BLDC @ SDSU Session 3

Here is a list of what we have done so far. Keep checking back after each session. I will post a more detailed description of the material taught after the fourth meeting of the session.

Foxtrot
Rhythm: SSQQ except where noted

Basic
Promenade Basic
Box Step (SQQ SQQ) 2x
Basic
Rock Turn
Basic
Promenade Pivots

West Coast Swing
Rhythm noted for each figure

Sugar Push (1-2 [tap 3] 4 5&6)
Sugar Tuck (1-2 [tap 3] 4 5&6)
Underarm Pass (1-2 3&4 5&6)

New Session at Balboa Park

Tomorrow I begin teaching a new pair of dances in the Intermediate class: Quickstep and Bolero. Some of the steps I will teach in Q-Step are Natural Spin Turn, Progressive and Tipple Chasses, Forward and Back Lock Steps, and, for the first time ever, the Fishtail and Quick Open Reverse Turn.

For the Bolero I will teach Cross Over Swivels, Tummy Catch, Lunge & Rock, and Spot Turn to Rope Spin. I will also include simpler figures to use as transitional movements among the good stuff.

See you there.

New Session at SDSU

Tonight I begin teaching Session 3 of the Summer Semester at SDSU, which will feature Foxtrot and West Coast Swing. Class starts a 7PM at Petersen's Gym, across the street from the Aztec Recreation Center. For further info, check out ballroom.sdsu.edu.

SDSU Ballroom & Latin Dance Club (BLDC) Summer Session 2 Syllabus

This is the syllabus from session 2. Keep checking back as I will be posting previous sessions here soon.

Nightclub Two Step

Step (Rhythm: SQQ throughout)

1) Basic

2) Underarm Turns

a) Outside

b) Inside

3) Traveling Cross Chassé

a) Basic in Cl or 2H

b) Cross Chassé CPP-PP-CPP

c) Inside UA Pivot

d) 2^nd 1/2 Basic

4) Outside UA Roll, Open Break

5) Back Spot Turn, 2^nd 1/2 Basic[1]

REPEAT

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[1] Man’s footwork is virtually the same on both 4 & 5, although the amount of turn is slightly different.

Hustle

Step (Rhythm: QQSS )

1) Basic Op-Cl-Op

2) Basic w/ Outside UA Pass

3) Changes of Place

a) Lady’s Inside UA Pass

b) Back Pass

c) Lady’s Inside UA Pass

d) Overhead Pass

e) Lady’s Inside UA Pass, end 2H

f) Man’s UA Pass under RH

g) Lady’s Inside UA Pass

h) Basic Op-Cl

4) Traveler

a) Grapevine to Man’s L 2x

b) Closed Left Turn w/ Lady’s Inside UA Spin

c) Closed Left Turn

d) Basic w/ Outside UA Pass Cl-Op

REPEAT

Argentine Tango Workshop (from my Facebook page)

I will be teaching a two-hour workshop on Argentine Tango to be held at Infinity Dance 4428 Convoy Street, San Diego, CA 92111, on Saturday August 21, 2010 at 10:30AM. Argentine (not to be confused with American or International style) Tango is arguably the most sensual dance in the world, but one does not approach it like other Ballroom and Latin dances. The hold is compact, not unlike Rumba, but much more intimate. The rules for partnership that are so well established in Ballroom go out the window with this dance. Anyone who has had more than 20 minutes of dance instruction from any moderately experienced professional knows that virtually every dance has elements in common with nearly every other dance. Not so with Argentine Tango. There is really nothing like else like it. Furthermore, I found that there is a whole subculture within the dance world of people who do nothing else but Argentine Tango, and almost none of the standard teaching methods I knew appeared to be in use.

I saw Argentine for the first time in the late 1980s while watching the Tony awards on TV. Some of the cast members from the show "Tango Argentino" performed. I was intrigued, to say the least, but it did not not look like anything I was learning. At the time, I had been teaching for about five or six years, I was competing on the professional circuit, and training with the best coaches in the country. Even they could not help me.

In 1990 or 1991 I saw a live Tango floor show performed at Starlight Dance Studio by Danel and Maria Bastone, who taught it in New York City and were doing Tango shows all over the country. They taught workshops the next day, including one for professionals only. My hard-earned Ballroom technical knowledge was not very useful at this point, especially since the Lady's head was now resting on my shoulder instead of the comparatively upright and locked position that I was used to. Once I accepted that this is a completely different way of dancing, I found that it was not all that difficult.

After a fair amount of trial and error, more training, and simply more practice, I have devised a way of teaching Argentine Tango that makes sense to Ballroom (as compared to Argentine) dancers. In my workshop, as always, I will introduce a series of different steps to be arranged in a repeatable sequence. In addition, I will also show how to add flourishes, alter rhythms, and rearrange steps.

The workshop is Basic to Intermediate level and is open to anyone who is has had little or no exposure to Argentine Tango, although anyone attending should at least be a reasonably experienced social dancer. The cost is $12 per person if registering the day of the workshop, or $10 per person for PAID registrations on or before Friday August 20, 2010.

Balboa Park Dancers Syllabus July 2010

I have posted below the July syllabus. See how you like it and let me know what you think.

Foxtrot

Step [Starting/Ending alignment]

(Rhythm: SQQ except where noted)

1) Open Right Turn (ORT) [DC/DW]

a) Hover to PP

b) ORT from PP

c) Open Impetus Turn

d) Continuity End

2) Open Left Turn (OLT) [DC/DW]

3) Grapevine in PP & Pivots [DW/DC]

a) Hover to PP

b) Lady’s Grapevine in PP (Man’s Fwd Run) (QQQQ)

c) Pivots from PP

d) Continuity End

4) Back Progressive Spirals [DC/DW]

a) Open Left Turn

b) Bk Progressive Spirals (4 measures)

c) Continiuty End

Salsa

Step (Rhythm: 123 hold 4)

1) Basic, Cross Body Lead, end Op

2) UA Chase Turn

a) Man’s Turn (full turn R), Lady’s Bk Rock

b) Lady’s Turn ( “ ), Man’s Bk Rock, end RH-RH

c) Man’s Turn (1/2 turn)

d) Cross Body Spin[1]

3) Basic, X Body Lead

4) 5^th Position Break, Box Finish

5) Cucarachas w/ Turn

a) Cl-ROp, 1/4 turn away from partner

b) ROp-LOp, 1/2 turn

c) LOp- ROp, 1/2 turn

d) LOp-Cl, 1/4 turn to face partner

6) Hammerlock Swivels

a) Basic

b) XB Spin to HL

c) In-and-Out Swivels in Sh[2]

d) XB Spin L to Op

7) Basic

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[1] Lady turns L; lead as either a free turn (release hold between 1 & 2) or RH-RH UA turn.

[2] Man may lead Lady to travel in the same path as 6b or redirect her path to his L up to 180º as conditions permit.

Welcome To My Blog

For years I have been trying to come up with a way to effectively use the internet for shameless, crass, commercial self-promotion, and now I think I have found it. My purpose in starting this blog is to provide a convenient way for you to keep up on what group classes (Balboa Park, SDSU, etc) I am teaching as well as any events that may be of interest to you. This will also be the place to download the step lists from my classes, and contact me for private dance instruction.

Stay tuned as I will be adding new items for your perusal. For the latest postings, just click on "Artistry & Motion" above.