Dance Practice – Polka

Remember to WARM UP and COOL DOWN!

TIPS: Think of Polka like SKIPPING!

Shuffle Step (Line Dance) Polka Step (Line Dance) - *Smooth, to slower music. *Faster, bouncier, travels more.

SAY OUT LOUD: “SHUFfle-Step, SHUFfle-Step” SAY OUT LOUD: “POLKa-Step, POLKa-Step” or “One-and-Two, Three-and-Four” or “One-and-Two, Three-and-Four”

“4” “4” Slide/Scuff RIGHT LEFT “and” “and” Slide/Scuff LEFT RIGHT “3” Slide/Scuff RIGHT “3” LEFT

“2” Slide/Scuff LEFT “2” “and” LEFT Slide/Scuff RIGHT “and” “1” RIGHT Slide/Scuff LEFT “1” START LEFT

START

TIP: Notice that weight is on the balls of your feet for the Polka Step.

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Dance Practice – Polka

Polka – Basic sideways step SAY OUT LOUD: “Step-Hop-Step! Step-Hop-Step!” or “One-and-Two, Three-and-Four!”

Leader begins with the left traveling sequence, Follower begins with the right sequence. Then, each performs the opposite sequence, repeating over and over!

TRAVELING LEFT SEQUENCE: Step side LEFT, Hop onto ball of RIGHT foot, Step out LEFT. TRAVELING RIGHT SEQUENCE: Step side RIGHT, Hop onto ball of LEFT foot, Step out RIGHT.

“2” “and” “1” Step out RIGHT Hop LEFT Step RIGHT

START (Right) “1” “and” “2” Step LEFT Hop RIGHT Step out LEFT

START You can watch videos here: (Left) • How to dance the polka https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y846w6PUmCw • Shuffle step and polka step – Line dancing (see also week 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qUetzA8Dg8

For an extra polka challenge: (5

)

Instead of simply dancing back and forth sideways, turn a little on Left the

first step of each sequence, making a slow pinwheel of the polka! sequence (3 ) Left

sequence

sequence ) Left (1) (7 WEEKLY BALANCE CHALLENGE: Left sequence

Walk sideways, both directions, from room to room. This will (2) Right sequence help strengthen hips and remind your brain how to move in all (4

directions, safely! (6 ) Right sequence

)

Right sequence sequence Right (8) SAFETY TIP of the WEEK: RESEARCH shows that focusing effort on these three areas helps PREVENT FALLS:

1. EXERCISE and balance practice, and safe MOBILITY 2. HOME safety 3. MEDICATION review and MANAGEMENT

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