In 2015, Carolena and Megha held the very first Advanced Teacher Training. Two full weeks in San Francisco, and I had the absolute pleasure of being in that inaugural class.
Toward the end of the course, we started talking about something we'd all noticed. As new steps were added to the vocabulary (and eventually to the DVDs), they were being taught in the order they were released. So Volume 7 (Modern steps) was being taught after Volume 4 (Classic steps), even though some Volume 7 steps were a better fit for Intermediate than Advanced.
Then Volume 9 (Dialect) came along, and many dancers started thinking of those steps as "advanced"... simply because they were the newest.
But remember, this dance style grew organically. The volumes weren't designed in the order they should be learned. They were created in the order the steps were added to the style.
We all agreed: Dialect should not be seen as more advanced than the core of our vocabulary, and we didn't need to wait for an advanced class to teach movements like the Box Step and the Pulse Turn. In fact, the Box Step is a wonderful intro to shimmies, since a ½ time shimmy drill is essentially what inspired it!
So our group, along with Carolena and Megha, reviewed every step and chose the ones we were already teaching in Level One, or wanted to bring into those classes. Because they're optional, we called them Level One Plus: steps that aren't traditionally part of Fundamentals, but can be added at the teacher's discretion.
It's a beautiful way to bridge the gap between Level One and Level Two.
Just like our other programs, Level One Plus takes you step by step through each movement over five weeks, with complementary classes to help you go deeper. And here's the best part: all of this is included in your FCBD®U membership. No extra purchase, just log in and start dancing!
As with all our programs, you don't have to follow the program timing. Take it at whatever pace works for you! But since the classes build on each other, I definitely recommend doing them in order.
And for all my fellow nerds… a free workbook to guide you through the whole program, with a page for every class, weekly goals and a practice log.