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:
  • 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:
  • 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.

  • Start in two-handed hold
  • Half Basic on 1-2-3-4
  • Leader lifts Left Arm up on 4
  • Leader Turns Himself under his Left Arm on 5-6-7-8 (Leader’s Arm goes over his head and Leader ends up facing same direction as Follower with Follower’s Arms in Buckle Position around his midriff)
  • 1 Basic in Buckle Position then Switch Hands to Same Side (L-L and R-R), lifting Right Arm up on 8
  • Follower does clockwise Turn on 1-2-3-4; Leader does Tap Change footwork (Side Left, Turn & Tap Right, Side Right & Tap Left)
  • Stay in Cross Hand Hold (don't go into Two Handed Hold as they do in the video)
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:
  • 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:
  • Revised sequence from lesson 2
  • This will be the final sequence - no more steps needed!
  • This sequence repeats just over 3 times during the song. 
  • Worked on when to start preparing for the dip/kiss (ie when the vocal slows down - giving you 3 sets till the end)
  • We recorded a video of the dance to the full song.
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:
  • Basic Step (Closed Frame)
    • Leader's LEFT Arm Up on "8" to lead into Turn of Follower
  • Turn of Follower then Underarm Turn of Leader - ending in Two-Handed Hold
    • Leader turns Follower with his LEFT hand
    • Leader turns himself with his RIGHT hand
  • Cuddle Combo:
    • Half Basic in Two-Handed Hold then get into Cuddle position
      • Leader lifts LEFT arm up on "4" to lead into Cuddle
    • Cuddle Walk & Kick (Forward & Back)
    • Cuddle Changing Sides
    • Unwind from Cuddle
    • 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
    • ​Ending in Cross Hand Hold
  • Cross Hand Turn and "Grease" Man Loop
    • ​Ending in Closed Frame

Next Lesson:
  • Let's focus on smoothing/extending the Sweetheart Twists

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)
  • 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:
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Lesson 6 - Saturday 6 April 2019

Lesson Plan:
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