Jumping Right Into It

I just realized I never did a write up for last week. But last week we started to learn the Honi Coles Stroll. Of course, Tanis started us with the last and most difficult move, and I have totally forgotten anything about it. But it was pretty cool, anyway.

Tonight, we started at the beginning, with the walk for sixteen steps, then the heel-toe for sixteen steps. Follow that with a brush-heel-toe-heel-toe for sixteen steps. Now you do the brush with the left foot, which is the inside foot, because you're travelling in a circle. It actually feels a bit like a round dance, sort of a community thing, where you're all doing the same thing.

Anyway, after the doing the brush with only the left foot, comes sixteen steps of brush-heel-toe-brush-heel-toe, that is, you're brushing with both feet. After that, there's a hop thrown in after each brush. Actually by that point, I'm totally discoordinated, and trying desperately to find a way to get back into the loop.

I admit I totally forgot all of this tonight, but I found a web site which spells out the whole Stroll. That could be really helpful.

We also did the Shim-Sham-Shimmy again, but to a faster beat. With me trying to do the extra taps on the first and third parts, I got totally lost again, having to stop and go through it slowly just to try and coordinate my feet again. Terribly frustrating.

Tanis introduced a couple of backward moves, and of course I've forgotten what they're called. I think I finally can do a paddle and roll, after several repitions. Keep pounding it into me, and it'll eventually stick, I suppose.

There were a couple of other routines we worked on, including the one I talked about a couple of weeks ago. We have a few more moves now than what I described, but again, while I can sort of remember how they go, I couldn't tell you what they're called, or what order we do them in. And I'm certain my memory of the whole thing is incomplete. Theres an awkward step where one foot rotates on the heel while you step with the other. It's got a cutesy name that totally escapes me. I assume the awkwardness will disappear eventually.

The frustration can be maddening, but even so, I find I'm still having a great time with it. My shuffles are getting closer to actually sounding like something, and I no longer hurt in the hips and thighs, like I did way back when I began this adventure.