By adding this rotation to your Box Step it should immediately feels more like you’re actually dancing rather than just stepping through shapes to music! Hooray! 🙂
Pro Tip: When you first start this step make sure you only turn on the second half of the box. Keep the first half perfectly straightto the room. this will make it eaier to know where you are up to and to stop your feet from getting tangled. You will find over time that the angles and the rotation will soften on their own.
A good way to practise is to say out loud ‘straight, side together, rotate, side together, straight, side together, rotate’…. and so on.
The Leader’s Steps
In this video we are referring to the leader’s steps when we describe the gentlemen’s steps.
Step Size: Leaders, it is a good idea not to make your back step too big here or your partner may have trouble keeping up with you.
Step Shape: If you were to trace your steps on the ground with a pencil would your back step be creating a half moon or a ‘J’ shape? Try and ensure that it does, This means that you are both tavelling backwards and rotating your body at the same time which is what we want.
If the followers are using their A-Frame well you wont need to think much about leading this step pattern at all. However, if your partner is new to dancing you can use your right hand on her shoulder blade as a gentle hook action to help ‘scoop’ her into the right place.
The Follower’s Steps
In this video we are referring to the follower’s steps when we describe the lady’s steps.
Followers, our job here is pretty simple, we need to keep our feet moving in our Box Step pattern and follow the leaders shoulders as he rotates.
Be Patient: Try not to anticipate the move ad certainly avoid steering or pushing your leader around in a circle… you might not get many more dances after that 😉
