Wedding Dance Lessons - Rebecca & Michael

  • Wedding Date - 24 April 2019
  • Song - Say You Won't Let Go by James Arthur
  • Dance Style - Bachata

Lesson 1 - 7 February 2019

Sequence
  • ​Basic Step in Closed Frame
    • Leader lifts Left Arm up on "8"
  • Outside Turn of Follower
    • Follower turns to her right on 1-2-3-4
    • Half Basic in two-handed hold on 5-6-7-8 with Leader lifts Right Arm up on "8"
  • Cuddle and Walk x 2 
    • Cuddle of Follower 1-2-3-4
    • Walk Forward in Cuddle Position 5-6-7-8
    • Walk Backward in Cuddle Position 1-2-3-4
    • Walk Forward in Cuddle Position 5-6-7-8
    • Walk Backward in Cuddle Position 1-2-3-4
    • Unwind Follower out of Cuddle on 5-6-7-8
  • Leader Turn Change Hands Behind the Back then Half Basic
    • ​Leader turns to his left on 1-2-3-4
    • Half Basic in two-handed hold
Basic Step
Outside Turn of Follower
Cuddle and Walk
Refer to the video from 37:44 (called Cradle Walk)
Leader Turn Change Hands Behind the Back

Lesson 2 - Thursday 14 February 2019

Lesson Plan:
  • Revised Lesson 1
  • New Moves:
    • Cross Hand Matador
    • Turn and Loop (Turn of Follower with Right Hand and Man Loop)
Sequence:
  • ​Basic Step in Closed Frame - Leader lifts Left Arm up on "8"
  • Outside Turn of Follower then Half Basic in Two Hand Hold - Leader Lifts Right Arm up on "8"
  • ​Cuddle and Walk x 2 
    • Cuddle of Follower
    • Walk Forward & Back in Cuddle Position x 2 
      (first one is tap and second one is kick)
    • Unwind Follower out of Cuddle 
  • Leader Turn Change Hands Behind the Back - Leader Changes to Cross Hand Hold (right hands on top)
  • Cross Hand Matador
    • Turn follower into Matador hold
    • Loop follower
    • Free spin of follower
    • Half basic in two-handed hold
  • Right Turn and Loop


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Cross Hand Matador
  • Start in Cross Hand Hold (right hands on top)
  • Turn Follower on 1-2-3-4
  • Loop Follower on 5-6-7-8
  • Free Spin of Follower on 1-2-3-4
  • Half Basic on 5-6-7-8
Turn and Loop
  • Refer to video below from 16:00
  • Start in Two Hand Hold
  • Turn of Follower with Leader's Right Arm on 1-2-3-4
  • Half Basic as Leader does Man/Neck Loop on 5-6-7-8 to get into Closed Frame

Lesson 3 - Tuesday 19 February 2019

Lesson Plan:
  • Revised Lesson 2
  • New Moves:
    • Leader's Underarm Turn
    • Sweetheart
    • Cross Hand Turn and Man Loop
​Sequence:
  • ​Basic Step in Closed Frame - Leader lifts Left Arm up on "8"
  • Outside Turn of Follower then Half Basic in Two Hand Hold - Leader Lifts Right Arm up on "8"
  • ​Cuddle and Walk x 2 
    • Cuddle of Follower
    • Walk Forward & Back in Cuddle Position x 1
    • Unwind Follower out of Cuddle 
  • Leader Turn Change Hands Behind the Back - Leader Changes to Cross Hand Hold (right hands on top)
  • Cross Hand Matador
  • Right Turn and Loop
  • Basic Step in Closed Frame
  • Leader's Underarm Turn and Half Basic to get into Crossed Hands Hold (right hands on top)
  • Sweetheart
  • Basic in Cross Hands Hold
  • Cross Hand Turn and Man Loop
Leader's Underarm Turn
  • Refer to the video from 18:30
Sweetheart
  • Start in Cross Hands (right hands on top)
  • Turn Follower to Leader's Left / Follower's Right
  • Change Sides in Sweetheart Position x 2
  • Unwind Follower
Cross Hand Turn and Man Loop
  • Sorry, I've not been able to find a video for this move.
  • Start in Cross Hand Hold (right hands on top)
  • Turn Follower to Leader's Left / Follower's Right on 1-2-3-4 - ending up with Leader's LEFT hand above and RIGHT hand below
  • Half Basic Step as Man Loops Himself with his Left Hand and releases Right Hand on 5-6-7-8; moving into Closed Frame

Lesson 4 - Thursday 28 February 2019

​Sequence (without extra Basics):
  • ​Basic Step in Closed Frame - Leader lifts Left Arm up on "8"
  • Outside Turn of Follower then Half Basic in Two Hand Hold - Leader Lifts Right Arm up on "8"
  • ​Cuddle and Walk x 1
    • Cuddle of Follower
    • Walk Forward & Back in Cuddle Position x 1
    • Unwind Follower out of Cuddle 
  • Leader Turn Change Hands Behind the Back - Leader Changes to Cross Hand Hold (right hands on top)
  • Cross Hand Matador
  • Right Turn and Loop
  • Leader's Underarm Turn and Half Basic to get into Crossed Hands Hold (right hands on top)
  • Sweetheart
  • ​Cross Hand Turn and Man Loop
Tips:
  • When turning Rebecca, make sure to keep the arm up until Rebecca is facing you again. In other words, Michael, don't bring your arm down too early. You want to keep the "halo" going.
  • In two-handed hold, remember to not cling/grab each other's fingers. "STRAIGHT FINGERS!"
  • In the Cross Hand Matador, Rebecca to work on arm flourish on her right after the Loop.
  • In the Right Hand Turn of Follower, Michael to be mindful of his elbow when doing his Loop.
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.

Lesson 5 - Thursday 7 March 2019

Lesson Plan:
  • Worked through the sequence - aiming for three sets of the sequence
  • Worked on the turn out and the final dip