Masterclass Notes 1/25/25
Two-for-one updates getting posted today! On Saturday I was able to attend two AWESOME masterclass sessions with a visiting coach.
The first session focused on body styling.
We did four simple exercises to isolate parts of the torso. First, move ribs side to side; second, rotate ribs and shoulders side to side; third, make circles with the sides of the ribs (that one's hard to describe - the circles are on the vertical plane, parallel to your sides); and fourth, alternate between concave torso (curled forward) and convex.
After the exercises, we practiced following elbow-wrist-hand order in arm movement, then combined arms with the different exercise to feel how the arm movements follow from the torso. So, for example, unfurl your arm straight to the side by going ribs-elbow-wrist-hand.
Then we learned a solo waltz pattern and practiced incorporating the torso movements we learned into the different positions.
I'm finding that my descriptions are really lacking, which isn't surprising. You'll have to take my word for it that it made a difference and I can't wait to practice this stuff in my next lessons.
The second session was cha-cha. In this one we worked with partners, learned a routine, then practiced some different ways to style some of the moves. These were a lot of fun, particularly some of the suggestions for styling and posing in moves when you're not connected to your partner. Hand up, hands on hips, squeegee the sides - the possibilities are endless! On the whole, though, I don't feel like I get to practice new material to the best of my ability in partnered group classes.
