22 AUGUST 30, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
DANCE
Make your dance fl oor pickups much cleaner
Our 32nd Year of Fun-Filled Classes
The Exciting 2018 Fall Season
Begins September 10th
Sept. 2nd thru 6th 2:00pm-6:00pm
Sept. 8th 10:00am-2:00pm
BY SHAWN BYFIELD
For most of us, a Pickup (also
known as pull backs) is a light,
hopping step that has two
sounds, done on the ball of the foot.
For standard pickups, both feet take
off with a brush back. Then you land
on the balls of your feet at the same
time. With practice, a pickup can also
be done standing on one foot.
There are variations of the step of
course, just like any step in tap dance.
Four count (I’ve also heard them called
delayed pickups) happen when one
foot makes a brush, followed by the
other. You then land on the fi rst foot,
and the other quickly lands aft er it.
However, you’ll discover the above
technique has two major fl aws.
The fi rst problem – That brush back
adds a “scrapey” sound. If you’ve been
tap dancing for a while, you know the
diff erence between a clear brush and
a scrape. Listen to your shuffl es; Your
taps should resonate with a crisp
sound.
The second problem – Psychologically
speaking, once you brush
back, your body wants to put the foot
down behind you, instead of landing
on your start position. This makes
you travel backward (ever learned
pickups traveling across the fl oor?)
and makes it much more diffi cult to
stay on the spot.
So how to avoid traveling, and make
cleaner pickups?
Follow these three steps:
FIRST: Take lift off . JUMP. Don’t even
think about the brush back. Spring off
the balls of your feet, and only jump
straight up in the air.
SECOND: Once you’re in mid air,
quickly tap on the way DOWN. You
need to time that split second before
gravity pulls you back down. Tap in
the space before you land.
LASTLY: Land on balls of your feet,
making sure to bend your knees. NO
HEELS! Always keep your weight on
your toes.
This most likely involves reprogramming
the physics that you’ve
learned from previous teachers.
Because tapping on the way DOWN
requires a bit more stomach, thigh
and shin muscle strength, as well as
perfect timing. But it can be done.
Try this today, and make it a habit
from now on.
The best way to perfect this is to sit
in a chair, lift your feet off the fl oor by
pushing off the balls of your feet, then
tap, then land. Repeat. Once you get it,
you’ll immediately hear and feel the
diff erence in your technique.
Congratulations!
Courtesy Creative Commons
Shawn Byfi eld (www.ShawnByfi eld.com) is an award winning choreographer,
show director and a leading expert in dance lessons and industry
advice.
/www.ShawnByfield.com
