6/23 Waltz with Slavi (Cecile)

How to achieve more space in the frame and more space to move

In the prep step, feet should be LOD. Then there is a natural separation in the frame (not square anymore but more like a diagonal). Then when stepping back, step across yourself. Always keep this shape:

- Before the natural turn, stay left as much as possible. This way you can stay in the arm. Don't try to turn

- In the pivots, go diagonal instead of trying to go forward and around. By going diagonal you can do half the turn and let the other one do the other half. Go past each other not at each other.

- In the turning lock also don't try to go around at all, stay in the arm and back left.

Promenade

Dance the promenade as if the head was still to the left, i.e nothing else than the head should move, in particular the shoulder line should be the same and not drop to the right

Running weave and lock

Think about the arm swinging to know which hip to "hide".

In the next step: Think about the standing leg and not about sending the free leg. Don't "spread" the legs: always think about keeping thighs together at the start and don't anticipate turns, to the left or to the right.

Double reverse overspin

Remember the correct technique

Developpe

First when you go to the right don't do it from the head or from the top but from the hips. Put left foot back from the start and then pivot on right foot. Left foot ends up in the back on the other side. Then think of the hips rising as the source of the developpe.

Left hand

Should not be gripping the arm in the back (a la Jonathan Wilkins), should not be broken (a la Stanley McCalla) but should be a straight line and never move.

5/1 Personal training with Simone #1

Cardio

20 minutes on the treadmill

Warm up by increasing regularly the walking and then running speed for about 3/4 minutes

Then alternate:

- 2 minutes run (start running at 6 and increase every 20 seconds by 0.1 until reach 6.5, or start 6.5 and increase to 7)

- 2 minutes rest (walk at 3.5 at 9 incline)

- if it is necessary towards the end of the 20 minutes, add 30 seconds of full rest (3.5, 0 incline) for heart rate to go down - normally it should not be necessary

Core strengthening exercises

Facing the mirror do 15 squats (front) on each side. Then do 15 squats (side) on each side (feet parallel, don't let butt stick out too much). Be careful to keep the weight on the heel and not do a double on the side ones.

Then lift 8 pounds in each arm 15 times. Elbows in, arms flexing forward.

Then do a plank with arms on an elevated platform and lift right leg 15 times, then lift left leg 15 times.

Repeat: 10 times alternating front/side squat, on each side, then lift weight 15 times, then plank exercise.

It is important to exhale when the effort occurs. The exercise should follow the rythm of the breathing, not the other way around (i.e. try to breathe normally).

Then on the mat:

Do 20 sit ups

Do 10 push ups

Do 15 "diagonal" abs on each side

Stretching at the end

Stretch each muscle group that was worked on (legs and arms). Stay 30 seconds into each stretch and try to go deeper into the stretch during that time.

4/27 Foxtrot with Slavi (Cecile)

Connect with left arm on the left and right arm straight forward. Then always keep the right arm forward: This way the shoulder line won't break (it breaks if you let the right arm come to the right and back instead of keeping it forward).

This should also help a better connection right-side to right-side.

Don't anticipate the turns (especially right turn going forward and left turn going back, but valid for any turn). This should help the balance as well and the connection.

Don't throw the legs back (for example in Feather step)., but first go down deeper into the leg and then the extension of the leg backward should come from moving the weight of the couple together. Better connection and feeling of moving the weight together. Need to go into the standing leg more and follow in an active way.

Things to work on

Cecile:

- Right arm forward

- Never touch with left side of body (promenade and other steps)

- Stay left

- Hips don't move (don't open hips after right lunge when turning head)

- Hand touch

- Japanese bow

- Stretch left

- Stick butt out

- Quickstep: Bounce

Thomas:

- R shoulder back , L shoulder forward

Both:

- Over/Under (W, F, Q, VW)

- Drive when moving forward in VW

Steps:

- Ronde (W, F)

- Reverse Wave in Waltz

- Fleckerl

2/2 Slavi Lesson Foxtrot

General concept: When going back, use butt to create power, really use hip joints and knees and stick butt out (Maja: the lady moves the man around). On each step, use one cheek to create power, then other cheek etc.

First feather: On 2, take right hip way up and back.

On Feather Finish: Same thing, and stay there but provide right away the power to go back.

On Three Step, there is a release where the hips are allowed to move forward and there is a shape, then go immediately back with butt.

On Curved Feather and Outside Spin: Keep shoulders level and above the hips and don't bend to the left. There is more turn in the shoulders on the curved feather. Then on Outside Spin just release the power accumulated and go up with hips forward and shape. Do not turn, let the man turn.

On the Ronde: Do the Ronde and put right foot back, but do not untwist too early

In the reverse turn before Back Check: Go back with left foot, put man in neutral position, then continue to rotate and turn the head to the right (don't turn too late). Then on the Check release the hips forward. Immediately go back with the hips for the Three Fallaways.

Thomas: Should trust me and not overpower me otherwise I won't be able to create the power. On the other hand if I don't create enough power he is likely to take over so don't let him do that!

Slavi Lesson 1/19/10 Waltz

Same stuff as before: stay under and from the legs (no push upper body) first step, don't rotate after natural turn etc. Faster transitions->promenade after turning lock, weight over leg more (stretching leg back to get into the side lock in fact while weight still over left leg).

Same foot lunge--drop way more.

After promenade (after throwaway oversway), the chasse--strong cbmp.

Seems if I just concentrate on stretching side-to-side, and think of hug/carrying the girl (vasyl-ish) and also focus on strong settling into contra body, it achieves the look he wants.

1/19 Slavi Waltz - How not to break the frame

The main concept is to do the right action in the base (feet/legs/hips/core) and that will help keeping the frame more constant.

Also do "less" to achieve "more": For example Thomas should do less rotation and shaping on the natural turn, this way he gives me better connection and direction and the result is much cleaner, more mature.

Natural turn

Thomas should avoid too much rotation before the prep step. Should not "attack" with the upper body, instead lead softly by placing the hips slightly under. Do not overshape on 3: Allow the lady to shape but do not shape yourself and do not "make" the lady shape.

Cecile: Just be along for the ride. Between 1 and 2, open the hips to let the man go.

Pivots

Man: Do not lead with the head into the pivots, which disturbs the frame. Instead simply bring weight to the left foot.

Turning lock

Cecile: On three (before the step), weight should be on right foot and place the hips softly under and keep under during the lock. Then Do not go to promenade too fast. Continue going across/around and stretch left side. Head turns last, only when man starts to transfer weight forward.

Thomas: Should rotate body more to the right into the promenade

Reverse Wave

On two, lady should be under the man, man should bring hips back to be over. Should not rotate too early into the lock step.

Throwaway/Kick

Man should slide under

Same foot lunge

Should not rotate too much (go down into the leg instead of rotating)

Reverse Check

Cecile: Work on core/internalization. Stretch from sternum up without releasing stomach forward. Use the forward movement to start momentum for the pivots.

Run (before the double lock)

Cecile: On two, think about rising and lifting the butt to get out of the right foot properly

Promenade and lock before right lunge: Thomas should stretch "forward and up"

Right lunge and coming out of right lunge: think of internalizing and use core

Slavi Waltz/Viennese Waltz - Cecile

Waltz

Use breathing to help the concept of weight.

- When up and stretching: Inhale

- When going down: Exhale (start exhaling a little before going down to initiate the movement)

On the natural turn: Man should release the hip forward when the foot passes on 1, and go "underneath" the lady

Same foot lunge: Exhale and take your time, then go faster on the next part.

Back Check: Leave the right foot back. First internalize/suck stomach in, before releasing to stretch and create the line of the back check. Then roll onto the ball of the foot to go into the pivots.

Double lock: On the second lock, man should create the shape by leading with the hips. Also turn head towards the lady. Man shouldn't turn more to the left on the second lock to face the line of dance, but on the contrary more to the right facing the wall.

Tumble turn: Review man's footwork (should step forward instead of lock back). Lady: Left foot forward, then right foot forward: turn to the left but only with the hips and continue this rotation when stepping back with left foot. Should have the feeling to be quite forward and rolling on top of the man.

Throwaway oversway: Do not pick up the left foot. In order to do that: When the weight is on the left foot before the TO, really plant the weight and rotate almost completely the upper body (shoulders) to close. Then step with the right foot and plant the weight again. THe left foot should simply follow while staying on the floor.

Ronde: Exhale while going down + there was something Thomas did that made it really easy to walk around at the end. (?)

Viennese Waltz

Natural turn: On the forward part, start with torso rotated diagonal center, then while lowering rotate the torso until it faces straight line of dance (this is more rotation that I would usually do) and finish about diagonal to the wall. Do the pendulum with the left arm to help find the right action. "Pick up the apple" at the end.

Reverse turn: On the backward step on 1, resist the temptation to turn, stay very much to the left and don't turn in front of the man until the next step. Normally this should be led by the man and the lady shouldn;t worry about anything.

Change step: Preference seems to be to change forward after natural turn, and backward after reverse. THe lady shouldn't even be aware that a change is happening, it should flow naturally.

There shouldn't be any "jumping", because there shouldn't be any turning. If you eliminate the turning, the jumping goes away.

Exercise

Stretch inside shoulder/pectoral muscle (hold on to pillar and stretch arm back, shoulder down).

Slavi Lesson 01/05/10 Waltz + VW

Waltz

Beginning, *heel* lead out of prep step, and then just take longer (thinking hip forward to stay under)
Sway->oversway->same foot (this part as usual just want to stay there longer...yes does mean need to speed up the next part)
The check, rise on your right leg, and then take hip back to take left leg back, the settle and rotate on it.
Double lock--second one use hips much more.
Tumble turn, cross forward and then rise a lil more instead of using hands to turn girl.
Chasse into right lunge--shape has been wrong, don't take girl to your left side but keep to right side through out.
The rudolph/ronde, breathe as you do the *drop* part


VW
On the reverse turns, so just mindful of not rotating too soon, keep right shoulder stretched and way back (the holding on to a pillar and stretch thing)
On natural turns, sink much more into the left leg before going. Also notice even though step is side ways, unlike reverse turns don't try to keep left hand back.