SYSTEM OF EXAMINATION

STUDENTS OF STUDIO "HARMONY", SATISFIED AND HAPPY, AFTER PASSING THE EXAMINATION!

STUDENTS OF STUDIO HARMONY

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Description of the Examination System
Following is a detailed explanation of Harmony Studio’s “six steps” system for the successful development of our student’s dancing skills.

Since 2012, Harmony Studio has utilized a successful testing system entitled “Six Steps Examination.” We adapted this system - originally developed by our colleagues in Russia and the Ukraine - for use with Israeli children. It works in a very similar manner to the Karate belt system.

In competitive systems, dancers compete against each other and are assigned rankings. In contrast, the examination system places all children in a category based on fixed parameters. For young and beginning dancers, we find that this method is more easily accepted psychologically.

How does the system work?

All dancers are placed in a level based on their ability and experience, and are assessed on a 5-point scale:

1. Presence. Winning isn’t important here. Credit is given for attendance and participation in the process.

2. Dance steps. One of the main objectives of the “six steps” system is to establish a good foundation for the continuing development of a competitive dancer. The emphasis of this component is on the basic movements.

3. Musicality and rhythm. This is one of the most important parameters for a successful dancer. As Allan Tornsberg so poignantly stated: “Listen to the music and you will see a dance!”

4. Beauty and esthetics. A straight spine, beautiful lines of the arms and legs, correct positioning of the head. They say that good dancers can be seen from afar.

5. Technique and mechanics of the movement. Does this dance require heel or toe? When should the knees be soft and when should they be straight? When do you need to move your hips and when should they be kept straight? A good dancer knows the answer to these questions!

At every examination, our dancers have the option of dancing in any or all of the following three categories:

Solo – Both the boys and the girls dance alone.

Couple – Every student gets to dance with a partner at his or her level. (This is especially important for the girls.)

With an assistant – In this category, beginning dancers have the opportunity to dance with experienced dancers, even with their teachers. (From our experience, scores in this category are the highest.)

If a dancer has participated in all three categories, the maximum score that they may attain is 15 points. All participants receive a diploma, a detailed scoresheet of the examination and a medallion.

20 points are required to advance to the next level. When a student has enough points to advance to the next level (usually after two examinations), they receive a trophy.

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1. Slow Waltz

1. Close Change from Right Foot Forward
2. Close Change from Left Foot Backward

2. Cha-Cha-Cha

1. Time Step starting to Right (2 bars)
2. Basic Movement in Close Hold without Turn (2 bars)

3. Disco - Modern Rock

1. Chasse to Right, Point x2
2. Three Step Turn, Point, Clap x2
3. Step, Point x4
4. Claps Around х6

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1. Slow Waltz

1. Close Change from Right Foot Forward
2. Close Change from Left Foot Backward
3. Close Change from Right Foot Forward
4. Close Change from Left Foot Backward
5. Natural Turn with less turn х2 (Big Squear)

2. Samba

1. Basic Movement from Left Foot without Turn (4 bars)
2. Wisks to Left & Right (4 bars)

3. Cha-Cha-Cha

1. Time Step starting to Right (2 bars)
2. Basic Movement in Clos Hold without Turn (2 bars)
3. New York (4 bars)

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1. Slow Waltz

2. Quickstep

* with line of the dance
1. Quater Turn to Right
2. Progressive Chasse to Left

3. Samba

1. Basic Movement from Left Foot without Turn (4 bars)
2. Wisks to Left & Right (4 bars)
3. Stationary Samba Walk (4 bars)

4. Cha-Cha-Cha

1. Time Step starting to Right (2 bars)
2. Basic Movement in Clos Hold without Turn (2 bars)
3. New York (2 bars)
4. Spot Turn to Right & Left (2 bars)

5. Джайв

1. Basic in Place
2. Basic Movement Fall Away Position

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1. Slow Waltz

* with line of the dance
1. Natural Spin Turn (underturn)
2. Close Change from Right Foot Backward
3. Close Change from Left Foot Forward

2. Tango

1. Progressive Walk Forward (Left, Right - SS)
2. Close Chang from Left Foot (QQS)
3. Progressive Walk Backward (Right, Left - SS)
4. Close Chang from Right Foot (QQS)
5. Close Reverse Turn with quater turn х2 (2 такта, QQS QQS QQS QQS)

3. Quickstep

4. Samba

5. Cha-Cha-Cha

1. Basic Movement x2
2. New York x2
3. Hand in Hand x2
4. Spot Turn x2
5. Basic Movement in Close Hold with Reverse Turn of the couple x4

6. Jive

1. Basic Movement in Fall Away Position
2. Change of Place from Right to Left
3. Basic Movement in Side by Side Position
4. Change of Place from Left to Right
5. Stop’n’Go

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1. Slow Waltz

* with line of the dance
1. Half Natural Turn
2. Open Change Backward (3 steps from the Left Foot, curving)
3. Close Change from the Right Foot Backward
4. Close Change from the Left Foot Forward
5. Natural Spin Turn (underturn)
6. Close Change from the Right Foot Backward
7. Close Change from the Left Foot Forward

2. Tango

* with line of the dance
1. Progressive Step from the Left & Right Foot Forward (S*S*)
2. Progressive Side Walk (QQ)
3. Brash Tap (&S)
4. Open Reverse Turn with Close Ending (QQS* QQS)

3. Quickstep

* with line of the dance
1. Quater Turn to Right (SQQS)
2. Progressive Chasse to Left (SQQS)
3. Outside Step, Tipllle Chasse to Left (SQQS)
4. Lock Step Backward (QQS)
5. Outside Step, Tipllle Chasse to Right (SQQS)
6. Lock Step Forward (QQS)
7. Half Natural Passing Turn(SQQ)
8. Running Finish (SQQ)
9. Double Lock Step (SQQQQS)

4. Samba

* with line of the dance
1. Basic Movement from the Left Foot without turn (4 bars)
2. Wisks to Left & Right (4 bars)
3. Promenade Samba Walk
4. Side Samba Walk
5. Promenade Samba Walk
6. Side Samba Walk
7. Stationary Samba Walk (4 bars)
8. Criss Cross Botofogos х2 (2 bars)
9. Progressive Voltas to Right (2 bars)
10. Criss Cross Botofogos х2 (2 bars)
11. Progressive Voltas to Left (2 bars)

5. Cha-Cha-Cha

1. Basic Movement x2
2. New York x2
3. Hand in Hand x2
4. Spot Turn x2
5. Basic Movement in Close Hold with Reverse Turn of the couple x4
6. Basic Movement to Fan Positin in Close Hold (3 bars)
7. Alemana Turn (1 bar)

6. Rumba

1. Basic Movement x2
2. New York x2
3. Hand in Hand x2
4. Spot Turn to Right & Left
5. Cucaracha x4

7. Jive

1. Basic Movement in Fall Аway Position
2. Change of Place from Right to Left
3. Change of Place from Left to Right
4. American Spin
5. Whip
6. Stop’n’Go х2

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1. Slow Waltz

* with line of the dance
1. Natural Spin Turn
2. Progressive Chasse to Left
3. Half Natural Turn
4. Hesitation
5. Reverse Turn
6. Close Change Forward from the Left Foot

2. Tango

* with line of the dance
1. Four Step (QQQQ)
2. Link to Promenade Position (&S)
3. Close Promenade (S*QQS)
4. Progressive Step from Left & Right F (S*,S*)
5. Progressive Link to Promenade Position (&S)
6. Close Promenade (S*QQS)
7. Open Reverse Turn finishing in Close Position (QQS*QQS)

3. Viennese Waltz

* with line of the dance
1. Natural Turn

4. Quickstep

5. Samba

* with line of the dance
1. Wisks to Left & Right x4
2. Basic Movement in Close Hold x4
3. Corta Jaca x2
4. Stationary Samba Walk x4
5. Promenade Samba Walk
6. Side Samba Walk
7. Promenade Samba Walk
8. Side Samba Walk
9. Criss Cross Botofogos х2 (2 bars)
10. Progressive Voltas to Right (2 bars)
11. Criss Cross Botofogos х2 (2 bars)
12. Gentelman: Circular Voltas to Left fihishin with back to LOD,
Lady: Continuous Volta Spot Turn finishing facing LOD (2 bars)
13. Back Rock х3
14. Basic Movement with ¼ turn to Left, finishig with side to LOD.

6. Cha-Cha-Cha

1. Basic Movement in Open Hold, Hip Twist to Fan Position (3 bars)
2. Alemana Turn (1 bar)
3. Three Cha Cha, New York (2 bars)
4. Three Cha Cha with back lock, Alemana Turn (2 bars)
5. Turkish Towel (2 bars)
6. Turn of the Lady to Fan Positin (1 bar)
7. Hockey Stick (1 bar)

7. Rumba

1. Basic Movement in Open Hold, Hip Twist to Fan Position (3 bars)
2. Alemana Turn (1 bar)
3. Sliding Doors (2 bars)
4. Cucaracha (3 bars)
5. Spiral Turn to Fan Position (1 bar)
6. Fan, Hockey Stick (2 bars)

8. Jive

1. Chicken Walks х4
2. Shugar Push
3. Chasse with Turn to Right х4
4. Change of Places from Right to Left
5. Basic Movement in Side by Side Position
6. Change of Places from Left to Right
7. American Spin
8. Whip
9. Stop’n’Go х2

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