Standard Lesson with Danny

1. We continued the conversation on rotation in waltz.

2. In double reverse: the person going back does the rotation, the person going forward needs to move. So it is lady rotate, man move; then switch to lady move, man rotate. In the over spin part, lady rotate again. man move.  At this point, we get into something like a PP for a brief moment, before step out to the left whisk.

3. In natural turn, the leader sends his signal at the & before the 1, by bending the ankle. the difference between bending the ankle and bending the knee is that bending ankle shift the body forward, while bending the knee could keep the person in place (like sitting down, instead of moving forward). And it's the moving forward that is giving the signal to the girl to step out.

4. Swing and sway of the natural turn: the leader sway left to stop the turn. Not exactly sure if it's sway we are talking about here, because he said it's something in the legs that he is doing. He called this counter rotation.


Quick Step.
1. need to make sure that the legs are before the body in closed position. In promenade position, can keep the body tilted because nobody is in front of you.
2. pepper pot step has Q&QQQ, the first Q& each are 1/4 of a count. 

General.
1. He asked us for a stronger/warm connection/fit, especially at the beginning of a partnership. 
2. He asked me to free my upper body for rotations. He said I was too stiff to follow his lead. So I was able to correct it, and he said it was good.

Standard Lesson with Giampiero

Today we continued on Foxtrot. After we clarified the routine. We got into the topics below

1. Foxtrot Timing: Instead of trying to do SQQSQQSQQ, we try to do SS|&SS|&SS. i.e we change the steps from 2 1 1 measure into 1.5, 2, 0.5 measure. The reason we do this is because we should accelerate when going down, but slow down when rising. In the SQQ scheme, we are slowing in the downward movement but speed up in the rising part. In the new &SS scheme, we drag out the rising part.

2. Posture: what is vertical?  (Forgot his precise answer now). However, he emphasized on the proper alignment of the pelvic bone to establish verticality. Basically after the pelvic bone is properly directly (most likely a very slightly tucked sensation for me). It is then aligned with the center of the thigh. and the chest. This line is directly above center of the foot in Waltz and foxtrot. above ball of the foot in quickstep, and slightly behind center of the foot in tango (not sure if it is as far behind as on the heel though) . This shift depends on the amount of bend in the knee.
 The correctly alignment of the pelvic bone needs to be maintained through out the dance. This is how  it guarantees that the upper body is properly aligned relatively to lower body.

Need to double check the definition of verticality with him next time. Need to verify on the three point of alignment next time.

3. we also talked about timing the moving back of the upper body, the lower of the standing leg, the preparation of the moving leg. They need to be timed in the same way relative to each other.  I seems to have a tendency to leave the upper body forward. so he told me to release my upper body.And they will natually push my standing leg to do the Heel part of the TH movement.  Right now I often skip that. I don't put my heel down.

4. On reverse turn, we talked about the left foot closing step should happen after the heel turn is done, and as soon as I close, I'm ready to go forward, so this is a forward step, not a backward step.  This would make it easier to

5. Use the leg that is ahead of the movement as soon as possible. Feel like a horse dragging the carriage, not pushing the carriage. When going backward, same principle, feel like the foot is like the wheels of the car when driving backward.

ballrom dance competition floor size

I was wondering the size of the ballroom competition floors. So I did some research online and summarize it here.


USA Dance rules state:
5.7.8 Competition floors for recognized competitions must be a minimum of 60 feet long by 36 feet wide. (They do not specify a maximum size however and they do not specify a difference for champ events).
NDCA Rules state:
III. 21. Floors for competition must be a minimum of 60 feet long and a minimum of 36 feet wide, or 2,160 square feet. Floors for Championship events must be a minimum of 66 feet long and a minimum of 42 feet wide.


Premier ballroom (fremont, CA) -- 45ft x 72ft

MIT: 48' x 80'. roughly
MAC: 40 x 76 or 40 x 80
Nationals: 40 x 80

Starlight: 85' x

Standard Lesson with Giampiero

We worked on foxtrot routine today. There are a few technique that was mentioned today.
1. In feather step, and in the synchopated feather, instead of thinking left side forward, think right side backward, this helps to move and give my partner space to move. My goal in feather step is to not let partner pass me.

2. Don't force the movement/technique with muscle. Have just the right amount of relaxation. Absorb like water, think ghost in a dress.

3. Think of the steps before doing it. Visualize the steps with the count before doing it. Only after you know what to do (timing, footwork, steps), will you be able to relax and do it with the right amount of relaxation. (It feels like i need to be active in the mind to know what to do, then do it with the right amount of relaxation)

4. on the spin turn after the tipple chasse, need to rise on the 3 of the 3234.

5. Count the three fall away as three numbers in a group, to seperate the first and second fall away. (i.e. 623, 472)

6. In the second fall away, lower more between the 34 of 623,472. 4 is a heel lead for me.

5. Head positions:
a. turn head right at the reverse pivot after the QQQ feather.
b. remember to open head to right on the reverse feather.
c. three fall away, the first one need to turn head to right,
d. rounde can turn head to the right, but the same foot lounge need to turn head back to left.

Foxtrot Routine

4 bar of prep.
Choreograph has 6 phrases (48 bars) going around 6 wall before repeating. Adding 4 bar of prep. Totally 52 bars. With 28–30 bar/minute as Foxtrot tempo. We should finish the whole routine in between 104-111 seconds.

1st wall (long)
1. feather (1234, SQQ)
2. reverse turn (2234, SQQ)
3. feather finish (3234, SQQ)
4. three step (4234, SQQ)
5. syncopated feather step with a reverse pivot (5234, QQQQ)

2nd wall (short)
6. reverse wave (i.e. back three step, back feather, back three step)
(6234,7234,8234, SQQ,SQQ, SQQ). (Lady: two heel lead on the back three steps)
7. tipple chasse(1234, SQ&Q)
8. spin turn(2234, SQQ)
9. rounde(3234,QQQQ)
10. standing spin(4&2&34)

3rd wall (long)
11. feather step from PP(5234, SQQ)
12. three fallaway with feather ending added after the second fall away.
  a. first fall away(623,QQQ)
  b. second fall away(472, QQQ)
  c. feather ending(34,QQ)
  d. fall away slip pivot( 8234, QQQQ)
13. change of direction(1234, SS)
14. contra check (2234, SQQ)
15. rudolph rounde(32)
16. same foot lounge(34)
17. reverse pivot and close telemark (&4234)
19. throw away oversway (5234)
20. recover to PP (6234), heading toward corner
21. continues hover cross to outside swivel(7234,8234, SQQ,QQS, )
22. wing (1&2), head left.
23. 1 back swivel, another swivel to end PP (34,2234, SSS)

4th wall (short)
25. weave from PP(3234, 4234, SQQ, QQQQ), flat, no rise. Check to make sure the Slow is at the beginning.
26. fall away slip pivot ( 5234, QQQQ,)
27. double reverse overspin( 623&4, QQQ&Q) ? Need to check if this timing is SQ&Q& instead?
28. challenge line  (7234, SS) (Lady: head left on 72, right on 34)
29. Oversway  (8234, SS)

5th wall (long) 
26. split rounde to slip pivot (1234, SQQ)
27. weave ending  (2234, QQQQ)
28. bounce fall away (3234, QQQQ)
29. tumble turn (423&4, QQQ&Q)
30. left whisk (523&4, SQ&Q)
31. 2 swivels (6234, SS)
32. run around (7&2&34), ending with lady's Left foot stepping on the 4 to get into PP.
33, rise and step out from to PP( 8234, SS), heading toward corner.
34. feather from PP. (1234,SQQ )
35. half of a V cross. (22&,QQ&, ) (Lady: head right).
36. reverse impetus (34,QQ)  (Lady: head left on 3, head right on 4. Early rise on 3. early rise by straighten right knee early. Still a heel lead on 3)
37. right foot lounge (3234,SS)
38. Natural wing (4234,SQQ)


6th wall (short)
39. feather (5234, SQQ)
40. chasse to R (623&4,SQ&Q)
41. weave (7234, QQQQ)
42. hover telemark(8234, SQQ)
43. feather,(1234,SQQ) (first step outside partner)
44. repeat from three fallaway.

standard lesson with Danny on 12/21/2011

We had a lesson on waltz with Danny today at Ballroom Off Fifth.
It was a great lesson, we were able to work on some finer details of the dance.
1. we talked about fitting first.  Especially the fitting of the hip/thigh joint.
2. We then talked about the standing spin:
a. Denis need to lead the turn with the back of his neck, not his right arm.  He need to screw into the floor to stop, not still high up to stop.
b. I need to move my foot before my head, and leave my head with the standing leg. Need to ensure this on the first step stepping out of the left whisk.
3. we talked about free up the body for movement, instead of having it rigid and all thrown toward the partner at the same time. We started this topic while Danny was trying to tell Denis how to do the double reverse. He need to the step, rotation and swing in that order, not all at the same time. As he was talking about it, I realized that this rotation is what was missing in our natural turn, so I asked him to elaborate on this using Natural turn as an example. An example is the rotation of the body in the natural turn. In particular for the leader, after moving weight to the right foot, then it's rotation of the body (shoulder?), then it's swing the leg (think of the leg started at the shoulder). He demonstrated the rotation and usage of the body with me, using some figures like a zig zaging (but not really zig zagging, it's like weave, but I go backward). He showed how dancing is rigid and boring without this part.  He mentioned o do this as well in the spin turn.  We need to talk about  this more in our next lesson with Danny. Denis asked an interesting question when we were talking about the rotation in the spin turn vs the turning in the standing spin. Earlier in the standing spin, Danny was instructing him to only lead the turn with the back of the neck, do not pull the right side(shoulder) away to lead the turn. Here on the running spin turn, Danny talked about using rotation of the body after weight is commited at the first step (i.e. on the left step).
4. We talked about switching roles in the double reverse over spin to left whisk. In general the person going back is the person who is active.

First Lesson with Giampiero (Tango) 10/29/2011

Time: 9-10:30am 10/29/2011
Location: Starlite, Nutley, NJ.
Attendee: Sharron and Denis

This is the first lesson we are having with Giampiero. We worked on clarify the routine. Then dicussed quite a few technique points.

1. Poise in tango (and apply to other dances as well).  Lady: let the collar bone hang on the vertical line above the foot. Actually I feel the center of gravity of the collar bone shift quite a bit back comparing with what I was used to. This is quite consistent with what Danny and Bill Davis both have mentioned to leave the top back  more.

Once finding that vertical line, remember to relax it, don't hold it up. It's the arm that is up, not the shoulder/shoulder blade. The upper body is relaxed as we dance, it's the lower body, the legs and feet that is moving us around.

This change enables the body to

2. There is no sideway for the lady, always forward and backward: in fall away whisk,  after stepping forward on the left foot, swivel the foot to turn direction, so that the next step can be a backward step.

3. fall away whisk: bend the knee, sit down more. ??? Need to try this a bit and  ask about this part again. 

4. On the reverse pivots/turns, don't open the legs. Keep the legs together, and make the turn on the foot.

5. Prominade:
 a. from reverse turns. eg a five step goes into a PP.  leader turns only the upper body, not the base
 b. from natural turns. leader turns only the lower body, not the top. Like outside change?
 c. from standing position: half half.
 d. The lady should never try to open the hip.
 e. Stepping out of the promenade, lady should step forward as where the foot is pointing. (the foot should be pointing toward the partner). This is similar to what Danny saids that dance forward, means dancing spine toward the partner, because the forward direction is the direction toward the partner.

A couple other tips
2.  Don't follow. Must know the timing, direction, routine myself.
3.  Don't think while dancing. Do the thinking (visualize) ahead of time before starting, once started, just do it, do not think, there is no time, and looks less committed when thinking. 
4. Ignore the partner, don't let him disturb my posture.

Question for next lesson:

1. Clarify a couple places in the last part of the tango routine. finish the rest of the routine.
2. How to do big top and the step before the big top.
3. How to do the link? At times, I feel Denis' link is too regressive, instead of progressive. How is the link done in the routine, is it different from the basic progressive link?
4.