Friday, August 14, 2009

Slavi lesson 8/12 waltz & tango - 2

Waltz

Natural turn: Thomas should "keep his head back" a bit more

Pivots: The first one is not a spin turn, it's a "high" pivot. The last one before the turning lock is a spin turn.

In general during the pivots the connection was too high in the chest, it should be more from the entire core and hips.
On the first step, Thomas should step more to the side to "get out of my way", then we each get out of each other's way (general principle). I should push on the 2, that will provide the power that Thomas is asking for.
Also very important: RELEASE the foot as soon as possible and start bringing it around. That also provides more energy and rotation and avoids having the feeling that we're stuck

Going to promenade after the turning lock: internalize more through the body still going to the left, start "going over" with hips back a little earlier, then the head follows and turns to the right as a result of internalizing the movement in the core and the spine


Tango

Spanish drag: Should have much more a feeling of resistance like a rubber band. First we move together to the right but my head resists slightly to the left (but chest keeps moving together), then it snaps.

On the ronde: More down, focus on crossing the foot behind earlier with a lot of power. The ronde should be very fast and I use the standing foot as an anchor very strongly. Also bring the hips more back when doing the ronde.
Doing the ronde this way should bring more energy and more of a tango feel to the next steps (like the same foot lunge).

For the kick: The point is not to bring the leg very high, it should be in relation to the position of the body. If the body goes back a lot then the leg can kick higher.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Slavi lesson 8/12 waltz & tango

Just pivots

He wanted head over spine more and not as much excessive shape (more straight)
I just tried to look up (e.g. a la vlad shahov) and he thought it looked better...so that's a way to accomplish what he wants...

Pivots
- still maintain the shape first step, as suspected (no rotation right away), though after slightly different, do not move left foot so much backward, but rather just place it so next step can drive off.

Head of spine thing again on contracheck--just connect your head to your right leg, even though always try to keep head over left

Turning lock--really shape the head to right (kind of like giampero's rule...left forward, back right)

Tango
Hold--much more bent
Spanish Drag--pull first (i.e. with body separation while leaving hands, not excessive though), then come back

Cecile--don't move legs as high/much, but place it strongly right leg behind left leg (almost fleckrel ish). Also changed the head lead (I'll actively lead it now)