I meet up with Amantha before classes to try to get her some of the choreography she's missed over the past two weeks. We're doing the California Routine in the Harlem Styling series class, Big John's Special, and The Atomic Routine.
California Routine
Add the "jump-tuck turn" after the mini-lift. Rock-step, jump-tuck, jump-turn. Neat.
Big John's Special
I'm finally getting the over-rotating circle, which I totally blocked on last week. I was really frustrated last week. Get to the solos section, and I'm the only one who really continues dancing, which makes it a With-An-H solo. I blow a raspberry at my classmates, as we were all supposed to keep dancing. Mark tells me later that it was the classic case of everyone else taking a step back while I stayed in place with my partner!
The Atomic Routine
We do the first tap section again, and I get really frustrated again. I'm already tired, and I don't ask for Jenny to slow down the hop-switch f'lap-step. I do manage to write out all the steps later on for personal review.
20070717
I preemptively take off chunks of time during the evening's social dancing, and come out feeling tired, but ok at the end of the evening. Didn't stay to the end, but I was still there after midnight.
Classes earlier in the evening:
Jenny teaches some random stuff for 6:15. Foot styling for 20's Charleston, then Shag (wait, is Chris teaching?!). 20's Charleston foot styling for Shag, transition from closed to open two-handed, then single-handed, then falling-off-the-log. Back to open, back to closed, then double-kick.
Jenny says I made her Sunday, but says she'll tell me why later. I never did get the story.
Jerry teaches the club dance class, trying to sell us all on club dance transitions.
Ending choreography is:
Hustle send-out
Hustle come-back
Hustle send-out with inside turn
Hustle come-back
Hustle send-out
Sugar Push
Sugar Push
Walk Through
Walk Through
Swing-Out
Swing-Out
Circle
Swing-Out (double-time, Harlem)
Swing-Out
Swing-Out
Circle
Charleston basic
Jig Kicks (6 count)
Rock-step, Cross Behind & Turn, Break on 5-6, cheat weight to downstage foot (1-2 & 3)
Step-drag, Step-drag, hop & slide to closed
Salsa Basic
Cross-body Lead
Salsa Basic
Turn
Cross-body lead
Balboa basic
Tandem Charleston
Darren organizes the class really well, getting us into the groove with some easier stuff early on, and saving the crazy entrance to be the last thing he teaches.
We learn:
Follow Turn variation (cross arms and out-in on 5-6)
Lead-Follow Turn variation (lead left-to-right hand-off, out-in on 5-6)
Jump-Kick variation in standard Charleston, then in Tandem. Rock-step, hop-switch, hop-switch, hop-switch.
Push-out exit (push-out on 3, anchor with right, turning follow into
side Charleston)
Crazy entrance:
Leads: 1-2-3-step, run-run, down (right crosses behind; optional
touching of ground)
Follows:?
snapping)
reconnect in Tandem Charleston)
I try the in-out move during social dancing. I think I freak Laura out doing it.
20070719
The original idea was to meet up with the group to work on choreography for teams and Sunday classes. I brought a video camera to do a video and critique, but we never use it. Maybe I'm the only one who's interested in that. Amantha and I get through most of Jeep Jockey Jump. I leave out the non-partner stuff between the A's and B's section. Jerry seems to think that the filming thing is a great idea. Class, anyone? Maybe a private lesson is a better venue for that. We do a tiny bit of review on the tap section. I'm frustrated all over again when I'm told that the f'lap doesn't change weight in the hop-switch-f'lap section. But I'm right. I manage not to say "I told you so."
20070720
Bal/Shag Routine (Jenny)
I've been spiking out by releasing and doing a left to left hand connection, when we're supposed to just maintain left to right. Oops.
Shine Patterns (Jenny)
These are the jazz steps that one can do solo, especially when one gets disconnected from one's partner. Boogie Backs, Boogie Forwards, Sit-Backs, Shorty George's, Walk-Arounds, Picking Cherries, Apple Jacks, and whatever that run-run-scuff-ball-change thing is called. Chevon (?), Paul's daughter, joins us for this class. Later, I dance with her, since I dance with all the girls under 12. Wow, that really sounds creepy.
The Shizzle (Jerry)
Alan and Jeremy (Brock's brother) join the class. Awesome to see those guys. The class is named after a random Jerry move: lead swivel prep's the end of a sugar push (two-hand connection and push in with right, slightly winding-up the follow counter-clockwise), and release the left hand. Open up the follow in a clockwise rock-step. Bring follow counter-clockwise on the triple, wrapping almost into a cuddle with the lead behind the follow (lead's left hand gives a slight reference tap on the shoulder at the end). Unwind into a double turn.
Following the Shizzle move with a move that starts with the same opening rock-step. Turn the follow, while giving direction towards oneself. Hand on the back for the end of a reverse swing-out.
Social Dancing:
I take frequent breaks. :-) Not a jam packed night, but there are lots of partners to dance with. OC Swing crew is there later on, doing they're thing. I dance a cool, bluesy song with Francis. She's got tons of cool footwork variations, so I do tons of swing-outs. Oh, and I remember to lead switches, which works out really well. I really need to bring it to dance with her.
Amantha and I do a Jill and Jack (she leads, I follow) dance. Awesome! Nicole says "hi" to me on her way out. Am I off her no-dance list? Not bothering to find out. Audrey tells me she's auditioning tomorrow morning for Teams. Good for her. It'll super-charge her dancing.
Good dance with cute Chelsea. She remembers me and says she was hoping I'd ask her to dance. She doesn't bring her boyfriend tonight, as he's tired from doing country, salsa, and jazz dancing on successive nights. Yikes. Which reminds me that I didn't get to do my "is that your boyfriend," then dance at arms length joke tonight. Damn! Hey, where's Liz tonight? One of the best dances of the night was with Stacia, who I vaguely recognize, I think. Maybe. Cool Bal practice with Tammy. Always cool dances with Michelle.
Best follows I danced with were Francis, Stacia, and Akiko.
20070721
Team Practice
Aubri says that AB Practice is going to be pure technique from here on out, with Swing 1 doing routines. Cool. We take the crouch, slide-open off of the swing-out and practice. Hey, Tim is back! I show him the swing-out footwork, and recognize the confusion that a single unfamiliar thing will create in his swing-out. Scott's back too.
Swing 1 practice is new choreography to a Boogie Woogie song by Elvis (but I dont't know the title. Could it be Boogie Woogie?). Lots of formation work.
Lunch after is awesome as usual, but the Shrimp Pad Thai from Spicy Thai is kind of a rip-off. I needs more protein! Chicken satay from here on out.
No comments:
Post a Comment