Intro 00:11 – 00:30
This section sets the energy for the top of the song and showcases the couple’s ability to capture attention
Partner alignment
The pulse of the tempo between the individual dancers is in sync with the music, but starts out oscillating in opposition. By the basic, the partners are on the same wave. This is the first movement with intent, and watching the energy reconcile through the guitar’s intro sets the tone for this couple’s ability to communicate.
Musical expression
This section is overflowing with subtle facial expressions and a body sway that grooves in line with the band’s energetic climb toward the first A section. These body sways and hip pendulums start generating the orbital energy that will allow them to fully enter the top of the song with the momentum desired for what this partnership will represent.
Cami
- Her facial expressions speak a million words
- She is so attuned with Sam’s gaze and the direction of the energy
- Has a lot of ankle mobility
- Shoulder shrug to accent level changes
Sam
- You can see the groove travel up his body and out
- The pulse smooths out and he and Cami sync up the pulse
- Hand and arm connections look mighty comfortable
- Level changes and hip pendulums throughout the intro
Patterns Observed
- Jockys
- Mess Around
- Out and In
- Crossover Swivels
- Slide Back
Ponderings
- How do I use orbital momentum in my dancing to generate energy?
- In what ways do I incorporate my gaze and facial expressions as an extension of my artistic vision?
A Section 00:30 – 00:39
This section showcases the couple’s personality and ability to present to an audience
Partner alignment
The communication that happens between the partnership is highlighted when Sam does a footwork variation at the same time that Cami does a shoulder shrug.
The result of both of them activating at the same time creates intrigue. Regardless of whether you’re looking at either couple or at them as a unit, this creates a very cohesive partnership and only goes to amplify their personalities through these motions.
A moment where, when you visualize the whole partnership as a unit, you get to see Cami’s playfulness and Sam’s finesse.
Musical expression
This musical section has a melody that repeats the same syncopated rhythm, which the dancers utilize to their advantage to accent over the repetitions that they know will come.
The dancers end the phrase going into a come around, providing them the suspension they need to close out the phrase with the energy required to enter the next part of the A section.
Cami
- Does a shoulder shrug at the same time that Sam does his step variation
- Uses ankle mobility for accenting the ends of the stretches
Sam
- His left arm stays consistently firm and in place
- Not stiff, but it highlights his really good stage awareness
- Maintains both dancers open out toward the audience for pretty much the entirety of this first A section
- Variation on the footwork during the outing
- Does a sweet tap sweep tap variation at the end of the phrase
- Not afraid to look at the audience
- Right before the sweep tap, he does a quick vibe check with the crowd
Patterns Observed
- Come around out and in
- Fall off the log
- Motif: Come around
- Motif: Cami’s Shoulder Shrug
Ponderings
- How do I currently engage the audience and look at the fourth wall while maintaining artistic authenticity?
- In what ways can I find moments where my partner is showcasing their personality to complement and serve the greater picture of the partnership?
A Section 2 00:39 – 00:47
This section sets the energy for the top of the song and showcases the couple’s ability to capture attention
Partner alignment
All of the work leading up to this section is what allows this partnership to pull something like this off. The Sam-nado is in full effect, and the spins and the redirects and the catch and the come around into the outside spin into the elbow catch all showcase the level of trust that this partnership has with each other.
They are both locked into each other as the partnership, and as they reach the elbow catch they disengage from each other into the audience’s energy, but do so together in a way that maintains the coherence of their partnership and only accentuates the groove of the tabby and the confidence and swagger that these two have as a unit.
Musical expression
Where the first A section was entirely in closed position, this entire section acts almost as one entire free spin. It is an energetic payoff that has been building up from the very intro. The conclusion with the tabby at the end keeps us in suspense as we know that the B section is going to sound different, and there is no clear carryover of energy from this section into the next, so we are left wondering what comes next, which only further captivates us as an audience.
Cami
- Gaze is locked in on Sam all the way through to the end of the phrase
- Only turns to acknowledge the audience toward the end of the tabby
- Does not even have to look down at Sam’s footwork to recognize what’s happening during the tabby
- Ankle mobility really tightens up in this section
- Powerful energy into the ground at the end of every extension
- Arm extension on the first open arm toss out is quite powerful and directive
- Free hand on the cross arm toss out has an upward hand motion that aids in Cami’s rotation as she brings her arm in to rotate through the outside turn with the leg sweep happening at the same time
- On the elbow catch, Cami’s free hand is just riding the groove and looks so smooth into the tabby
Sam
- During the open arm toss out, free hand does a twirl
- Momentum is carried and continued all the way through to the elbow catch
- Maintains gaze on follow all the way through to the elbow catch
- Quality of movements through Sam’s turn are crystal clear
- The reconnect after both Sam and Cami turn loses no energy
Patterns Observed
- Open arm toss out into a cross hand hold
- Toss out with a partner turn into a come around
- Elbow catch
- Tabby the cat
Ponderings
- How can I create intrigue and suspense without the use of momentum in my dancing?
B Section 00:47 – 00:56
This section gives the audience an opportunity to visually dissimulate in preparation for a higher tension to come
Partner alignment
Coming out of the tabby, both partners are still very locked into each other after acknowledging the audience. The energy is collected, and then on the quick stop allows the dancers and the audience to catch a visual de-stimulation.
Musical expression
Continues the smooth flowiness of the violin melody, and the quick stop allows the remaining energy coming out of the previous section to enter the final A section from a grounded stance to prime for another release of energy and begin preparations for the upcoming solo section.
Cami
- Footwork remains tightened from the previous section.
- Arm extension from the first toss out after the tabby remains in this relaxed groove position all the way through to the quick stop.
- The redirection of the lollies aids in taking the rotational momentum that Cami is coming in with to complete this sort of S-shape curve with the momentum of the energy as opposed to interrupting the flow.
Sam
- Uses this section to stabilize after the energy output of the last section
- Quick stop stands in sharp contrast to the output of their partnership
Patterns Observed
- Toss out
- Lollies
- Toss out
- Outside turn
- Quick stop
Ponderings
- How do I make use of full stops in my dancing?
A Section (Final) 00:56 – 01:04
This section provides a spectacle to close out the band section and allows the flexibility of what’s to come
Partner alignment
The couple’s ability to generate and pass off momentum between the two of them is heavily featured here. They come out of the full stop from the previous section. Sam uses that as an interruption to generate momentum. Open out into a pop turn, which he then catches behind the back.
The trust this couple has for each other is exemplary. They are very locked in on each other as a partnership, though the quality of their movement indicates they can probably do this blindfolded.
Musical expression
As this is the final A section, we have heard this part of the melody twice before, and the couple utilizes that for their most complex rendition of the A section yet.
The level of redirects and momentum changes really showcases their understanding of this melody.
By ending in the open onto arm, it provides flexibility for the couple, knowing they are entering the solo section for the number of variables of what’s to come with a solo section they may have never heard before.
Cami
- Cami’s free hand maintains this same position in styling from the groove that we saw in the tabby the cat.
- Ankle mobility has returned.
- Foot placement remains tight.
- Downward energy into the ground remains high, as exemplified through the kick on the end of the extension.
Sam
- Sam does a double turn from a left arm cross hand hold.
- Cami also does a double turn into an arm hand-to-hand connection.
- His gaze remains locked in on his partner.
- All of the end points are energetically dense, but clear in their release and connection.
Patterns Observed
- Out and in
- Outside pop turn
- Behind the back toss out
- Hal’s roll
- Cross hand toss out into a double double-turn
- Hand-to-hand connection to close out the phrase
Ponderings
- What extensions do I have in my dancing that I utilize in service of “spectacular” dancing?
Sax Solo A 01:04 - 01:13
This section leads into the start of the solo section which features a saxophonist provides a contrast of energy
Partner alignment
Both use this phrase as an opportunity to attune to the saxophone soloist. They reconnect into a closed position and do an out and in cross, similar to what they did during the intro section.
As they connect to the solos for the first time, their partnership remains intact as they bring back the tabby. The recurring motif during this phrase.
Musical expression
The saxophone soloist provides a refreshing suspension that the couple utilizes by bringing back the motif of the tabby the cat. They are then able to quickly align themselves to the rhythmic pulse of the closed position. The turns with the very driving pulse.
Cami
- Ankle mobility opens up once more as the pulse begins to move more driving following the tabby.
- Arm placements remain relaxed.
- Accentuates the tabby with a shoulder shrug.
- Her gaze remains locked in on Sam.
Sam
- In the suspension of the saxophone, Sam locks into the rhythmic pulse of the bass.
- He uses that pendulum momentum in the hips to generate energy leading into the next phrase.
Patterns Observed
- Motif: Tabby the cat
- Toss out
- Come around
- Out and in
Ponderings
- In what ways do the repetition of phrases show up as musically cohesive in my dancing.
Sax Solo A2 01:13 – 01:22
This section showcases the couple’s energetic signature
Partner alignment
The couple remains attuned to one another as they generate more and more orbital momentum with these quick pop turns behind the back that resolve into an intricate footwork pattern that the couple does in unison.
This shows a range within their partnership to be able to navigate smoother orbital momentum and ranges of articulated footwork in unison as a partnership.
Musical expression
After having collected the energy from the first A section of the saxophone solo, this section now opens up to a very tight orbital Sam-nado, similar to what we saw in the A2 section of the band section. Though the moves and patterns observed are different, this remains with the same energetic signature of the previous band section for the A phrase.
And in the same way that the A section bleeding into the B section originally ended with the couple coming to the tabby, which collected the energy providing suspense leading into the B section, the couple once again ends it with a tight footwork variation that leads us in suspense of what will come of the following B section.
Cami
- Cami’s gaze remains locked in on Sam.
- We see the return of Cami’s hand similar to this move that was done once before, where she utilized the outward hand to generate energy through the turn into this wide angle sweep.
- Both of these have become motifs that the partnership has engaged in, but through Cami’s styling in the hand and in the foot it provides a motif that recurred by her doing.
Sam
- Sam maintains the orbital signature that we saw through the A2 section of the band melody.
- Once again, there’s a vibe check with the audience at the very end of the phrase by lifting his gaze up to meet them.
- His frame looks sturdy and consistent throughout the couple’s movement and provides Cami with the space to wrap up the momentum as she wishes, which provides the opportunity for her to return that motif to begin with.
Patterns Observed
- Out and in
- Toss out
- Pop turn
- Come around
- Behind the back pop turn
- Motif: Leg Sweep
- Kickball change
- Triple steps
Ponderings
- In what ways do I maintain an energetic signature throughout different parts of the song, whether it is the band section or a soloist.
Sax Solo B 01:22 – 01:31
This section features the couple’s footwork fidelity.
Partner alignment
Alignment through the variation that they have where they input triple steps into their basic, and through these slide out stop moments, coherent and communicated very clearly between the partnership and the out and in cross motif returns once more.
Musical expression
They find the perfect opportunity to showcase their pure bal. The sections leading up to this have been energetically dense, though still orbiting around a closed position, and they’re able to take that attention to bring it inward to focus downward onto the mechanics of their footwork.
Cami
- Energy very grounded through the initial triple step variations into the energy replacement suggested by the lead.
- Maintains high clarity of movement through intentionally lead shapes.
Sam
- If you watch his right hand on the follow’s back, you can see the power of his posture.
- At no point is he pulling or compressing, but the direction carried to the momentum of Cami’s torso is very visible through the end of the phrase.
- Intentionally leads the basic variation.
- I’m unsure of the origin at this time, but I’ve seen this shape before.
Patterns Observed
- Uphold basic
- Down hold basic
- Out and cross over
Ponderings
- What is my relationship to intentionally lead shapes in pure bal?
Sax Solo A Final 01:30 - 01:40
This section perfectly wraps up the artistic vision of the partnership
Partner alignment
Their communication is crystal clear.
The flow of movement through the ending locks it in for the grand finale, dropping into the hanky drop, and this pickup into a very dramatic pose provides a perfect, spectacular ending to this couple’s showcase.
Musical expression
It’s very evident both dancers know that this is going to be the end of their spotlight, although there might be more to come for the song.
Both prepare and build momentum leading into the grand finale and the final pose for them in a way that very much aligns with the saxophone soloist’s flow.
Cami
- Dropping into the hanky in real time as the grand finale.
- A perfect callback to the entirety of the weekend for anyone who’s been in attendance and really exemplifies her showmanship that she carries in her dancing.
- Footwork tightens up through this section, as do the movements of the endpoints, which tend to stay inward rather than expanding outward.
- Facial expression at the end just says everything you need to know about her as a dancer.
Sam
- Sam’s able to take the energy and give us an ending that brings the situation to a wonderful cruising speed, keeping the energy large but inwardly orbiting in its momentum.
- The behind the back toss out with the clap again highlights his finesse, leading into what would become the hanky drop and big finish for them as a couple.
Patterns Observed
- Toss out
- Texas Tommy
- Behind the back toss out
- Hanky drop
- Big finish
Ponderings
- In what ways does inward orbital momentum versus outward orbital momentum show up in my dancing?
Overall
This was an absolutely phenomenal performance. Both dancers bring a unique presentation that together come across as a playful vaudevillian spectacle. Their ability to take redirections and absorb energy without dissipation reads as a partnership in service of entertainment and awe.
