Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
LEARN TO CLOG YOUR FIRST STEPS!
The first step in clogging is to buy the shoes. Then you take the taps that come with them and get the taps put on at a shoe store.
A good habit to start is always be on your toes. Get your cafe muscles ready to work. Clogging is easier if you can keep your heels off the ground for long periods of time. And only using your heels when needed in a dance step.
DOUBLE DOWNS: The most basic step and the first step I will tell you about is called a double down. This is where you put weight on you left foot and then with you right foot, pick up your right foot and using the toe tap at the front of your shoe scuff it on the ground in a forward motion making your leg look like a pendulum. Then bring your leg back down and scuff your toe in a backwards motion to complete a double down. Only use your toe tap do not use your heel at all during this step. Once you have the scuffing down on your right foot switch feet and do the same thing. This is the most basic and most used move in clogging.
ROCK STEPS: Once you have learned how to do the double downs you can now do a rock step. A rock step starts with a double down. Once you do a double down with your right foot, put your weight on you right foot and push off of it, stepping backwards onto your left foot and put the weight on your left foot while lifting your right foot of the ground. Then pushing off with your left step onto your right foot again. This will complete a rock step. It is called a rock step because you are making a rocking horse motion, after you complete a double down.
CANADIANS: To do a Canadian you begin by doing a double down on your right foot and then put your weight on your right foot and quickly do a double down with your left. After you have completed the second double down on your left foot lift up your left leg, with your weight still on the right leg, and then you can either slam or tap your left foot back to the ground depending on how much emphasis you want on the sound.
CHUG: Chugs are probably the easiest move in clogging. All you have to do is, with your feet together, move your feet back and forth on the ground never really picking up your feet so that it doesn't make a distinct sound. Do it fast and you can also put a little hop in there lifting up your heels but not your toes. Once you get advanced you can do one legged chugs.
GRAPE VINE: To start a grape vine you do a double down with your left foot and then put weight on it. Then using your right that is free of weight do a double down in a forward across motion, moving your right leg toward your left and crossing in front of your left. and once you have your legs crossed put your weight back onto your right leg. With your weight on your right leg still, lift up your left leg into the air, and with your right foot pull your right leg in a backwards motion, sliding it backwards on the floor. Once you have completed the slide put your left leg back on the ground and put weight on it and then with your right foot click your heel tap on the ground really fast. Then put your weight on your right foot again, and with left foot click your left heel tap on the ground and then do it again with your right foot. You have three heel clicks total you start with your right and then your left and then back to your right. You have now just completed a gape vine. You can also do it the other way you can double down with your right first then cross with your left and slide with your left then quickly do a left heel click then a right then a left again. It is the same process you are just mirroring your actions.
You have just learned the most basic and most used steps in clogging you can put them together for more complex moves. But I will teach you more difficult steps once you have the five listed steps down. Keep practicing!
The first step in clogging is to buy the shoes. Then you take the taps that come with them and get the taps put on at a shoe store.
A good habit to start is always be on your toes. Get your cafe muscles ready to work. Clogging is easier if you can keep your heels off the ground for long periods of time. And only using your heels when needed in a dance step.
DOUBLE DOWNS: The most basic step and the first step I will tell you about is called a double down. This is where you put weight on you left foot and then with you right foot, pick up your right foot and using the toe tap at the front of your shoe scuff it on the ground in a forward motion making your leg look like a pendulum. Then bring your leg back down and scuff your toe in a backwards motion to complete a double down. Only use your toe tap do not use your heel at all during this step. Once you have the scuffing down on your right foot switch feet and do the same thing. This is the most basic and most used move in clogging.
ROCK STEPS: Once you have learned how to do the double downs you can now do a rock step. A rock step starts with a double down. Once you do a double down with your right foot, put your weight on you right foot and push off of it, stepping backwards onto your left foot and put the weight on your left foot while lifting your right foot of the ground. Then pushing off with your left step onto your right foot again. This will complete a rock step. It is called a rock step because you are making a rocking horse motion, after you complete a double down.
CANADIANS: To do a Canadian you begin by doing a double down on your right foot and then put your weight on your right foot and quickly do a double down with your left. After you have completed the second double down on your left foot lift up your left leg, with your weight still on the right leg, and then you can either slam or tap your left foot back to the ground depending on how much emphasis you want on the sound.
CHUG: Chugs are probably the easiest move in clogging. All you have to do is, with your feet together, move your feet back and forth on the ground never really picking up your feet so that it doesn't make a distinct sound. Do it fast and you can also put a little hop in there lifting up your heels but not your toes. Once you get advanced you can do one legged chugs.
GRAPE VINE: To start a grape vine you do a double down with your left foot and then put weight on it. Then using your right that is free of weight do a double down in a forward across motion, moving your right leg toward your left and crossing in front of your left. and once you have your legs crossed put your weight back onto your right leg. With your weight on your right leg still, lift up your left leg into the air, and with your right foot pull your right leg in a backwards motion, sliding it backwards on the floor. Once you have completed the slide put your left leg back on the ground and put weight on it and then with your right foot click your heel tap on the ground really fast. Then put your weight on your right foot again, and with left foot click your left heel tap on the ground and then do it again with your right foot. You have three heel clicks total you start with your right and then your left and then back to your right. You have now just completed a gape vine. You can also do it the other way you can double down with your right first then cross with your left and slide with your left then quickly do a left heel click then a right then a left again. It is the same process you are just mirroring your actions.
You have just learned the most basic and most used steps in clogging you can put them together for more complex moves. But I will teach you more difficult steps once you have the five listed steps down. Keep practicing!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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