Best place to access dance step descriptions?

[Dancerette]

Does anybody have some ideas on where to go to find brief, quick help with the execution of dance steps? We own several DVDs, books, etc. but there is inevitably a dance step or two that we just can't find on any of our resources.

It usually happens after we've had a lesson on the step, go home and try to practice what we've learned and hit a brick wall. All we would need is a quick verbal(written)  walk through, or a short video clip and we'd have it again.

Thanks in advance for any leads.

[elisedance]

Hi dancerette, welcome to PDO
which dance style do you need information on?  At least for syllabus the ballroom dances are pretty well documented in the official manuals (for steps at least).

ee

[QPO]

Welcome to PDO,

There are plenty of good books our there to assist but as EE has written you would need to advice what style of dancing you are interested in.

[Dancerette]

Thanks for the welcome!

We dance international, and are struggling with two steps right now...the wing in the waltz and the stop and go in jive.

Our current DVDs don't cover these steps, we were shown them briefly at the last lesson of the season and would like to get them figured out.

I haven't found any jive DVDs that I really like, we mostly have syllabus anyway (bronze to silver) because that's what we've focused on for the last few years. We are now trying to add more steps to our social dancing, hence the struggle with the wing and the stop and go.

[QPO]

Now I am sure there will be plenty of advice to come from the teachers on the wing. My experience so far has not come from books and DVD's but from our coaches and having done our first comp on the week-end. We got to review our effort and what I see that needs improving  more than the heads :-) is that we need to dance into the floor more...and I struggle with this term, but I think I understand it but can't explain it. I see us dancing high over the floor and not low into the floor and I think Jive you would definitely need to do that, waltz is another than also needs to be lower.

I will get the name of a book that one of my friends has which lists all the names of steps of international steps. As you know dancing has a language and once you learn that language it does help :-)

Thanks for the welcome!

We dance international, and are struggling with two steps right now...the wing in the waltz and the stop and go in jive.

Our current DVDs don't cover these steps, we were shown them briefly at the last lesson of the season and would like to get them figured out.

I haven't found any jive DVDs that I really like, we mostly have syllabus anyway (bronze to silver) because that's what we've focused on for the last few years. We are now trying to add more steps to our social dancing, hence the struggle with the wing and the stop and go.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

We dance international, and are struggling with two steps right now...the wing in the waltz and the stop and go in jive.

Welcome Dancerette,

What is the problem with the Wing. I will be happy to give it a shot at helping you with the Standard step.

Dora-Satya Veda

[Dancerette]

Thank you!

We saw it once, tried it once and then the lesson was over, so we are pretty green.

I know my steps pretty well,  just really weak on the technique.

He has totally forgotten his foot placement coming out of the wing, and we are currently arguing about (oh, sorry, I mean discussing how far across in front of him I travel and my orientation at the end of the step.

I believe we went into the wing from a back whisk.

Does this make any sense? 

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I know my steps pretty well,  just really weak on the technique.

He has totally forgotten his foot placement coming out of the wing, and we are currently arguing about (oh, sorry, I mean discussing how far across in front of him I travel and my orientation at the end of the step.

I believe we went into the wing from a back whisk.

Does this make any sense? 

Now, I am going to get a little technical here but I am sure you will get less of a discussion from him, if you follow this explanation.

It makes total sense. I hope I can only make as much sense to you as you have to me. 

Now.... this is the way the wing is danced in the Body School of Thought. Other "schools of thought" will do it slightly different so do check it with your teacher next time you see him/her.

Alright let me see, if I can do this with out getting into trouble. First you must excuse my language. I will try to stay proper and clean, but there are some basic terminologies that I will have to explain first.

Lady
Protrusions on the on the lady’s upper front body = “Talent”We have a left “talent” and a right “talent”
Protrusion on the lady lower body = “Asset”
We have can move the asset into 4 different “accounts”
Diagonal backward left, diagonal backward right, diagonal forward left and diagonal forward right.

Man
Dentations on the man’s front ribcage and center line (between the ribs) = “Center Holes”
Dentations on under the man right arm (between the ribs) = “Side holes”

OK, now that we have the body part involved clear let me try explaining the step as simple as I can.

1) You start in Promenade (from the Back Whisk) the lady’s left “talent” is in one of the “side hole” (fitting her height to the man) on the man.
2) Both step forward in Promenade holding the position described in 1)
3) Lady starts to slide the left “talent” across the man chest to a “center hole” choosing a “center hole” that is at the same height as the “side hole” she was just in. The “talent mustn’t turn it should still be the side of the left talent that is in contact with him.
Meanwhile the man start closing the LF toward the RF (starts smiling as the lady starts sliding her left “talent” across his chest). Lady must keep her “asset” under the “talents”. The couple should finish in a T-position.
4) Now to the big finale. The lady turns her left “talent” so that the talent faces the man’s “center hole” and the “asset” swing all the way over to the left side of the man, into the right forward “account”. She must keep the left “talent” in the “center hole” while swinging the “asset” to the right forward “account” on other side of the man. The man closes his LF to the RF without changing weight (should now be smiling maybe almost grinning from ear to ear).
5) The man steps forward under his center in one line with the other foot (standing foot), on the lady’s left side. The lady steps backward under her tailbone in one line with the other foot (standing foot).

I hope this will help you, put the body parts in the right place and keep your dear partner happy. I can tell you; my teachers asked for this, my partner and students don’t seem to complain at all, when I do it this way. 

Sorry for the long post but you should be either in shock now or smiling up to both ears.

Dora-Satya Veda

[elisedance]

I think we are going to put you in charge of the official PLO lexicon DVS!

And now I am going swing my talents and throw my asset into bed!

Most fun I've had in ages

[Dancerette]

Hysterical!

I loved it, it made me laugh out loud, and it made perfect sense. This should end the er..."discussions" my partner and I have been having about the step.

I'm printing it off now and it will be pinned to the studio wall.

Thank you so very much!

[emeralddancer]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is so halrious and funny yet SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy to understand. (once one stops laughing of course) OH MY ....(wipes tears of laughter from my eyes) oh need to catch breath .....

will print this off for my pro tonight.


heheee

[Dora-Satya Veda]

Hysterical!

I loved it, it made me laugh out loud, and it made perfect sense. This should end the er..."discussions" my partner and I have been having about the step.

I'm printing it off now and it will be pinned to the studio wall.

Thank you so very much!

My teacher would be very happy to see "His language" being used in other parts of the world other then just England. He was a strong believer that dancing should be fun and joyful. He always had a joke or story to tell. When he was explaining dance it was done it very unique, interesting, wonderful way and always with a sparkle in his eye. I am happy that I made you laugh because that means I have been able to catch the spirit on my wonderful teacher and past it on to the dance world of today.

That was the absolutely simples way for me to explain the step.

I am glad you understood.

Dora-Satya Veda

[ahowlett1]

Hi Dancerette.. I'm not surprised you have had trouble finding information on the wing. Despite being a very common figure, from a technique book point of view, it is actually not a figure on it's own, it is part of another figure. Silly, but true.

[QPO]

nothing surprises me AH and makes sense as it always come on the end of another step wing wisk...wing to open telemarK, etc...perhaps one day it will be added into a book on its own.