Being a beginner in learning Int. Rhumba. I started with one instructor that emphasized the movement of the whole body including the upward movement of the shoulders on the (4,l) as well as the lifting up of the body.

I asked another instructor who I take mainly American dances from but also teaches International to show me how she taught the dance thinking I would switch to her since she has been my long time instructor. She insisted to keep my shoulders level and not to move them up with the hip movement. She also indicates that I bounce which the other instructor never said anything. I think I am doing this by trying to do the upward hip movement. Not sure what I am doing wrong there.

I sort of enjoy using the shoulders feeling more sexy.

Which instructor do I follow now is my problem and what is the correct movment of the shoulders in Int. Rhumba.

Thanks for your help me understand this dance better?

Thanks, Quickstep.

I have been away and didn't get to read your responses till today. I really will try to do what you suggested.

Where do I go to find Slavik & Katrina's DVD on this.

Gloria

i agree..but when I was learning Latin ballroom..my instructor suggested that I take belly dancing lesson to help me isolate my hips from my body. After a few lessons you begin to understand how you can isolate you hips from your upperbody. It is also difficult to keep the upper body still while you are moving. But if you paractice on just moving your hips in a circular motion then you will learn. Also if you are very young like 9 then it would be hard to determine if you are actaully moving you hips. I had this same problem because I started Latin ballroom when I was ten and now i have no trouble with isolating my hips. And if your shoulders still move, then try using a stink to put on top of your shoulders. This really helps. It trains your shoulders to stay leveled...

i meant stick not stink..sorry

i meant stick not stink..sorry

Latin ballroom (like rumba) includes dances that are sensual. It involves your body and your curves. Therefore I find it very helpful to keep my back straight. As a contemporary dancer I usually bend and place my body in weird positions. But for Rumba you should really keep your back straight. Not only does it solve the balance issue, but when you are moving your hips and walking you dont look like you are bouncing. At first you feel that you are restricting your hip movement, but if you practice then your hip movement will expand.

I do have a problem of bouncing for I tend to rise on my moving foot and then settle the weight almost on the heel to do the hip action. I must have to keep my feet flatter on the floor. Right now it is hard to learn to push with the inner part of the foot and while keeping contact with the floor.

To make a circular hip movement is that created by the back and stomach muscles while applying pressure on the floor?


There seems to be differnt ways to create hip movement.

I found your advice very good and now wondering if I am practicing the hip and foot movement wrong.

Should a person practice with the arms held up or swing down beside your side which helps to create the crunch look as you raise your hip and bring the shoulder down.

I always seem to have more questions as I get answers making me not sure what I am doing is right.

Gloria. Use of the arms. We are told that the use of the arms is a personal thing. A professional is usually reluctent to teach specific arm movements. They can look very artificial Like the teacher said put the arm there, and you do it only because you were told to. We in our class, whilst we are doing our usuall Rumba Walks around and around the ballroom, we are told to move our arms as we feel. Even if the movement is not real good, it is better than having them hang down by your side doing nothing otherwise they will never move. But still I try to copy.

Your shoulders should not move up and down in rumba.

Gloria. Isolate your hips from your upper body. Don't let the upper body follow the lower body. Keep it still . The use of the arms is a different story and can sometimes create an illusion where you think the upper body is being used when it is not. The term used is hip islolation. Stay with your long time instructor. Try a Foreward Basic movement. You can move your upper body very slightly anti - clockwise, just to get a 3 D look instead of a cardboard cut out look. Another practise is to do a succession of Rumba Walks with the arms held in front at shoulder level. Palms facing in , fingers outstretched and level. If you find that the fingers are not level after a Walk then you are wrong. Try to do this correctly both male and female untill you are able to get complete isolation between the hips and the upper body. How long should you practise this, the answer is untill you stop dancing. Even then it wouldn't do any harm.