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The Mooch
by Tim Eum
One of the figures in the popular jive “How Lucky Can One Guy Be”
(2012) by Preskitt is the phase 5 figure “Mooch”. This is a standard
Roundalab-defined figure, and has been more and more commonly used by
choreographers. The Mooch is a five-measure figure. It starts in SCP or
Half Open Position with the lead foot free and like most jive
figures the first two steps are rock (back), recover. Now you kick up
and step, kick up and step. The kicks are very quick, you simply lift
your knee a little and then flick your foot out and then quickly come
back down and step on it, then do it a second time with the other foot.
What then follows is the most troublesome. It is simply rock back and
recover just like the first two steps, but many dancers want to go
forward after the two kick and closes and thus fumble when having to
rock back and recover. After this second rock back and recover simply
face partner and do a quick chasse to man’s left (lady’s right) to end
in left half open. Note that the lady’s right arm should still be on
top of the man’s left arm. You are half way done with the Mooch. To
finish it, just do the same thing as the first half but going the other
direction and starting with the trail foot. Rock back, recover; kick,
close, kick, close; rock back, recover to face, chasse right (lady
left) to end where you started with lead foot free. One tip is that –
since this is Jive – you should “jazz it up” with maybe “jazz hands”
with the free hands, and doing the figure with vigor and smiles.
Tim
Eum has
prepared many Round Dance Tips for Calls 'n' Cues,
WASCA, for his weekly Rocket Rounds email reports, and for
other
publications.
DRDC is
grateful for permission to collect and reprint. A Tim Eum archive.
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