Advanced Choreography Challenge & the Big 64

When you go to the other approaches of the step, it gets a bit more complicated, so skip this section if the first one confused you! Come back to this when you have mastered the combos from the front approach on the step.

To Tap or Not to Tap - That is the Question

It may be the cool thing to be totally tap free, but quite honestly, it depends on your group and the pattern. Sometimes, you just have to tap.

Sure, you could just hike your leg if you are a serious anti-tapper, but with patterns like knees off the end and across the tops, taps are essential elements of these basic moves.

Understand that there's nothing wrong with these kinds of taps - you can twirl your head into a frenzy by trying to remove all taps.  The ones you really want to avoid are the taps to just change leads.  Another is on exits such as lunges:  these are best done with a travel instead of a tap.

Nevertheless, brace yourself - the rules need to adjust for off the end taps!

The Extended "Big 64" Combo

There are times when a combo leaves you on an approach that does not allow you to repeat the 32 count on the other lead. If it starts from the front approach and then ends off the end of the platform, you will be stuck to repeat the combo on the other lead. That's when you go to the "Big 64" and use the second 32 count to get back to a front approach.

Example "Big 64"

Knee of the end
Across the top 3X's
march 8 all the way around (or 4 chasses around)
tap, pony or mambo (no tap version)
march 8 almost all the way around back to front with side approach (change to 2 chasses, 2 marches and 1 jack)
Over the top 2Xs (revolving door)
Kick travel 2Xs
Repeater 3

How it breaks down in ODDS and EVENS:

Knee off the end +  across the top = 8 counts ODD

WITH TAPS, THE RULE CHANGES – the knee off the end with a tap is right lead, then the across the top (AXT) will also be right lead. But when you get to the other end and tap, you will have changed the lead to LEFT – so consider this move with the tap as ODD, because the walk starts on the LEFT lead after the tap.

Walk 8 counts (or chasse) all the way around the platform back to the same end you started. = 8 EVEN (you are back to where you started the walk and on the same lead)

Across the top 3 times = 12 (WITH THE TAPS IT IS ODD)
1 Tap or pony or mambo (no tap variation) = 4 (EVEN - next move would be same lead)

These elements put together are ODD – THEY WOULD REPEAT THE OPPOSITE LEAD. Performing these 16 counts 2Xs = 32 BUT in that you are back on the same lead you started, the 32 count is EVEN.

THIS IS THE FIRST 32 COUNT – WITH 2 EVENS AND 2 ODDS THE 32 COUNT COMBO IS EVEN. 

IOW – if you were to repeat it, you would be starting again on the same lead. BUT – it actually ends off the end instead of from a front approach, SO THE NEXT HALF OF THE BIG 64 COMBO STARTS AT THE END.

SECOND HALF

Walk 8 cts to around back to the front - side approach = 8 (EVEN) (Option is to change this to 2 chasse's, walk, walk, 1 jack - (facing the side of the room)
Over the top or revolving door = 8 (EVEN) 
Kick Travel 2Xs = 8 (EVEN)
Repeater 3 = 8 (ODD)

So the entire BLOCK is 64 counts (2 X’s 32) and while the first half is even (repeating on the same lead), the second half is ODD so putting the 2 together will make the entire "Big 64" BLOCK ODD. Thus the extended sequence would repeat on the left lead, making the whole BLOCK SELF REVERSING.

Breakdown notes:

Because the first half is EVEN and it ends on the end approach, the breakdown in teaching is a challenge. Since I came up with this extended combo, each time I've taught it, the progression has changed. But with these elements, you can work the AXTs to maintain intensity. Teaching the marches as turning chasses also provides a boost.

Even so, it's hard to get people to learn these particular elements. The first walk goes ALL the way around back to the same end, the second only ¾’s around to a side approach. Once they get the chasse's at 4 to get around all the way around, it's hard to get them to do just 2 with the 2 marches and a jack!

Subsequently, I reduced this big 64 to a shorter 32:

Knee off the end (4 even)
Across the top (4 odd with the tap)
Walk 6 counts around and get up on 7,8. (8 total counts even)
Lunge 3 and exit travel. (8 counts - the travel on the exit makes it odd to change the lead.)
Repeater 3 - ODD

In keeping with the laws of ODDS AND EVENS, even #'s will be even and odd #'s will be ODD. So with 3 odds and 2 evens, you have an ODD self reversing combo!

New Variation: this is what the above evolved to later!

Knee off the end (4)
Across the top (4)
2 mambos (8 - optional pivots on the second one)
Walk around 6 counts (2 chasses, step, step) and up on 7, 8 (8)
SINGLE LUNGE, EXIT TRAVEL, 1 Kick (8)
Repeat other lead!

Note - a good example of an extended big 64 is my "Sailor Skip to My Lou" zig zag combo.

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Next:

ODDs & EVENS Pattern Chart & Transitions

Teaching 32 Count Step

Minding the Music - the downbeat / musical phrase
ODDs & EVENs Method
Advanced Choreography - the Big 64 - you are here
ODDs & EVENS Pattern Chart & Transitions
Getting Up & Down for Lunges
Step Orientation - Original Step Reebok & Revised
Teaching Mirror and Actual Image
Step Terminology
Cuing Step