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The following information is published with ROUNDALAB's permission from the ROUNDALAB Reference Manual compiled by Richard & Jo Ann Lawson, 1987.

Is There Any Way to Choose Material Other Than the Top Ten?

Bill & Carol Goss

Choosing the right choreography for your class can be a very trying experience. With the number of new routines coming out every day, it would be impossible to survey them all, never mind break down each cue sheet to see if it really is what is needed. We feel that there are methods that can be used to make the task more manageable, while still making it possible to choose the best material for your group at a given time.

The top ten lists are definitely a valuable tool. If the dance is popular, there must be something going for it. That something could be the fine choreography, the excellent music, the reputation of the choreographer, or the availability of the record. However, once you've investigated these lists, there are publications that list dances taught in various areas that may give you some idea of the level that this dance may be. There are record reviewers who give the rhythm, the level, and a few of the figures in the routine as well. Local leaders' organizations usually show material as well, and this is a good source, but teaching only the Round of the Month can cause problems for a group that wants to grow.

Here are some guidelines for choosing material:

  1. Vary the rhythms offered to your group, even if a new rhythm is not immediately accepted and loved by that group.
  2. Introduce material that reinforces previously learned figures, while keeping the number of new figures down to 3-5 whenever possible.
  3. Make sure the choreography does not have all the new material bunched too closely together. There should be periodic "rest sections" in the dance so that there is time for the dancer to prepare for the next less familiar section.
  4. Make sure that the new figures are choreographed in fairly standard ways, rather than choosing a dance that teaches a variation or a modification of that figure. For instance, a spin turn with a box finish should be taught before a routine that has a spin turn and a feather finish.
  5. Make sure that the routine, no matter how cute or attractive, does not have an "awkward section", especially when the new figures are involved in that section.

We've provided 4 pieces of choreography from which we think you should be able to choose the best for a group that has previously had the figures found in Answer Me. They are comfortable with all of those figures, but no other international waltz basics except the hover. During the seminar today, we would like to dance you through these 4 sequences, and have you choose which would be the next logical step for your class.

Figures from Answer Me Include:

Left turns, whisk, chassee, lock, maneuver, spin turn, box finish, open telemark, fallaway, slip pivot, open impetus, man across, lady across, pick-up.

Sequence 1:
Two left turns;; hover; weave six;; maneuver; spin turn; box finish; drag hesitation; back, back/lock, back; open impetus; hover to banjo; back hover to semi; thru, face, close; whisk; pick-up;
Sequence 2:
Two left turns;; hover; weave six to semi;; maneuver; over turned spin turn; back chassee to banjo; forward, forward/lock, forward; maneuver; impetus to semi; thru chassee semi; pick-up; drag hesitation; back turning whisk; pick-up;
Sequence 3:
Two left turns;; hover; weave six;; maneuver; spin turn; box finish; drag hesitation; back, back/lock, back; open impetus; chair, recover, slip; double reverse; double reverse; contra check, recover, to semi; pick-up;
Sequence 4:
Double reverse; drag hesitation; back, back/lock, back; back turning whisk; wing; closed telemark; maneuver; spin & twist;; back chassee to banjo; maneuver; hesitation change; two left turns;; whisk; pick-up;