what is the body position, and the hand hold for the Shadow Traveling Voltas, also how would you get into it?

thanks

Guest. Not sure if this will help. To get into a Shadow Position ( both facing the same way). Try from a whisk turning for the lady to her left. Sometimes this is done in a cuddle hold followed by Samba Walks. You won't need that hold. The ladies RF should be free to Volta. The man will have to do an and on his left foot to change feet to the same as the lady. Don't ask how to get out of this. Maybe just keep going till the music stops.

hey thanks


till the music stops..lol

In my routine I do criss cross voltas and then do 2 rolling off of the arm figures, 4 Cruzado walks starting with the mans right foot. Next I go into the shadow voltas from this position. The way to get out is an inside turn for the lady and the guy steps with the right foot to the left and steps to the right with the right foot and goes into a whisk position and next does a series of whisks.

This is very hard to explain in writing.
Corky and Shirly have a Samba Technique tape that domonstrates the above.

Samba is a hard dance to lead and I find that one needs to dance a routine with a very familiar partner (that knows these figures well) to be able to just get through these figures.

Thank you,

i saw this as a bronze step, and i was just wondering as to why my teacher hasn't showed us this, whats the hold for it? the guy behind the lady with his hands on her arms?

Don't underestimate the difficulty of doing a good Volta. It may be bronze, but there is lots of technique and movement that is not so easy. About half of the Samba figures have Voltas in them. Most teachers don't know how to do a good Volta. The Traveling Voltas are a little more difficult since you are trying to transition into them from usually a different timing and then you are doing them side by side together. If you are not together on the exact timing it really looks silly.

A good Bota Foga is even harder than a Volta. The Cruzado Walk is a very complicated movement when done correctly.

I had a real eye opener from a very high level Latin dance teacher. I thought I could do a good Volta and BF--etc. until I saw her movements. I had to go back to the basics and drill, drill, drill. Samba is a very humiliating dance and most do it incorrectly.

Guest. Everything that Anonymous has said is good advice including that many teachers haven't a clue. Ask the teacher who's technique classes I go to.One of the biggest mistakes seems to be people think it is supposed to travell as far as one can go. If there is any crossing of the feet it is very small and is a catch up step, heel to toe. The step that moves is the side step. If we lay down and cross our legs. at the front of one knees and the back of the other there is a place where one will fit into the other. At that time it is a down step, with the rear heel high of the floor. The interesting thing that we where instructed on was .Today the first step of a Botofogo is the same as the first step of the Volta. The reason being to be able to get the correct timing 3/4 1/4 1 with the correct movement of the hips after that first step. Don't let anyone tell you that the timing for two bars of Voltas isn't 3/4 1/4 3/4 1/4 3/4 1/4 1 as opposed to 1 a 2 a 3 a 4 which is seven steps but eight beats. It should be obvious that the last step must be one whole beat ready to go into the next movement. So I have been told.

thank you everyone, for the advice, i concur about samba done wrong, making even the best dancer look a bit off innit


so is the shadow volats, doen side by side in a one hand hold, or is the man behind the lady?

Guest. I can tell you next Sunday when I go to my next class. There questions are encouraged. I've done them apart, When I was a bit more adventurous than I am now we had great delight either going around another couple if they were in the way, or one of us clean through the middle meeting up on the other side.. This isn't uncommon by the way.

Guest. Coming from Contre Botofogos, to Shadow Voltas . Man holds ladies left hand with the right hand on the ladies hip. Watch staying in sequence. If your Samba is phrased correctly you can't put anothe bar in for the lady to get back to the normal position. Which could be a Spot Volta . This is why to do this dance correctly is difficult to say the least. If it is Social, and you were out of phrase with the music, nobody would know or care.