Science Museum Elements Cafe
When you book Paul, you are entitled to a 30-min. dance lesson at no extra charge.
You can use this time for any of the following:
Customizing a first dance routine for the bride and groom.
Teaching the basics of West Coast Swing to one or two couples.
Showing a large group of people simple steps like East Coast Swing,
or any of the following line dances:
Casper Slide, Electric Slide, Slap Leather, Honky Tonk Stomp, Tush Push.
More quick steps could be covered:
Cotton-Eyed Joe, Macarena, Conga Line, AND making up new moves just for your
event, based on you favorite songs.
WEST COAST SWING BASICS: The "Sugar Push"
The first dance could be based on this sequence.
Many videos exist on line, along with instructions.
Here's a start: The guy's feet start together, then step back with the left foot, step
back on the right, (past the left foot) bring left foot back just equal- next to- the right
foot, and do a "triple-step" move twice - the rhythm for the triple step is 3 beats that
fit into the same timeframe as one of the steps back. We count out loud: Back,
Back, TripleStep, TripleStep. Each Triplestep is a quick alternating of the two feet-
left/right/left - right/left/right, done like marching in place, rapidly. The "push" occurs
on the first triplestep...replace the word "triplestep" with "triplePUSH" So, while
"marching in place", the guy will "push" his partner away using an abrupt hand
signal. The lady will do a spin upon being signaled- and the spin will last as long as
the second Triplestep. At the beginning, the couple holds hands with relaxed
elbows, with the hands coming together at a level just above the guy's bellybutton.
The action following the spin is a "pass" - where the guy steps back, holding the
lady's right hand with his left as she passes by him. I count this out as "Step, step,
triple"pass" triple step" The first step is the left foot being placed back to the left,
with the toe pointing at 3:00 originally (during the previous triplestep) then moving to
point at 12:00 - with the heel moving 6" back and to the left. The step that follows
has the right foot doing the same thing, only in a shorter distance, so it ends up next
to the other foot. With feet together again, facing a new direction, the guy does a
single "in place" triplestep, then, during the next triplestep, he makes his way back to
the starting "feet together" position, facing the opposite direction as the beginning of
the dance, and starting it over with an immediate "back back" etc. So, the final
triplestep starts with a relatively distant move, where the right foot swings across, in
front on the left leg, and gets into the starting position, then the left coming into
place next to it, then a final "step" is done by the right foot as the guy is facing the
girl. Then the repeat occurs facing the new direction, with the guy pulling his left
foot back (and the lady's right foot moves right along with it) then the other feet
move back beyond the originals... then stop for the triplesteps with the "push" signal
from the guy, and a "pull" signal happening to signal the pass-by sequence.
The hands are held loosely, with firm "cups" formed by the fingers that are sturdy
enough to lean against- to push and pull the partner. Once this basic framework is
practiced, the couple will be ready for a lifetime of dancing the "West Coast Swing"
to songs with tempos similar to "Smooth" by Santana. ("Man it's a hot one- like
seven inches from the mid-day sun...")
When you book Paul, you are entitled to a 30-min. dance lesson at no extra charge.
You can use this time for any of the following:
Customizing a first dance routine for the bride and groom.
Teaching the basics of West Coast Swing to one or two couples.
Showing a large group of people simple steps like East Coast Swing,
or any of the following line dances:
Casper Slide, Electric Slide, Slap Leather, Honky Tonk Stomp, Tush Push.
More quick steps could be covered:
Cotton-Eyed Joe, Macarena, Conga Line, AND making up new moves just for your
event, based on you favorite songs.
WEST COAST SWING BASICS: The "Sugar Push"
The first dance could be based on this sequence.
Many videos exist on line, along with instructions.
Here's a start: The guy's feet start together, then step back with the left foot, step
back on the right, (past the left foot) bring left foot back just equal- next to- the right
foot, and do a "triple-step" move twice - the rhythm for the triple step is 3 beats that
fit into the same timeframe as one of the steps back. We count out loud: Back,
Back, TripleStep, TripleStep. Each Triplestep is a quick alternating of the two feet-
left/right/left - right/left/right, done like marching in place, rapidly. The "push" occurs
on the first triplestep...replace the word "triplestep" with "triplePUSH" So, while
"marching in place", the guy will "push" his partner away using an abrupt hand
signal. The lady will do a spin upon being signaled- and the spin will last as long as
the second Triplestep. At the beginning, the couple holds hands with relaxed
elbows, with the hands coming together at a level just above the guy's bellybutton.
The action following the spin is a "pass" - where the guy steps back, holding the
lady's right hand with his left as she passes by him. I count this out as "Step, step,
triple"pass" triple step" The first step is the left foot being placed back to the left,
with the toe pointing at 3:00 originally (during the previous triplestep) then moving to
point at 12:00 - with the heel moving 6" back and to the left. The step that follows
has the right foot doing the same thing, only in a shorter distance, so it ends up next
to the other foot. With feet together again, facing a new direction, the guy does a
single "in place" triplestep, then, during the next triplestep, he makes his way back to
the starting "feet together" position, facing the opposite direction as the beginning of
the dance, and starting it over with an immediate "back back" etc. So, the final
triplestep starts with a relatively distant move, where the right foot swings across, in
front on the left leg, and gets into the starting position, then the left coming into
place next to it, then a final "step" is done by the right foot as the guy is facing the
girl. Then the repeat occurs facing the new direction, with the guy pulling his left
foot back (and the lady's right foot moves right along with it) then the other feet
move back beyond the originals... then stop for the triplesteps with the "push" signal
from the guy, and a "pull" signal happening to signal the pass-by sequence.
The hands are held loosely, with firm "cups" formed by the fingers that are sturdy
enough to lean against- to push and pull the partner. Once this basic framework is
practiced, the couple will be ready for a lifetime of dancing the "West Coast Swing"
to songs with tempos similar to "Smooth" by Santana. ("Man it's a hot one- like
seven inches from the mid-day sun...")
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