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Paso-doble'
- Author:
- Dave Watson
- Date Published:
- April 5, 2005
Although the overall impression is one of a very erect poise, we shouldn’t dance the Paso-doble’ “stiffly”. Even on the very smallest steps, there will still be a very slight movement in the body. However, we should not see any “looseness or “Cuban Motion”.
You will note the use of the “APPEL” quite frequently in this dance. This is a change of weight in place with an inflection. There is no real reason to make this action LOUD; it is not a “Stomp” of the foot.
In many patterns, footwork will be relative to the rise, and the amount of movement desired by the dancers. This means that the dance can be very interpretive, and open to a great deal of personal expression. We will use specific footwork and elevations for specific patterns, but, in many instances, you should try these patterns with different approaches.
On smaller steps, there is an action of the ankle similar to “flapping” the foot against the floor. This is not casual or accidental, but, rather, very deliberate, and should be practiced.
Man normally begins most patterns with his RIGHT FOOT, and Lady normally begins with her LEFT.
COUNT:
Sur Place (Basic In Place):
Both dancers “flap the balls of their feet against the floor. Movement is nil,
but can rotate slightly to right or left, or even progress slightly forward,
backward, or to either side. 1, 2, 3, ….
Promenade: (Begin in closed Position with Man facing Wall so that the Promenade movement will move down the Line Of Dance [LOD])
Man appels with his right foot and indicates Promenade Position (PP)
Lady appels with her left foot and turns to PP 1
Man and Lady both step off into PP – Man’s left foot / Lady’s right foot 2
Man now dances forward beginning to turn to his right to cross in front of
Lady – still in PP but beginning to close the position
Lady dances forward left 3
Man steps side (and slightly back) with his left foot continuing to turn to
his right, and crosses in front of Lady
Lady steps directly forward – between Man’s feet with her right foot 4
Man steps back right – still turning to the right and preparing the Lady to
Step outside him on the NEXT step
Lady is still just stepping forward – with her left foot now – in a straight line 5
Man steps back left (still turning right) leading Lady to step outside partner
Lady steps forward right – outside partner along the Man’s right side 6
Man now finishes his turn to the right so that he is facing the center, closes
The Lady to Closed Position, and dances a chasse (side together) to
his right – right / left
Lady faces Man and dances chasse’ to left – left / right 7, 8
Although the pattern continually turns to the right, the turn is very gradual. There will only be a total of ½ turn to right over the course of the entire pattern.
Elevations (Combination of High Chasse’ and Low Chasse’):
Both partner simply dance chasse’ to the Man’s right (Lady’s left) –
Side / together, side / together 1, 2, 3, 4
The first chasse’ will be up on toes, strongly shaped to Man’s right, and very tiny steps. The second chasse’ will be down in the knees, strongly shaped to Man’s left, and much larger.
Walks: (Exactly what the name implies: walks forward and backward in Closed Position)
Beginning with the Man’s right foot, and the Lady’s left foot, Man will walk
forward for seven steps, and close on the count of 8. Lady goes back 1, 2 … 8
Man now dances backward for seven, and closes on 8. Lady goes forward 1, 2 … 8
Steps are usually taken very small, and on the balls of the feet. Forward walks will usually curve to the left, back to the right (although this can be changed).
Separation: (Begin in Closed Position)
Man and Lady appel 1
Man takes on step forward with his left foot -- leading Lady to separate away
from him – then closes right to left, and dances the count of 4 in place
Lady takes two steps back (right / left), and closes right to left on 4 -- 2, 3, 4
When closing the feet on count 4, both partners will rise very sharply.
Man now takes one step back with his right foot -- leading Lady to begin closing
toward him – then closes left to right and then in place for two more steps
Lady dances four steps forward gradually closing to Man 5, 6, 7, 8
Since dancers were up at the end of count 4, they must now come down at some point. We do this by gradually coming back down to normal height across the four beats (5 – 8). For the Lady who is taking small steps forward, this feels a little like walking down a slight ramp from up on toes to flat foot.
Sixteen:
Both partners dance steps 1 – 6 of the Promenade as described above 1, 2, …6
On count 7, Man will close his feet (right foot to left foot) – Man will now stay
With feet together for the rest of the figure (He will rise on 16)
Lady dances a series of back checks (“Sit” Breaks) on the counts of 7, 10, and 13.
Lady checks back strongly with her left foot (moving backing down the LOD) 7
Lady now replaces weight forward to her right foot, and steps forward left (small) 8, 9
Lady now dances a strong check back (against LOD) with her right foot 10
Lady replaces weight to her left foot and steps forward right (small step) 11, 12
Repeat counts 7, 8, and 9 -- 13, 14, 15
Lady closes right foot to left foot (sharply), and rises to her toes shaping
strongly to Counter Promenade Position (CPP) 16
Promenade Link: (Begin in Closed Position)
Both partners dance the first two steps of a Promenade as described above 1, 2
Man steps forward (in PP) right, and closes Lady strongly to him
Lady steps forward (in PP) left, and closes strongly to Man (turn to left) 3
Both partners close feet (You are now back in Closed Dance Position) 4
Both partners now dance a chasse’ (side / together) to the Man’s right 5, 6
Lady’s Caping Walks Ending to The Separation:
Both partners dance the Separation as described above
Note: When the Lady returns to the Man on counts 5 – 8, Man will
guide Lady toward his right side instead of straight into him –
Lady will end up directly alongside the Man’s right side. 1, 2, …8
Man dances Sur Place for 6 beats as he leads Lady to dance around him till
she returns in front of Man again on 6 --
Lady dances forward walks around Man (turning to right) for 6 beats 1, 2, … 6
Both partners dance a small chasse’ to Man’s right to finish pattern 7, 8
DRAG:
This pattern is begun by lowering strongly on the last step of the preceding movement. Ideally, that preceding movement should have finished with either a closing action, or a Sur Place, so that both feet are under the body when beginning the Drag.
(Having lowered strongly on his left foot at the end of the preceding figure) Man
takes a large side step to his right – hold the left leg out
Lady dances a large side step to her left – Hold the right leg out 1
Both partners now slowly close their free leg to their supporting leg, and rise 2, 3
Both partners now finish by closing their free foot to their supporting leg and
changing weight 4
Combination # 1: Hold 4 beats, Drag, Promenade, Low Casse’, 4Walks back, Separation with Lady’s Caping Walks Ending, Forward and Back Walks, Sixteen, Elevations, 4 Back Walks, Promenade Link
Begin in Closed Position, Man facing Wall.
1) Hold 4 Beats 1 – 4
2) Four forward walks (Lady back) 5 – 8
3) Drag 1 – 4
4) Promenade 1 – 8
5) Four counts of Low Chasse’ 1 – 4
6) Four Back Walks (Lady forward), curving right to face LOD 5 – 8
7) Separation 1 – 8
8) Lady’s Caping Walks Ending To Separation 1 – 8
9) Forward Walks (Lady Back), curving to left 1 – 8
10) Backward Walks (Lady Forward), curving to left
(Man’s arm will rotate Counter clockwise on 5 – 8) -- 1 – 4, 5 – 8
11) Sixteen 1 – 16
12) Elevations 1 – 8
13) four Back Walks (Lady Forward) – Man rotates arm counter clockwise 1 – 4
14) Promenade Link – dancing last two counts as Sur Place instead of a chasse’ 1 - 6
15) Sur Place rotating slightly to left 7, 8, 1 - 4
Syncopated Seperation:
Couple dances first 4 counts of Seperation as described above
End in two-hand hold 1 – 4
Man dances 4 steps back crossing slightly on each one
Lady dances 4 steps forward crossing tightly on each one 5 – 8
Man closes his right foot to his left and points side left (no weight)
Lady closes her left foot to her right and points right to side (no weight) & 1
Man now closes his left to his right and points right to side (no weight)
Lady closes right to left, and points left to side (no weight) & 2
Man dances a tight grapevine: back right / side left / cross right over left
Lady dances her grapevine: forward left / side right / cross left behind right 3 & 4
Man now dances a twist turn ending with his weight on his right foot on 8 --
Lady dances 4 walks forward to end facing Man – regain normal closed position 5 – 8
NOTE: At this point Partners are on the ‘WRONG’ feet; Man has his left foot free – Lady has her right foot free. Although this is not usual, it is not unheard of – there are a few patterns that begin or end this way. However, before continuing into any of the “normal” patterns, we must somehow switch feet again. The following pattern – the Left Foot Variation – is one that is specifically designed for this instance. It begins with Man’s left foot, and finishes by returning him to his ‘Correct’ foot.
Left Foot Variation: (Begin in closed Position with Man’s left foot free – Lady’s right foot free)
Man walks 3 steps forward beginning ‘In-Line’, and taking the last step
Preparing to move Outside Partner along Lady’s right side
Lady dances 3 steps back and will have a right shoulder lead back on
Her last step 1, 2, 3
Man now points his right foot forward Outside Partner (no weight)
Lady points her right foot back (no weight) 4
Man closes his right to his left, and points left to side (no weight)
Lady closes left to right, and points right to side (no weight) & 5
Man closes left to right and chasse’s to right for two more changes of weight
Lady closes right to left and chasse’s to left for two more changes of weight 6, 7, 8
Couple now has returned to having the ‘Correct’ foot free, and is now ready to begin any normal pattern.
Chasse’ Cape:
Both partners dance 1 – 5 of the Promenade Basic as described above 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Man now dances a SMALL step back left and rotates his body to the right
leading Lady to take a much larger step forward left outside partner
Lady steps strongly forward outside partner with her right foot 6
Continuing to turn to the right, Man now steps strongly forward outside
partner with his right foot
Lady takes a slightly smaller step back left – both partners begin to open out to PP 7
Couple is now approximately heading DC in PP
Both partners now dance a chasse’ (side / together / side) in PP with the Man
Progressing slightly ahead of the Lady 8 & 1
Man now dances a back rock (rt. / lt.) turning to his left, and leading Lady
To pass across his front
Lady takes two curving walks past the Man’s front in PP (lt. / rt.) –
She will then turn to her right all the way to Counter Promendade
Position (CPP) 2, 3
Both partners now dance a chasse’ in CPP – again, the Man will move slightly
Ahead of the Lady 4 & 5
Man now dances a back rock (lt. / rt.) turning to his right , leading Lady to pass
Across his front
Lady dances two curving walks forward (rt. / lt.) across Man’s front, and then
Turns on her lt. Foot all the way to PP 6, 7
Both partners dance a chasse’ in PP as described above 8 & 1
Man now dances his turning back rock and Lady dances her two curving walks
Forward as described above EXCEPT Man will release his right arm from
Lady’s back so that, when Lady turns to CPP, couple will actually be in
Open Counter Promenade Position (OCPP) 2, 3
Man now steps forward in OCPP right foot, then again with his left foot for a
‘Press Line’
Lady dances forward left, then forward right in OCPP for a ‘Press Line’ –
Both partners HOLD the ‘2’ beat 4, 1, 2
Both partners Hold ‘3, 4’ - 3, 4
Couple is now heading down the LOD in OCPP, and are holding their position in a Press Line. Man’s left hand is holding Lady’s right hand – free arms are out to the sides.
When dancing a Press Line, only “Pressure” is applied to the front foot – NOT real weight. That foot must be able to move on the start of the next movement.
We will now continue with a set of FLAMENCO TAPS, and a Counter Promenade Link to finish.
Flamenco Taps: (Begin in a Press Line in OCPP after having just completed the Chasse’ Cape as described above.
Both partners step forward with their inside foot in OCPP (Man’s lt. foot – Lady’s rt.) 5
Both partners quickly (syncopated) ‘Tap’ their free foot (Man’s rt. – Lady’s lt.)
behind their standing foot twice (syncopated) 6 &
Both partners step back in OCPP (Man’s right ft. – Lady’s left) 7
Both partners ‘Tap’ their free foot (Man’s lt. – Lady’s rt.) in front of their
standing foot 8
Both partners now take a strong walk forward down the LOD in OCPP, and
Begin to turn to face one another 1
Both partners ‘Tap’ their free foot (Man’s rt. – Lady’s left) alongside their
Standing foot, and finish closing to one another 2
At this point, partners are facing one another. They may choose to regain normal Closed Position at this point, or elect to delay it as they chasse’ to Man’s right over the next two beats.
Couple now dances a Chasse’ to the Man’s right for two beats 3, 4
Regain normal hold if you have not already done so