Jive TechniqueTiming- 6 count timing: 1a 2 3a 4 5 6 (Beat value: 3/4 1/4 1 3/4 1/4 1 1 1)
- Common mistake is to dance 1/2 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 1 1 1)
- Accent on the "2"s (i.e. 2, 4, 6 - contract and kick)
- 8 count timing: 1a 2 3 4 5a 6 7 8 (Beat value: 3/4 1/4 1 1 3/4 1/4 1 1 1)
Posture- Both feet always inside edge, it hurts more than the other Latin dances.
- Weight is on ball of feet. Lean body slightly forward. Butt sticking out a bit.
- The head stays in one place, the hips and the feet swing from side to side.
Basic Actions- Chasse: Ball - Ball Change action in 3/4 1/4 1 timing (1a 2)
- 1st side step: very small step, almost next to the other foot, only as much as you can swing the hips under shoulder.
- Rock step (Link):
- very small, no time for big step. straighten the leg, but do not lock the knee.
- do not move body weight all the way back, leave weight forward, front knee bent. back foot just kisses the floor.
- "Hop" is on accent (end of 2 4 6)
- Contract core (abs). The standing foot will slide slightly back as a result.
- Imagine getting mud off the shoe. Weight forward. Knee up, point foot, hip tilt back, kick your own bottom, leg bounce off.
- "Swing" action: This is not a simple side to side action. It contains both pendulum and metronome action.
- 1: downward, pendulum
- a: metronome to make a a little circle and come down again
- 2: pendulum up again
- Kick-Ball-Change
- This is often used in place of basic rock action.
- Example: kick ball change on R side:
- Previous beat 'a': contract, 'hop': LF slide slightly back, lift R leg, R knee up, RF kick bottom, tilt hip, upper body forward, height of the head should not change (head should not pop up much).
- 1: kick leg straight (downward action)
- a: Ball: Partial weight on ball of RF, contract and LF will "hitch", kick bottom, getting mud off shoe before stepping forward in next step.
- 2: Change step: place on LF underneath the spine, directly drop down with weight, much quicker (than popping and then down)
Warmup ExerciseStart with weight on RF, LF free. - Chasse to Left (1a 2), Chasse to Right (3a 4). Repeat 1 time (5a6 7a 8)
- Chasse forward (1a 2, 3a 4, 5a 6, 7a 8)
- LF Forward kick (1), side kick(2), Sailor Shuffle (LF cross behind RF, RF closes to LF, LF step to side. Timing: 3a 4)
- RF Forward kick (1) , side kick (2), Sailor Shuffle (RF cross behind LF, LF closes to RF, RF step to side. Timing: 3a 4)
- Repeat forward/side kick/sailor shuffle 1 time. (1 2 3a 4, 5 6 7a 8)
- Chasse backward (1a 2, 3a 4, 5a 6, 7a 8)
- LF Backward kick (1), side kick(2), Sailor Shuffle (LF cross behind RF, RF closes to LF, LF step to side. Timing: 3a 4)
- RF Backward kick (1) , side kick (2), Sailor Shuffle (RF cross behind LF, LF closes to RF, RF step to side. Timing: 3a 4)
- Repeat backward/side kick/sailor shuffle 1 time. (1 2 3a 4, 5 6 7a 8)
[Repeat whole combination again.]
Variation: Forward/side/cross back slow, then fast; back/side/cross forward slow, then fast - LF forward kick (1), side kick (2), LF cross behind RF, hold (3 4) with weight
- RF forward kick (5), side kick (6), RF cross behind LF, hold ( 7 8) with weight
- LF forward kick (1), side kick (2), LF cross behind RF (a), RF forward kick (3), RF side kick (4), RF cross behind LF (a)
- Repeat: LF forward kick (1), side kick (2), LF cross behind RF (a), RF forward kick (3), RF side kick (4), RF cross behind LF (a)
- LF back kick (1), side kick (2), LF cross in front of RF (3 4) with weight
- RF back kick (1), side kick (2), RF cross in front of LF (3 4) with weight
- LF back kick (1), side kick (2), LF cross in front of RF (a), RF kick back (3), RF side kick (4), RF cross in front of LF (a)
- Repeat: LF back kick (1), side kick (2), LF cross in front of RF (a), RF kick back (3), RF side kick (4), RF cross in front of LF (a)
|