About

RECAP
 

FIRST SEGMENT - KYLE

Main Focuses:
 

Pivot Variations (Level 1 -4)

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• Level 1 - While keeping your weight on the base of the heel, also sit into your hips and keeping your weight slightly back. As you pivot your foot open, also allow your body to fall towards the direction your opening up to, as well as using your legs to bounce in and out of your pivot allowing you to transition easier and to relieve some of the pressure on your heel.

• Level 2 (Jack-in-the-Box) - Using the same technique as level 1 but with both feet.

• Level 3 - Continuing the same technique as level 1 but this time using your back leg to help distribute your weight side to side. Now, also remember to let your upper body follow the direction that your back leg is stepping towards to create a smoother transition between transitioning your weight side to side and to allow for a broader look.

• Level 4 (Part A) - Starting your first step by pushing your hips forward and leaning slightly back with your upper body while pushing your weight into the base of your heels and feet in a pigeon toe stance. Be sure to bounce into this step. Transition into the next step just like you would with Level 3 and sit into the position as you open up. Simply step out of your second step to immediately fall into a seated position on the opposite side. Remember, thing of your head being stuck in the center while your hips and footwork move from side to side like a pendulum.

• Level 4 (Part B) - The exact same as Part A but this time with no pause between the first and second steps. Lifting your back leg between the first two moves to create a more stylized transition, remember to also lift while pushing your hips back.

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Partnering Exercise:

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• A fun exercise/challenge to train your brain, movement and style. If you're following, your goal is to match their movement and body language/style. Treat this like a conversation that you're having back and forth. This will force you to go further out of your comfort zone and possibly execute your movement in a different manner. If you're leading, your goal is to create simple or complex movement by connecting to the music and your partner. 

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SECOND SEGMENT - JORDAN

Main Focuses:
 

Accenting The Chase, Loose Legs, etc..

• Sprinkled over our bottom half, what does our upper half do? Specifically, what are our shoulders, neck or head doing? Think: a balloon moving in a breeze. Your head being the balloon and the string being your neck; swaying.
   

• Our one-and/head-body accent: keep the direction changes smaller at first then expand to a wider range of motion.
  Think: looking between two people standing in front of you vs. looking both ways before crossing the street.
  When turning your torso, ensure you're engaging your upper back. Place your hands on your chest or up on your shoulders, creating a straight line from elbow to elbow, to practice torso engagement. Drop arms into a natural/position of your choosing once the feeling is understood
   

Progressions - Sway, Step Touch, Chase, Loose Legs:

• Sway - Basic: one, two, sway left, sway right   
  Sway - Accent: one-and (head)-two (body), three-and (head)-four (body)

• 2-Step - Basic: one, two, step, touch 
  2-Step - Accent: one (step)-and (head)-two (touch/body), three (step)-and (head)-four (touch/body)

• The Chase - Basic: one-and-two, left-right-left
  The Chase - Accent: one-and-two (head/step)-and (body), three-and-four (head/step)-and (body)

• Loose Legs - Basic: one-and-two-and, left-right-heel-toe
  Loose Legs - Accent: one-and-two (heel/head)-and (toe/body), three-and-four (head/heel)-and (toe/body)

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Direction Pattern - Chase & Loose Legs:

• Drill the 2/5 pattern, starting on both sides, not favouring one over the other. Alternate between the chase and loose legs.
  Important: create, or be are of, set patterns rather than spontaneous changes between steps for drilling purposes. Once the basic pattern is second nature, travel with it rather than being stationary. How about a level change, hmm?

Claps, Taps, Touches:

• Being with claps, hitting 2 and 5. Once down, switch to a 3 and 7, concluding with the a 2, 3, 5 and 7 clap (not an applause) pattern. Maintain your direction changes on count 2 and 5. Should those begin to feel comfortable, add another layer by changing direction on a different pattern. 

• Aside from claps, taps and touches are great ways to engage. Think of all the joints in your body as points to tap/touch. Maybe you touch your shoes on every "5" count, and so on. Take the time to explore -- slowly at first then pick up the pace.

• Ultimately, once this pattern has settled within our bones, can we know be rhythmic? Can we let the music fill the step, rather than it resting squarely on the beat. Think: from drilling to dancing.
   

• Related- yes; the same - no. 
  One can be on beat, but not rhythmic. Another can be rhythmic, but isn't on the beat or primary pulse.
  Note: This is not the same as being off-beat or out of sync with the music. Think: how vocals, a saxophone or piano, flow between the core, primary pulse of a song, instead of sitting right on top of it.

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