Step, Step-Together & Push; Step-Together, Step & Pull; Chassé
Walk through a step, step-together pattern: start with feet together, then take a step
out with your right foot; bring your left foot alongside your right foot, then
step in place on the left. Continuing
with this footwork pattern, move forward, back, and to the right. Switch to lead with the left foot, and travel
forward, back, and to the left.
Walk through a step-together, step pattern: start with feet apart, then step your right
foot in to bring the feet together; step out with the left foot, widening your
stance, then step the right foot in.
Continue with this footwork pattern, initiating with a step in. Travel forward, back, and left; then switch
to lead left, and travel forward, back, and right.
Allow one or both feet to slide along the floor and add a
subtle timing emphasis to create either a “push” variation on step,
step-together, or a “pull” variation on step-together, step.
Try push footwork first.
Leading again with your right foot, step out on count 1, then slide your
left foot into meet it, and transfer weight left on count two. Continue by stepping out on the right foot on
count three, and sliding the left foot in to transfer on count 4. Travel forward, back, and right. “Push” the feet apart on count one, then pull
the feet back together.
Travel right, and add a hipwork layer to the push: take your step out with a lifted heel, and a
right hip lift to the side. The left
foot slides flat along the floor in coordination with your hip lift. Keep a
continually lifted right heel and a flat left foot as you continue the
movement.
Switch to lead left, and push forward, back, and left. Travel left with push footwork layered with a
hip lift on the left side.
Switch back to lead right, and push right with a different
hipwork layer—a lift of the left hip. As
you reach out with the right foot, lift the left foot’s heel and push side with
the left hip. As you transfer weight
onto your flat right foot, release the hip and slide the left foot in. As you
continue the movement, keep working with a flat right foot and a lifted left
heel. Change and lead left. Move left with a flat left foot, lifted right
heel, and a hip lift on the right side.
Depending on how you interpret the feeling of the hipwork
layer, you may feel more “pulling” than pushing in at least one of these
movements. The “push” is a descriptor of
the separation of the feet that initiates the footwork pattern, danced in
coordination with the first count of a musical phrase. Working with music, dance through step,
step-together footwork, taking care to match the timing of your movements to
the phrasing of the music. Step out so
that feet are apart on count one, then bring the trailing foot in so that feet
are together on count two. Practice
leading with both your left and right foot, and try adding different hipwork
layers (pushes, lifts, drops, circles, twists) over both the leading and
trailing foot.
Continue with the same movements, but vary your timing to
create pull footwork relative to the music.
Begin with feet apart, step in on count one, then separate the feet on
count two.
Working with music, alternate between push and pull
phrases. Here is one exercise to
practice timing:
·
Start with feet together. Wait for the beginning of a musical phrase,
and start the exercise so that you take your first step on the first count of
the music.
·
Push to the right for seven counts, and hold on
count eight: R-L, R-L, R-L, R [hold]
·
Continue to move to the right, but switch to a
pull. Your left foot now leads: L-R, L-R, L-R, L-R
·
Change and travel left. Continue leading with your left foot, but
change to a push: L-R, L-R, L-R, L
[hold]
· Continue
to travel left, but switch to a pull. Your right foot now leads: R-L, R-L, R-L, R-L
Even though this exercise moves to both the right and left,
to build the strongest brain-body connection it’s still a good idea to continue
on with some run-throughs that lead from the left. Start with feet together, wait for the
beginning of the musical phrase, then push left. Continue travelling left with a pull. Switch and travel right, first with a push,
then with a pull. To increase the difficulty of the exercise, add one or more
layers to each segment. Another
variation is to shorten each segment to four counts or even to two counts.
Using either simple or layered steps, dance through a chassé
footwork pattern: right-left-right,
left-right-left. Try travelling forward
and back, both in a straight line and on alternating diagonals. Vary the speed of your steps. Working at a slower speed, step on the beat,
on counts one, two, and three, and hold on count four. Working at a faster speed, count the music
with an “&” marking the timing between beats. Take three steps in coordination with “1
& 2.” Hold on the “&” between counts two and three. Take another three steps in coordination with
“3 & 4.” Try varying the timing—for
instance: hold on “1” (perhaps with an
upper body accent layer) and step in coordination with “& 2 &;” hold on
“3,” and step in coordination with “& 4 &.”
→ Next in the Travel Steps Study Guide: Step, Cross-Behind
← Previous: Connecting to Rhythm
↑ Travel Steps Study Guide Table of Contents
↑↑ Travel Steps
↑↑↑ Autumn Ward Presents Artistic Belly Dance Student Resource Center
→ Next in the Travel Steps Study Guide: Step, Cross-Behind
← Previous: Connecting to Rhythm
↑ Travel Steps Study Guide Table of Contents
↑↑ Travel Steps
↑↑↑ Autumn Ward Presents Artistic Belly Dance Student Resource Center
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