Everything starts with the Zero Position.
It is wise to master this position very clear and clean in order to have the optimal entrance into an elegant walk.
1. approach your partner one step to the front, not to close to him, let him adjust the distance.
2. collect your leg to your standing leg, heels touching, toes slightly open with your weight evenly distributed on both legs.
3. when your axis is in the middle you are using all 6 points of contact to the floor. Your feet are in a slight V shape – position.
What happens in the weight change ?
Depending where the leader want you to be, he will change our weight to the right or left foot . Sometimes he switches left right ,left right just to make sure that he knows where your axis is.
1. The foot with the weight has all 3 points of contact on the floor and the foot of the free leg will have 2 points of contact on the floor, the big toe and the heel, but without any weight. The small toe has no contact, it is lifted.
2.During this movement the knee of the free leg is slightly in front the knee of the standing leg.
3.Keep your axis 90 degree to the floor when you shift weight.
What happen to the free leg ?
It is important to relax the hip of the free leg. Make the free leg heavy. Put weight over the free leg. Relax the hip of your free leg and you will find out that the leg will elongate. Once you find this sensation it is easy to adjust the zero position properly and you get the necessarily grounding.
Here you see the position with weight on one leg. My axis is directly over the standing leg while i relax the free hip and lift the little toe.
in this position I am able to lift my leg up for embelishments without loosing balance as my axis is stable 90 degree to the floor.
BE AWARE OF MISTAKES:
Do not forget to relax your hip over the free leg.
avoid collapsing your center
No curve in your spine.
EXERCISE:
get in to zero position with weight in both legs.
change your weight from one leg to the other , check on correct position of the knee and the little toe of the free leg. Make sure you elongate your free leg by relaxing the hip. Feel the heaviness in your free leg.
follow to next lesson : the open position
