Energy in the right place
so much energy in the room, you all know the leg action(flex & straight) then you still do the bent one. Whatever you do, you need to do it clear. You understand the speed and timing(full full half half full) and counting(234&1) and rhythm(ssqqs), you have to know what these are, and coordinate these with music, not the music in your head but the one the DJ plays for you. And these....
you all know these, but teachers & lecturers keep saying these again and again, why? Because you don't do it.
If we speak about the body action, what should it be?... what's a cuban action? It's a hip action. It's the figure eight action, the pendulum action and a ribcage action in the hip...
Judges do not mark you by comparing to your yesterday, they mark you by comparing you today to the next couple...
You have known these, so what else do you want to hear from me? First you need to learn how to prastise, how to develop yourselves. Not to waste time and just go through the choreography, I found in general the couples have so much energy. You spend so much energy for nothing, this energy spill all over the place but you don't see beautiful flowing of your bodies, which achieve something to go somewhere.
For example, hip twist chasse. Which action do we need to create? The figure itself says 'hip twist chasse', so the main would be hip twist chasse. So what action should we spend our energy? Hip Twist. But for some reason, I see this (demonstrating a flawed hip twist chasse). I don't mean to say you don't need to be energetic, the energy has to be directed to the right moment. You have to understand what is the main goal of that particular step, figure. Not just go because you have to be energetic. Same as in ronde chasse, you have to prepare you body (LF fw, replace) for the Roooonde (threeee & 1). Main energy in doing ronde and then cha cha one. Clear.
What is the rhythm? SSQQS. (demonstrating a flawed one)Where is slow where is quick? It is not interesting. It's flat. It doesn't look like a SSQQS, it looks like SSSSS. We have to create something to make contrast. Simple principle, the resistance. To create a good contrast and show the speed. How can we create it and when? Usually it happens on the last slow. So the last slow should not be empty... To fully use the slow, to fully play with the music, to challenge the music and still be on time....
What I have told, you have been told. You choose not to practice it. You choose to ignore it.
Body Action
It is important how you look. It is extremely important. So whatever you do, think about the beauty part. I don't think that when you create something, when you fill your body with energy, something will happen in your neck and your shoulder line. They should be relaxed, free. You can create fluidity in you body, powerful twist, and travel and look relaxed, see it's easy. Do you think I can do this because I'm born with it. No, it's training, correct training. You have to create an action, you release the body part and do things with hip, leg, core muscles. It is action of what's happening in the ribcage, the shoulders and neck are reaction.
Walking & Transporting weight. Continue directing body weight. You make a step and then end in a too loose hip action, and try to make a step forward. What can you do with your standing leg (all weight)? Hip action needs to help us move. It is part of the movement. The main use of the standing leg is to direct our spine our body. We have to create actions, cuban action, pendulum actions, everything, but it has to happen under travelling body weight. All pendulum have to coordinate with the travelling weight. You make a step, direct your body weight, step, and direct. But most of the time dancers are doing foot rhythm.
Why do you think there are so many bent legs? How you work with your standing legs. The standing leg is important, you don't fuel it with energy and switch off. Do it correctly you can do any movement, you can elevate yourself again, you can become soft and flexible, you can create powerful twist, you can direct yourself to the next direction. So after the step you don't release all energy, nor you lock yourself there until you lose balance. You keep control, still feel your ankle. The hip action doesn't create troubles to transferring of weight, it actually helps. Make a back step, apply hip action, but don't go too low, still keep height. If you go too low, simply there's not enough space for you to straight your other leg to make a step.
To be better
All the qualities, all the partnering, aspect of dancing, leg action, body action, musicality, choreography... also needed to practiced but a lot of dancers today do not practice them. There is not even one thing which is unimportant. Top dancers are top not because they are so talented, no, it is because they pay attention to more things than you do. And then they really practice. If you would do you would be there. You really have to schedule your practice, make plans on all subjects, not just one thing.
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