24. HOW HAPPY WE ARE

 

 “One steps forwards and then rocks back and forth from one foot to the other. In the fi rst sequence, the hands are free; in the second, the partners hold inside hands. The first part is the preparation. The second part teaches us how to acquire the ability of correctly appreciating Nature’s forces and how to give them the correct expression. These movements develop the ability to appreciate Nature’s bounties.” [1, p. 82]
  Description
 Music: Melody 24 (“How Happy We Are”) – 32 bars repeated twice, total of 64 measures*.

Starting position

All participants are arranged in couples in the circle, the left arm towards the center, feet together, hands on the hips with thumbs behind.
All steps in this exercise should be performed without jumping yet with elasticity in the joints.
 Movement sequence
 Sequence I
 1st measure, 1st beat: step forwards with the right foot while the left foot is lifted slightly from the ground. The hands remain on the hips throughout the whole sequence (fi gures 24.1).

 
Fig 24.1
Fig 24.2

 
Fig 24.3
Fig 24.4

 

 2nd measure, 1st beat, step forwards with the left foot, the right is lifted slightly.
 3rd measure, 1st beat, step forwards with the right foot. On the 2nd beat: with a gentle swinging motion the weight of the body shifts onto the right foot. On the 3rd beat: the left foot which is behind is
slightly lifted.
 4th measure, 1st beat: the left foot steps back. On the 2nd beat: with a light swinging motion, the weight of the body shifts onto the left foot. On the 3rd beat: the right foot is raised slightly forwards (figures 24.2 and 24.3).
These four measures are repeated three more times, for 16 measures altogether.
 Sequence II
17th measure, 1st beat: step forwards with the right foot. On the 2nd beat: the weight of the body shifts onto the right foot. On the 3rd beat: the left foot is behind and slightly lifted. On the 1st beat the participants take each other’s inside hands (following the guidelines given in exercise 23) and on the 2nd and 3rd beats – swing them forwards and up in a circular motion. The free outside arms mimic the motion of the inside arms, palms facing forwards (fi gure 24.4).
18th measure, 1st beat: step forwards with the left foot, the weight of the body shifts onto it. On the 3rd beat: the right foot behind is raised slightly. On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd beats: the inside hands and the outside hands together make an arc-like movement and are raised, each time moving slightly higher, to an angle of 45 degrees. The inside hands are joined, and the outside hands are freely making the same movements, palms forwards (fi gure 24.5).
 
Fig 24.4
Fig 24.5


 19th measure, 1st beat: the right foot steps back. On the 2nd beat with a swinging motion the body weight shifts onto the right foot. On the 3rd beat: the left foot is slightly lifted forwards, bent slightly at the knee. On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd beats: the inside hands swing down and move back and behind the body (fi gure 24.6).
 20th measure like the 17th, but with feet reversed, i.e stepping forwards with the left foot.
 21st measure like the 18th, but with feet reversed.
 22nd measure like the 19th, but with feet reversed.
 23rd measure is like the17th.
 24th measure is like the18th.
These eight measures are repeated with alternating feet to the end of the 32nd measures. At the end of the 32nd measure, both hands of the participants are placed on the hips as it is described in the starting position. Sequence I and Sequence II are performed again until the end of the music. The exercise fi nishes with a step forwards with
the right foot, the body weight shifts onto the right and the hands are raised forwards and upwards.