Welcome to this week's Tutorial. Today we have a suggestion to practise that all important fundamental roller dance step - the cross step.
A note about the language used here.
'Fundamental' and 'Beginner' are two different things. Fundamental skills are important building blocks - the foundations for future skills - without solid foundations, we believe you'll have to spend time later filling in those gaps. There is no short cut! Fundamental skills need to be identified at any stage in the skaters journey - this progression is built into RGG classes and workshops. For example, fundamental skills required for jumping will be different from the fundamental skills needed for ballroom style skating.
Beginner skills are fundamental too, but these are a set of skills that need to be acquired and the movements comfortable in the body before moving on. This specific set of skills will be built on in the future, but as skaters' progress, you will naturally leave them behind. For example, beginners start their movement training with the penguin walk, but rarely continue to do this once they have control over shifting weight from side to side.
So, the cross step is a fundamental movement for roller dance (it is not a beginner movement in our opinion, as crossing the feet with control is very tricky!) There is substantial progression within cross steps too - the speed of the cross, front or behind, travelling or stationary - all add to the challenge level.
The Flower Pattern was originally passed on by Maria from Berlin, in Barcelona 2015. This was a wonderful 'Each One Teach One' moment, where by passing on this 16 - count pattern, she was able to spread the joy by having people join in! There are many ways you could vary the pattern - let your creativity guide you!
Once you get into the pattern it is quite addictive - and if you lose your place, just join back in when you can!
If you don't have a membership to our website, you won't be able to access the video! We offer memberships at various levels, just head to our Join the Gang page to pick the right one for you.
Many thanks to Ronké, Rachel, Georgia for being part of the video and making this look really smooth!
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