I am wanting to upgrade my full silver standard routines to something a little more challenging than a routine that is 3 parts bronze and one part silver. In particular I am looking for suggestions on waltz and foxtrot. Anybody want to make any suggestions ofr me and my partner?

Lefty. It's difficult to offer advice without knowing the quality of the dancers. Do you compete ?. Why does your teacher not give you the routines ? How do you know you are ready to learn more advanced routines ? Everyone is in a rush to get nowhere, by that I mean, it is the quality of movement to the music that makes dancing a pleasure and not how many figures you can dance. By learning more figures before you are ready you get nowhere. Good Luck John

thanks John. Yes my partner and I have competed in regional USABDA Championships and this year's Ohio Star Ball in full Silver and came in third in all five of the international standard dances.Our instructor is Luana Conte, ranked number 24 in Blackpool saveral years ago. But it seems that when they teach in a small studio that it sort of shapes the routines they give us to learn silver moves in. I just want to know if any good standard dancer has come across a really flowing routine that can be used in comp, that gos nicely with the line of dance, and uses pretty much of the floor.

Hi Lefty
I'm with the previous respondent on the importance of good movement.
I hesistate to suggest something to other competitors, but since you asked... here's a nice little sequence which we've just put into our foxtrot and which feels lovely to dance and is relatively simple.We use a passing natural from a promenade position to get around a corner into a short side of the floor, followed by a curved 3-step, and back out from this into a sort of feather finish.
As i said, it's nice and very "fox-trot"

I'll be watching this space for good ideas myself!!

Lefty. Nice to know you don't have to left feet. Before considering new material as you are at the silver leval,you might wan't to concentrate on devloping more flight in your present routines, say up to prechapionship leval. I have the problem that now that I have the flight(championship) I wish my routines wern't so linier ,so that I would have better floor craft. John

John, the instructor reviewed our waltz last night, and sure enough, I must upgrade my drive and posture, then the instructor will be able to upgrade my partner's skills. In fact my instructor said in a very serious manner that she was tired of hearing that we did "alright" at a comp, and said that it was time for me to start dancing like a real man, stronger and with better projection yet! This sounds a little like your case. Thanks for the help.

Lefty .Good Luck

Lefty. In the Waltz( stolen from Marcus Hilton ) I have been doing this for years very succesfully.
Starting diag to wall. A Curving Feather to finish backing LOD. Come back on the RF. into a chasse. Finish towards centre. Now either a link, or better still a Travelling Contra into a Reverse Weave. If the centre is blocked overturn the chasse to finish LOD. Travelling Contra down the LOD into a Syncopated Chasse. This travels in almost a straight line and is very handy in a crowded situation. Repeat if you like. If you get into the Curving Feather and you need to discontinue just turn it into an Open Imputus. It is possible to do a nice head movement on the Travelling Contra both looking behind and then to the front. This whole thing might sound a bit difficult. It is very simple and effective. The show piece is the Travelling Contra. If that is a bit too much just think of a Link as in the Tango. I also use this in the Tango, with some slight changes, as well as the Foxtrot in which the end becomes a Natural Weave, no Chasse there. I will say again . This is very simple to do. After a while both you and your partner will do this without even thinking. Just one more thing. It is so easy that I have no trouble leading a complete stranger into this group. My thanks goes to Marcus.

Lefty. Correction. Sorry that should be back left foot, which is the free foot after the Curving Feather into a Chasse and Not back RF.