This dance is intended to help you play with matching the “feeling of the music” to the feeling of your dance moves. You will repeat a series of basic steps MANY times as they get set to several different styles of music at different speeds, which will help you experience how the same basic step can be expressed in a variety of ways. As you play with this dance, note things like how you change the size of your movements to their pace and how some music lends itself to more deliberate and distinct movement while other styles beg you to slur your steps together into a smoother flow of movement.
Touch-Step / Touch-Step / Proper Jazz Box
1-2
Touch right toe forward; Step right foot next to left.
3-4
Touch left toe forward; Step left foot next to right.
5-6-7-8
Cross right foot in front of left; Step back on left foot; Step right foot next to left; Cross left foot in front of right.
Styling variants for touch steps: 1). Progress forward; 2) Crossovers on the toe touches
Styling variants for jazz box: Discrete steps vs. sweeping “slurred” steps (Box feel vs. circular feel)
Side-Touch / Side-Touch / Out-Out-In-In
1-2
Step right foot to right side; Touch left toe next to right foot.
3-4
Step left foot to left side; Touch right toe next to left foot.
5-6-7-8
Step right foot out to right side; step left foot out to left side; Step right foot in toward center; Step left foot in toward center.
Styling variants for side-touches: 1). Step foot to side; slide ball of foot along the ground toward other leg & slap the ball of the foot against the side of the calf for the touch; 2). Hop step to the side, then touch 3). Slur into a sway-sway (R-L)
Styling variants for Out-Out-In-In: Vary where the movement originates…small steps from the knees vs. letting your hips roll your knees as you step out vs. letting your shoulders pull your whole leg into large steps.
Rock-Recover / Rock-Recover / Kick-Step-Touch-Step
1-2
Rock right foot forward; Recover weight back onto left foot (leaving right foot forward).
3-4
Rock onto right foot; Recover weight back onto left foot (leaving right foot forward).
5-6-7-8
Kick right foot forward; Step right foot next to left; Touch left toe next to right foot; Step left foot next to right.
No styling variants. This eight count is footsy enough as-is! Just make sure to keep your movements small during the double-time section.
Back-Touch / Back-Touch / Walk Around
1-2
Step back diagonally on right foot; Touch left toe next to right foot.
3-4
Step back diagonally on left foot; Touch right to next to left foot.
5-6-7-8
Walk in a three-quarter clockwise circle: right-left-right-left.
Styling variants for back-touches: 1). Discrete high-stepping step-touches; 2). Quick, small, hopping step-touches; 3). Smooth slides back into the touches.
Timing Sequence and Optional Choreography (You WILL hear it all in the music!):
*1st Wall: Half-time (Slohhhhw!) for first 28 counts then restart facing the 12 o’clock wall
Walls 2-16: Normal Speed until count 16 of wall 16. (Ends facing 6 o’clock with Out-Out-In on “Schi-zoid-men”; Last In step on the rest in the music. Listen for the phrase “21st Century Schizoid Man”)
Walls 16-18: Double time starting with count 17 of wall 16 until the music gradually slows while saying “lyin’ on the cold, hard ground” (Yes, “lyin’” NOT “lion” like earlier, lol…watch the video: and stops with a scream, then resumes.
TOTALLY Optional Choreography at this point: Coming out of the walk around bring yourself down to the ground (turning steps R-L-R-L while gradually crouching down, left fist hits the ground, roll your left arm down onto the ground rotating to bring first your left shoulder blade and then right shoulder blade to the ground with arms splayed up above your head and legs stretched out. As the music resumes, pull your knees towards your chest and swing your hands up over your body to come around your knees, rocking forward with the momentum into a sitting position. Bring right knee to the ground and push off your left knee with your left arm to bring yourself to a standing position, preparing to start the dance again at normal speed.
Variant for those not doing double-time: Form an arc behind dancers doing double time and do “Choo-choo train” circles with your fists while alternating shoulders back and forward to the music.
Variant for those not doing optional floor move: Join the back arc with weight leaning back on one foot and arms crossed in front of you.
As music resumes, all dancers return to normal lines.
Walls 19-25: Resume normal speed with count 1 starting on the first syllable of “dreamer”. You will end up on the 6 o’clock wall to begin the Big Finish!
BIG FINISH!: After counts 9-12 of wall 24 on “Home, Sweet”, start a quarter-time half walk around (counts 29-32: R on “Home” / L on “where” / R on “Ov-” / L on “Rain-”). As you walkaround to face the 12 o’clock wall, extend your right arm to trace a rainbow arc that you follow with your eyes. During the lingering note after “-bow”, step right foot forward while lifting up your left arm, palm facing toward you and then extending the arm out in front of you, palm facing up.