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​NR's Stay-At-Home Dance Lessons!

For information on how to sign up for online Dance Community Online Lessons, click here.

Remote Dance Lesson for  5/11/2020
This week’s review will expand a little on another dance we’ll enjoy whenever it is we return to normal.

It wasn’t long ago that we visited a dance called Skrea fran Nor, a sweet Swedish dance – smooth and gentle on the knees. It is a relatively uncomplicated two-part dance.
Here’s a video for reference:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXvYk7PgF6w

Beginning side by side and starting with inside feet (men’s right, women’s right). Relative body positions remain the same throughout; hip to hip, side by side.

 During forsteg, (first step) each partner steps on every beat. Then, in the turning, the steps change, landing on beats one and three. (I’ll throw in a reminder here about the beat. If you have difficulty finding it, try just listening to the tune repeatedly, eyes closed. It could help.)

In the turn, notice the woman’s step on beat three leads with the ball of the foot, and positioning around her partner’s right foot rather than forward. This helps in completing the revolution.

 As in my prior comments, observe how the body movement is up and down versus side to side. In addition, there is a delightful little bent-knee lilt to the steps.

And again, a small yet important tip, each partner’s head is toward the other rather than wandering. It makes the dance much more personal in addition to being practical.

Have fun with this dance. It can be very enjoyable.

Remote Dance Lesson for 4/27/2020
​Hello, my shut-in dance friends,

Since we may be socially distanced for some time I’ll approach these reviews in short increments so they don't become onerous. Let’s start with elementary stuff so as to refresh those with less experience to dance. More experienced dancers may find something of value as well.

As I previously wrote, I think there are some things we can do at home to remind us of the joy and fun we have through dancing and prepare us for our reunification.

There are two things – at least – that help us maintain and improve our dance skills: practice and observation. Clearly, we can’t do any partner practice while maintaining acceptable distance. But perhaps there are alternatives, and I’d like to explore those. This is the first aspect.

Here are some basic things you can consider while homebound:

 1. To begin, let’s recall how important it is to recognize where the music beats fall. If you have difficulty finding the beat, find a tune – one only -- and listen.  Just listen. Close your eyes and listen again. And again. Focus on the beats and rhythm. Where is beat one? Are there three beats to a measure or four? Find them, count them, discover their repetition. Some beats are easy to hear while others or more complex, but they are always there, and you will eventually hear them all. Listen some more. 
(If you don’t have a tune click here to try this one)

 2.  Once you’ve found the beat take a step on any beat; not too soon, not too late. You can do this anytime, anywhere; while walking to your refrigerator, taking out the trash or even standing in place. The important thing is to shift your weight at just the right moment. Not before and not after. When you can step with the beat of the music you will find your rhythm. It is a sense of timing and duration between one beat and another.
​
3. Repeat step one.

Okay, that’s enough for now. I will add a second aspect in a subsequent post(s).
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Remote Dance Lesson for 5/4/2020
Hello dance friends !

Well, I hope you have had success in your search for that sometimes-elusive beat in our music. It’s a good tool to have and work with. Assuming you’ve found it let’s put it in play.

With the advent of widely available social media we have access to videos of some of the best teachers from Scandinavian countries. These are not a substitute for teaching; they are for reviewing only. But that doesn’t make them less valuable for our purpose.

Each of us have a preferred method of learning, and one can often learn from watching as well as from participating. And through Youtube you can view them over and over if you like, pause, rewind, take note of the foot work, the embrace, the body positions and movements.

There are several good teachers, but the degree of skill and expertise vary considerably with knowledge, experience and training.  I will identify those I’m familiar with and whose skill is widely acclaimed. I will attach a link to one or another with my memo(s). Concurrent with those I will offer suggestions on what to watch for.

For this round, let’s look at a straightforward dance that we know, Bingsjo polska. Here is a link to two very good videos of the same dance taught by Leif and Margareta Virtanen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAbxozKii_4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ11gIwxf3s

One is simply a brief demo of the dance while the other is a longer, more detailed instructional with breakdown for both men and women.

Notice how smoothly these two interact in the turns. Observe how the body movement is up and down rather than side to side. Notice also that their heads are turned towards each other throughout the turning portion of dance. A wayward head can affect the balance between you.

If you watch closely you will see that during the entire dance their bodies are balanced over their feet. That may seem like an obvious note, yet it is easy to make the mistake of letting your feet lead your torso. If anything, your upper body should lead your lower half. This is most noticeable in the forsteg (first step).

Look closely at the bend in the knees. It is slight but definite. This characteristic distinguishes the dance from merely walking and contributes to the pleasure of the dance. You can practice this anywhere, anytime.. Note the difference between walking with locked and unlocked knees. A dancer would do well to practice knees bent  until it becomes second nature and you don’t have to think about it anymore.
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And one last quick point about the turning:
MEN'S TURN is routinely used in military format to turn the body without lifting your feet (torso leads). Right heel and left ball on beat three.
WOMEN'S TURN: Beat 3 is on the ball of the left foot.

Remote Dance Lesson for ​6/10/2020
Hello again dance friends,
      Is that a turnaround I see on the horizon? One can hope.
Meanwhile, let’s consider alternatives while we’re waiting.

  I’m hoping you are all maintaining some sort of physical activity to keep yourself limber and ready to get involved once we restart our weekly dancing. It seems reasonable to believe that there is both a physical and mental aspect to that maintenance program. Here's my thought on those:

PHYSICALLY:    In addition to the mere joy of dancing, there are also health benefits to consider, And we’d be hard pressed to try to resume our former level of activity without being prepared.

Dancing is aerobic, after all, and it gets your heart pumping while working other muscles in your legs and butt, increases your flexibility, improves your balance and your coordination. It can also create harmony in your movement.  So be sure to get some walking and stretching into your daily routine.

 Remember, this is meant to be fun; not a chore or something to get worked up about. Dancing is also helpful in lowering your blood pressure, not raise it, so don’t stress over it.
 
MENTALLY: It’s important that you find that beat that you need so you can move your feet or shift your body weight at the moment necessary to execute a turn. You can do yourself a favor by listening to a tune enough times that you can feel it move you naturally. Let it into your head and try to flow with it.  You’ll find it easy to tap your foot to the beat, but you may soon find your entire body – your head, your shoulders, your hips -- moving in synch with that foot, however subtle. With little effort a person can dance in their head. (No kidding.) This is something easy you can do at home to maintain your sense of rhythm.

I am including a link to another Swedish dance and tune for your viewing pleasure .(And a second clip just for fun.)   I’ll skip the comments this time. If you watch closely you will see those basic steps and distinguish them from the flourishes that come with experience and practice.
 
Until again, be well.
  ~ Allen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB2R1uR2hN4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiB24TtmdWs

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