I have been teaching a middle-aged couple some American Smooth dances and now am moving onto American Rhythm with the Rumba.
I wanted to introduce Latin Motion and pretty closely follow the method in the Learning Center on this site, but I believe the gentleman has some issues with straightening his knee and pushing back his hip. So I was wondering if there was an alternative teaching method or some way of neutralizing that impact on the knee, but still letting the dancer have a feel for the motion that makes those dances stand out. I suppose anyone can do Latin dances without worrying about having the movements of a 25-year-old professional, but it would be nice if there was a good way to get that feel and look without stretching it beyond what your body parts are capable of doing without getting injured. I want to avoid any compensating movement from the waist up, as that certainly would not look good.

The answer is in your Q-- "Older "

let me quote you A.Moore-- paraphrase-- "I decided not all wanted to be competitors ".
In otherwords, you have to adapt conditions to the persons capabilities-- do you honestly believe that they will enjoy the experience any less because of no motion ?

THINK FUN !!

Good point, terence2. And actually a good way to encourage some to try it without worrying about not being able to do it the way the book describes it.
I was kind of curious if there was a way to maneuver or roll the foot in a manner that would be less stressful on the knee joint. But then there's the "older" ankles, too, I guess.

this is my technique:

stand on two feet.

put weight on left foot first, face front-right.
left leg is straight, right knee bends.
*stretch muscle around waist, like magic robe hang up your upper body*

next,
release the muscle on first step.
also push a slightly weight on bent knee

you'll notice that your hip will slide to left side and followed by turning waist to front direction

next,
put weight on right foot.
*no need to do a completely curved turn hip*
face front-left.

Don't try hard to follow the steps. Just look in mirror and you will see my latin motion without stress on knee ^^

In my social latin classes, I never get bogged down with a technique that will never be perfected and usually turns out looking even worse !!

Not to mention the boredom it creates . Private lessons -- different story- and even then ?

Terence. In a Social Latin Class how far do you not go teaching the correct technique. Surly you would explain and demonstrate the straight locked knee on a Rumba and Cha. The bending of the knee in the Samba, and the flexed knees in the Jive.
I have witnessed only very recently a Social Class of beginners in the Rumba with the correct technique being taught the basics, which included a New York and a Spot Turn, and not only that but with the music also.
The method of practise is to have everybody paired off and in a straight line down the floor. Four bars of music is played then the boys move on one changing partners and so on. The sequence is a front and back basic. a New York to the man's right, and a Spot Turn to the left. That completes the four bars. After a while the class does to two sections over eight bars of music. Doing it this way is far from boring because of the changing of partners. The class is constantly being remined about the straight knees. I have yet to see a better method of teaching and practise. Other than that we have a couple of people strategiclly placed in the line who can keep the correct time, timing gets taught and learnt also.

First-- I teach SQUARE Rumba in my social classes ( ya know-- the original ! )

The age group I am currently dealing with have little or no interest in latin generally, so this has been spoon fed.

And you need to know-- ALL the schools in the states still teach Sq rumba ( and Bolero ) long before they teach the Intern. style-- if they ever do ( this is seen as a comp dance only )

This goes back to previous posts by me about origins of dance and their " bastardisation" .

Re inventing the wheel does not always produce a better wheel !


( and by the way-- sometimes you make that huge mistake of trying to pigeon hole everything-- I dont teach robots-- I teach people )

I agree on the square Rumba style for teaching, and I would also say that when students watch the Latin International style, they get confused as to what they are watching and whether they are learning the REAL Rumba.
I too see little interest in the Latin styles, though it is fun to contrast and compare - to those who are really interested in it.
Otherwise, most of it goes right over people's heads. The square Rumba seems to be a concept easier to grasp.

Not only that-- it is a copy of danzon , on which most of todays dances are predicated .

Where I live if you said we will now have a square Rumba nobody would know what you were talking about. Not evem thoes who dance on the wrong beat in English Sequence Dancing.We have here a lot of them mainly in the older groups of 60 years and upwards. If you don't think the dead can come back to life you should be here when a sequence Rumba is played. Rope Spin Spirals. Sliding Doors. You name it , its there depending on which of the Sequence Rumbas is being played.