My primary goals when I lead a beginners workshop are really (in order): 1 - get them moving 2 - get them following directions
As a result, I give style pointers, but I'm less concerned with getting everything exactly right and way more concerned with keeping everyone moving. I tend to cover the balance in the context of a balance and swing and I usually tell them that the point really is a "Hi, how ya doing?" move to ground you with the other person. I'll mention that it's an "in 1-2, out 3-4" kind of move, but I don't get too worked up in exactly where you are or mention footwork. I'm going to steal Mac McKeever's emphasis on the arms, though. It's another good opportunity to talk about weight, which I try to drop several hints about as often as possible. On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 4:21 PM, Joy Greenwolfe <joy2...@mindspring.com>wrote: > I emphasize the "push pull" in the arms too. > > When I teach the balance, I usually say that it is a 4-count move and that > you move toward and away from someone as momentum into something new. I > then teach the basic forward and back with a single person facing you. I > don't emphasize footwork much. > > Joy Greenwolfe > > > > On Apr 25, 2013, at 6:39 AM, Mac Mckeever wrote: > > When I teach a balance - I go over the footwork very quickly (step for & >> back) and then tell them not to worry about that part - the balance really >> happens in the arms - not the feet and emphasize keeping a strong >> connection with the other dancer(s) as you move toward them and back and >> using the balance to create the 'lead' or momentum in the direction you >> need to go for the next move. Thinking about footwork just makes it more >> complicated than it needs to be and they will figure out what works for >> them. >> >> Mac McKeever >> >> >> >> >> ______________________________**__ >> From: Read Weaver <rwea...@igc.org> >> To: Caller's discussion list <call...@sharedweight.net> >> Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2013 1:10 AM >> Subject: Re: [Callers] How do you balance? (Was High-energy dances) >> >> >> When I teach a balance, I mostly describe it as a way to move away from >> your partner to give you the chance to pull in toward your partner, whether >> it's for a swing, a box the gnat, etc. Any move within the phrasing that >> allows you to do that is fair game. The simplest is either step in on the >> right, step out on the left, although some find in-2-3, out-2-3 more >> intuitive. Step-stamp-step-stamp is the one I actively encourage people to >> not do, as 1) it's generally done in such a way that it doesn't put you in >> a position to pull in to the next move, and 2) it makes you look like a >> yahoo. >> >> --Read Weaver >> Jamaica Plain, MA >> http://lcfd.org >> >> On Apr 24, 2013, at 8:46 AM, John Sweeney wrote: >> >> I did notice more stomping than I was familiar with at The Flurry this >>> year, just step right, stamp left, step left, stamp right. >>> >>> Is stomping now the standard across America? >>> >> ______________________________**_________________ >> Callers mailing list >> call...@sharedweight.net >> http://www.sharedweight.net/**mailman/listinfo/callers<http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers> >> ______________________________**_________________ >> Callers mailing list >> call...@sharedweight.net >> http://www.sharedweight.net/**mailman/listinfo/callers<http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers> >> > > ______________________________**_________________ > Callers mailing list > call...@sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/**mailman/listinfo/callers<http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers> >
