It's been a fair while since I've taken any lessons, and not even foundational, lets break it to its lowest denominator type lessons. As a lead.
Just watching the ease of execution, the degree and quality of movement was astounding and this, ladies & gentlemen is what we work for. Also getting to dance with the teacher on my own merit *faints*
Plenty of notes!
Lesson 1 - Walking
- Start by feeling the weight transfer from left to right - transfer should be 100% of the weight
- The lead stands more vertically with the intention forward, while the follow has a slight angle to reach
- As a lead, watch the neck forward and shoulders up, intention is an internal action and not an actual lean, watch the shoulder sway and move linearly instead
- Lift the toes so that you are aware that the weight is further back and on the heels
- Stretch and separate the two half of the torso from the legs; ground downward to push the floor, but lift upward to transfer momentum & direction
- Send the intention forward and delay movement as a lead
- As a follow, watch the hip angles and stretch beyond your partner as a follow
- Paramount above all, adapt to your partner, be comfortable
- As a lead - chest up, head up, pelvis back on heels, project and delay
Lesson 2 - Disassociation
- Move in opposite manners - right foot forward, left shoulder inward (like a crunch); right foot to the side, left shoulder outward (to open and expand to the edges of the body)
- Side walk exercise - start with right shoulder facing direction you want to move in, transfer weight to right foot while twisting to the right, pivot and collect; repeat on the left
- Ocho forward as a lead; let the follow collect half a second ahead before rotating yourself
- The follow over-rotates on a forward ocho, creating an obtuse triangle, while the lead does forward ochos as sacadas (to the foot that has just left)
- Feel the back and spine to counter the centrifugal force and movement
Lesson 3 - Preparing for giros
- Start with the follow close to you on the right (same line)
- Follow moves in a 3 sided square (back side front) - moment the follow steps on the 3rd step (front), lead transfers weight to left foot, using torsion (twisted to the left by this point); and taking energy from the 4th step of the follow (unravel from back to side) - follows the energy to rotate 360
- Follow start perpendicular to the lead (forward, side, back step); lead mirrors, but stays in position and just rotate upper body, keeping hips forward (moving from 12 to 9); chest is twisted toward the follow who has moved 180 degrees from 12 to 6
Lesson 5 - Milonguero turn
- Practice momentum of rocking (Forward - L, Back - R, Backstep - L, Back - R, Forward - L, Together)
- Send the energy outward, but then pullback immediate (energy is on a plane rather than an arc); follow crosses ont he outside of the leads right
- Small angles at the shoulder lead to large angles at the hand - same concept for the ocho cortado, lead needs to open very slightly for the follow to move to the right and back; as a lead, keep the back foot stuck out, rather than shifting weight with the follow - lead from the chest only
- Rebound front and ocho cortado, follow for a follower cross, send her to the left while starting a sacada with your right foot to her left foot which is leaving the side stel (follow transfers weight from left to right foot)
- Take the space with your right foot and pivot around so left foot is in a parada situation, follow will have moved to aback step and now leads left foot inner is against the follows right foot outer
- Follow then does a weight transfer to the left foot and moves to side step with right foot while lead anchors on the left foot (weight on left!), sticks out the right foot (like an outward twist furthest left shoulder from right foot); lead then pivots the follow to end on a parada (360 rotation outside his left foot) -while tucking the right knee behind left.
Lesson 6
- Follow does a forward ocho to the leaders right
- Leader steps forward with right leg to sacada follows left leg (taking the space), then continues to sacada her right leg with his left (in the side step of the molinete for the follow); change of front in the first steps is crucial
- Leader then steps right across the follows left foot as the follow does a back-site movement; lead then sacadas follows left foot as she does a forward step - overturning her and Americana out (lead on right and follow on left)
- Always take the space and keep the movement going on the top so the follow knows where to go
Just watching the ease of execution, the degree and quality of movement was astounding and this, ladies & gentlemen is what we work for. Also getting to dance with the teacher on my own merit *faints*
Plenty of notes!
Lesson 1 - Walking
- Start by feeling the weight transfer from left to right - transfer should be 100% of the weight
- The lead stands more vertically with the intention forward, while the follow has a slight angle to reach
- As a lead, watch the neck forward and shoulders up, intention is an internal action and not an actual lean, watch the shoulder sway and move linearly instead
- Lift the toes so that you are aware that the weight is further back and on the heels
- Stretch and separate the two half of the torso from the legs; ground downward to push the floor, but lift upward to transfer momentum & direction
- Send the intention forward and delay movement as a lead
- As a follow, watch the hip angles and stretch beyond your partner as a follow
- Paramount above all, adapt to your partner, be comfortable
- As a lead - chest up, head up, pelvis back on heels, project and delay
Lesson 2 - Disassociation
- Move in opposite manners - right foot forward, left shoulder inward (like a crunch); right foot to the side, left shoulder outward (to open and expand to the edges of the body)
- Side walk exercise - start with right shoulder facing direction you want to move in, transfer weight to right foot while twisting to the right, pivot and collect; repeat on the left
- Ocho forward as a lead; let the follow collect half a second ahead before rotating yourself
- The follow over-rotates on a forward ocho, creating an obtuse triangle, while the lead does forward ochos as sacadas (to the foot that has just left)
- Feel the back and spine to counter the centrifugal force and movement
Lesson 3 - Preparing for giros
- Start with the follow close to you on the right (same line)
- Follow moves in a 3 sided square (back side front) - moment the follow steps on the 3rd step (front), lead transfers weight to left foot, using torsion (twisted to the left by this point); and taking energy from the 4th step of the follow (unravel from back to side) - follows the energy to rotate 360
- Follow start perpendicular to the lead (forward, side, back step); lead mirrors, but stays in position and just rotate upper body, keeping hips forward (moving from 12 to 9); chest is twisted toward the follow who has moved 180 degrees from 12 to 6
Lesson 5 - Milonguero turn
- Practice momentum of rocking (Forward - L, Back - R, Backstep - L, Back - R, Forward - L, Together)
- Send the energy outward, but then pullback immediate (energy is on a plane rather than an arc); follow crosses ont he outside of the leads right
- Small angles at the shoulder lead to large angles at the hand - same concept for the ocho cortado, lead needs to open very slightly for the follow to move to the right and back; as a lead, keep the back foot stuck out, rather than shifting weight with the follow - lead from the chest only
- Rebound front and ocho cortado, follow for a follower cross, send her to the left while starting a sacada with your right foot to her left foot which is leaving the side stel (follow transfers weight from left to right foot)
- Take the space with your right foot and pivot around so left foot is in a parada situation, follow will have moved to aback step and now leads left foot inner is against the follows right foot outer
- Follow then does a weight transfer to the left foot and moves to side step with right foot while lead anchors on the left foot (weight on left!), sticks out the right foot (like an outward twist furthest left shoulder from right foot); lead then pivots the follow to end on a parada (360 rotation outside his left foot) -while tucking the right knee behind left.
Lesson 6
- Follow does a forward ocho to the leaders right
- Leader steps forward with right leg to sacada follows left leg (taking the space), then continues to sacada her right leg with his left (in the side step of the molinete for the follow); change of front in the first steps is crucial
- Leader then steps right across the follows left foot as the follow does a back-site movement; lead then sacadas follows left foot as she does a forward step - overturning her and Americana out (lead on right and follow on left)
- Always take the space and keep the movement going on the top so the follow knows where to go
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