Right): the difference from Switch Turn is all in the amount of turn.

• "2" - almost 3/8 turn to R, LF cross RF tight
• "3" - over 1/2 turn to R to almost face partner, feet positions are not changed. Think of pulling up the body, 2 thighs tight together
• "4&1" - side chasse to L side.

Underarm Turn (Left or Right): like Switch Turn, but done under Man's raised arm.

Alemana - turn to R. This is a 3-point turn. 1/8 to partner's side, then 1/2, brush RF to LF, away from partner, then LF brushes RF, 1/2 turn to R toward partner's R, LRL lock step.

Hockey Stick - turn to L. On count "3" put Man's hand on Lady's Left shoulder and then turn.

Shoulder to Shoulder - do not turn upper body much, just step foot behind the other.

Ballroom Tip: Going through your partner

In many turning figures, instead of thinking of going around, the technique will improve if one thinks of going through one's partner. On a natural turn, for example, the man steps straight through, stepping toward the lady's right shoulder, while using CBM to make room to get past her. Similarly, on step 5 of the natural turn, the lady steps straight at the man's right shoulder, where CBM creates room for her to get past. He goes, then she goes.

More notes on standard technique.

Cha Cha Cha: Basic, Alemana, Closed Hip Twist

Cha Cha Basic Movement: when stepping back, the size of the step is just as big as what the ball of foot can reach when 2 knees are together. Then, straighten back leg first, before putting weight on it. (This is different from American style which is more like "pressed walk".) More technique on backward step in Latin dances.

In International style, the feet are a lot more "grounded" (constant pressure) than in American style. It's not good to see feet "loose" without tone under the knee.

Cha Cha Alemana to Closed Hip Twist: 

• Alemana
• step 8, count "4", Lady's LF fwd step, this is already facing Man.
• count "&", lock step (with ball of RF, not just toes, L leg should still be straight, a bit awkard feeling)
• count "1": LF fwd, small step - don't start turning to Man at this step yet, step fwd, not toward Man. 
• count "&": Wait for Man's signal to turn on count "&". 
• Turn should always be sharp (even when music is slow).
• Closed Hip Twist:
• count "4": This is pressed with RF fwd (it's really a fwd step, throw L hip back. hip should not be flat), knee bent.
• count "&": LF closed to RF, both knees bent.
• count "1": RF to side, slightly back, still facing Man at this moment.
• count "&": turn 1/2 to R.

Cha Cha  Closed Hip Twist to Alemana:

• Alemana step 3-5 is a lock step passing Man, then a sharp turn to do step 6, LF fwd to Man's L side.
• Lady's steps are the whether the follow is cHockey Stick or Alemana. The way Man can give hint it how his LH holds Lady's RH.

International Standard: Contra Body Movement (CBM)

Contra Body Movement (CBM) is usually used to initiate turns. Here are some technique that would help to dance CBM correctly:

• CBM on a forward step: the person (either Man or Lady) that does the forward step is on the outside of the turn and travels more. The step itself should be straight on the line. The opposite shoulder would be turning toward the moving foot (remember to keep shoulder level, no dipping).
• CBM on a back step: the person would be on the inside of a turn. Instructor often says "toe slightly turned in" - in fact, the hip and foot are "connected" together. The hip should also turn. Foot is always perpendicular to the hip. Man should always do a straight back step on the line. Lady follows the Man. (If Man does his forward step correctly, Lady would step back straight with CBM.)

Different types of cha cha chassés, checks and cuban crosses.

The routine we were working with consisted of

1. Forward break to back lock.
2. Three cha chas forward.
3. Split cuban breaks
4. Cuban break to the right
5. Cuban break to the left.
6. Forward break to Rondé Chassé
7. Back break to Hip Twist Chassé

Points of Chasse technique:

• Feet always have pressure into the floor.
• On a check step, go to split weight, back foot has ball pressing into floor. Back knee bends, knees touch, as weight transfers to back leg, heel stays up, ball pressing into floor. Back leg straightens, hips go back over leg. Step on 2, knee bends on &, back leg straightens on 3. The ball of the back foot does not move. This was emphasized repeatedly, whether for forward breaks, New Yorks, Cuban Breaks, the ball of the back foot on the checked step stays in the same spot. The instructor said she began to appreciate over the last few months how "sticky" the feet of the best pros are.
• On Rondé Chassé, when left foot releases on 3, momentum is used to propel the left leg into the rondé. On 4, the foot lands under the body, straight leg, on the ball of the foot. On &, RF moves to bring feet together, on balls of both feet, knees bent, height of head hasn't changed. On 1, push off RF, straighten both legs, pushing off inside edge of ball of RF.
• On Hip Twist Chassé, on 4, hips rotate around spine, so RF is forward in a pressed walk. On &, bring LF together with RF, on balls of feet, knees bent. On 1, push off LF to step back on RF.

Exercise to develop flexibility of the foot: Stand on balls of feet, shoulder width apart, and then bend knees, and squat, keeping heels elevated.

Upper body is light, feet are heavy. Feet press into the floor, body is light.

Why some people won't dance

An interesting article by a dancing psychologist. The self consciousness he talks about is very understandable. This is just more obvious with dance, since it is a social setting, but having people see how uncoordinated we are is uncomfortable to consider. How many people would abandon playing tennis, or even jogging, if they knew they had an audience?

There are relatively simple ways to improve how you move, without surgery. Perhaps we can't all be as graceful as Fonteyne or Barishnikov, but through regular dancing we can all become more graceful than before we started dancing. Training is good, but even just doing it, getting your body used to moving rythmically, finding joy in movement, will improve your physical grace. And isn't that what we most enjoy seeing in a graceful adult, or in a child--their apparent joy in movement.