Rumba

[elisedance]

I understand why - my mind thinks latin - but my body synchronises with standard

[Lioness]

My mind is standard on the top, but deep down in there it's latin. I don't show people the latin bit - they might get scared

[SwingWaltz]

I understand why - my mind thinks latin - but my body synchronises with standard

Yep! I can't physically step on the 2! My body only knows how to count 1 2 3, not 2 3 4 1.

[Lioness]

Really? It feels so much more natural dancing on 2. It fits with the music and feels cooler.

[MusicChica]

My mind is standard on the top, but deep down in there it's latin. I don't show people the latin bit - they might get scared

Let it out, girlfriend!

[elisedance]

yes indeed MC - its the #2 vehicle for the primal woman thats inside
(#1 is not dance related)

[Lioness]

My mind is standard on the top, but deep down in there it's latin. I don't show people the latin bit - they might get scared

Let it out, girlfriend!

Haha...I'm too young
At least in their mind.

[MusicChica]

Ugh, at the moment my hips do very little except drop too much resulting in a knock-kneed rumba walk (attractive, I know) or nothing.  I think because I am taught to release my hip to initiate the movement and then the follow this with the foot action, pushing from the standing foot, may be I am not getting it and I need to think of it some how differently?  I think the knee issue results from my lack of hip control and "dropping" the hip instead of just releasing.

Just to clarify, pinkstuff--you're in Australia and dancing International, right?

[ZPomeroy]

Currently working on walks - have gone from dropping the moving hip joint too much to rotating with no settling action - never goes right, and I have a tendency to replace one problem with another 

Here's how i was taught how to do a rumba walk, this apparantly is the way in which walks are done in cha cha, rumba and samba. Start with you right foot back behind the left to try and create a line, make sure that both feet are turned our slightly, have the weight forward and pull up through the thighs to gain stability (if done properlly this should start working the muscles in the legs very quickly ). Push your left hip forward over the front leg, this should push the hip out while making sure that the back is straight and pelvis is not 'poking out', then as you move your right leg forward push both your hips forward into a neurtal position, still keeping your weight forward and your left leg straight, move your right leg out toes pointed until almost fully extended. Finally transfer you weight onto your right leg, pushing your right hip forward and making sure feet are turned out and standing leg is straight. Continue this until you don't feel like walking anymore

Hope it helps, if it's not clear i'll try and explain it again...

Zac

[TangoDancer]

Things like this are often so difficult to describe well. Yet, to add to ZP's post... 2 very important points; 1- dance in thirds. It is imperative to good latin to dance with the feet in the third positions (heel to arch). Once you are comfortable with this, learn to always dance in a front third (forward foot with heel to arch of back foot). 2- Know that the hips lower at the beginnings of the steps... not at the ends (after taking te step,do not drop/settle the hip; wait until you are ready to take the next step).

[dlgodud]

Yeah I guess ... maybe because I do not do latin as of yet ... I really dislike this dance. to slow for me. AND many times even seeing it danced well bothers me because so many dancers have not (for my own liking that is) emoted the feeling I would like to see in a rumba.

As far as dancing it, I do find it difficult to stay on timing. But again, I am not actively working on this particular dance at the moment.

Even I am actively working on this dance, it's not my cup of tea. Yes, it's too slow and difficult to match emotions with the dance if I am not dancing with my SO.
Heck! That means I have to fake it, well......, the only dance probably I will fake my emotion applies to this.

[dlgodud]

do not like rumba period. LOL especially dislike rhythm.

Really odd...it is the same rhythm as bolero (plus one beat) and cha (less one beat). Also, you might find interesting, because of your earlier comment about it being too slow, that the original rumba was a courtship dance; danced quite a bit quicker than either of the ballroom styles, and with different footwork (steps).

Yes, I believe African style Rumba is a lot faster than International or American style. I've seen the dance once, and was like 'that's not rumba I've learned.' Well, my ignorance.

[dlgodud]

We did silver rumba in our lesson last night.  One thing that my instructor is really emphasizing now is sticking my steps.  And it's been a problem for me, in rumba and cha-cha particularly.  I guess it get it from smooth, where your feet are moving all the time, but I have a lot of trouble with unnecessary foot movement in the Latin dances.  Things like letting my standing foot rotate when it isn't supposed to, or dragging my moving foot through a step rather then stepping and placing.  Sometimes I fee like I my legs are made of concrete and I just can't make them move quickly enough.

I guess the precision is very important in Latin dancing. To do this, I believe you have to have strong legs and feet.

[albanaich]

Historically Rhumba is Pierre Lavelle's version of Cuban Salsa. The timing is the same as Salsa but its much slower.

Rhumba and Cha-Cha have the same 'timing' but in Cha Cha the last beat of the bar is split and syncopated. The difference is that instead of holding on the last beat as you do in Rhumba, you syncopate (triple step) to the split beat.

[albanaich]

What great way to end a thread       .. ..  .