Standard Lesson with Ikaika on 4/14/2010

Attendee: Sharron Ji.

I'm still feeling sick today. So not sure how much knowledge is really retained.
Today we worked on Foxtrat.
1. Posture: think of extending not the top back muscle, but the middle back muscle. It feels like this is accomplished by contracting front upper ab muscle. Also need to establish the weight on the left foot first, then extending to the space on the left/front further. Strive to keep this posture at all places, in particular, on/after feather finish; after natural turn, before weave starts;

2. talked about sway: swaying only the hip, but keep the upper body in the left space, especially in 3 step.

3. Talked about CBMP:

standard lesson with Ikaika 4/13/2010

Attendee: Sharron, Daniel

We got first place in Silver and Gold at 2010 USA Dance Nationals this past Saturday. So we watched the video from the comp.

1. I need to put my upper body over the feet then left and forward. right now it curves to the right first.

2. We got our open foxtrat routine:
Prep step
feather step
reverse turn,
feather finish
three step
natural turn
weave
reverse turn
reverse weave (reverse three step)
feather step
open impetus
feather step from PP
bounce fall away
three step
reverse turn
curved feather
hair pin
open impetus
feather finish
slip pivot
....

Standard Lesson with Ikaika 4/8/2010

Attendee: Sharron & Daniel

This is a lesson on Foxtrat where we talked about moving smoothly, not a lot of up and downs, very smooth,

Standard lesson with Ikaika on 4/6/2010

Attendee: Sharron

We worked on Waltz today.

1. Natural turn.
a. On 1, use the heel of the right foot to push as well as using the left leg to pull. i.e. use both legs, not just one. this was illustrated with us standing sideways to the mirrow, using the front leg to push, and back leg to pull. but not using the upper body, the upper body stays the toward the partner even when we are going backward.
b. using the standing leg on the inside of the turn. Open the right hip to let partner pass.
2. Turnning lock: use the right foot that was crossed behind to power the next step.
3. turning into prominent:
a. Feel the turning into prominent between the left leg and the cotch, creating a crease between the leg and the hip.
b. Open to prominent without getting into the right space.
c. But head doesn't need to drop back too much, intead try to feel the back of the neck long.
4. Close from pormienton 2&: need to be a little early.
5. open to prominent (3) is again think of the creating the crease between leg and crotch.
6. The next part just need to think going forward, don't worry about turnning yourself. Turn will happen from the right foot then the leader turns.

Standard Lesson with Olya on 4/5/2010

Attendee: Sharron & Daniel.

We worked on hover cross and bounce fallway in foxtrat:

Sharron learned to
1. the shaping on the hover cross. pick up from right below the shoulder blade, give forward to the partner, while leaving head behind. feels likea lazy head is left behind.

2. After the natural turn (heel turn), need to suck in the tummy, instead of letting belly sticking forward. (Daniel also need to do this)

3. On bounce fall away, on the bounce step, delay the turning of the head back to left for a bit, this helps to create the lingering feeling, and makes it easier to stay in CBMP

4. Bounce fall away is going down line of dance, Daniel should remember not to over turn it.

Standard Lesson with Ikaika on 4/1/2010

Attendee: Sharron, Daniel,

1. Sway exercise: front, back, right, left, sway right, sway left...
2. Hover Cross: how to sway the girl and turn her head to the right.
3. Bounce fallway: Sharron's head position.
4. Tango: link, Daniel, just change your own direction, the girl will following, don't twist your hip too much.

Standard lesson with Ikaika on 3/31/2010

Attendee: Sharron

Stay on the left.

1. Stay on the left, in the feather finish, in the 3 step and the weave
2. Stay on the left in Tango as well, especially on the prominent link step.