Class Summaries

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Sept. 23, 2018 - One Step

  • Lead and follow basics: supple well connected frame, first foot is left for lead and right for follow (first everything is left for lead and right for follow and second is the opposite side), moving with your partner. One step is literally one step to each beat of the music. Line of dance is counter-clockwise around the dance floor (as seen from above).

  • Back the follow: ballroom position (lead and follow face with feet offset slightly to the left, they hold first hands out to the side, the leads right hand at follows back just below shoulder blade, the follows left hand on leads shoulder with the arm resting on leads arm). The lead, facing line of dance, walks forward and follow walks backward, one step to each beat of the music starting on the first foot.

  • Promenade: lead and follow stand second hip to second hip facing forward, they hold first hands out in front, the leads right hand is around the follows waist and the follows left hand hangs on the leads right shoulder. The lead and follow both walk forward, one step to each beat of the music starting on the first foot.

  • Yale position: to get to Yale position, start in ballroom position then both turn (in place) to the left until you are right hip to right hip.

  • Reverse Yale position: same as above but turn to the right until you are left hip to left hip.

  • Note: Yale positions are also good for walking around your partner while in place

  • Grape Vine: start in ballroom position with leads facing out (toward the wall) and follows facing in. Count one, in ballroom position, both step to the side with first foot. Count two, lead steps behind on second foot, follow steps in front on second food, both shading their bodies to match the footwork. Count three, both step to the side with first foot and return to ballroom position. Count four, lead steps in front on second foot, follow steps behind on second foot, both shading their bodies to match the footwork. Repeat from count one.

  • Wrap-around: from ballroom position with lead facing line of dance, lead walks forward (follow backward) for two counts. For the next two counts, the lead marks time in place while leading the follow first away for one count the back toward his/her left side on the next count; the follow will take one step back way from the lead then one step back toward the leads left side. The last four counts, the lead will take his/her left hand over the follows shoulder as he/she takes four small steps turning right 180 degrees; the follow will take four steps walking round the leads left shoulder turning left 180 degrees. Both take ballroom position (with the lead facing against line of direction) on count eight.

  • Primary music for this class was My Wife is Dancing Mad