Canine Freestyle is a creative interaction of obedience and trick behaviors combined with music and pulled together with choreography. Beginning freestyle emphasizes the dog/handler bond, teaching behaviors to the dogs and exposure to simple choreography. Behaviors are taught from the ground up and each behavior builds to more advanced behaviors as the team progresses and increases its understanding for both the handler and dog. No dance experience is required on the part of the handler. The Freestyle community is a small group of people interested in “dancing with their dogs”. Because the community is small, the classes offered vary with the needs of the students. Not all classes will be offered every cycle. Prerequisites are required for each level of Freestyle. Levels may be combined to better serve the students.
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BEGINNER
Beginning Freestyle/Rally-FrEe
Beginning Freestyle/Rally-FrEe is a foundation course which easily transitions into developing one’s own freestyle routine for competition and/or performance.
Positions, behaviors, transitions, and Rally-FrEe signs taught and practiced in class and at home.
The minimum prerequisite for this class are dogs and handlers with skills similar to those acquired in our own HOTC Beyond Manners classes. Advanced handlers and dogs are welcome.
The goal of Beginning Freestyle/Rally-FrEe foremost is for dogs and handlers to have fun!
INTERMEDIATE SKILLS
This class will build on the positions and behaviors learned in the prerequisite class, Beginning Freestyle/Rally-FrEe. Students will learn how to add to the beginner moves in order to create compound moves. The moves that will be introduced will be tailored to the individual student's routine. WOW moves will be included in the class to add spice to your routine!
INTERMEDIATE CHOREOGRAPHY
Prerequisite or concurrent class is Intermediate Skills. This class will walk students through building a routine. Although we do non-competitive performances as well as video and live competitions, the class will be taught to conform to competition rules. Included in choreography is music selection, costuming, props, back chaining and, of course, choreographing the routine. The class members are encouraged to work together to help each other with their routines. This cooperation and exchange of ideas is an important part of the creative process and helps to make the class interesting and fun!
COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES
HOTC"s freestyle group, the Canine Co-Motion Freestylers, compete through WCFO (World Canine Freestyle Organization) and perform in the community and North Alabama region for civic groups, schools at all age levels, churches, senior groups, city-sponsored activities, and other groups that enjoy the interaction of talented and well-prepared dogs, handlers, costumes, foot-tapping/hand-clapping music. Handlers are encouraged to develop routines when their dogs and have achieved basic skills and are moving toward more advanced behaviors. Freestyle is an audience-driven sport. One of our goals is to share the bond of dog/human teams performing to appear as if they are dancing. You may request more information on our performances via the Contact Us webpage.