Happy Hoppers Newsletter #4
10/03/2011
From Steve and Susan:
It was great to see some of you at the dance Friday night. It was a good crowd and tons of fun. If you weren’t able to come this time I hope that you will make plans now to come next month as well as other Student Level Dances.
I hope that you have noticed from the Newsletters that each move that we learn has a designated number of steps that it takes to complete that move. We don’t go around counting each step we take as we dance. We just dance. If you find that you are getting behind or having trouble completing the call in the proper position here is one solution. Keep the square smaller. If the square gets too large you will have to take extra steps to reach the dancers you are supposed to be dancing with. More steps equals getting behind and being more tired at the end of the night. Do not rush either. There is plenty of time to complete each call before doing the next one.
One way to adjust the size of the square is when we promenade. The boys should have their left shoulders/elbows fairly close together. If they don’t, girls, we need to remind them or gently nudge them closer together.
REMINDER: Class this week will be on Wednesday night, October 12. See you there!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #4:
5 d. Star Promenade: Dancers in the star put their arm around (or join hands with) the indicated dancer and continue walking together until the next call. STAR PROMENADE – 4 couples full around 12 steps; with backout at home – 16 steps.
24. Star Thru: Starting with facing dancers (boy & girl), boy’s right hand and girl's left hand form a momentary arch. The girl ducks through the arch while the boy slides past the girl crossing behind her. Each turn one quarter in the direction of their joined hands. End as a couple side by side. STAR THRU – 4 steps.
25. California Twirl: With the joined hand of your partner, raise hands to form a momentary arch. Turning towards each other the girl goes through the arch (under) while the boy steps across behind her to become a couple facing the opposite direction. CALIFORNIA TWIRL – 4 steps.
30. Dive Thru: Inside couple raise joined hands to form an arch while the outside couple ducks through the arch into the center. The archers step forward and immediately CALIFORNIA TWIRL to face back in. DIVE THRU – diving couple, 2 steps; couple facing out, 6 steps.
It was great to see some of you at the dance Friday night. It was a good crowd and tons of fun. If you weren’t able to come this time I hope that you will make plans now to come next month as well as other Student Level Dances.
I hope that you have noticed from the Newsletters that each move that we learn has a designated number of steps that it takes to complete that move. We don’t go around counting each step we take as we dance. We just dance. If you find that you are getting behind or having trouble completing the call in the proper position here is one solution. Keep the square smaller. If the square gets too large you will have to take extra steps to reach the dancers you are supposed to be dancing with. More steps equals getting behind and being more tired at the end of the night. Do not rush either. There is plenty of time to complete each call before doing the next one.
One way to adjust the size of the square is when we promenade. The boys should have their left shoulders/elbows fairly close together. If they don’t, girls, we need to remind them or gently nudge them closer together.
REMINDER: Class this week will be on Wednesday night, October 12. See you there!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #4:
5 d. Star Promenade: Dancers in the star put their arm around (or join hands with) the indicated dancer and continue walking together until the next call. STAR PROMENADE – 4 couples full around 12 steps; with backout at home – 16 steps.
24. Star Thru: Starting with facing dancers (boy & girl), boy’s right hand and girl's left hand form a momentary arch. The girl ducks through the arch while the boy slides past the girl crossing behind her. Each turn one quarter in the direction of their joined hands. End as a couple side by side. STAR THRU – 4 steps.
25. California Twirl: With the joined hand of your partner, raise hands to form a momentary arch. Turning towards each other the girl goes through the arch (under) while the boy steps across behind her to become a couple facing the opposite direction. CALIFORNIA TWIRL – 4 steps.
30. Dive Thru: Inside couple raise joined hands to form an arch while the outside couple ducks through the arch into the center. The archers step forward and immediately CALIFORNIA TWIRL to face back in. DIVE THRU – diving couple, 2 steps; couple facing out, 6 steps.