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MUSIC: La Raspa FORMATION: Scattered, with couples facing each other and holding hands.
(Note: Couples don’t have to be boy-girl.) DIRECTIONS:
Measure 1) Introduction
Wait in place, hands joined. Measure 2)
THE “RASP” STEP (shuffling alternate feet forward) Jump on R foot, extending L heel forward,
moving L arm forward and R elbow backward. 1
Reverse—jump on L, extending R heel forward,
R arm forward and L elbow backward.
Jump on R again, L heel forward, L arm forward and R elbow backward; pause,
“holding” this position. 2
Repeat above pattern, starting with jump on L. 3-4
Repeat actions of measures 1-4 three more times. 5-16 Measure 3)
ELBOW SWINGS: Hook R elbows, with RH up and LH held high, swinging clockwise with
8 running steps. On the last step, re!ease elbows and clap own hands. 1-4
Reverse—hook L elbows and swing 8 running steps counterclockwise,
releasing elbows and clapping on the last step. 5-8
Repeat whole dance three times.
TEACHING TIPS:
- On the Elbow Swings, older students may do skipping steps and snap fingers of both hands.
- To do this as a mixer dance, start in a double circle, boys on the inside with their back to the center. Do step 1 as usual. At the end of step 2, each partner moves or “progresses” one person to their R.
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