Simba,


*sigh* okay so I agree with the assessment that Cuban Motion takes time. It really does, but for it to develop at all you must be able to intelligently explain to your students what exactly they are developing.

Depending on your framework, and whether or not you want your students to be any good, telling them to roll their foot, without weight isn't even proper technique. It is all that most are willing to do...but it isn't right. By the way if you are telling them not to take their feet off the floor, that isn't right either. You end up with mediocre dancers who don't know what the hell they are doing, and shlop from one movement to the other. There should be some crispness to Latin, which requires precise placement of the feet.

I'm going to give you very GOOD advice. Spend the money and get some coaching from either Linda Dean or Ron Montez, or any number of other high level professionals who can tell you what good Cuban Motion is and how to teach it to your students. Yes they are expensive and they are worth every penny.

In the meantime...Cuban Motion does not arise solely from the feet. It has much more to do with the knees, in terms of straightening and bending the knees at appropriate times, settling or not settling into the hips based on the step you are executing and maintaing proper balance. On top of that the hip movement and your lines come from the proper contractions and release of core muscles. You must also develop core strength because where your weight is over your foot determines if you are even in proper position to pivot or swivel. You can't control that weight without a strong core. You also can't control balance without a strong core.

Cuban motion also arises from proper foot placement, and that does not mean a foot roll with no weight. The only time you actually roll the foot like that is when you are going to the side and if you are doing it right, for a small moment in time as your feet collect your entire body weight will be on that rolled point of the foot. In forward motion and backwards you get a lot of the Cuban motion from rising one hip enough to allow the other foot to pass without any movement to the side (no ronde), which means inevitably the trailing foot must flip and drag the pretty little toes on the ground. As my instructor says, if there isn't blood or toenail polish in a trail behind you you didn't do it right. This is just the very basic beginnings. Every step has a different flavor and a dfferent set of expectations that go with it.

You just have to get a real coach to teach you so you can in turn teach this to your students.

Wow, thats quite a message... hehe thank you very much! I just have to add that everything you stated in that message I'm familliar with, foot placements, hip action etc. Where the difference comes in is that I am constantly reminded NOT to teach my students on the same level, or just yet, as an instructor is trained, wich I disagree with at some points.

I fully agree with you on everything you said, plus you gave me some new material aswell, especially the blood trail part! hehe, but thanks anyway! It really helped alot!

Glad to help :~}

This is a very common problem and you're not the only one who has trouble with it. Cuban motion is more easily understood if you explain to your students that it is the same motion the is created when we walk up stairs. That being said, I teach my students to bring their feet together and slowly change body weight from side to side ie:all weight on the right,now all the weight on the left and repeat,take your time,now begin to lift the knee as high as you can without your toe leaving the floor.First we pretend to be in water, then salt water,then sand, then mud, you get the idea, you have to consciously use resistance with every move in order to get the proper look and feel of cuban motion. I find that once my students have this understanding they progress much more rapidly in this tricky motion. I hope this helps. Tom Ramon, Greenville,Texas

One has to be careful when giving advice in writing about a complex subject as " motion ".

And it should be noted that there are 2 distinct types of action.. One is lateral and the other is a progressive.

Terence, can you elaborate just a bit on the difference between lateral and progressive as it relates to Cuban motion. I agreed with an earlier poster who said you can feel like you are starting to get the hang of Cuban motion in isolated exercises and practices, but incorporating it into a dance properly is a whole different game. It seems to me that one could do the lateral motion fairly well, but struggle with progressive and not realize it, or vice versa? Please share your thoughts.

Terence wrote: "And it should be noted that there are 2 distinct types of action.. One is lateral and the other is a progressive."

Actually there are more variations than that. Each of those actions has an International version and an American version. If you want to go outside of ballroom you can find several more versions.

The " american " version is essentially the same as taught in the Intern. style, just with a later leg straightening .In fact, many of the studios in the states are now reverting to the more Intern, style action

As to other " styles " of cuban , I would be interested to know what you consider " other " ?

I teach and dance " "street " style Mambo/ Salsa and Guajira all using a traditional type motion.

Terence wrote: "The " american " version is essentially the same as taught in the Intern. style, just with a later leg straightening."

Yes, but that action produces something that looks considerably different. If also feels completely different. If you only know one version you won't be able to do the other without lot of practice.

If you want an example of some different Cuban motion outside ballroom, look up Afro-Cuban rumba on YouTube. Here is one example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elDbIG38lDA

Once more.. Ive been dancing and teaching that "style " for nigh on 50yrs.. taught to me by " latinos " who were highly trained Prof..

As I said, you should check my Vid clip on my web when its complete.


PS.. and dont believe all you see or thats written on UTube or many of those types of sites.. there is a lot of mis information.. living and or coming from a latin country, has little or no, to do with teaching and or dancing . I know.. i,ve taught hundreds of them ! .