Hi Oz. My teacher always starts out by refreshing me on previously woerked steps but Iwant to be able to practice them at home and a visual aid is more helpful to me. Oh, by the way, my name is Terri. Thank you for your input I appreciate you taking the time and effort to help me!!
Terri

Oz,
What good is knowing the name of the steps or actions if I am unable to perform them correctly? I am not using the diagrams to "learn" the steps just as a refresher and possible improvement aid for when I pracitice at home with no partner or instructor to help me when the step does not feel or look right to me in the mirror. You see I broke a hip and had to have 2 surgeries to repair is , as a result I have a tendency to avoid proper use of that leg for fear I may fall again (especially when doing turns and spins). This creates a problem as I often end up on the wrong foot resulting from the over protection on that leg/hip. My doctor suggested dance to build my balance back as well as my confidence in movement. I have made great improvement in both in just the short time I have been involved in dance. I have set my sights on being able to dance in the next showcase held by the studio and I feel that having these aids will help me in being able to get to the level that I need to be at.

Again, I appreciate your help and interest in helping me to be a better dancer.
Terri

Craiguerabbitry. You broke your hip and are not confidant in using that side correctly. You must be able to dance your weight from one foot to the other otherwise you will often be on the wrong foot. Gentle exercises are needed. For what its worth hold onto a chair, a Ballet Bar would be better. Raise either leg forward to about knee high. toe pointing to the floor . Bend the suppoting knee .
Now raise and lower through the knee. This can be done sideways as well as to the rear. This is the most important part. Are you just using just your knee to raise and lower. That is not correct. Its your centre core which should be working. Call it your stomach muscles if you wish. Many of us do not use our centre at all especially as we get to our advanced years and are using the wrong technique and wonder why our balance is not as good as it used to be. Use that Centre Core when you dance no matter what style you are dancing. You will , or have, come across words telling us to use the bodies centre. But nobody seems to be able to tell us exactly what it involves. Maybe these exercises might help us to understand.

Hi Terri. Its great that you continue to dance in spite of the hips.
I have a similar problem - with two very bad knees (no cartilage).

With the help of some good (and sympathetic) teachers I am doing what i can, and am doing advanced moves and routines.
Concentrate on the correct technique as this relieves a lot of the strain that would otherwise cause problems.

Things that have helped me are stretching and strengthening
My big tip/suggestion for you is to practise your moves (by yourself) in a swimming pool.
The water reduces your weight on the hips and provides stability for your balance (Its hard to fall haha). It provides resistance to movement so you can build up your strength and naturally you move slowly so you have time to think and feel that each part of your body and movement is working in the correct order and to the correct place.
With the increased confidence the water gives you (that you are not going to hurt yourself) you can extend your range of movement and retrain the mind (not just the body) that it is safe to take the steps or do the movement without the brain questioning itself on each step.
You may look strange if you do it in a public swimming pool as I do, but they are used to it now.
This has helped me in so many ways that its worth it.

Here is a useful site where you can print out practice feet and also get dance diagrams emailed to you if you need them.

http://learn-dance-in-steps.org.uk/?page_id=5


Goodluck and have fun!

Dancewithu2,
Thank you for the listing of the wonderful sites!. I talked with my instructors and and they both feel that I could benefit from them during my practices at home as reference material when I run into problems getting the steps right.
Thank you again for your help!!
Terri

dancewithu2,

Do you happen to have the link to the international style PDF? I can't seem to find it. The one on American has been very helpful!! I greatly appreciate your help!!
Terri

This should be it.

ballroomclubum.com/documents/dances/Beginners-Standard.pdf

dancewithu2,
Thank you so much. You have been such a great help and I greatly appreciate it!!
Terri

Teri
Here is another site you might look at.
http://www.dancecentral.info/ballroom
This one animates the foot placement one step at a time.
Good luck!