Carried over from the "Dips" thread...

What are your favorite ways to get in and out of picture lines?

I like to do a twinkle/hover telemark to a challenge line (you can do this from any step that ends in promenade, really). From the challenge line, you can go into a right side lunge or an oversway (drop or throwaway). To get out, just collect yourself...straighten up and hover out.

OK, remind me what that Challenge Line is. It's one of the things I have in my workshop notes on the Oversway and Throwaway Oversway. Basically that's the precede for them. I can't really remember what it is though; I should have written it down. If you want my really awful workshop notes on these two figures, from the man's/leader's perspective, here they are: "Entry: Challenge Line, RF back, LF pointing side along LOD, for Throwaway get a little rise and turn hips. (LF could go back then swivel into position.)" My notes on the Same Foot Lunge weren't much better: "Entry: Curved Three Step and Foot Change, lead lady to ~90 degrees to man's body with her LS to man's RS at line with ~inside of his pocket, RF side sl. fwd, flex knee and shape, recover by changing angle of center back to left."

As of now, the only picture lines I really tend to do are a Contra Check and sometimes a Drop Oversway in tango. They're syllabus and I've learned them, so I work them in now and then. I've tried the Left Whisk before, but I find that harder to lead. It tends to work much better if I fully commit to doing it, but if I second guess myself when starting it or something it ends up being pretty weak. Of course, I never really practice either, so I'm sure that contributes to the problem. I was taught a RF Lunge at some point, but no exit for it. There might have been a few others we did in group classes, but if so I can't seem to remember them off hand.

--
James Marshall
marshall@astro.umd.edu
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~marshall

Tourist, a picture line is basically a pose...a good time to take a picture!

Dronak, a challenge line is basically where you step forward together in promenade and stop there. (man is standing on his left foot, lady on her left, both are looking forward.) To get in one from, say, a hover telemark: you're hovering out on your left foot at the end of the telemark and lowering. Staying in promenade, step through (forward) on your right foot, then one more step forward on your left (still in promenade), leaving your right toe where it is. Your weight is on your left foot, with your right foot kind of stretched behind you (but keep some flex in the knee). You can then drop into an oversway, rotate her to a throwaway, or shift back to your right foot (stepping slightly into her) for a right side lunge (she would stay in promenade as she steps back to her left, then shape back over to her left when she gets there).

Does that help?

Can you help out the newbie keeners and tell us what a picture line is?