Waltz Basics
Lesson Plan
by
H. Leon Raper
Table of Contents
HELP
- Movement
- Basic Step Patterns
CPB; Movement; Unit Foot;
1st, 2nd, 4th Foot Positions
HELP
DEFINITIONS
- Center Point Of Balance (CPB)
- Solar Plexus.
- Movement
- Move your "CPB".
- Unit Foot
- Odd Rhythm Units: Place CPB over Unit Foot.
Even Rhythm Units: Placement of CPB varies.
- Foot Positions
- 1st Foot Position: Feet together.
2nd Foot Position: Feet about shoulder's width apart.
4th Foot Position: Walking
- Frame
- Is the means of connecting the CPB of the Leader to the CPB of the Follower.
Open Position (Two Hand Lead)
Body Positions: Facing each other about one arms length apart.
Arms: Upper Arms down with Lower Arms extended forward.
Elbows: Just forward of center of rib cage.
M Hands: Cupped inward.
M-Thumbs: Rest on top of W: Hands, but don't press hard.
W Hands: over top of Mans.
DEMONSTRATE
Rhythm Unit Cards: 2 Triple Rhythm Unit Cards.
E X E R C I S E
(Side to Side, 1st & 2nd Foot Positions)
- Music
SETUP
Frame: Open Position - 2 Hand Lead.
Stand Tall.
M: Starts with Lt Foot - Stepping Lt.
W: Starts with Rt Foot - Stepping Rt.
PATTERN
Count: [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6]
M:Foot L R L R L R
M:Dir S T T S T T
M:Pos 2 1 1 2 1 1
W:Foot R L R L R L
W:Dir S T T S T T
W:Pos 2 1 1 2 1 1
Verbal: [Side Together Together] [Side Together Together]
IMPORTANT POINTS
Drive CPB, your Feet will Follow.
Keep CPB over Unit Foot.
Count [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6]
E X E R C I S E
(Forward & Back, 1st & 4th Foot Positions)
- Music
SETUP
Frame: Open Position - 2 Hand Lead - Stand Tall.
M: Starts with Lt Foot - Stepping Forward.
W: Starts with Rt Foot - Stepping Back.
PATTERN
Count: [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6]
M:Foot L R L R L R
M:Dir F T T B T T
M:Pos 2 1 1 2 1 1
W:Foot R L R L R L
W:Dir B T T F T T
W:Pos 2 1 1 2 1 1
M Verbal: [Forward Together Together] [Back Together Together]
W Verbal: [Back Together Together] [Forward Together Together]
IMPORTANT POINTS
Drive CPB, your Feet will Follow.
Keep CPB over Unit Foot.
Count [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6]
LOD, Etiquette, Sending Foot, Receiving Foot
HELP
DEFINITIONS
- Line of Dance (LOD)
- "Counter Clockwise" around the outside of the dance floor.
- Etiquette
- Be courteous, don't bump into people - apologize if you do accidentally bump into someone. Also, remember that in night clubs the non-dancers have as much right on the floor as trained dancers (and they don't know how to use floor space efficiently).
- Press
- Press the ball of the foot down into the floor in order to move the CPB in the desired direction.
- Sending Foot & Receiving Foot
- The "Sending Foot" sends the CPB to the "Receiving Foot"
E X E R C I S E
(LOD in 4th Foot Position, Sending & Receiving Foot)
- Music
SETUP
Frame: Open Position - 2 Hand Lead.
Stand Tall.
M: starts Fwd with Lt foot - stepping directly into lady.
W: starts Bk with Rt foot.
PATTERN
LOD in 4th foot position.
IMPORTANT POINTS
Listen to music.
Don't watch feet.
Drive CPB from "Sending Foot" to "Receiving Foot".
Count [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6]
Resistance, Lead & Follow
HELP
DEFINITIONS
- Resistance
- Active Resistance: During Lead - Notable Compression or Tension
Passive: During Follow - Slight Compression or Tension - transferred from the CPB of the Leader to the CPB of the Follower.
- Lead & Follow (Action & Reaction)
- Lead (Action): Man leads from CPB (not arms).
Follow (Reaction): Woman follows from CPB (no spaghetti arms).
- General Info
- There must always be some form of resistance between partners which will be either Active or Passive. Arms can not be allowed to just hang there lifeless. When the man moves the woman's arms, the woman's body must respond in the direction of the movement - that is, her body must move, not just her arms. Caution: Stiff Arms or a Stiff Body are not proper Resistance techniques.
E X E R C I S E
(Resistance - Stationary Position)
- Music
Proper arm resistance seems to be a real problem for some students at the basic level. The biggest problem is what is called a woman's "spaghetti arms." That is, her arms are almost limp making it impossible for the man to lead. This exercise seems to work well in trying to solve that problem. If the problem persists, have the students repeat this exercise as often as necessary.
SETUP
Frame: Open Position - 2 Hand Lead - Hands Up, Palm to Palm - Stand Tall
M & W: Stand on both feet.
PATTERN (Stationary Position, 1st Foot Position)
Compress & Push Away.
Count: [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6]
Verbal: [&-a-compress &-a-push &-a-way] [&-a-compress &-a-push &-a-way]
IMPORTANT POINTS
Listen to music.
Drive CPB
Monitor Resistance
Count [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6].
Movement Unit
HELP
DEFINITIONS
Movement Unit: Is the Unit that describes vertical movement. Waltz is Down, Up, Up.
E X E R C I S E
(Movement Unit - LOD, 4th Foot Position)
- Music
SETUP
Frame: Open Position - 2 Hand Lead - Stand Tall.
M: starts Fwd with Lt foot - stepping directly into lady.
W: starts Bk with Rt foot.
PATTERN
Down LOD in 4th Foot Position.
Verbal: [&-a-down &-a-up &-a-up] [&-a-down &-a-up &-a-up]
IMPORTANT POINTS
Listen to music.
Don't watch feet.
Drive CPB down LOD.
Monitor Movement Unit.
Count [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6]
Tracking
HELP
DEFINITIONS
- Tracking (ankles almost brushing each other for both)
- Single Tracking: Walking, ankles brushing, with both feet stepping on a the same line.
Double Tracking: Walking, ankles brushing, with a small space between the feet - similar to walking on 2 separate boards.
E X E R C I S E
(Tracking, 4th Foot Position)
- Music
SETUP
Frame: Open Position - 2 Hand Lead - Stand Tall.
M: starts with Lt foot - stepping directly into lady.
W: starts with Rt foot.
PATTERN
Down LOD in 4th Foot Position.
Double Tracking.
Verbal: [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6].
IMPORTANT POINTS
Listen to music.
Don't watch feet.
Drive CPB down LOD.
Monitor brushing Ankles.
Count [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6].
Walking, Heel Lead, Toe Lead
HELP
DEFINITIONS
- Walking
- Forward - Heel Lead: Places the forward part of the heel on the floor first and then transferes the weight onto the rest of the foot.
Backward - Toe Lead: The ball of the foot lands first and lowers to the rest of the foot.
E X E R C I S E
(Heel Lead, Toe Lead - LOD, 4th Foot Position)
- Music
SETUP
Frame: Open Position - 2 Hand Lead - Stand Tall.
M: starts Fwd with Lt foot - stepping directly into lady.
W: starts Bk with Rt foot.
PATTERN
Down LOD in 4th Foot Position.
Verbal: [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6].
IMPORTANT POINTS
Listen to music.
Don't watch feet.
Drive CPB down LOD.
Monitor Walking
Count [&a1 &a2 &a3] [&a4 &a5 &a6].
*** R E V I E W ***
HELP
- CPB
- Solar Plexus.
- Flashlight
- Protruding forward from your CPB.
- Movement
- Of the CPB.
- Etiquette
- Be considerate.
- LOD
- Counterclockwise around outside of floor.
- Foot Positions
- 1st Foot Position: Feet Together.
2nd Foot Position: Feet about shoulder's width apart.
4th Foot Position: Feet walking.
- Frame
- Stand Tall
- Resistance
- An Active (Notable Compression or Tension), or Passive (Slight Compression or Tension) transferred from the CPB of one partner to the CPB of the other partner.
- Lead & Follow
-
- Feet
- Problem: Don't stand on both feet - Keep the unweighted heel off the floor.
Press: Press the ball of the foot down into the floor in order to move the CPB in the desired direction.
Sending Foot, Receiving Foot: The Sending Foot sends the CPB to the Receiving Foot.
Heel Lead: Places the forward part of the heel on the floor first and then transferes the weight onto the rest of the foot.
Toe Lead: The ball of the foot lands first and lowers to the rest of the foot.
- Tracking: Ankles almost brushing.
- Single Tracking: Walking with both feet stepping on a the same line.
Double Tracking: Walking with a small space between the feet - similar to walking on 2 separate boards.
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