Ballroom Blitz #098

Video

youtu.be/uv4IRQ1RswY

Transcript

Ian: Hey, hey, hey, random dancers from the interwebs. My name's Ian,

Lindsey: and my name's Lindsey,

Ian: and welcome

Ian & Lindsey: to Ballroom Blitz!

Lindsey: Hello dancers welcome back to another Ballroom Blitz we've got an interesting one for you today we are talking about both Cha Cha and Rumba because the move that we want to talk about is the Alemana.

Lindsey: Now, the Alemana is a a beautiful move. You can do it in the Cha Cha you can do it from, uh in the Rumba. You can do it from an Open Position, it's a classic to do if you find yourself in Fan Position, so it's very versatile. But what makes it even more versatile is the fact that it can end in different positions. We have done the Alemana in a Ballroom Blitz and we'll put the link for that below, but we would have just brought it back to a sort of stock-standard Closed Position, and that isn't your only option.

Lindsey: So if we have a very quick look at the start of the Alemana, and we're going to do this in our Cha Cha, we're going to have a Step Step Cha Cha Cha, and then after our Step and Step, this is where it happens. The leader can guide us into a Closed Position, into a Closed Position but leading their follower slightly to their right side, they can open it up ready for a New York, they can take this final Chasse wherever they like. So, if Ian picks one Cha Cha Cha, he's taking it to the side and offered his other hand, so that will lead nicely into a Hand-to-Hand. So it doesn't necessarily need to come back to that Closed Position the leader can guide that final Chasse to almost wherever they like.

Ian: So we're going to demonstrate, just once, each of the major four options that will get most people started. We're going to rehash the one from the Alemana video, just for comparison, then we're going to lead to the side in preparation for a Hand-to-Hand, to the side in Open Counter Prominade in preparation for a New York or similar, and then one that we'll think you'll find very useful for our recent Closed Hip Twist video, towards the leader right side in preparation for hip twist and other similar figures.

So, standard to closed is.

(Demonstration of Standard Alemana - Ending in Closed Position)

Ian: To the side in preparation for Hand-To-Hand and the like.

(Demonstration of Alternate Position 1 - To The Side)

Ian: To the side in Open Counter Prominade for New Yorks and the like.

(Demonstration of Alternate Position 2 - To Open Counter Promenade)

Ian: And towards the leader's ight side for Hip Twist and the like.

(Demonstration of Alternate Position 3 - To The Leaders Right Side)

Ian: So a quick special note for the leaders when you're giving this a go. Your confidence and your lead through the frame really really is important for letting the follow know early and where you want them to go. So, for you, think about where you want to go and kind of go there and take your follow with you. Don't think about anything too complicated or waving or moving your arms or doing anything too special like that, go to where you want the final position to be and take your follow with you. That's the best way to try all of those different alternatives.

Lindsey: So there you go a massive opening out for all of the possibilities at the end of the Alemana. It makes it a truly versatile move and just gives you a whole lot of options to go into some simple moves, some fancy moves, whatever you like. So, try it out let, us know what else you would like to see in the videos coming up, and we'll see you next time.