Across The Floor: Switching Pullback / Pick-up

Here is another part of the full class I posted, it is an across the floor flap ball change progression that includes a switching pullback.  You may have learned this as a "pick-up" or "alternating pullback", depending on where your teacher was from.

Once my students have mastered the switching pullback in the center, I add it to a simple combination to help them begin to incorporate the movement with other steps.  When they are first beginning, I allow them to take off from a flat foot (in this case a 'stamp').

There are also holds before and after the pick-up sounds, allowing the student to focus on that section.




ACROSS THE FLOOR FLAP BALLCHANGE PROGRESSION
Flap ball change R, flap ball change L,
Stamp R, switching pullback to land on L foot
Repeat

Counts: a1a2, a3a4, 5 (hold 6) a7 (hold 8)

Repeat the combination to the end of the floor.  On the return trip, begin with the left foot.

Tips and Variations:

• Make it more challenging by adding a toe back or shuffle before the switching pullback (on count 6)
• More advanced dancers should replace the stamp with a step (heel lifted)
• Remember to keep your heels off the floor during the flap ball change for clear sounds.

Center Combo: Flap Ball Change

brush R backwards, hop L, toe jab R, hop L
flap ball change R (traveling R)
shuffle L, hop R, step L (in front of R)
flap ball change R (traveling R)
Reverse

Counts: a1 a2, a3 a4, a5 a6, a7 a8

Tips & Variations:

• This combination can be done center floor by traveling to the right and left.  It can also be traveled forward or backwards by traveling each side on the diagonal.
• For intermediate dancers, try turning a quarter or half turn on the brush hop toe hop.  A half turn would allow the dancer to travel across the floor in the same direction, a quarter turn would create a sort of "staircase" pattern.
• You can also try turning the shuffle hop step - a half or full turn would work.
• For advanced dancers, add a single pullback as follows:    brush hop toe hop, flap ball change, shuffle L single pullback R step L, flap ball change

Advanced / Intermediate Center Combo

heel L shuffle R heel L toe jab R heel L toe heel R stamp L
3 paradiddles* R L R stomp L
Reverse
heel L shuffle R heel L toe jab R heel L, toe jab R heel L, toe jab R heel L
stamp R double heel drop RR, **shuffle L, switching pullback R to land L, 3-count riff R crossing behind L foot

Advanced / Intermediate Center Combo

scuff R heel L stamp R heel R, reverse, repeat R & L sides (1&2&, 3&4&, 5&6&, 7&8&)

Combination continued after the jump!

Advanced Intermediate Tap Barre

After each part, turn around and perform other side.

Part 1: 8/4/2/1/1 shuffles en croix with ballet arms
8 shuffles to the front, arm in 5th high
8 shuffles to side, arm in 2nd (shuffles can be parallel or turned out - teacher's choice)
8 shuffles to back, arm in front of body (plie on supporting leg)
8 shuffles to side
repeat with 4 shuffles in each direction, then 2 shuffles, then 1 shuffle

Across the Floor Sequence

4 flap ball changes R L R L
stamp R L, brush back R step R, brush back L step L
cramproll, brush step, brush step
Repeat

Counts: a1a2 a3a4 a5a6 a7a8 | 1 2 a3 a4 5&a6 a7 a8

Across the Floor Sequence

Variation 1: Hop
3 running flaps RLR, hop R
3 running flaps LRL, hop L
[a1 a2 a3 4 / a5 a6 a7 8]

See Variations 2, 3, & 4 after the jump