The following information is published with ROUNDALAB's permission from the ROUNDALAB Reference Manual compiled by Richard & Jo Ann Lawson, 1987.
Ideas On Teaching
by Hal & Lou Neitzel
Sarasota, Florida 33580
The important thing in teaching beginners is to teach DANCING, not dances. Teach or add only one basic at a time and drill the pupils with the basics in routines. The new dancers are not only learning to dance to music and to respond to your cues, but they are also hearing terms they never heard before. It is like learning a new language. Take it easy on them. Repeat until they are sure of a particular basic and can respond quickly.
We have found that after the two-step basics, teaching of the waltz basics progresses more quickly. However, it is important that you stay away from teaching the forward waltz in SCP until the pupils have learned to close on the third step of each waltz measure.
We start in BFLY and have the pupils waltz away and waltz to BFLY. From BFLY we have them step fwd turning away from ptnr (not back-to-back) on step one, step to side on step 2, and close on step three, then have them step fwd turning to face ptnr on step four, step to the side LOD, then close on step three; steps one and four will be longer steps than the others. Stress the close step.
Next, get the pupils in Alamo in a circle and teach the waltz box. Tell them to step to the wall (M fwd & W bk) on step one, then move the free foot toward the wall and to the side (follow thru) on step two, then close on step three; tell them this is a half waltz box. Now have them step twd COH (M bk - W fwd) on step four, then move the free foot to COH & to the side (follow thru) on step five, and then close on step six. They now have completed a full waltz box. They can practice in Alamo and then do it with their ptnrs in CP.
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We may then decide to teach the SOLO WALTZ TURN in 6 steps from CP or BFLY M fcg ptnr & wall. Both step to LOD turning away from ptnr M left (W right) face, step side LOD (now back-to-back), close on step three (be sure to stress the close); now step bk to LOD M still trng L (W right) face, step side to LOD (now fcg ptnr), close on step six; again steps one and four are longer than the other steps. Make sure the dancers progress along LOD.
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We may next teach the WALTZ BALANCE, 2, 3
In BFLY pos short step to side LOD, step behind the original foot on toe (step two) (now dancer's bodies form a slight "V" twd RLOD), recover taking weight on the original foot to BFLY fct ptnr and wall (W COH); short step RLOD R ft (W L ft), step in bk on toe (step five) (bodies of dancers now forming a slight "V" to LOD), recover o R (W's L) foot to BFLY fcg ptnr and wall (W COH); tell the pupils that they may not always do a waltz balance in 6 steps. They may do a waltz balance in 3 steps followed by some other basic.
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