FP couple Turn (T) stps are QT (¼T) see *Rule of Turns*, & T in direction
of Drive ft unless
specified otherwise*
CP> Fwd-LT>c +CP>c =
Fwd-L ¼ LTrn-Fc coh.
CP> = CP dance
line. CP< = CP RLOD
> = dance line, < = reverse dance line
+ = end/blend. +> = end dance line. +<= end Rev dance
line.
+/w> = end diag wall dance line.
+\w< = diag wall rlod.
+\c<
= diag coh rlod.
--------
abbreviate. Shorten
words & phrases by contraction or omission. Used to
condense cue sheets
to one page documents. Dancers have trouble reading
cue sheets because
of numerous abbreviations.
abonico. Hip twists.
abt. About.
ack. Acknowledge.
acknowledge (ack). Courteous recognition of partner, as described in
a cue
sheet. Often a 1-meas fig. fc (Fc)
partner:
a. Take 1-stp Apt (apt) or bk (bk)
& Pnt (Pnt) free ft
toward (twd)
partner. Recognize
partner w/a smile. :)
b. ¾ time: Apt-L, Pnt-R,
-;.
c. 4/4 time:
Apt-L, -, Pnt-R, - ;. Note:
number of ,s;
across…. Dance to opposite side of partner.
c.
a cross (x) step (stp). Xif (fnt) of Xib (beh)
wgt (wgt) ft.
ad lib dance.
Improvise/extemporary dance. Free style couple dancing.
adagio. Slow easy graceful manner. Slow tempo music.
Ballet: girl balance on toes, &
"fly" thru air w/his aid.
adj. adj.
adjust (adj). Blend or change (+) fm a position &/or
direction to another.
See: elbow for ease of adjustment (adj).
adv. Advance/d.
advance. Move fwd. Continue to move forward.
advance corte. a. CP corte + rev (rev) corte pos: +>SCP & stp thru-R.
b. RSCP< wtg-L
knee bent, R-extended< rise-L +>CP>w draw-R under R-hip,
- , thru-R >SCP>, - ;.
advanced level.
Relative level/o dance difficulty. Levels in order of
increasing
difficulty: S/D, Easy, RD,
Easy-Intermediate, high-
intermediate, &
Advanced. Advanced dances challenge
dancers with several
yrs of intermediate
dancing with figs & figs not taught in beginner
basics, + use wide patteern varieties & figs in 32 meas
parts w/few
repetitions, complex
sequences & hard to recall fig combos.
Difficulty includes: tempo, number of
position &/or direction changes,
sequence, strength
of beats , volumn levels, melody, fig familiarity,
& unique choreographic
phrasing.
a-go-go. Discotheque.
Night club with recorded a-go-go music or dancing.
Whirl of excitement or motion.
Aida. Title & Ethiopian princess heroine of 1871 Verdi opera.
bk-to-bk
`V' position &/or rev bk-V position.
fig containing Aida
position.
Aida line. `V' formed by Aida position, as viewed fm above. Two lines
extended fm a 45º
vertex @ partners joined hands bk-to-bk position.
Lines extend thru dancer shoulders & form
an acute angle.
b. 3-stp 1-meas
partner mirror image turn fm FP >Aida. Bfly
Bfly>w wgt-L: Sd-R½T, cls-L, fwd-RT,
blend >Aida/<c hands joined his-L &
her-R.
c. SCP> wgt-: Thru-RT fc her, sd-L RT LOP<, bk-R1/8T Bk2Bk/<c,
- +Aida
position;.
akimbo. Position. Hands on hips,
elbows out. Spanish line position.
aleatoric. Music with
substance & character left to chance.
alemana. 2-meas Latin
fig, dance a basic rhythm fig (RT und arch).
a. 6-stp 2-meas "und
& around" rumba fig. Bfly or other FP:
Rk fwd-L, rec-R, sd-L, (Rk
bk-R, rec-L, sd-R RT under arch, - );
bk-R, rec-L, sd-R,
- (R-cir fwd-L, cls-R, fwd-L, -) +FP> or per cue
sheet:
b. 10-stp 2-meas
"und & around" cha-cha fig. Start in Fan, Bfly
or
adaptive positions: Rk fwd-L, rec-R, sd-L/cls-R, sd-L (Rk bk-R, rec-L
look thru arch, sd-RT und arch/cls-L, fwd-RT);
bk-R, rec-L, sd-R/cls-L,
sd-R (Rk fwd-L, rec-R, R-circle fwd-R/cls-L,
fwd-R) to next position;.
c. Box (girl und
& around);
allegretto. Tempo: moderately fast.
allegro. Tempo: Brisk, lively, gay.
allemand. 17th century
court dance.
allemande. a. S/D fig: 4-stp ½L-wheel w/L-forearm hold
as turn axis.
b. Pas allemande, girl pirouette und his
hand.
c. Old German dance in duple-quadruple (2/4) rhythm,
dancers hold hands
throughout.
d. Music for the dance.
Alsatian polka. OP
>. meas 1. fwd-L, cls-R, fwd-L, -;
2. Pnt-R fwd, - , Pnt-R<
RT LOP< - ;
3. fwd-R, cls-L,
fwd R, - ;
4. Pnt-L fwd, - , Pnt-L/ LT OP>, - ; wgt-R.
alternating vine. Twist vine.
amalgamation. Combination (Combo) of steps & moves +ed into figs, routines &
dances.
American spin. 8-stp 1½-meas triple
swing fig. Dance basic rhythm in plc
(R-spin). FP R-hands
joined: Rk Apt-L, rec-R, sd-L/cls-R, sd-L;
sd-R/cls-L,
sd R (R-spin L/R, L),.
and (&).
a. 1/8 beat qk stp: 1,
2/&, 3;.
b. Cue for beat-2 of two-stp
slo step.
c. Conjunction meas: Box cue: Sd, cls, fwd, &; Sd, cls, bk, &;.
or 1, 2, 3, &
; 2, 2, 3, - ;.
Stp, cls, stp, &; Stp, cls, stp
-;.
Qk, qk, slo, &
; Qk, qk, slo, - ;.
andante. Moderately slow tempo.
andantino. Slower tempo
than andante.
animals. Actions to imitate animals. Albert Newman's 1914 book "Dances of
Today" lists: Camel Walk,
Fish-walk, Crab Steps,
Chicken scratch, Kangaroo Dip.
antenna length.
Length of ¼-wave antenna for a wireless microphone.
Formula: ¼ wave length in inches = 2805/frequency
in Mhz.
Example: 50 Mhz ant = 2805/50 = 56.1".
Apt (apart). Dance Bk awy fm partner.
Apt-3: CP dancers bk apt-3 fm partner.
Apt
& Tog (tog). a. 2-meas Intro: bk-L, - , Pnt-R, -; rec-L, - ,
tch-R, - ;.
b. 2-meas fig:
FP>w. bk away fm partner 1-meas; fwd to partner
1-meas;.
Any rhythm, walk or run. Examples:
bk
Apt two-stp; Tog two-stp;.
bk
Apt 4-slo steps;; Tog 4-slo steps;;.
Apt 2-bk two-stps;; Tog 2-fwd two-stps;;.
c.
Apt & Tog' differs fm `Awy & Tog. Awy = Cir Awy & tog;;.
appearance. Tips for good
appearance: Stand tall. Small steps. Erect
posture. Good balance.
Proper body mechanics. Smooth timely moves.
Dance high, wide &
handsome. Head
up - eyes up - elbows up. adj
& blend
smoothly w/proper
ft-work to musical phrases. Positions,
directions &
ftwork
are basics. Basics permit smooth blends w/o abrupt changes.
Well timed adjments
require advance knowledge/o ftwork, figs,direction,
& target position. Complete figs in target position. Avoid jerks,
jumpy changes, hip
twists & swoops, blend to music.
Girls anticipate position changes, don't
wait for man to find & move
your hand/s. Assume desired position in timely manner, w/o
waiting for
partner to join
hands & adj hands & body position.
Use accepted style & technique. Take
small light steps. Dance tall
w/good balance. Try to look good, be self-critical - not
fanatic.
Facial expressions enhance or degrade
appearance. Smiles show enjoyment.
Concentrating on step sequences may cause
frowns.
appel. a. Stamp.
b. Man on-L: Stamp-R (girl-L).
c. Step sharply in plc.
d. Paso doble
term. Lower body
height on step-1 in-plc to flat-ft.
e. Matador intimidate
bull.
apple. Old vaudeville slang for a
contract.
approx. Approximate
apt. Apt.
arch. a. Raise joined lead hands,
L-to her R-hand. May use trailing
hands, R-to her
L-hand. Arch lead hands unless told
otherwise.
b. Tango (Tgo):
draw & tch free ft-arch of wgt
ft.
arches. Progress while changing plcs.
Argentine walk. a.
8-stp 3-meas tango fig:
Slo-L, - , slo-R, - ; Qk-L,qk-R,
slo-L, - ;
Slo-R, - , qk-L, q-R;.
b. Basic social fox trot fig to tango rhythm
& styling.
c Various combos of: Slo, - , slo, - ; Qk, qk,.
d. Cinquillo.
Combo/o 5-stps/double meas:
Slo, - , slo, -; Qk, qck,
slo, - ; or
Slo, - , qk, qk; Slo, - , slo, - ;.
argue. Vocally disagree on dance fig, who caused or
made a mistake.
Arguments interfere w/dancing. Have teacher
explain the fig in question.
Arky. Dance the opposite sex's part. Dance w/a partner of
the same sex.
arm-bone length =
distance fm elbow to: wrist joint, or shoulder joint.
Or = distance fm bk of heel to big toe joint.
arm vise. Arm vises occur in couple dances: free style
ballroom; social;
RD; & S/D. Arm vises are common in S/D & fast
turning couple dances
like the polka. Jaws of an arm vise are formed by her L-arm
& rib cage,
that clamp on his
R-hand or forearm. Her sharply bent L-arm
clamps on
his R-arm as she
bounces on a S/D swing fig. His posture is off set
w/leaning bk & side to counter-balance her body wgt. Any effort to free
his arm causes the
vise to tighten & the wgt to increase. Men welcome
girls who dance smoothly
& gently, after dancing w/an arm vise.
Girls
avoid using an arm
vise crutch for support or balance.
Girls may use an arm vise as counter force
against rough dancers, but
vice wgt results in added force fm man to dance his way.
Resistance &
& roughness conflicting
forces. His R-hand belongs on her bk
to form a
firm brace to swing.
If not there she may may use the vice as a
substitute
brace. A regular partner who uses an arm
vise, dances
roughly or fails to
use a firm brace should be told. It may displease
partner, but after
due consideration may help correct habit. Strive to
dance smoothly &
gently. Have teacher demo proper positions of hands,
arms & bodies.
An arm vise occurs when a poor partner
lowers her L-elbow. Girl please
dance w/palms down
& elbows near shoulder level. See:
elbow.
arms. Dance w/arms up & elbows extended for a
high, wide & handsome
posture. Raised arms
lift shoulders & produce erect posture. Avoid arm
pumps & flops.
arnd. Around.
around (arnd). a. Circle (Cir) around partner.
b. Girl dance cir und arch.
around the world.
Wring the dish-rag. Any rhythm w/various numbers of stps.
association goals. Goals for
teacher/leader associations:
Education panels; Idea exchange; Inspiration;
Promote dancing; Standards;
Improve attitudes; Cooperation; Teacher
training; Public relations;
Ethics; Workshops; Library of books &
records; Loaner PA system; Standby
teachers; Cue
seminars; Dance selections; Common list of dances;
Promote smooth dancing; Courtesy.
attack. Paso doble
1-meas 4-stp fig.
CP man wgt-L: Appel-R, fwd- L, sd-R, cls-L;.
attendance. The word attendance = `Attend-dance. The most important act
toward student/class
progress. Commit yourself, plc high priority on
good attendance, it
provides maximum exposure & review of lessons in a
timely & orderly
manner. Missed critical 1st lessons
significantly
impairs knowledge,
performance & progress.
attention. Look & listen during demos & workshops. Ask questions on hazy
parts. Request repeat demos & explanations as
needed.
attitude. Position, disposition or manner. How we dance
reflects attitude.
Precise & stilted manner shows egoistic
knowledge w/out practical
proficiency. Casual displays a careless attitude, w/ut desire to
improve, it includes
poor posture & shuffling steps.
Heavy forcing
leads reveal a pushy
person w/out consideration for partner.
Crushers
hold hands &
body tightly & may reveal nervousness or intent to use
force rather than
skill.
Try new steps & routines, to improve
skill & confidence. Develop a
dancer ego, modesty
is no dance virtue. Dance relaxed, w/out
self-
consciousness. Avoid `Do or Die' attitude, dance for fun & exercise.
Choose realistic goals & strive for
improvement not perfection. Club
members are too busy
dancing to critique actions of others. Keep a happy
frame of mind, smile
& be friendly. Enjoy, enthusiasm is
contagious,
others benefit. Stay alert, learn your part. Be interested, both
partners will enjoy
the dance more. Interest inspires teacher & others.
away (awy). Turn away fm partner, one or more steps.
away & Tog.
6-stp 2-meas multi-rhythm fig, trailing hands joined,
R-hand to her L. Bfly>w: sd-LT OP>, fwd-Rball, cls-L;
sd-RT Bfly>w, sd-Lball,
cls-R;.
awy. Away.