Program Video Descriptions
LEARN TO BAL IN SIX WEEKS
WEEK ONE
🔀 practiced the 3 basic postures: V frame, A frame, I frame
🔀 practiced the “checkmark stance” for the I frame
🔀 practiced the 3 basic rhythms: Single time, Half time, Quarter time (solo & w/partner)
🔀 practiced the uphold basic drill: in 8 counts and in 4 counts (which is the basic)
- traveling or keeping it more in place
🔀 practiced the additional accents and stylings with the foot releases
- solo, w/partner forward & back, side to side, around
🔀 watched clip of oldtimers dancing at bobby mcgee’s (notice they each had a different style)
🔀 danced to music (**see links to playlists below)
WEEK TWO
🔀 practiced the downhold basic
- with a drive (travels across the floor a bit)
- with a drop (keeps the basic more in place)
🔀 practiced the come around
🔀 focused on keeping the pulse through the basic
🔀 practiced the single pushes & slides (ad-libs) on both sides
🔀 practiced the pushes (sailor shuffles) & slides with a slight open position
🔀 practiced the choo-choos (you can see hal & marge do these at the end of the bobby mcgee’s clip)
🔀 danced to music
WEEK THREE
🔀 practiced the out & in in different directions solo (*try the doorframe drills too)
🔀 practiced the out & in (with compression) with a partner
- cross overs, down the line, rotating to the right
🔀 practiced the out & in (with the pass) with a partner
- cross overs, rotating to the right (or, come arounds)
🔀 practiced over-extended crossovers
🔀 danced together: basic, crossover, come around, back to closed
🔀 practiced the transition step
🔀 watched clip of maxie & caroline (using the passing out & in)
🔀 danced to music
WEEK FOUR
🔀 practiced downhold into an uphold (with come around)
🔀 practiced the throwout
- from closed position and from open position (from an out & in)
🔀 practiced different throwout exits: with singles and half-times
🔀 practiced the throwout without the hand and holding the hand
🔀 practiced follower turning drills
- half time, singles, down a line, in place, using a wall/corner/bar
🔀 practiced the behind-the-back throwout
- with a downhold or with a kick step
- follows styling: gather, high gather, extended leg
⏩ practiced multiple turns
- rounded preparation, rather than linear (which we use for throwouts)
🔀 watched bonus clip of willie & lila (notice their throwouts)
🔀 danced to music
WEEK FIVE
🔀 practiced lollies solo (w/ taps, kicks, sweeps) (*try the doorframe drills too)
🔀 practiced lollies with a partner
- in place (full twist), down a line, lead travels around, follow travels around
⏩ practiced turns within lollies
- outside turns with/without hand
- inside turns with/without hand or using other side for a “pop turn”
🔀 practiced swivels solo
🔀 practiced swivels with a partner
- in place, down a line, lead travels around, follow travels around
🔀 practiced going in between lollies and swivels
🔀 practiced swivel breaks (with uphold kick step, and with downhold)
🔀 practiced downhold crossbody exit with follower inside turn
🔀 danced to music
WEEK SIX
🔀 practiced sequence: downhold/uphold basic, singles, halfs, quarters (in any direction)
🔀 practiced sequence: basic, transition step, over-extended crossover, throwout to closed
🔀 practiced sequence: basic, transition step, over-extended crossover, sailor shuffles, cross overs, back to closed
🔀 watched the beach clip (notice the upswing energy of these dancers)
🔀 practiced any other moves you learned.. see if you can piece them together!
🔀 danced to music
SLOW BAL ADDICTION
MORE LAMANU
🔀 reviewed your lamanu basic
- lateral triples rather than swimming triples of slow bal
- make sure you complete full weight shifts and bring feet underneath you during triple
🔀 practiced the repeating box step
- take the first triple of lamanu basic and repeat forward/side, back/side
- exit with the 2nd half of the basic
- focus on upright, relaxed posture (esp followers) so it is easier to travel across the floor
🔀 practiced Ray’s 6-count box step
- after your basic, step directly to the side for another additional 2 steps
- important for leaders to emphasize that they are steps, not another triple (keep the pulse)
- then add two triples fwd/side, back/side (leaders)
- put as many 6-counts together as you like, then exit with another basic
🔀 practiced driving lamanu triples
- same timing as our multiple triples we did previously
- leaders pick a direction and keep the triples going (try forward first for 8 counts, then back for 8)
- focus on gathering the feet and pushing off the floor to feel the weight shifts and direction changes
🔀 practiced regular pushes (any direction.. to the side, in a circle, etc)
- important to allow your anchored foot to create a slight lean in your body
- after first half of basic, keep the “-ple-step, ple-step,” going (i.e. the ball-change)
- exit #1: keep stepping through counts “8-and” then exit with the basic on “1”
- exit #2: finish the pushes with a slow on “8” then exit with basic on “1”
🔀 practiced Ray’s pushes
- very similar motion to paddles in regular balboa (feeling the shift in anchor is very important)
- begin with regular pushes, then shift your anchor to the other foot on “7” (could be any count)
- continue your ball-changes with your new anchor (continuing in the same direction)
- exit with your lamanu basic whenever your correct foot is free (we exited on “5”)
🔀 practiced the drag step
- pre on the 5,6 of your regular basic
- release into a run run on 7,8 and then exit with the 2nd triple of your basic
- allow natural cross in your body to happen in the drags (and release in the legs)
- keep toes open and legs moving so you’re not in each others’ way
🔀 watched the Ray Cunningham video with our breakdown of the steps
🔀 danced it all to music (**see links to playlists below)
MORE MK SLOW BAL
🔀 practiced the transition forward
- start with first half of slow bal basic
- leaders open follower away from you on “6” to allow swivel on “7&8”
- exit by bringing follower in front to closed position triple, and exit with 2nd half of basic
🔀 practiced the transition forward into swivels
- prep to step through in the other direction is on “8” (make sure you pivot that foot)
- maintain “step, step, triple step” the entire time
- same motion as swivel breaks in regular balboa
- exit by bringing followers in front (same exit as the transition forward exit)
- make sure you leave enough space between you to fully twist and step through
🔀 practiced swivels down the line
- same timing as swivels done previously (just keep them now in the same direction)
- travel straight down the line or rotate around the follower (depends on space and floorcraft)
- leaders choke up a little more on your right side in order to the keep the orientation moving forward
🔀 practiced swivel play
- try repeating the “-ple step, -ple step” part of your swivels, or the “step, step” part
- play around with mixing and matching the different rhythms, and in different directions
🔀 practiced backing it up (with walk/walk triple, walk/walk triple)
- use the same technique for the walks as we did for Ray’s drags
- when you incorporate the triple, make sure leaders that you lead each weight shift (back/fwd/back)
🔀 practiced the transient 5/6
- try it first with lamanu (practice the “up down” or “jogging” feeling of the basic)
- then move in different directions on the 5,6… right, left, forward, etc..
- then try it with slow balboa.. smoother and more lateral release with the hips
- see how you can mix and match slow bal and lamanu, and move around the floor
🔀 danced it all to music
MORE SLOW BAL GOODNESS
🔀 practiced the up up & away version #1
- leaders prep open on “5” and bring follower straight in to compress (no dip in shoulders)
- release with triple step on “7&8”, and keep your focus on your partner
- followers release for inside turn towards the leaders for the pickup back into the basic
- followers remember to release all the way back so leaders are able to bring you fwd & across
🔀 practiced the up up & away version #2
- begin with promenade and swing down & in on “7” (remember to gather the free foot)
- triple back and forward on “8&1” & finish with regular come around footwork
🔀 practiced promenade pivots (within lamanu and slow balboa)
- keep the run, run feeling with lamanu; begin with regular promenade
- leaders close up on “8” and continue rotating to the right with pivots
- focus on upright, body to body position for pivots; finish with the 2nd triple of your lamanu basic
- try bringing the follower in front instead & rotate to the left
- keep it smooth with slow balboa, and add more rotation with your pivots
🔀 practiced the maxie inspired come around
- 1st half of closed come around; leaders release on “5” (paint a circle on the floor w/ your arms)
- follows let your body fill in the lead’s arm to feel the circular motion (hold yourself w/ both arms)
- don’t let motion stop with hard compression on “7&8”; allow it to pivot and keep moving into “1”
- finish by closing the followers in and completing a regular basic
- followers styling: extend right leg on “5, 6, 7” and then catch up steps “&8”
🔀 practiced the slow bal “lindy” circle
- begin with the slow-out (from our original program)
- leaders keep the follower in a more open position and maintain step/step/triple footwork
- followers allow yourself to pivot through each step (right foot in front on “1”, left open on “5”)
- leaders close up when you want to create tighter pivot turns
- finish with a step back to prep for the next basic
🔀 practiced slow-out with passes
- begin with regular slow-out (but followers don’t anticipate a “catch” or a “stop”)
- leaders allow the follower to keep rotating & catch on “1” in a reverse promenade position
- leaders pivot your left foot right away on “1” in order to get the followers to respond in time
- followers make sure you tone up your connection in order to move faster (not too loose)
- do as many passes as you like until you exit with regular come around
- try closing up the follower instead (rotating to the left for your exit)
🔀 danced it all to music
TRIPLES FOOTWORK GRAB BAG
PLAYING WITH TRIPLE RHYTHMS
🔀 emphasize triples with one foot or the other (whole foot / ball of foot / whole foot)
🔀 practiced static triples solo (forward, back, rotating in any direction)
🔀 practiced rhythm with a partner
- in place or with motion
- focus on upright posture and full body connection to help feel the rhythm
🔀 practiced downhold “driving” triples (solo and/or with partner)
- with a drive through motion
- in place with a drop
- triple on “3&4” “7&8”
- body placement: slight lean when moving forward, upright when moving back
🔀 practiced uphold “gathering” triples (solo and/or with partner)
- with a swing motion covering more space
- in place with less swing
- triple on “2&3” “6&7”
🔀 practiced multiple triples (solo and/or with partner)
- driving through to repeat triples
- try basic downhold, then add triple rhythm, then add multiple triples
- try it more in place or moving across the floor
🔀 danced to music (**see links to playlists below)
FUN WITH TRIPLE STYLINGS
🔀 practiced pull-under (or pull-back) triples (solo and/or with partner)
- foot starts forward to pull back
🔀 practiced pull-under triples the other way (solo and/or with partner)
- foot starts back to pull forward
🔀 applied pull-unders with downhold
- followers: pull under on 3&4, pull back on 7&8
- leaders: pull back on 3&4, pull under on 7&8
🔀 CHALLENGE!
- leaders: can you lead the difference between a regular downhold, dowhnhold with a triple rhythm, downhold with a pull-under triple?
- followers: can you feel and follow the difference between regular, triple, pull-under triple?
🔀 practiced multiple pull-under triples (solo and/or with partner)
- try those moving across floor or more in place (utilizing more of the upper body)
🔀 practiced gathering triples (solo and/or with partner)
- try pendulum action
- add fan texture with toes.. start with single fans, then add triple, then add the swing. slippery & light
🔀 applied gathering triples to uphold
- start with regular uphold, then add triple rhythm, then add fan styling (2&3, 6&7)
🔀 practiced multiple gathering triples (solo and/or with partner)
- try pattern with basic swing first (no triple)
- incorporate triples on 2&3, 4&5, 6&7 with pendulum action
🔀 danced to music
MIXING AND MATCHING TRIPLES
🔀 practiced mixing downhold (drive) and uphold (gather) triples (solo and/or with partner)
- downhold into uphold (3&4, 6&7)
- uphold into downhold (2&3, 7&8)
- can try it with just the rhythms, or with pull-under and fan stylings
🔀 practiced checkmark stance
- allow body to shift forward on left foot, upright back on right foot
- try multiple triples in place (forward,back,forward,back)
🔀 danced to music
🔀 BONUS: try adding the triple on 1&2 (followers would be 5&6)
🔀 BONUS: practiced keeping the weight on one foot, and allowing the other foot to style
- try kicks, taps, brushes, heels, etc
- try moving forward/back (diagonal), or side to side, or in place
LATERAL TRIPLES
🔀 practiced downhold lateral triple (solo and/or with partner)
- try basic downhold first, then lean body in the direction you want to travel (side to side)
- practice releasing the other foot that doesn’t have the weight on it
- then add the triple (3&4, 7&8)
🔀 practiced uphlold lateral triple (solo and/or with partner)
- try basic uphold first, then lean body in the direction you want to travel (side to side)
- then add the triple (2&3, 6&7)
- focus on pendulum swing
🔀 CHALLENGE!
- mix and match lateral upholds/downholds, uphold triples/downhold triples
🔀 danced to music
🔀 BONUS - practiced all of the rhythms solo to music
🔀 BONUS - watched the footage of oldtimer triples. do you like their particular style?