Shambling Shimmies L2 Group Vocabulary

SIDEWINDER

Classification: Slow

Basic Cue: (Usually cued out of Basic Arms) Bring R hand in next to head, extend L Arm, look left.

Variations:

Levels – this move can be done when on the floor in a full lunge … ‘usually’ you would use something else (like basic arms) to actually get to the level (at least in L2) and then cue the move once you are down. … same process when going back up.

-This move also looks nice from the back, so is a good choice when cueing moves from back-leading positions.

This move is part of the Shambling Shimmies Level 2 vocabulary.

BOLERO WALK (Slow)

Cue: Arms begin in 5^th (backs of hands inward)… cue by flipping R hand over (right palm faces back of left hand) and dragging right arm down left arm in straight line and past left side of face continuing under face and out to R side extended 2^nd position, tendu R leg out to 2^nd w/ R arm.

Variations: none.

Other Notes: Because of the slow nature of this movement, and its simplicity, it is important for the group to appear synchronized in order to give the desired visual impact.  To accomplish this dancers should take special care to follow the leader for timing, and the leader to attempt to maintain a consistent timing.

This move is part of the Shambling Shimmies Level 2 vocabulary.

ARABIC SHIMMY (Fast)

Cue: 8 counts of Arabic on ball w/ ¾ shimmy.

Variations:

Turn:  cue – look down at R arm on ‘1’ of move.  Turn is a full turn to the left which occurs on the ‘5,6,7,8’ of the move.

Kitty Push: cue – bring arms down to ‘kitty push’ position.  Arabic-ball footwork w/ ¾ shimmy and pull back and up through hips.

Note: all footwork is on the ball (Arabic 2)

Zills/Timing:

Standard Gallop/Longa Rhythm

8 count move

This movement is part of the Shambling Shimmies  level 2 vocabulary.

SPANISH TURN

Classification:  Slow

Basic Cue:  Arms in 2^nd, at least 1 floreo, then down to one hand in front (in first) and one behind.

Variations:

• The first time this move is cued from the front it is cued normally which cues a half turn only and transfers the lead to the back, who can now cue whatever moves they wish while facing backwards until they are ready to come back around to face front which is done with the same Basic Cue.
• The second time (optional) this move is cued from the front it cues a full turn.
• After both a half turn and a full turn have been cued, if the move were cued again, it would start over at a half turn.

Notes:

During this turn, the body stays straight up and down (no leaning into the turn) and you do not rise onto your toes (i.e. your head should stay in one place throughout the turn sort of as if someone was grabbing you by the head and twisting you around by it.)

This movement is part of the Shambling Shimmies Level 2 vocabulary.  There is a zill pattern variation for this movement.

SLINK FORWARD / DROP BACK

Classification:  Fast

Basic Cue:   Bring arms into second, right leg tendu forward

Variations:  None

Zills/Timing:

• Timing –16 count move – 8 counts forward, 8 counts back
• Zill Pattern – Gallop (ending) on the downbeat forward, Gallop (ending) on the upbeat backward
• Zill Pattern / Move Timing Broken Down –

CAMEL (combo):

Basic Cue:

• Pose- Right foot comes forward slightly with pointed toe, right hand at shoulder level with palm forward (arm is bent keeping the elbow at the side of the body), left hand down.
• Combo- immediately after the camel is completed, the cue for the torso rotation cue will be given.

Variations:
None in Level 1

Note: To avoid confusion, in level 1, the camel will almost exclusively be used as the full combo.  A rare exception would be in the case of the song (or slow section of a song) ending – you could just go into the camel pose and end there rather than feeling the need to complete the full combo.  In future levels, the camel pose alone may be used on more occasions as a move by itself.

GHAWAZEE STEP (combo):

Basic Cue:

• Step- arms in ghawazee position ( a little lower than second, slightly more rounded, palms between facing the audience and facing the floor), very bent kneed posture, slightly wider than usual, step out to the right with a large loose exaggerated ¾ hip, right hand flips up
• Combo- begin an 8 count of basic ghawazee steps and ‘yip’ on count 7 (count 7 should occur on  the right side) indicating that the next section of the combo will begin on the 1 of the following 8 count.

Variations:

The combination consists of 3 parts (in level 1) – the step, the ¼ turn section of the combo, and the
½ turn section of the combo.  They do not all have to be included each time the move is cued.  They also do not have to be done immediately after one another.

Your options are:

• STEP ONLY – just cue the ghawazee step portion … do not yip do go into the combo.
• STEP plus ¼ TURNs – cue the ghawazee step, when you are ready, start an 8 count in your head and cue the combo w/ a yip … this will move into an 8 count of ¼ turns to the left to the corners of the room/stage.  When these finish, the move reverts back to the original ghawazee step.  You can then move from here to any other moves you wish without cueing the half turns.
• STEP plus ¼ TURNs plus ½ TURNs – at any point (during the same lead) after the ¼ turns (even after doing other moves) you may return to the ghawazee step, when you are ready, start an 8 count in your head and cue the combo w/ a yip … this will move into an 8 count of ½ turns to the left to the corners of the room/stage (back-stage left, front-stage right) and then reverts back to the ghawazee step.
• At this point the combo is finished and if you were to cue the combo again it would begin again at ¼ turns (in level 1)

NOTE: The simplest way to cue the entire combo is to do it in immediate succession – 1-2 8 counts of ghawazee step, 8 counts of ¼ turns, 1-2 8 counts of ghawazee step, 8 counts of ½ turns … part of the reason for the allowed break in the middle, though, is that it is a very long combo and it gives you a chance to respond to the music rather than being locked into the combo if the music changes, but still have the option of picking up where you left off.