Blues Dance Foundational Syllabus

Designed for 1 hour drop-in lessons

Target: beginning to intermediate students

Role-neutral Instruction: you are encouraged to learn both Lead and Follow

Dancing with Consent!


1. STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

1.1 Explicit Weight Changes: collecting unweighted foot
1.2 Moving from the Emotive Core
1.3 Driving, rather than stepping


2. AESTHETIC ELEMENTS

2.1 Blues Heart-beat
2.2 Potential for Lag
2.3 Pulsing vs Weight Changes
2.4 Traditional: Juking, Pendulum
2.5 Borrowed: Jazz breaks, Pops


3. PHYSICAL CONNECTION

3.1 Lead sets frame; Follow controls connection
3.2 Open Connection; tonal range
3.3 Closed Frame; shape, torso movement
3.4 Close Embrace; finding your core