Virginia Vasconi November 2024
Block class
These exercises are designed to emphasize pushing on the floor with the standing leg. The standing leg is on the block.
Exercises 4 reps on each foot. For exercises where it is possible, once on floor, once medium height, once high. Exercises end with knee up, contrabody toward knee, foot next to standing leg.
Warm up:
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Lift big toe, notice activation of outside of leg: lift other 4 toes, notice activation of inside of leg.
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slow calf raises to a count of 5 each of up, pause, down.
Exercises:
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Front, side, back, back, side, front
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Front, lapiz to back, together, back, lapiz to front, together.
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Lift leg and circle foot to outside and inside keeping knee stable
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Linear boleos front and back
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Circular boleos front, back
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Standing on block, extend and step front, with back leg locked straight. Push back to block leg keeping it straight. Then side, back, back, side, front.
Steps
Warm ups as in block class, adding:
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One foot toes tucked under, next to heel, lift up onto toes of other foot bearing as much weight as possible on toes-under foot.
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ATG squats on toes.
Exercises:
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Two people, hands on chest, forward and back maintaining contact or pressure, and working the back foot, feeling like a wheel rolling.
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U shape: after each step lift free knee up with contrabody: back, side, forward, back, side forward.
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Pivots/ochos: get firmly on new foot, increase contrabody, press down on ball of foot, and allow pivot. This may also be done with free foot up, knees together.
Vals 1
1-2 and 1-3
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Leader front L
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front R outside
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front L inside leading slight pivot
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side R, together L
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side R.
The side R, together L can be either 1-2 or 1-3. For 1-3, make the 1 slightly softer and delay the 3 slightly to give it more accent. IIUC keep L hip up to keep the follow from changing weight too soon.
Note this pattern takes 5 measures.
Figure
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Start with leader side L understepping follow, change weight to get into cross system with the leader on the outside.
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Lead the follow to rebound L-R in 1-2 count as leader small front L and pivot.
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Americano front step leader R, follow L. Leader steps 1-3 R-L with the L in back pivoting. This pivots the follow and starts their side step L
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On 1 the leader sacadas front R the follows side step.
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We are now set up for the rebound again.
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This takes 3 measures.
Steps (Sunday)
Both partners do parallel back ochos. Be sure to get completely on axis, hips over heels, before pivoting. Extend together.
Figure
Preparatory
Ocho cortado except leader leads side step rebote staying on L foot, lifting R forward for balance. Go down slightly on rebote to make it clear that it is not a step or back pivot and to store enough power for next step.
Actual figure
Now, after leading the side step before the rebound, leaving the follows R in place, pivot follow so they take a front step, and pivot back and step across R foot so the follow’s front step sacadas the back step. Leader crosses front to follow’s side, leader side to follow back.
Leader must outstep the follow on L back step to be able to lead the rebote easily and to get in place for the sacada.
Vals 2
Linear sacada figure
This is similar to half of the Triplets to back ochos, except this is in parallel system.
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Leader R front linear sacada to follow’s R (1), then L back cross (2), R uncross (3). Follow L back and linear sacada on R, creating a lapiz and then hooking R in back of L.
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Leader L tiny step forward and out, almost a front cross (1). Follow R back out of hook.