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GRRRR. has been and continues to be the most challenging movement for me. Can anyone offer advice on how to get past this? I know what my feet are to be doing, I know what my arms are to be doing, getting them to do what they are suppose to do independent of each other is NO PROBLEM. putting them together, my brain just doesn't want to do it! HELP!!!
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Minnesota
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Re: Double Back
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 4:05 AMTasha, I have the exact same issue. So glad you started this thread. Hope to see some good tips! :-) Joan
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Re: Double Back
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 6:42 AMI've found it to be challenging, too, just because my body would rather have the arms and legs opposing each other, but they're not. My arms still aren't as sweeping/flowing as they should be, but I'm able to do the move. I worked on it very slowly, accentuating in my mind that the Right ARM begins to float up just as the right foot steps forward/the right hip swivels forward. I keep focusing on the fact that that part of the move is all about the RIGHT side. (Yes, I realize the left foot steps/left hip swivels forward to meet the right, after that, but then there's that definitive step back, then the two hip movements...so it's mostly about the right side.) Then just...change focus - it'll be all about the LEFT side, only the arms sweep in a grander/curvier way.
This is one of those moves in which the light bulb went on when I was in the produce section at the grocery store. I got a couple of weird looks, but I was happy I could stop obsessing about it.
And, if I said something wrong in the way this is done, someone, please correct me - I'm here to learn, too. -
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Re: Double Back
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 8:01 AMThough I'm not sure I'm thinking about it exactly the same as Ottavina, I think the left side is almost an afterthought for me, as well. When I do this step, I think, "Right arm up, right hip forward, swivel, sit into right hip, bounce." Then I switch to the left side, which could still be viewed as right-side-heavy because you swivel the right hip forward. The transition between the two seems like.... an opening? I'm afraid I may be very little help with this as well, because I couldn't figure it out for the longest time and then BAM! Got it. Now it's one of my favorite moves.
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Re: Double Back
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 11:20 AMI find it helpful to not think of the footwork and arm gestures as separate... Like, the step forward on the right is also the arm cue, the arms sorta "land" on the left step, and the arms open on the two right hip gestures back. Then the left arm rising leads the shift to the other side, and the same basic thing continues.
So the arms ARE moving much slower than the feet, but it's like a polyrhythm where each gesture fits into a whole. -
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Re: Double Back
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 11:53 AMThat's how I feel, as well. You put it much better than I could have. -
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Re: Double Back
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 12:36 PMthank you so much this has actually helped. It was completely that I have been disconnecting the upper and lower body work. I was making grilled cheese for my kids for lunch today and I pulled off the DB while turning sammies! woot! now to drill it this afternoon!
Thanks so much!!
<3 Tasha -
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Re: Double Back
Wed, November 4, 2009 - 7:02 PMLol! I'm pretty sure that's on the FCBD Volume 7 DVD... "If you can perform this move with a spatula in hand while watching the cheese melt on your child's sandwich, you'll have no problems in performance." :D Oddly enough, I think I "got" this move while in my kitchen, too. Maybe that SHOULD be a tip... practice the DB in your kitchen.... ;) -
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Re: Double Back
Thu, November 5, 2009 - 9:27 PMin the kitchen.... while wielding a spatula ;) -
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Re: Double Back
Sat, November 7, 2009 - 9:54 PMI think sometimes certain moves just need to simmer away in the back of our minds and during some moment when we are not THINKING or TRYING so hard, they just slip out of our heads and into our bodies! -
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Re: Double Back
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 12:19 AMI totally agree!
I don't know how many times I suddenly get a move to look and feel right when I'm dancing with my mop. Some time I think we over analyze move with our heads and they become more dificult then they need to be. It's so nice how in those relaxed moments our body will suddenly find the step in our own time.
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Re: Double Back
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 3:19 AM"I find it helpful to not think of the footwork and arm gestures as separate... Like, the step forward on the right is also the arm cue..."
I would agree with this. There is an optical illusion that the arms and hips are going in different directions, but actually, yes, the R arm sweeps down in front as the R foot steps forward. The R arm begins to pull up as the hips swivel and L foot steps forward, and the arms are pulled apart as the R hip settles for the hip, hip.
"Then the left arm rising leads the shift to the other side, and the same basic thing continues. So the arms ARE moving much slower than the feet, but it's like a polyrhythm where each gesture fits into a whole."
In class, Wendy and Sandi talk about the importance of the sharpness of the hip movements in contrast to the smoothness of the arms. Perhaps the optical illusion that the arms and feet are doing opposite things is a result of the arms flowing gracefully and almost continuously while the hips are sharp, sassy, and defined. Because the arms are aiming to be a continuous flow of movement, it appears that they are leading or are out of sync with the feet/hips, which are sharply defined, but they are actually functioning very much together. Hope that helps...
It's a tough step, but when I really got it was when I started to move with it (in the half turn, and then around in a circle, facing in). There's something about actually stepping around in this move that cemented it for me. Didn't try the grilled cheese, though! -
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Re: Double Back
Mon, November 9, 2009 - 1:29 PMSounds like everyone has their own way to figure it out!!
I've been a bit stressed about teaching my students this one (maybe we'll have a grilled cheese day at my house!)
I struggled with this move and my lack of coordination for several months, until one day I attempted pulling it apart, into two halves:
I danced the 1-4 counts and then stopped. I would go back over 1,2,3,4 and then stop. I did it over and over and over and over again.
Then I moved on to the "left side" 5,6,7,8. I danced that half until I got it.
THEN I was able to put both halves together and dance it!!
Oh, I'm so proud! I NEVER thought I'd get the Double Back. -
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Re: Double Back
Wed, November 11, 2009 - 11:18 AMThis is very helpful Annie. When I teach this move, I break it down one step further.
We do 1-2 and stop there. At 2 the arms should NOT be in their final position, they are still on their way, parallel to each other and at a 45 degree angle to the floor. Does that make sense?
3-4 and stop there. On 4 the R arm is up, the L arm is forward, weight on the R foot and you have just done the double hip bump to the back.
5-6 and stop there. Again, the arms are NOT at their final destination, they are halfway there, out to the sides.
7-8 and you're done.
I like your idea of doing just one section and repeating it several times before moving on. I'm gonna try that. -
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Re: Double Back
Sat, November 21, 2009 - 7:07 AMOh, I love Tribe!!
Thanks Sharon!!
That's genius. When I'm teaching I will definitely try that.
It's a wonderful reminder to watch how fast your arms are moving. (I don't know about everyone else, but I did tend to finish the first half of the arm movement on 1,2,3. By the 4th count, there was no where left for them to go!)
Thanks for sharing!
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Re: Double Back
Sat, November 21, 2009 - 10:07 AMI started out in a class that was not strictly fat chance, and so we used just the footwork and it was called ghwazi 2 (gypsy caravan?) with hug a tree position arms.......then the move grows into up up drop drop..... (sacred tribe) and the arms float about and move with the hips, then it eventually it turned into double back when your a more advanced student........I found this very helpful as I have seen lots of student struggle the same ways with this move learning it straight up........ So by the time I got to doing the double back, my feet, hips and zills were set on Automatic body memory and I only had to concentrait on the arms sweeping and flowing... its one of my favorite moves.
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