Kick Ball Change

Take 30 seconds each day to practice your Kick-Ball-Change action. Remember to switch up the starting foot. Try ending with the feet together and then try practicing a Kick-Ball-Step action. If you do this just a little bit every day, you'll have it down in no time.

SAMPLE

Kick-Ball-Change (R-L-R) 1 ah 2- kick out right foot (gently and keep it close to the floor) bring it back - place weight onto the ball of right foot on the floor next to the left foot - then quickly change weight to your left foot. *This action almost feels like a limp.

Kick-Ball-Step (R-L-R) 1 ah 2- kick out right foot (gently and keep it close to the floor) bring it back - place weight onto the ball of right foot on the floor next to the left foot - then quickly step forward with left foot and change weight. Use the "ball" action as a catapult to achieve desired amount of power to step forward by pushing down while stepping onto the ball. This action will assist in your advance forward. *Remember the power is always in the supporting leg.

Ballroom Dance Position

Start - stand facing each other aka square (even though you'll be positioned off center)

Lead

Stand with feet together, straight posture, head & chin up with the arms to the sides. Offer the follow to set into dance position by extending the left arm to offer the left hand. Raise the right arm up and open. As the follow steps into dance position, continue to raise the left hand up to the eye level of the follow and close the right arm just below the follow's left shoulder blade. Keep the elbows back at an even, elevated position.

Note: The follow is to be positioned on the lead's right side. The lead's left foot should be slightly on the outside of the follow's right foot/leg to provide individual tracks to dance on.

Follow

Stand with feet together in front of the lead. As the lead offers the follow to step into dance position, the follow will accept the offer by placing the right hand into the lead's left, step forward (as many as necessary to get close, usually up to about three steps) ending with the weight on the left foot, raise the left arm so the lead can close up the position and drag in the right foot keeping the weight off of it (keeping it free to enable it to move quickly). Remember to remain off center to the lead favoring the side with the hand on the back (the follow's left). The follow should be able to look over the lead's right actual shoulder (not nose to nose). This means the follow's left foot will be on the outside of the lead's right foot.

Practice Time vs Learning Curve

Be patient with yourself and the time you're putting in. Also, be realistic about this time. I hear over and over, "I've been dancing for 6 months and still don't get certain things." Well, at 1 hour per week at an estimated 26 weeks in the 6 month time, that's really only 26 hours of training; just a little over one whole day (not even a full work week yet).

So, when you start to think of it in terms of..."the sun was shining when I started and now there is snow on the ground." Think again. How many hours of time have you put in and how much time was left in between sessions for the retention value to decrease? Remember the more time in between sessions, the more you'll have to review.

This should shed new light on your dance perspective. Keep it healthy and keep it realistic! Mostly, just try and enjoy the process of learning with the idea in mind that you can only ALWAYS get better which is so very cool.

Sept - Beginners Class

Rumba Routine

1. Box
2. Underarm Turn
3. Rumba Walks
4. 5th Position Breaks
5. Cross Box Lead
6. Open Break
7. Alternating Underarm Turns
8. Box
9. Promenade Swivels
10. Cuddle Wrap & Sweetheart
    

• Use the balls of the feet (1st thing on the floor w/ toes & last thing off)
  

Waltz Routine

1. Box
2. Underarm Turn
3. 4 Progressive Basics
4. 4 Point Hesitations
5. Turning Box
6. Face to Face & Back to Back