Checklist

• Combine: BkwdO, to X, to FwdO
• Hip direction to X
• Changing # of ochos
• Floorcraft/downstream

More Detail

This exercise brings together the previous elements. The idea is to find a feeling of flow as you do it.

Variations

• “How Many Ochos?” Game: Let them decide in advance how many ochos they’ll follow: ODD number of backwards ochos, EVEN number of forward ochos.
• Backleading this, while telling them verbally what to do with their feet, really helps a first-time leader

Steps

1. Explain the structure of the sentence: Side step -> Backward Ochos -> The Cross -> Forward Ochos -> Side step
2. Zoom in on transition from Backwards Ochos to the Cross, doing it slowly several times.
3. Execute it several times with different numbers of Ochos.

Tips

• Stay in outside lane and travel downstream
• Leader faces outward toward walls/mirrors/tables
• Handward side of embrace points down line of dance
• It doesn’t matter which system the leader uses to get to the Cross.
• Point out how little the leader moves vs the follower.
• Leader should keep their body frontal to partner. To do this they need to switch feet on ocho exits.