Beach Ballroom Workshop Notes - June 2006

[Amir]

Okay! Here is the list of moves and concepts covered over the weekend! I'll let you guys fill in the details of technique etc, and I'll check back to see if you have any questions or if anything is ambiguous!

I'm back in Scotland in July and will have plenty brand spanking new moves (but no spanking, sorry) to share with ya'll. Here are those notes:


Saturday Morning - Jango I

Side sways
Three walks forward (real technical names, I know)
Under arm exit
Breakthru, Nigel Swizzle, Sway with comb
Eskimo (and with only one hand)
Cross Bodies
Forward Ochoes

Saturday Afternoon - Frame, Footwork and Syncopations

Syncopated steps (or single time rock steps on the spot)
Planeo (the gliding ochoe thing with the ladies leg stuck out to the side)
Shopping Trollies
Balloons
Frame: Constant Form


Sunday Morning - Displacements and Falls

First Move modified to...
Backwards Ochoes
Sacada
Volcada (the leaning move with the ladies ronde)

Sunday Afternoon - Perhaps Performance Perhaps

Combs
Wiggles
Ochoes
First Move rebound around (I just made that name up. Any better suggestions are welcome)
Sway comb
Eskimo (with extra rotation)
Hop skip thingy
Leg pose thingy
Feet together thingy
Little grapevine walk thingy
Collapse in an exhausted yet strangely content heap on the floor thingy


Well done guys for your hard work and thank you for your welcoming hospitality.

Big thank you as well to Lisa for her tiresome help and availability - you guys are lucky to have her. Thanks to Mel for the help in the evening class (oh yeah, forgot the evening class. Here goes...)

Evening Class - Wade in the Jango

Side sways, three quick walks forward
Forward walks (two slow, two quick, under and out)
First move straight into two walks
to that leg posey thing
slide up, and repeat

Anyway, like I was saying, thanks Mel for that, thanks to Franck for bringing me up, (I know this isn't an acceptance speech so no smart remarks, ok?) and don't forget if you're down in London and you're feeling the Jango vibe check out whats on at www.jango.co.uk

peace out

A

[Piglet]

Thanks for a fantastic weekend Amir.

Really enjoyed it and looking forward to Stirling (if I'm not too late booking).

My fav parts were the routine to end today (even though the last 2 moves got me mostly every time) and the Planeo (wouldn't have thought I could have done that, so I'm well chuffed!)

Must try to visit Jango sometime

[Msfab]

Originally Posted by Amir

Shopping Trollies
Balloons

Eh

[Tiggerbabe]

Originally Posted by Msfab

Eh

You had to be there

[Dave T]

The "Perhaps" workshop was the highlight of the weekend for me, but we only learnt (or at least attempted to ) a section of the complete routine.


Is the full routine available anywhere as I am intreagued to see how it continues for the remainder?

Many thanks for the wonderful classes
Dave

[Caro]

Many thanks Amir for this summary and for teaching all those workshops, and also for the dances this week-end . I really had a fantastic week-end . Will definately go to Jango next time I'm in London, as I did last week.

For those who are interested in tango, Stephano and Alexandra (the AT teachers AMir was referring to in the sunday class), are up in Aberdeen this coming week-end with 5 workshops (including a beginners one on saturday), and as far as I know there are still places left. There's also a milonga (tango ball) on sunday evening.
check here for all details.

We'll see you in Stirling in a few weeks time then

Caroline

[killingtime]

Originally Posted by Dave T

Is the full routine available anywhere as I am intreagued to see how it continues for the remainder?

They showed it down at Storm, it was very good, but it isn't on the DVD or anything. I expect Amir would have shown the whole thing to us but I doubt Lisa would have had time to pick the whole thing up.

They were really enjoyable classes and I managed to practice some of it on the Sunday evening. I hope to continue using much of it along with the Jango stuff I've already picked up .

[johnthehappyguy]

Enjoyed the weekend:

Amir did ask for any other notes which other's might find helpful, so here goes.

Mans footwork for ;-Cross body lead - Change of place.



Start face to face ballroom type hold, get into position where left foot is forward

L foot step backwards turn L foot through 90 degrees before placing it on floor.

Keep left foot still. Bring Rt foot together to meet left foot.

lift left foot swivel foot through 90 degrees Forward on left foot in that direction.

Forward on Rt. foot.

Ready to start again.

( Well at least I tried !! )

John

[killingtime]

Originally Posted by johnthehappyguy

Amir did ask for any other notes which other's might find helpful, so here goes.

I was mighty impressed to discover that if you don't do a pivot on ochoes you can reverse the direction.

I also discovered that wearing a Freak T-shirt isn't always a good thing. Maybe I should invest in a Sexy T-shirt instead .

[Lisa]

Originally Posted by killingtime

I also discovered that wearing a Freak T-shirt isn't always a good thing. Maybe I should invest in a Sexy T-shirt instead .

Amir: "I'll dance with a freak please" It was a good thing -made me laugh.
Lx

[Lisa]

First class teaching from Amir again. I learned loads- thanks

Given that I'm 5ft 3 and Amir is at least a foot taller I had a good view of his chest all day Sat- could count the freckles and hairs Apparently I had my eyes closed a lot or at least half closed but 'eck I was enjoying myself and didn't realise I was doing it.

Wish I could be there for Sterling but a hen weekend with my Uni girlfriends is a calling.

Lisa x

[Gadget]

meant to add some notes I made on the "Volcada" (Lean thingie with leg sweep I called it )...

From fist move; high, wrapped hold on follower's back on the twist out. Half-turn in and scoop into a side step. Brace and raise to 'lift' follower into the lean (Front arm supports and stabalises)
The follower's foot starts tracing the arc of a semi-circle as they are beginning to lean in towards the lead. The semi-circle reaches it's other end at the extent of the lean - this is the point in time when all of the lead's weight is transferred onto the outside leg, so the inside leg can now be moved out of the way. (Actually a little bit before this, and balancing slightly on each other). The follower bends that knee and traces a path to the other side of their supporting foot with the lead's foot following it back as lead pushes follower upright again. Weight transfer to that foot, side-step back.

{the bit in itallics was the bit I was trying to work out in the workshop }

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by Lisa

Amir: "I'll dance with a freak please" It was a good thing -made me laugh.

Thanks for the explanation Lisa - I was there, but I didn't click it was to do with the T-shirt. Just thought it was some in-joke

[Petal]

Originally Posted by Dave T

The "Perhaps" workshop was the highlight of the weekend for me, but we only learnt (or at least attempted to ) a section of the complete routine.


Is the full routine available anywhere as I am intreagued to see how it continues for the remainder?

Many thanks for the wonderful classes
Dave

Yes i enjoyed that, except for the occasional thumps on my head when the guy misjudged the cross over.

Nick took me through it last night at Perth and didn't hit me on the head.

[cms]

know its now about 10 days after the beach ballroom but i had to post and say thanks to amir for a great weekend!b

i learned a lot and it made me very aware of myself and how waiting for the man to lead can be just as effective, if not more so that carrying on regardless. This was especially appparent in the ochoes when it was temting to just pivot yourself at times but by waiting, the man had to get the lead right to continue the move, or of course not pivot and reverse the direction


my abdominal muscles were so sore on the mon morning tho - must have been from that volcada!!!


looking fwd to seeing what i can remember in stirling - if more men book so i can get a place!

C xxx