Riverenza grave:
This is done in four parts, in eight beats. Begin with the left
foot slightly in front and to the side of the right foot. For the
first part, stand straight in that position, looking at your
partner. For the second part, draw your left foot back until the
point is even with the right heel, keeping the left heel on the floor
and both knees straight. At the same time, lean your head and
body slightly forward. For the third part, bend your knees a
little and lower your body. For the fourth part, return
your left foot to even, and stand up straight.
So: 1) Stand straight facing your partner, with your left foot
slightly forward
2) Draw your left heel back,
bending forward a little with knees and back straight
3) Bend your knees a little
4) Return to feet even, standing
straight.
Continenza grave:
This is done in four beats. Move your left foot slightly to the
left. Bring your right heel towards the left instep, lowering
your body a little, then raise the left hip a little, flourishing as
you do so. We tend to do this by making a little circle with the
ankles as we move from lowered to raised to feet even, but this is just
one possible interpretation of the flourishing Caroso describes.
Puntata grave:
This is done in two beats, but it is easier to learn if you
count it as four half-beats. On the first beat (or first two
half-beats), take a small step forward with the left foot. For
the first half of the second beat, pause briefly and rest in
place. In the second half of the second beat, bring the right
foot even with the left, bend your knees a little to lower your body,
then raise it again.
Passo grave:
This is a single step, done in one beat. For a Passo left,
a small step forward is taken with the left foot; the step is not
closed.
Seguito ordinario:
The Seguito ordinario is a sort of double step, consisting of 3
Passi done in 4 beats. In the first three beats, do 3 Passi - a
Seguito ordinario on the left would be done as a Passo left, Passo
right, and Passo left. For the fourth beat, stand still with the
left foot slightly forward of the right (where it should normally be
after finishing a Passo). The Passi are done on the toes,
and the last beat is done with both feet flat on the ground.
Seguito
semidoppio
The Seguito semidoppio consists of 2 Passi done in 2 beats, and 1
Seguito spezzato done in 2 beats, for a total of 4 beats.
Seguito spezzato
This step is done in 2 beats. For a spezzato with the left
foot, on the first beat, take a small step forward with the left foot,
keeping the foot flat on the ground. In the beginning of
the second beat, take a step on the toe of the right foot, bringing the
toe near the left heel, and raising the left heel as the right toe
touches the ground. In the end of the second beat, lower the left
heel.
Seguito scorso
This step is done in 8 half-beats, and consists of 8 Passi
presti. At the beginning of the step, raise onto your toes, in
each beat take one quick little half-step on your toes, stepping gently
and keeping your body straight.
Doppio grave
The Doppio grave is another sort of double-step, similar to the
Seguito ordinario. To do a Doppio with the left foot, 3 Passi are
done - one left, one right, and one left; then instead of doing a
fourth Passo on the right, the right foot is brought even with the
left. As the right foot is brought even, bend your knees a
little, then raise and lower your heels.
Ripresa grave
The Ripresa is done in one beat, moving side-to-side. For
a Ripresa to the left, take a small step to the left, raising onto your
toes. Bring your right foot even with the left, then lower your
heels to the ground.
Trabuchetto grave
The Trabuchetto grave is done in 1 beat. For a Trabuchetto
on the left foot, hop onto the left foot, moving a very small distance
to the left and landing on your toes. As the left foot touches
the ground, raise the right foot a little bit, moving it towards the
left and keeping the right leg extended.
Scambiata
To do a Scambiata to the left, start with your feet even.
Take a small step forward and slightly to the left with the left foot,
keeping the foot flat on the ground. Cross your right foot behind
the left, so that the toe of the right foot is just outside the heel of
the left. Then raise the left foot and take a small step to bring
it even with the right, uncrossing your feet and bending your knees a
little. End the step with a jump, landing with your feet even.
Trango
The Trango is done in 1 beat. To do a Trango with the left
foot, take a small step forward and to the left with the left foot,
keeping the foot flat on the ground. At the end of the
step, bend your knees a little. Raise your right heel, then
quickly raise your right foot and left heel (so you are standing,
momentarily, on your left toes), then lower both feet again so they are
flat on the ground.
Note that Caroso also describes a Seguito trangato, which is a
completely different step done in 4 beats. In describing the
dances, he also refers to a Passo trangato. Since this step
usually appears to take 1 beat, and there is no reference to a Passo
trangato that I have found in the step instructions, I believe that the
Passo trangato and the Trango are the same step.
Cadenza
The cadenza is simply a leap and foot-change. Starting
with the left foot forward, leap into the air and land with the right
foot forward.