Can anyone break it down into steps that I can actually put together,practice and repeat?Im having a rather difficult time with it and Im not going to quit until I get it!

DO YOU MEAN THE OVERALL ACTION OR BREAKING DOWN THE INDIVIDUAL STEPS? I used to practice walking forward - imagining i was walking through ribbons in a tangled heap on the floor - pushing against them - or through ankle deep water - other people "crush ants" to get that smooth foot action - pressing into the floor. The hip movement comes with the change of weight, allowing the hip to "follow through" - never swing the hips. I would practise every opportunity even in my tiny living room using the TV as a "mirror" to see my feet. Then walk backwards the same way always ensuring that the ball of the foot (the front half of the ball of the foot to be pedantic) was being pulled across the floor.

Other than that, just practise basic - letting the weight give that hip action - I still do this to get the "right" look and feel of the rumba which is not an easy dance.

Sorry,i meant breaking down the individual steps

"Cuban Motion" is, without a doubt, one of the most difficult stylings of Latin dancing...Much harder than any step pattern! Think of it as something you will work on "forever". There is no instant fix. It will continue to get better, and it also change, as you become more advanced.

In teaching Cuban Motion most teachers use what I call "crutches". Things that will help the student achieve the proper motion in time. Bending and straightening the knees, rolling from the inside edge of the foot to the outside edge, or the hula hoop example, all help and are part of the whole action. The end result is what you see the professionals doing in competition.

Chris Morris (former United States Champion) explained it with what he called the 8-count system. I have had excellent results with it while teaching students. It is again just a crutch in order to learn, but it may help.

8 Count Cuban Motion
The normal count of a measure of music is 1,2,3,4. This is counting the BEATS of the measure. In between each beat there is a “sub” beat. The 4 beats could be counted as 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &, or 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, counts. Try listening to some strict tempo Rumba's to hear the 8 counts.
The hip movement is caused from using the muscles in the area of the diaphragm or midriff, rather than using the knees. This is also sometimes called “rib cage” motion. (However, the knees' do bend and straighten.)

When you do the “eight count” Cuban Motion, you never Step and move the Hips on the same "count". Start with one hip already "out" and the body "settled".
Step on 1 (no hip movement) … “Squeeze” the Hip on 2,3,4
Step on 5 … move Hip on 6
Step on 7 … move Hip on 8
This must be practice slowly at first, and then build up speed.
Start by just walking forward. Then try it in the Rumba “Basic”.

Oh....and by the way...GOOD LUCK!!

I wish that I had been told this in the beginning. There are four beats in the Rumba and only three steps. So one is a hip movement only. The difficulty now becomes that if all the weight arrives on four there is nothing to do on one. Imagine you are at a bus stop with a child on your hip. You will without thinking kink your hip for comfort . That is refered to as a Latin Hip all the weight is on the supporting leg and the hip is out further. Don't arrive in that position till the beat of one,

-Start with the left foot on beat 2 of the bar.
-step1 (=beat2)left foot fwrd
-step2 (=beat3)bring weight back on right foot.
-step3 (=beat4) bring left foot to side of right foot but WITHOUT weight.
-step4 (=beat1) only bring weight from right foot to left foot.
-now go on with the mirror step backwards starting with right foot.

ok this is how my friend describes it, its like walking up stairs only you keep your feet on the ground. kinda vauge i know, but keep that in your head when your praticeing the motion by itself. it might help. good luck

I discovered a new dancestyle:
"Upstairs-Downstairs"

I have a instruction tape by one of those super uk coaches. On it she says I am more interested in the moving foot coming in from behind. prssure into the floor What part of the foot is in contact with the floor ? Its the extreme tip of the toe, and if you can the toe nail of that moving foot, thats the top side of the shoe that is on the floor. She adds. I don't want to see a foot dangling on the end of a leg. And believe it or not this is for the man also.

Oh, I can give at least ten more important advices concerning the exact movement but I think that this is not what Delightfuldancer asked fore.