A Note About the Ads in my Videos

I've had some questions about the ads that pop up at the bottom of my videos. I have been using a revenue-generating website to post my videos. Essentially, they get my video and, supposedly based on the content of my video, attach ads for products that may appeal to people who are interested in my videos (in other words, they try to match up the video's intent and the items being advertised). For the most part, they do a pretty good job at this.

Whenever anyone clicks on the ad, it generates a tiny bit of revenue for me. It's not much, I assure you, so every little bit helps.

The big problem with the ads is that they cover up my choreography notes at the bottom of the screen. I have tried putting the words somewhere else on the screen, but the bottom left corner just seems to be the best location to me. Remember that I always post the entire choreography on my blog for every video that I post here, so you don't have to copy it from the video as you are watching it.

And, if those darn ads are just bugging you too much, you can click the little "X" in the upper right corner, and they should disappear.

I have taped 3 videos demonstrating the breakdown that I used on my last Advanced Step routine, and I hope to work on them very soon. I also have taped another Intermediate Step routine, which is also on my "to-do" list.

Take Care, and Keep Stepping!
Dana

The Base Move Is... A Double/Single Stomp

I've been working on this for quite a while now, and finally got the time and inclination to make this video. I've had a lot of fun in my classes coming up with new ways to modify the Double Stomp/Single Stomp, and I thought that this might give some folks some inspiration to do some creating, too.

The video is a long one -- I had to edit it down just to make it fit into the 10-minute time limit, so what is shown in the video is not every move that I could come up with as a variation on this Base Move.

Essentially, what I figured out is that if you take a 5-count lead changing move and combine it with a 3-count lead changing move, you can use a Double Stomp/Single Stomp as the Base move, since it also has the same configuration.

I attempted to put the following information into the video, but it was in table format and it just wasn't legible on the video. So, I'm listing as many 5-count lead changers as I could think of (most are in the video if reading them doesn't make sense) and 3-count lead changers. Simply take any two moves and put them together. Hey, you can even put the 3-count move first for something different!! Just be sure that the final move doesn't change lead legs, or else your Base Move won't be a Double Stomp/Single Stomp.


5-Count Lead Changers

1. Double Stomp, exit
2. Rock on Top, exit
3. Tick-Tock, exit
4. Flick-kick, exit
5. Stomp Over, on Top, exit
6. Any of the above moves with a straddle exit
7. Stomp Wide and Spin over to the front
8. Stomp Wide and Spin into a straddle
9. Stomp off the end & go Across, step down
10. Chasse over, Chasse over & exit
11. Add Syncopation (hold one step longer and then double-time 2 other steps)
12. Stomp & Switch going up onto the step, chasse across, step down

3-Count Lead Changers

1. 1 stomp, exit
2. 1 stomp, straddle
3. Stomp on the floor instead of on the step
4. Stomp on the floor on the front of the step, but exit at home
5. Pivot on the floor
6. Crossover & march (Jazz Square)
7. Kick-Ball-Change
8. Drag

Here's the video.... Sorry for the white legs!! Oh, and can you spot my friend, and excellent Step instructor, Leslie, in my video????

More 6-Count Lead Changers

I have been compiling more 6-count lead changers for quite a while, and I figured I had enough to make a decent video. So, here you go. Hope you have some sunglasses to shield your eyes from the blinding white of my legs! :-) Enjoy.

Easy Intermediate Step Routine, May 16, 2008

Hi everyone! Here's another easy Intermediate Step routine. I put in a few options at the end. Hope you can use some/all of this.



Choreography:

Glutes, x2 (8)
Stomp & Pivot (4)
Shuffle Straddle (4)
Chasse Rock, x2 (8)
Jump Shots, x2 (8)
Knee lift over, x2 (8)
Double knee Jazz Square (8)
Double Lunge (8)
Inner Thigh, x2 (8)

Basic Over (4)
1 Kick (4)
3 Hamstrings on top, exit at home (8)
2 V-Steps (8)
Repeater Knee (8)
4 Squats going over (8)
Rocking Horse (8)
1/2-L-Step (4)
Across x2 (8)
Knee exit (4)

Rock on Top, x2 (10)
Alternating stomps (6)
L-Step (8)
2 Basics (8)
Abduct Around the World (16)
Tap out wide x2 (8)
1 Knee mambo cha-cha (8)

Easy Intermediate Routine, May 13, 2008

Here is an easy intermediate routine. It's based on a harder routine that I posted on March 4th (or near that date). I had a request for a simpler version of that routine, and here's what I came up with. Hope you can use some or all of this.

Dana



Choreography:

Hamstring Hangover (4)
Cross on top, and exit (4)
Kick straddle (4)
Cut the Corner (4)
Lunges for 6, straddle (16)
Knee lift over, x2 (8)
1 Mambo, 1 Pivot (8)
Double stomp, single stomp (8)
Kicks, x2 (8)

Revolving Door (8)
Repeater Knee (8)
Glutes 1/2 Around the World (8)
Diagonal to home, pivot & walk to step (8)
Basic Over (4)
1 Basic facing the back of the room (4)
Abduct, x2 (8)
Knees 1/2 Around the World (8)
2 V-steps (8) *optional jump into squat on 2nd V-step

Quick over, x2 (4)
Inner Thigh (4)
V-slide, Mambo cha-cha (8)
L-Step (8)
Hamstrings, x2 (8) *optional 4 hamstrings on the floor in a box around the step

SJ's Advanced Step, May 2, 2008

It's been a while since I posted anything, so I've been busy taping various classes. I hope you can use some of this stuff my brain dreams up!

Leslie and I had a great time in Houston!! We took many of the same sessions, and the ones we didn't were great opportunities for sharing knowledge between us. While we were there, we attended Josh's class (megaman80 on YouTube) which was a total BLAST!! He's a genuinely nice person, and his class was a lot of fun, and really quite challenging for me, which I loved! The people in Houston are very nice -- very friendly!

So, here's my latest advanced class, which has some Manuel Velazquez flair, as well as a bit of Joan Altisen... and the rest is all me. Let me know if you'd like breakdowns and I'll see what I can do.



Choreography:

Mambo off the end (4)

Shuffle Straddle (4)

Rock back, Spin (4)

Up & Lunge 2, exit into Tango (13)

Reverse Turn (4)

1 Stomp (3)

Chasse Spin over (4)

Reverse up, 2 hams on top (4)

Stomp floor, reverse Straddle & Drag (8)

Knee switch 3 (6)

Box at home (4)

Knee walk back/switch (6)

Kick-ball-change straddle (4)

Repeater (knee, switch, rock back, switch, exit) (8)

Basic Over (4)

Abduct/Rebound (7)

½ Curb Walk (5)

Cut the Corner (4)