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General: Elixir 2

The first basic sequence.

Please Note: This is a sequel to General: Elixir

2. Mark-Time
1. Do a normal mark time with the toes touching the floor first when lowering the foot.
2. Keep only one foot on the floor.
3. Bend the knees slightly and keep them relaxed.
4. The foot should be lifted straight up and not to be swung backwards.
5. Lowering of the foot is with force, however the noise is to be kept to bare minimum.
6. Count for every step from step from one to four.
7. If the count is started on the Left foot then the count one will always be on the Left foot.
8. Keep square to a wall throughout the exercise till one is comfortable with it. Only later one should attempt to move backward, forward, sideways and attempt turns without sacrificing the basic mark-time.
9. As soon as this is achieved one should endeavour to Mark-time with the nursery rhyme, instead of the counts.
10. As soon as you are comfortable with the mark-time with the nursery rhyme then try the mark-time with movements at random; forward, backwards, sideways to the Left and Right, and turns to the Left and Right.
11. Make a note that it is very similar to the normal walk; only one foot is on the ground at a time, and all movements are Left foot then the Right foot then again the Left foot, and so on. Therefore for any two successive counts the same foot is not moved.

3. Changing the Rhythm
The new rhythm to be added will be after the first two claps (Counts 1, 2) done at normal speed as above, comes the next three claps that take almost the same time as for the next two claps (Counts 3, 4). Of the three claps the first two are in quicker succession. To achieve this mark-time for the counts 1, 2, as usual with the feet and pause with only one foot on the ground, then clap with the hands three times in quick succession such that the singing rhythm is not disturbed at all. Once the clapping three times is synchronous with the singing/reciting of the nursery rhyme then start the mark-time also for the three claps. Get a slight pause after the count 2, and then count 4. This will help identify the different rhythms used for the counts 1,2 and for the counts 3, 4. As soon as this is achieved go for the next step.

4. Movement Pattern:
This involves two parts: (a) Rock Step and (b) Chasse
This movement is done with a Rock Step followed with a chasse, and this can be repeated ad libitum.

Rock Step: This is the rocking action of the body felt when one moves forward for one count and the back again for the next count, and vice versa.

For the forward rock stand with weight on the Right foot. For the first count move forward by stepping on the Left foot retaining the Right foot behind with the knees relaxed and only the toes in contact with the floor. Also the inner thighs remain in contact. For next count move backwards to take the weight on the Right foot and retaining the Left foot in the front with only the toes touching the floor. 

For backward rock stand with weight on the Left foot. For the first count move backwards by stepping on the Right foot retaining the Left foot forward/in place with the knees relaxed and only the toes in contact with the floor. The Inner thighs remain in contact. For the next count the body moves forward to take the weight on the Left foot and retaining the Right foot behind with knee relaxed and only the toes touching the floor.

Points to remember:
1. To avoid the confusion of which foot to move and when, strictly keep only one foot on the floor at a time or for a count; thus the foot in the air/off the floor is to be moved.
2. The next thing to remember is that for the rock action the Left foot always moves forward, and the Right foot always moves backwards for the first step.

Chasse: It is set of three steps that appear such that one foot is chasing the other, and so is the name. All the three step move in the same particular direction.

For the “chasse to the Left” stand with weight on the Right foot. For the first count “Big” move the Left foot to the side taking a big, but a comfortable step to ones Left side, retaining the Right foot in place with the Right knee relaxed and the Right heel lifted off the floor. For the next count “&” (pronounced as “and”) move the Right foot to the side and close to the Left foot, and take weight on the Right foot and thus the Left foot is now ready to be moved. Here the feet are together. For the next count “Small” or preferably “Small Step” move the Left foot to the left side taking a small step, which is preferably lesser than half the “big” step taken earlier. Similar is the action for the chasse to the Right.

Here the first step is big so as to facilitate movement, the second step is feet together side by side. The last step is small for better balance and control to facilitate the change of direction in movement.

Continued...