Standard Lesson with Thomas Papkala on 5/7/2010

Location: Manhattern Ballroom Dance
Attendee: Sharron

I saw katarzyna herink online yesterday, decided to ask her about coaches in NYC. She gave me the number of Frantsiska Yordanova. So I called Frantsiska and got a lesson booked with Thomas today.

This was the second time that I got to Manhattan Ballroom Dance. Fabio Selmi is teaching there. And quite a few high level dancers around. A little intimidating. So I just waited for my lesson to begin.

Thomas asked for my background first, told him I'm taking lessons from Ikaika. He then danced with me around the floor to identify problems, then the real lesson begins.

Quite a few things are touched upon in this lesson. But the following is what left the deepest impression.

1. Position:
The first criticism he gave is that my position in the partnership is too much in the front, I need to be more on the left. BIG SURPRISE :P To correct this, he suggested to do the following
a. align the hips first
b. upper body is then turned to be at an angle from the feet.
c. Relax the shoulders to allow yourself to be put into the right position. Actually, thought out the lesson he keep on telling me to relax the shoulders. Half way through the lesson, I finally asked, what do you mean I need to relax the shoulders? do you mean the shoulder is up? No he said, it is not up, but it is locked with the neck and the rest, so I can not put you into the right position. Then it made sense to me.
d. Upperbody stay in this position all the time, turn only the foot, not the upper body.

2. Don't emphasize on down swing. Think about the body going across the foot, not going down.
a. Don't use femur muscle for downswing, let gravity take its course for the downswing. use the muscles for up swing. But even then don't use the big muscle (this I don't really get)
b. He quoted Bill Irvine saying something like we don't use the big muscles on the leg to swing.
c. Use the small muscles on the feet
d. Swing/sway from the lower body, the hip etc.
3. Turning lock:
a. Again, don't bent down too much.
b. use the feet to move over to the next step and next.
4. PP to chasse: think about turning the feet, not the body. almost like turning 180 degrees, then going back. Keep the body to be at an angle to the feet, NOT squared!