Ballroom Blitz #039

Video

youtu.be/4kTPBbztIa4

Transcript

Ian: Hey random dancer on the internet. My name's Ian,

Lindsey: and my name's Lindsey,

Ian & Lindsey: and this is a Ballroom Blitz.

Ian: Hello blitzers and welcome back to yet another Blitz on the Cha Cha. Today we're doing a super simple move, anyone can do it, it's called the Shoulder to Shoulder. Let's get cracking.

[Demonstration without music]

As you can see from that demonstration this is a super simple figure it is really really useful on the floor. It follows our regular Step-Rock-Cha-Cha-Cha pattern and you can do any number of them as you like. To get the overall feel of what this move is doing, we're going to imagine half a hexagon. I'm going to be Cha-ing along one side and stepping and looking along the other sides, the sort-of diagonals if you will. Traditionally the leaders will step forward into this figure, and they're going to use whichever foot crosses the body to step onto that diagonal, and then follow the rocking pattern and Cha-ing across to the other side.

If you are a follow you're going to be doing basically the natural opposite where you're still going to be Cha-ing along that first side, but be turned and step backwards before rocking and swapping sides. That's the general construction of what we're going to do. So if we put a little bit more fat on the bones there, if we consider that we are in a closed position, leaders you have all your weight on your right foot you're ready to step outside partner on the left.

We have step on two rock on three four and one to Cha. And I'm going to on my final Cha, if I want to repeat on the other side, slightly open up to achieve that angle, so now I'm ready on my left foot, ready to use my right to repeat Step-Rock-Cha-Cha-Cha.

Follows, if I assume the follow position for roughly the same move, we're going to be standing on our left ready to have the leader pass outside of us. We step back on our right rock forward four [three] and be Cha-d across for our four-and-one. And again if we feel that slight opening of the frame, it means we're probably going to do a second one. We step back on the other foot on the other side rocking forward four and one.

So we have:

[Demonstration with description]

Ian: Probably the most important thing about this figure is that you do get that stepping outside position and actually step outside of your partner. If you're still inline when you take that step it's not really going to feel like a Shoulder-to-Shoulder, and the change in angle between the two is going to feel a little bit obtuse.

So, really make sure you get into a position where you can step outside of your partner. Beyond that this the figure really is as simple as that we don't want to make it any more than what it is we want to get our Step-Rock-Cha-Cha-Cha type pattern. But, do be aware that you can do these in a number of different ways. We've demonstrated them in a closed position with the leader going forward, you can retain a closed position and bring the follower forward.

A lot of people will do the developed arm version particularly after a turn where you have two arms up and you'll have a much more of an open frame; still stepping outside, still following the same angle principles but just with a slightly more open and a bit more visually impressive frame. But, the guts of the move is the same.

[Demonstration with music]

Ian: And that is it blitzing the Shoulder-To-Shoulder in Cha Cha. Super simple, go out and find different ways to to do them let your creative juices flow just keep to those angles have fun and we'll see you in the next one.