Understanding The Technique

Time to look at CONTINUE TO RISE ON 2 AND 3. We start in the same position:

• Stand on the flat of your LEFT foot with your RIGHT foot free.
• Your LEFT knee should be bent a comfortable amount.
• Place the ball of your RIGHT foot about 24 inches (60 cm) to the side AND enough forward so that the toes of the LEFT foot line up with the arch of the RIGHT foot. NO WEIGHT and the RIGHT heel as high off the floor as you can.
• As you place the foot say out loud “ONE THOUSAND”.
• You want the step to be wide enough that the placement of your RIGHT foot is outside the line of your RIGHT side, and when weight is transferred your spine will have to shift sideways in order to fully place weight on that foot.
• Transfer 100% of your weight to the RIGHT foot, keeping the RIGHT heel high and allowing the LEFT leg to straighten behind you, but keeping the RIGHT knee slightly bent.
• As you transfer say “TWO THOUSAND”.
• Your head will be higher than it was because you are moving from the flat of the LEFT foot to the ball of the RIGHT foot.
• Straighten the RIGHT leg, allowing the LEFT foot be drawn up to the RIGHT foot until the feet are touching, and BOTH legs are straight (but not locked.)
• As you straighten the legs, say “THREE THOUSAND”.
• Hold this position of balance for a couple of seconds.

You have executed a step that is SIDE & SLIGHTLY FORWARD, no turn, and CONTINUE TO RISE ON 2 AND 3.

Return to the starting position and repeat this action several times. It is important that you learn to balance high on the ball of the foot with both legs straight and your feet together. Again, try ‘bouncing’ slightly in your knees to test your balance and availability to movement.

Now, let’s practice the action starting with the weight on the RIGHT foot and stepping up to the ball of the LEFT foot. Repeat this action several times, concentrating on making sure that both legs straighten and that you achieve a position of clear balance which you can maintain for a couple of seconds.

To summarize:
For CONTINUE TO RISE ON 2 the sequence is:

1. Place
2. Transfer WHILE Straightening the legs
3. Balance on ball of one foot with legs straight and free leg extended

For CONTINUE TO RISE ON 2 AND 3 the sequence is:

1. Place
2. Transfer and Balance
3. THEN Straighten the legs to CLOSE
4. Balance on ball of one foot with legs straight and feet together

These actions will occur over and over again in a wide variety of figures. You should practice them until you can execute them swiftly, clearly and maintaining your balance.

Look for subsequent postings where we will look at the same two RISE actions for steps taken SIDE & SLIGHTLY BACK. While similar, they are different enough that we should look at them separately.

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