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##waltz12L31

Comment:  We may START these dance practice sessions with the waltz rhythm, since it's "step on every  beat" structure should make it easier for the guys who are new to dancing.

List of Patterns:
  • 1a. Box Step (w/o turn for practice) (6 counts, fwd on 1, back on 4.  See chart at bottom for more detail about COUNTING the steps.)
  • 1b. Box Step (left turning) (same 6 counts, turn
  • 2. Six-Count Underarm Turn (M lifts L hand on 4, W walks hula-hoop sized circle for 5,6, &1,2,3 until she returns back to M.)
  • 3. Progressive Forward Changes     (progressive, travels down the floor) (like box, but go forward on 4 instead of back)
  • 4. Hesitation
~~~~~~~~ not yet covered
  • 5. Right Turning Box (fwd on 4, back on 1; almost like Left Box, but turns R instead of L)
  • 6 Six-Count Underarm Turn Ver. 2, M follows W (The man "follows" the woman onto the circular 'track' {instead of waiting to "pick her up"}.  You can view it by clicking the video "Thumbnail #3" in this Picasa album:   https://picasaweb.google.com/ballroomdances.net/MmDance1#5855386867110735282 ) 
  • 7 Six-Count Underarm Turn - Ver. 3 M follows W backward (The man "follows" the lady onto the circular 'track' {instead of waiting to "pick her up"}, but this time walks BACKWARD on the track.




Following below are the first 5 patterns, and related videos.



1. Box Step

Note the "1" count is Left foot for the man, Right foot for the woman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Comments:  The basic "box" footwork is not that difficult.  For a new male dancer, the challenge is getting your feet "synched-up" with the music, plus leading your partner at the same time . . . . . plus planning your "next move", plus maneuvering around other couples.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We plan to start with the waltz "box" . . . usually the first pattern taught.
Note we're doing "American Style" waltz, not "International Style".
Tentatively we'll spend about 30 minutes walking through the basic step with no music.

VIDEO 1A:
  • American Style Waltz, Left Box (No Turn)   (0:17)  BallroomDancers.com
  • This short 17-second long video demonstrates the 6-step box, done to 6 beats of music.
  • Note:  They count 1,2,3; 1,2,3; we may use 1,2,3; 4,5,6.
VIDEO 1B:
  • American Style Waltz, Left Box (Quarter Turns)   (0:17)  BallroomDancers.com-- (same page as above, click 2nd thumb on right side of page)
  • This short 17-second long video demonstrates the 6-step box, with a 1/4 turn.  ((Normally waltz is danced WITH a turning motion; Video 1 above shows the most basic "learning version".))
VIDEO 1C:
  • Learn to Waltz  (Youtube, moshunpics, Joe Baker)
  • This 5-1/2 min. video demonstrates the 6-step box, done to 6 beats of music.
  • Please watch closely the first 3 minutes; watch her stepping on taped "box" on floor.
  • Note man's footwork is SAME as lady's for box; they are just 3 steps out-of-sync.
  • The remainder of the video is more advanced; you can skip this for now.
VIDEO 1D:
VIDEO 1E:
VIDEO 1F:
  • Learn A Wedding Dance Online - Learn to Waltz  (Youtube, DancerPassion)
  • Don't pay too much attention to the first part; we won't try that stuff.
  • Start watching a little closely at about 1:30 "The Waltz,, Lesson1, Box Step" where she talks about "dance frame", up to about 3:30. 
  • Then watch more closely at 3:30 - 4:15  where they demonstrate the man's footwork.
  • Note on Count "2", the man's foot (ideally) goes sort of  "around the perimeter" of the box, not straight across diagonal.
  • The remainder of the video demonstrates the woman's footwork and than as a couple -- watching this part is optional.
VIDEO 1G:
VIDEO 1H:
MORE BOX STEP VIDEOS:
These videos contain more or less the same information as the first four videos,  But sometimes hearing DIFFERENT instructors explain the SAME thing, often helps.


2. Six-Count Underarm Turn

VIDEO 2A:
  • 6-Count Underarm Turn  (0:30)    BallroomDancers.com
  • This 30 second video demonstrates it.
  • Man raises L hand on "2nd one" to lead W.
  • Woman walks on "hula hoop" size circle.  Man continues basic footwork.
  • Do not "rush it".  If W not around by 6th count, no problem.  Just "pick her up" whenever she gets there.
VIDEO 2B:
  • Waltz Under Arm Turn.wmv    (7:00) Anderson Moore
  • Note: This instructors and the one in the next video, go into a lot of (good) DETAIL about step size and position to "pick up" the lady after the turn;  A simple-minded description would be, "Man raises his Left hand on Count 4, woman walks a hula-hoop size circle for 6 counts, man "picks her up" whenever she arrives".
VIDEO 2C:


3. Progressive Forward Changes     (progessive, travels down the floor)

VIDEO 3A:
VIDEO 3B:
VIDEO 3C:
  • Country Waltz Progressive Basic  (1:17) Brett Long
  •  Don't let this one CONFUSE you, it's a bit different because it's COUNTRY, not ballroom. 
  • But note that the country version looks fairly SIMILAR to the ballroom version, except basically they step straight AHEAD on counts 2 and 5, instead of stepping to the side.
  • Note the same offset between bodies as ballroom, and you can see the man's foot going between the woman's feet on counts 2 and 5 (similar to ballroom).




4. Hesitation

VIDEO 4A:


5. Right Turning Box

Right Turning Box: R foot Fwd on 4, L foot back on 1. Is almost a "mirror image" of the Left Box, but turns R instead of L.

VIDEO 5A:
  • Waltz Reverse and Natural turns (7:21) Anderson Moore
  • Note in this video, the left-turning box is called "reverse turn" and the right-turning box is called "natural turn".  (He starts the right-turning box demo about 1:30.)

VIDEO 5B:


6. Some Advanced Waltz Videos     (just for being impressed by)

Ballroom:
Country:


7. Counting Chart for Waltz

You can  download the PDF version of this chart from this directory: track2.com/mmDance