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These are general corrections, not tailored to any specific dancer in particular.

Pas de Basques (pa-dee-ba's)

  • Pdbs should be executed by starting with straight pencil legs with pointed toes and then with the dancer springing to the side landing on that pointed stretched leg placing the new foot in the front where the arch of the foot is. The dancer then picks up and places back (beats) the ball of the back foot (originally the stretched pointed leg). 

  • Showing big diamonds is important when the dancer is dancing because that means they are turned out.

  • Dancers need to have their arms glued to their hips in first position. 

  • The pencil leg extension is only low, barely off the ground. 

  • The foot that goes to the arch touches the arch on the 1/2 point (pads of the first 2 or 3 toes; initially, a dancer uses the ball of their foot here until they understand the movement and have strong enough feet and toes to handle placing their body weight on their 1/2 point while they beat the back foot.

Fling

Beginner dancers: 

  • ​When pointing to 2nd (the side) the achilles should be full tightened with just the tip of the big toe (and maybe second toe) touching the ground with no weight placed on it, especially going into a Fling turn.

  • There should be minimal thigh movement when doing around the leg movements. When the dancer comes from 2nd the thigh does not move, same with when the dancer slides to the front and back tightly.

  • Toe heel movement should be tight to the arch of the foot with the toe and heel hitting the same spot of the foot on both sides. We need to see BIG diamond shapes with both knees pressed back while the dancer is dancing this movement.

  • Fling turns should begin with the dancer facing front and end with the dancer facing front. Head can either be facing the corner or straight ahead at the beginning of the turn BUT must end facing front at the end of the turn.

  • When doing the shedding (point back front back) movement, dancers should be pushing their foot on their leg (similar to resistance training). Whole foot should move at the same time when doing around the leg movement too.

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Beginner-Premier dancers: 

  • ​When pointing to 2nd (the side) the achilles should be full tightened with just the tip of the big toe (and maybe second toe) touching the ground with no weight placed on it, especially going into a Fling turn.

  • There should be minimal thigh movement when doing around the leg movements. When the dancer comes from 2nd the thigh does not move, same with when the dancer slides to the front and back tightly.

  • Toe heel movement should be tight to the arch of the foot with the toe and heel hitting the same spot of the foot on both sides. We need to see BIG diamond shapes with both knees pressed back while the dancer is dancing this movement.

  • Shakes need to have two levels. They come from 3rd position with the toe LIGHTLY touching the ground before the leg quickly straightens to the low aerial position. When the dancer goes to the first aerial position, all the knee/leg does is straighten because the first shake should be the height of the hopping foot's heel when it is on the ball. The second shake has the toe in line with mid-shin. The first shake should be out quickly and held almost too long before the second shake happens. The timing I like to say is: TEE-TEE (rest) TA.

  • When doing the shedding (point back front back) movement, dancers should be pushing their foot on their leg (similar to resistance training). Whole foot should move at the same time when doing around the leg movement too.

  • Fling turns should begin with the dancer facing front and end with the dancer facing front. Head can either be facing the corner or straight ahead at the beginning of the turn BUT must end facing front at the end of the turn.

  • When head is to the corner, eyes should be centred (not turned too far to the corner or not being used at all).

  • Upper body should be pulled up with shoulders back with arms not moving when they are dancing. When in 1st position, fists should be glued to the hips.

Sword

  • Dancers should begin about 1 foot's length from the sword. Dancers step close and bow at this exact spot too.

  • Pdbs: legs should be full stretched with pointed toes (this extension is low, so barely off the ground); the foot in 3rd should be on the 1/2 point (pads of the first two or three toes) with the heel pressed forward and knee pressed back so the foot is straight up and down and turned out; the back beat should be high enough for the toe to touch the heel, it should slide up and down, and the knee should be straight to the side when the dancer beats so it goes out the pleats of the kilt; 

Older dancers need to focus on the timing of their pdbs where they hold the extension, and bring the 1/2 point up and down; dancers elevation should be like the arch of a rainbow

  • Highcuts: should be danced on the spot with maximum turnout and elevation

  • Split Highcuts: dancers should have 2 straight legs to the side, 2 beats in 3rd rear aerial, legs slice (go straight out and straight in); and the dancer needs to be in the air longer than they are on the ground

  • There is no extension going into the second pdb on the corner or after the highcuts

  • Open pdbs: dancers are to pick up their back foot when going to place it in the open pdb position so they are focusing on the HOW of dancing instead of just the WHERE; these should land at the same time just like closed pdbs

  • Spring point turns: body positions are important-make sure you know the difference between the open pdb step spring point turns and last step spring point turns (fourth, fourth, fourth inter, second; fourth, fourth inter, fourth inter, second); dancers should focus on the first bullet under the fling technique above for their points; dancers need to be in the air longer than they are on the ground for these

S.T

  • Knee dimples need to be shown for every open position where a straight leg is needed, including shuffles.

  • Intro: Step 5, Point 6, arms 5th to 4th count 7, rise and open arms to 3rd count 8

  • 1st: Brushes begin in 3rd aerial very low position, just above 3rd position (where toe heels are done) and then fully straighten to fourth aerial position (in front of the belly button, toe in line with mid-shin). Older dancers will focus on holding the end of the brush, turned out supporting foot, travel, and only having the last brush the one the dancer has facing front before shuffles. 

  • Shake step: 3 shakes at 3 different levels are needed, the last shake movement has a hop with it (which is no different than a fling hop so elevation is still needed here), hold and stretch the end of the shake in 2nd aerial high position, long walks that begin with a fully straight leg. Head use from corner to corner is necessary, arms should be smooth.

  • Hop brush beat beat step: Knee dimples for hop brush beat beat extension, use 1/2 point and lift back beat when beating, press thigh back on back front. Older dancers will focus on sharp held extensions with lots of elevation and tight positioning.

  • Side heel close step: extension preparing for count 1 is to second aerial normal, hold count 1 in 3rd aerial for it's whole count, walks need to be tight, it goes heel close 1/2 point close heel close

  • Pivot turns: can be done with arms in 4th or 1st, must face front placing foot on 1/2 point in 3rd cross, must face front and hold at the end of the pivot turn before the following movement begins

Reel

  • Strathespays: Corner corner front corner for body turns, straight leg from the beginning of the step to the extension, maximum elevation is required with squeezing of the extensions, tight back front (especially on corners in figure of 8), must end facing partner for count 4 and then assemble leap (5678)

  • Propell Turns: know which method is used for HCs, before HCs feet do not go to a closed position, thinking of walking around with head level while propelling with partner, partners should be parallel to one another, grip should be a hand cupping the partner's elbow, dancers should look at one another, outside foot is on the 1/2 point, inside foot is turned out with knee pressed back leading with the inside of the leg. 

  • Fling steps used have similar corrections to the general fling corrections noted above. 

  • Endings for the fling steps are as follows: when the step ends with a fling turn, the dancer finishes the turn facing the partner then pivots on the ball of the supporting foot while sliding the working foot around to 3rd aerial position; crossover step either finishes as per usual with the body turn to the corner on the last count (used if going into a pdb) OR the dancer for the last quarter does point to the side (5) bring to 3rd rear aerial (6) around the leg to spring and do the other 3rd rear aerial and then hop sliding the foot to 3rd aerial to face the corner (used if going into progressive reel movement); backstepping ends with 3 backsteps and instead of the 4th the dancer simply hops to face the corner with the foot in 3rd aerial

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