Expert: David Lynch - 8/1/2006

Question
Hello David!

For our October 2006 wedding, my fiance and I have chosen "L-O-V-E" by Nat King Cole as our 1st dance song.  We were engaged at the famous "LOVE" statue in Philadelphia, so it has a special meaning for us.

I have been doing some research online, and discovered that there is a "quick" foxtrot and a "slow" foxtrot.  Which foxtrot step would you recommend for this song?  Since this is a relatively short song, do you know of any easy routines for this song?

Thank you so much!
Annie

Answer
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ANNIE:
From :  David Lynch <davidlynch99@hotmail.com>
Sent :  Wednesday, August 2, 2006 7:33 AM
To :  donotreply@allexperts.com
Subject :  RE: AllExperts Question
 
  
I got this question aug 2 wed and answered right away. Possibly you did not get it somehow so I am re-sending it again on sat. Aug 5.

I suggest the SS qq slow foxtrot for beginners.  - 3 slow beats with the third cut in half to make the qq. It is

an L shape step.  below is an entire routine. It is worth about 75-200$ depending on who your local  teacher is.

    I will break it down for you.  Face each other, she puts her rt hand in his left-  palm to palm fingers curling. His rt hand is on her left shoulder blade, her l hand is on his rt arm between biceps and deltoid  muscles or just below his rt. shoulder. Most of his wt is on his rt foot, his L is ready and has only his l. leg weight  on his l ball of foot.  Her wt is mostly on her l. since she starts with her rt.
     I tell my students women are always rt so they always start with their rt but men lead so they always start with their left like a boxer leads with his left.
     Dancing is macho and masculine for him and feminine for her.  Dancing is not for sissies, it is strong athletic, powerful and tough.  I think a man can be strong and yet gentle, tender, loving. don't you?  

The man prepares her when he is starting to dance by leaning fwd with his upper body. Her hands feel him start to move and her brain  gets her rt foot to take a big step back.   It is her role to not get stepped on.
     He takes a comfortable stride and she adjusts to it.  Therefore, her rt foot is the first foot to move and after her rt foot has stepped back then he can step fwd  just a split second later, with his left.

He is en effect, faking her into making the first foot - move. people give him respect and credit for initiating the dance as a leader, macho, strong, stable, sensitive. She however, really starts the  dance step by getting her rt foot out of the way.

    Therefore,  3 things are happening in micro seconds-1.  His head and shoulders start leaning fwd and 2.  her rt foot takes a step and 3: his l foot fills in the space about 2-3 feet forward,  depending on his stride- size.

When everyone sees her dance out of his way they can see her love, femininity, grace.  It is not him being macho, it is both playing roles, inter acting, as a team. Just like the wonderful marriage you 2 will have. He is boss on the dance floor. but she make it smoother and softer, and work better.  
      Lets look at 7 basic steps:

A.      Basic foxtrot is:    2 walking steps, man walks fwd on his L then Rt then qq  stepping to mans left side  and  bring feet together and change the weight  instantly to the other( rt) foot. Therefore you will be ready to start the next ssqq cycle on mans L foot,  right?   

    (LADY WALKS BACK RT, LEFT, AND SIDE STEP RIght ON QQ)

B.      This  basic step can be done backwards, and

C.     to the mans left side walking on SS and facing each other on qq side tog. TIP: the 2nd step on his rt foot and her left feet could face each other to prepare for the side- together steps on qq facing each other.

     (those are the abcs of foxtrot.)  

D.     You can vary the abc by adding a  90 degree turn step, or lunge step,or left turn or natural turn.  Man steps fwd with his L , stops, and returns  his weight onto his rt  foot  at  his starting point and then does side, tog =qq. He is doing 1/4 or quarter turn from wall to wall, right? as He turns his left shoulder is going backwards, like a left turn in a car.  

E.      extra credit- harder step,  opposite step is:
man steps back on l and then steps fwd on rt , then side tog. This is like a rt turn in a car.  

these last 2 lunge and  retreat steps are often done as turns If the man is facing noon on an imaginary clock projected on floor with the lady facing 6pm, then:

the first lunge you turn from 12 noon to 9 am,  for example

the retreat is a turn in the opposite direction it  turns you from 12 noon to 3pm

F. Swing and sway step- also SS qq.   Man steps about 12-24 inches to his left with his left  foot - slow and then steps back to rt on slow  then do side- tog on qq

G.     perform a thru f as before but do in a side to side, hip to hip position, whe is looking past  his rt shoulder. this looks impressive but is actually very easy.  No one gets stepped on here because each person has his own lane.  This nearly doubles the number of steps you seem to know thus getting more respect.    



Suggested routine:

with just these 7 steps,  A-G,  a routine might be:

starting from the corner of the dance floor. go along the edge:

1     Do A    fwd  1 or 2 depending on the room you have.

2       Do B.  reverse and dance backwards to starting point.

3.         Do C.  turn to mans left and both go  side by side along the other sideline to mans left, 1 or 2 times, or till you get into corner.      add smiles  during this.

4      Do   D  - do about 3-4 lunge steps till you face center of floor.

5.       do G hip to hip 1-2 times to center of floor.add smiles here. Remember to face each other on qq side steps  

6.     do  E retreat turn 1, 2 or 3 times and head back to starting point, approximately.  

7      do  D again till mans rt shoulder is closest to starting corner.

8      do  c 1 or 2 times then

9      do  F 1 or 2 times

10      do A with slight curve to mans left side going all around the room in a big circle.
    This could be a good start too, before A . You could also vary this doing a curving circle backwards using B. Lady will have to watch over his shoulder and give him steering instructions cause hie is dancing blindly backwards.  

    Then you can redo any of the top 10 again as needed to get around the floor. or position your self near the cake or the best mans table or the mike, or parents, whatever. If the others are in on the dancing you can trade partners and dance with different combinations , parents, friends, etc.

     Or do your own routine. mix and match all around thle floor , just do not run into things or people. slow slow, quick quick in by-thle nlumbers dancing-  is :

 1,2 = slow 3+4 = slow and 5,6 = qq

I do not have a copy of l- o-v-e can you send me one?

     By the way, I have been to Nat K.  Cole  home in LA,  Cal. On the corner of 6th just off  mid Wilshire bl.
     I met Natalie when whe was 16, Drove her home from school one day and advised her to start her own career.   She just laughed then. I met her mom,  Marie, and drank a coke.  wonderfull brick home and a great family. Too bad Nat smoked. He died of lung cancer.

    If you do not like these steps, I can suggest a fast foxtrot step with 3 walking steps  and a side-together with wt change to rt side. It is a little harder tho.  Maybe you 2 can do more dancing after the wedding?

Please send me questions. Let me know how the wedding dance turns out.  I have taught thousands of young couples to dance for weddings. almost all of them are still married. As a drummer in 3 bands, I enjoy singing Nat's and Natalie's songs.  

davidlynch99@hotmail.com