Wedding Dance Lessons - Jess and Justin
Song: Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran | Dance Style: Bachata | Wedding Date: 28 April 2019
Lesson 1: Saturday 26 January 2019
Today, we started to create the sequence of steps that you will repeat during your wedding dance.
SEQUENCE:
Below are videos that I found on YouTube which demonstrate the moves we learned.
Some may be slightly different to what we learned in the private lesson, but are great to give you a gist.
SEQUENCE:
- Basic Step (Closed Frame)
- Leader lifts LEFT arm up on 8/tap as lead into Turn of Follower
- Turn of Follower Clockwise on 1-2-3-4/tap
- Leader changes from LEFT hand to RIGHT hand after follower's turn to prepare for Turn of Leader
- Underarm Turn of Leader Clockwise on 5-6-7-8/tap
- End in two-handed hold
- Half Basic on 1-2-3-4/tap in two-handed hold
- Leader lifts LEFT arm up on 4/tap as lead into Cuddle
- Cuddle the Follower on 5-6-7-8/tap
- Cuddle Walk and Kick x 1 set - 1-2-3-4/tap, 5-6-7-8/tap
- Leader to straighten LEFT arm in Walk and Kick
- Cuddle Changing Sides x 1 set - 1-2-3-4/tap, 5-6-7-8/tap
- Unwind Follower to exit Cuddle on 1-2-3-4/tap
- Leader brings LEFT hand out to the side on 4/tap as the lead into the Flick Turn
- Flick Turn on 5-6-7-8/tap into Closed Frame
Below are videos that I found on YouTube which demonstrate the moves we learned.
Some may be slightly different to what we learned in the private lesson, but are great to give you a gist.
Basic Step
(in Closed Frame) |
Turn of Follower
(Clockwise / to Follower's Right Using Leader's Left Hand) |
Underarm Turn of Leader
(using Leader's Right Arm) |
Cuddle of Follower
(Half Basic, then Cuddle Follower using Leader's Left Hand) |
Cuddle with Walk and Kick
|
Flick Turn
(Video doesn't include Leader placing Left Arm to side to initiate)
|
Lesson 2 - Sunday 10 February 2019
Today, we revised what we covered in our first lesson and we learned three new moves.
SEQUENCE:
SEQUENCE:
- Basic Step (Closed Frame)
- Turn of Follower then Underarm Turn of Leader - ending in Two-Handed Hold
- Half Basic in Two-Handed Hold then get into Cuddle position
- Cuddle Walk & Kick (Forward & Back); Cuddle Changing Sides; Unwind from Cuddle then Flick Turn - ending in Two-Handed Hold
- "Buckle" Move - Half Basic, Leader Step-Tap-Turn into Buckle position, 1 Full Basic in Buckle position, Leader Step-Tap-Turn into Cross Hand Hold
- Sweetheart, Walk and Hip Twists
- Cross Hand Turn and "Grease" Man Loop
Buckle Move
Referred to as Tap Change Turn Pattern (Variation #1) in this video. I realised I taught you a different way to get into the buckle position. Feel free to try the version in the video or stick with the one we learned in our lesson.
|
Sweetheart
The video shows Sweetheart Changing Sides. Use this video as a reference for the entry into and exit from Sweetheart position. Sweetheart Promenade with Hip Twists
Refer to the video from 1:30. |
Cross Hand Turn and "Grease" Man Loop
Sorry! I've not found a video for this one:
Sorry! I've not found a video for this one:
- Start off in Crossed Hands position with Right-Right hands on top
- Turn the Follower in crossed hands position to Leader's Left (Follower's Right); Leader keeps left arm UP (moves Right hand down) 1-2-3-4
- ½ Basic where Leader headdresses ("greases") himself with his Left hand and gets back into Closed Frame 5-6-7-8
Lesson 3 - Saturday 23 February 2019
Lesson Plan:
Bachata Dip Videos:
Here are various Bachata Dips - feel free to take a look and see if any resonates with you; you don't need to worry about the moves happening prior to the dip (unless it works for you to use them to lead into the dip); focus on what they're doing with the dip footwork, body positions, etc. |
Final Sequence:
Next Lesson:
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Lesson 4 - Saturday 9 March 2019
Lesson Plan:
- Worked through the sequence and tweaked a few things
- Sweetheart with Walks and Hip Twists - Justin to focus on tapping his foot rather than bring his foot together
- Exit from Sweetheart - Justin to use his left forearm to lead Jess out of the Sweetheart
- Cross Hand Turn and Man Loop
- Justin to keep his chest parallel when turning Jess
- During the Cross Hand Turn, Justin to keep hands wide and in the middle (rather than on Jess' side)
- Justin to keep his chest parallel when turning Jess
- Worked on walk to middle of dance floor
- 32 counts from start of song until you start dancing (ie 4 sets of 8 counts)
- Worked on the final 3 sets into the dip
- 1 Basic
- Cuddle and Walk
- Cuddle Changing Sides
- Dip and Kiss
Lesson 5 - Saturday 23 March 2019
Lesson Plan:
Lesson 6 - Saturday 6 April 2019
Lesson Plan: