Cueing lead foot

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Cueing lead foot
3
Fri, 05-06-2005 - 2:49pm

I don't know why I'm so confused on this when I've done hi/lo for almost 20 years but how would you cue these:


1)






iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Fri, 05-06-2005 - 3:35pm

there are two separate issues here - 1) what is the lead foot, and 2) how do you cue certain moves?


1) the lead foot (whether it's hi/lo or step) is always the one you move on the "1" count. in a normal hi/lo or step move you put your weight on your lead foot on counts 1, 3, 5 and 7, like stepping up on the step on 1 for a basic step, or taking one step forward on 1 as part of a "walk for 8" in hi/lo.


it doesn't matter which direction you are moving or facing and it doesn't matter whether you are doing hi/lo or step. the lead foot is the one that moves on "1"


2) sometime cueing based on the lead foot gets confusing to the participants. for instance if you are doing a knee up in hi/lo, usually you will step on count 1, then raise the knee on count 2. if you step with your left on ct1 and raise the right knee on ct2, you are in a left lead (you moved your left foot on ct1) but you are doing "right knee up." same thing with charleston, if you step w/ the left foot and then kick with the right leg, you are on a left lead but you are doing a right kick.


i usually try to avoid the confusion by cueing this as "knee up, right knee first." (or, in the case of the charleston "charleston, right kick.") usually if people are experienced, they will do this naturally without you cueing which knee, they will automatically lift their right knee up first when you say "knees up" while in left lead. if people seem to be having trouble, i will actually remind them that for moves like knee up and hamstring curls they have to remember to step first then do the knee up or hamstring curl, and i'll make a point to cue it like "step left, right knee up" or "step left, right ham back" -- but as i said, that is usually not necessary.




Edited 5/6/2005 3:37 pm ET ET by cl-jenindc
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2004
Sat, 05-07-2005 - 3:54pm

1. I'd say something like "mambo, left leg" and point in the direction to move in.

2. I say "charleston to the right" during step, which would mean stepping on the board with your left foot and kicking with your right.

3. a cue like "alternate knee, right and left" would imply that you bring your right knee up first.





Lilypie First Birthday tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2003
Sat, 05-07-2005 - 4:17pm
Well, I'm not an aerobics instructor, but in dance, the general rule is whatever foot is doing the basic motion, not the one that you are standing on for support, is considered the lead foot, regardless of what direction that foot is moving in, or what direction you're facing.