Senior Elite Squad Training Weekend
Woking 26 - 27 August 2006



Ten top senior and over 50s couples took part in an elite squad training weekend at The Grange, Woking. Efficiently organised by Mary Corfield and her team, this two day event benefited from top class coaches Chris Hawkins, Lynette Boyce and Stephen & Isabella Hannah.

Chris Hawkins opened the first day with warm up exercises and focus on 'Preparation for competing at home and abroad'. Preparation is essential for success and needs to be organised so that even in the unfamiliar environment of an overseas competition, you are still able to bring out your best. make sure you get there in good time, feel the floor, establish where you are sitting, and communicate well with your partner so that the first five minutes bring no surprises. When you dance, ensure the energy balance between man and lady is good and work with emotive imagery to give flavour and personality.

Chris built on this introduction in two further sessions entitled "Use your knees to swing - VW and W". A recurring principle was to 'maintain the integrity of core balance and wieght' and chris illustrated this expertly by showing how smooth transfers of energy couold be achieved between gravitational, rotational and muscular power systems. Chris's depth of knowledge and experience was a joy to learn from.

After opening exercises on the second day, Lynette Boyce lead a lesson on 'Use your head to shape - Foxtrot' . In just a few moments she explained and demonstrated the fundamentals of how head position is generated from the knees as an extension of the spine. Then, using imaginative analogies, she applied the principles in detail to several Foxtrot figures including Feather, Reverse Turn, Three Step, Reverse Wave and Change of Direction. As if that wasn't enough, she slipped a check list for taking up hold so that, even on a bad day, there will never be an excuse for a poor poise.



The last two sessions were begun by Isabella Hannah on 'Use your feet to move - Tango and Quickstep'. the character of Tango with no rise and fall and no swing has to be felt in a high body on bent knoees with a weight balance in the centre of the foot. The use of rotation is important, but must be timed right. For example, on a man's forward walk the left foot turns to the left early, but the body remains under turned 'till the last moment. Stephen illustrated Isabella's theory with amazing 'freeze frame' solo demonstrations and together their enthusiastic teaching style was delightful and infectious.

Moving on to Quickstep, the technical focus was on catching weight in knee and ankle before the heel hits the floor. Again, the timing of this catch is important for efficiency of the dance. Also, the usually heavier mass of the man must be balanced against the three times greater flexibility of the lady to give both partners the space and freedom to contribute their personalities to the partnership. Stephen and Hannah used a playful choreography exercise - Syncopated Run, Opening Natural, Running Finish, Curving Three, Impetus, Wing etc. - to help build togetherness, fun and 'whoosh' elements.

Stephen's final thought for the weekend was that judges want to be excited by what they see, so don't hold back on releasing the energy of your partnership. let it go, be hungry for success, and delight your partner and the judges.

Submitted by James & Rachel Barron 07/09/06