Statler and Waldorf Review: Richard Manuel class

Location: First floor : Mandelson Room, The Winchester Project, 21 Winchester Road, London NW3 3NR

Time: 7:30pm - 9pm

Date: Thursday 4th February

Introduction

Richard Manuel runs a class on Thursdays, in Swiss Cottage. I'll keep the details to a minimum, and let Statler and Waldorf do the commenting...

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Statler: I'm Statler.
Waldorf: I'm Waldorf. We're here to heckle Richard Manuel's class.

Warm up

Standing on a raised bar, practicing swinging the leg to get a free motion going.

Practicing back boleo motions, then front foot cross-over motions.

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Statler: "You know, the older I get, the more I appreciate good music."
Waldorf: "What's that got to do with what we just heard?"
Statler: "Nothing, just thought I'd mention it. "

Sequence 1

  1. Backstep on right, woman forwards step
  2. Lead woman to a sidestep to your left, then pivot on right 180 degrees, steps back onto left, then back-sacada the woman's left leg
  3. Woman pivots anti-clockwise into a back-boleo; man pivots on left to face woman and forward-boleos with right foot
  4. Man steps forward onto front (right) foot, whilst leading the lady into a forward boleo with her right
  5. Man forward ochos to left and leads the leady into a back boleo (again with her right)
  6. Man steps around behind the lady (anti-clockwise), then leads her to pivot and back sacada with her left foot against the man's outside (left) foot.
  7. Man steps around over the lady's back foot, then swings her free (left) leg to wrap around him.
  8. Exit, then back step into a back soltada (both), then collect.

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Statler: "What did you think of that?"
Waldorf: "I liked it!"
Statler: "Ugh! You?! Uuuugh! (Bangs head on balcony edge three times) YOU... LIKED... THAT?!"
Waldorf: "No... I just wanted to see what you did if I said I did."

Sequence 2

  1. As for basic 8 up until a cross - man crosses right foot in front of left. Woman transfers weight during her cross, but man does not.
  2. Man forward ochos to his left (onto his right foot), woman steps onto her right but does not collect.
  3. Man forward ochos to his right (onto his left foot), woman steps onto her left but does not collect.
  4. Woman steps back onto her right foot, leaves left foot trailing forwards
  5. Man steps forward onto his right, around outside (his right) the lady's forward foot, to place his right foot alongside the lady's back (right) foot.
  6. Man leads lady into a pasada (step over) his right foot, but stops before the transfer of weight
  7. Colgada - man sandwiches lady's right foot and pivots clockwise, leading a colgada.

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Statler: "I liked that last sequence."
Waldorf: "What did you like about it?"
Statler: "It was the last sequence."

Conclusion

Lots of things to think about and to practice; very suitable for nuevo movers.

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Statler: "This class is awful!"
Waldorf: "Terrible!"
Statler: "Disgusting!"
Waldorf: "See you next week?"
Statler: "Of course. "

~ David Bailey, 19th January 2010

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