Waltz Basics

Lesson Plan
by
H. Leon Raper

Table of Contents

HELP

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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