"Dancing Tid-bits" Issue #207, Thursday, December 2, 2004


Dancing Tid-bits
Separation in Paso Doble

Sometimes even the most basic thing can be a little baffling. I am teaching a Basic class in Paso Doble and as we were doing "Separation", a question came up on Lady's 3rd step. It is difficult for me to describe the whole figure here, so I will keep the topic very brief. If you don't know, you can learn the figure from your teacher or a video etc and then answer my question.

Briefly on step 1, both do an Appel. She is on LF and the Man on RF. She goes back on RF on step 2 and again back on step 3. Then on step 4 she closes her RF to LF and then goes forward on 5-LF, 6-RF, 7LF and then closes RF to LF on 8. Man goes forward on LF on step 2 after the appel on step 1 (RF). Then he closes his RF to LF on 3 after they have achieved separation and thn he steps in place on steps 4,5,6,7,8 or in other words he does Sur Place.

Someone asked the question that as the lady moves back on step 3 (LF back), what part of her LF is in contact with the floor, heel or the ball? In other words is her heel in contact with floor or the ball of her left foot. I tried to analyze it and it was a little confusing and both felt ok. Then I felt that more natural thing seems to be that Heel be in contact because step is long enough and she has lowered a little bit in separation at least to start with.

I finished the class at that point and told her that I will post this on the Tid-bits and see if I can get a few comments. So, if you would like to give me your feed back, I would appreciate it dancemax@aol.com . Best Wishes, Max


This article is part of and should be seen in the frame context of Dancesport UK, Tid-bits