I use the next image to help me describe the direction of movement. And the dance I describe in groups of steps (that I put numbers for and the music bit count) that form lobes.
Intro steps: starting on the end line (near South to South West), not on the hockey circle as the others, 3 forward strokes towards East: Right (not starting with the regular left here), Left, Right, the last one on a slight inside edge to get you to the circle where you do a Left dropped 3-turn, on the circle, taking a quarter of that lobe. My challenge here is that I've got used to direct the 3-turn towards the opposite end of the rink, to the North, I hook it and that messes up the next step and the interaction with the partner. The 3 turn has to start with an outside edge going towards East, curving and then after the turn you end up moving towards North East not North.
1.2.3. RB Backward Progressive (4 beats, rhythm 1-1-2 in closed, waltz hold) Starting toward North East and finishing towards West. The second step should still go towards North East and my mistake is that I tend, again, to hook it to get me around quicker. Actually that makes the lobe shorter, and the upper body pre rotated and less efficient in checking to be ready for the next lobe and that messes up the next step (see the pattern here? just as the 3-turn messes up this progressive). This lobe doesn't go from starting towards East and ending towards West as regular lobes on axis. As I was saying, this is a fast rhythm, so the lobes are a little more flat than let's say the Willow Waltz.
4a. LB Backward Swing Roll (4 beats, closed hold). This has to be a correct Swing Roll, otherwise, you probably guessed, is gonna mess up the next step! So it has to start with a push straight back towards the West, and maintain a square upper body to the hips, don't allow the upper body to rotate after the push, let the lean and edge create the curve of the lobe. The free leg extend forward but knees are apart, so it looks forward- laterally. Rise on the skating hip at the top of the lobe and keep your weight over it and swing the free leg back, not laterally.The feeling is that you bring your right shoulder aligned over the left hip. The swing roll starts going deep into the middle of the rink and ends around the dot near the blue line, not farther away toward the board, so you have enough space for the next step. Update 9/9/2019 correction: sit on the left foot at the end of the edge (re bend) so you can stroke on the next inside edge not step onto it.
4.b Open Choctaw (that is while on the LBO edge bring the right foot at the instep of the left and step on a R Foreword Inside Edge (2 beats). The reason this step is called 4b not 5 is that the partner does only one change of edge step during the woman 4a and 4b. I usually enter a FI edge with the opposite shoulder forward, but in this case is important to get used from when you learn it solo, to enter with the same shoulder forward as the foot, so the right one, to accommodate the arm hold with the partner.
5.6.7 L Forward Progressive (4 beats, 1-1-2) going from parallel to the long boards (north) to the middle of the rink (west). This Progressive continues the lobe started with the FI edge. Update 9/9/2019 correction: press the edge at the end of progressive, gather and re bend to be able to place the right foot on on outside edge on the next step and stroke into it.
8. R Forward Outside Edge (4 beats)with a rise on the skating leg while bringing the free foot down at the middle of the lobe. This is to match the partner feet while he is doing a dropped 3-turn and a BO edge. On this edge my coach cautioned me to keep it straight at the top of the lobe, don't rush the curve, because right there he is doing the 3-turn so I shouldn't cut his way. Update 9/9/2019 correction: press the edge at the and of lobe, same correction as before
9. L Outside 3-turn (2 beats). This is the step I'm having the most difficulty I'm not finishing the previous step perpendicular to the long boards, I suppose because I feel I'm late, but more probably because I'm anxious about it, and I'm not gathering so I can push into the 3-turn. I'm kind of dropping into it... Instruction: don't forget to flip the right foot on the inside edge before pushing to the left.
10.11.12 R Backward Progressive (4 beats 1-1-2)
13,14,15,16 Two L Forward Progressives of just 2 edges, so left, right, left, right (4 beats, 1-1-1-1) Here, the hips are square, upper body twisted outside (towards the partner). Corrections: don't drop left shoulder, push from the right shoulder...
17,18, 19 L Outside Open Mohawk into a L Backward Inside Edge (4 beats, 1-1-2)
-stroke LF outside edge
-rise on left foot over the left hip, using inner thighs, align back to circle, arched back, push left shoulder forward, right shoulder back, butt in, like not falling forward over a cliff, let foot come at instep not in front, don't rush!
-step on right pinky toe, free foot at back ankle, ideally feet parallel, pull left shoulder back, push right arm forward. Update 9/9/2019 correction: after setting the right foot on ice, lead with the right heal (push it towards your forward left (north west corner)
It took me a long time to get this. What finally made me do it, was the coach request to just do the L Outside edge, bring the free foot at the instep and hold it. This was as a result of me complaining that I never feel I'm totally ready to transfer on the new foot... In fact, I wasn't holding the weight on the entry edge... I suppose, as with the 3-turn, I was too anxious and so I rushed into allowing the weight to shift towards the new edge. During the exercise I also felt the free hip, totally opening before stepping on the free foot. The last piece of the puzzle is the strong and quick check into the turn and out of the turn, in fact it may be the first piece of the puzzle, you need this check when you bring the free foot in after the first edge...
There are two more little tricks here, at the last step. Firstly, because you step from an outside edge to an inside one, you shouldn't step too closely. You have to step few inches away so you can transfer the weight in a controlled manner. Secondly, the upper body is facing the outside of the circle during the mohawk and the last step. Now, as you rise on the BI edge you square the upper body on the hips, and you twist the upper body towards the inside of the circle as you re bend to push into the RB progressive of the new pattern.
My coach told me to think about these beginner dances as a way to build skills. A new skill that's introduced with the bronze pattern dances is the awareness of what step is the partner doing, as I mentioned few times during this post.
Corrections 03/07/2019
- flatten all the lobes a little to fill the rink, think go long
- I start to far, start closer to the middle so the 3 turn starts at the long axis on the hockey circle
- let the first part of the swing roll go towards the center so it comes back to the axis and not crosses the axes, finish around the dot
- while re bending twist the upper body to the right, to face the long boards for the step forward iside edge
- finish the progressive around the next dot
- don't hook the 3 turn so you can keep going long with the forward steps
- don't rush the end steps
- good mowhak :) I liked this one...
Corrections 6/27/2020
- dropped 3-turns; get on that skating hip, don't leave free hip behind, don't block with upper body (push skating shoulder back)
- finish backward swing, hold the weight on skating side and rebend for a good push into the forward inside edge, perpendicular to axis
- take progressive deeper into circle to have enough space for double knee bend that now runs in boards
- don't open hip on double knee bent, push free hip forward, don't concentrate in bringing the free foot up but on bringing it down, scissor motion, lifting over skating foot
- re bend while holding the weight on skating foot, but flip from outside to inside edge
- bring progressive more around and hold weight on skating side as stepping to stroke forward
- after mohawk step near foot, don't let free foot go back
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