Samba’s action is unique for it has the bounce, whereas rumba & cha cha cha are basically about straight legs and hip action. However, the body position is still quite the same, since sitting the three parts of the body (head, body, feet) in a line is necessary, just don't go rigid that you can't move. Having the correct body position, then you should pay attention to the ribcage and try to lift it up without lifting the shoulders. As the ribcage is lifted, there's much more space and allows freer movement down below. If we have a heavy ribcage, then our movements are restricted.
Once stand upright and relaxed, bring the body forward over the balls of the feet, automatically there is a release on the knees (which is quite different from cha cha cha and rumba, which demand centralization of the body to create straight legs and tight hip actions). From this relaxed position, we are able to commence anything.
Note that in the basic steps mostly people bring only the head forward, while leave the bum behind, in this way the body weight actually sits back. So we have to make sure every part sits in a line.
Very often, once the music starts, dancers tend to focus too much on arms and styling so as to please the audience. However, arms & styling are actually actions created by and reacted to hips, knees, ankles moving along the floor, they are not actions themselves.
Before you commence the steps, you should flex the knees so as to bring the hip forward, then start the bounce. The body and head still sit right on each other. Line everything, body over the balls. In this way, you will find that the body weight will arrive at the same time as the ball of the feet.
Eight different rhythms
1a2 1a2
1 a2 a3 a4 (Volta rhythm)
SQQ SQQ
QQS QQS
SSQQS
SQQQQQQ SQQQQQQ (Corta jaca rhythm)
SS--
123 123 (Promenade timing)
Footwork in three movement
Foot works: Toe position, ball, ball flat, inside edge of the toe
Note: Toe doesn't mean the tip of toes like the ballet, that would be too high.
Whisk: balk flat, toe, ball flat
Bota fogo: ball flat, inside edge of the toe, ball flat
Volta: ball flat, toe, ball flat
Movements
Movement is the quality of movement from one foot to another, by doing the right basic technique regarding knees and ankles, together with the proper use of the feet, we should able to move easily.
Bounce action that most beginners do bears an incredible amount of bounce action like a ball bounce across the floor; however, those are not quality of movement. So it is important that we learn to use the standing leg in order to help our body move to the direction that we want. Prepare your body by putting the body weight over the balls, we make a walk, as our weights are always over the balls, the weight arrives almost the same time as the standing foot. The balance in samba is actually easier because we are allowed to bend our knees: commence the walk, the ball of the foot arrives, then bend the knees, lower the heel.
Bounce is very important but how much knee action is going to be involved? To find that out, stand on one foot, and hop forward. The way you can easily hop would lower the knee just a little, if you bend the knee more than you need, you will not be able to hop at all. Use the lowering of the knees especially when dancing to slow samba music, let the weight go with the foot at the same time.
Bounce is the very characteristic of samba but not all Samba figures incorporate the bounce action. SQQ timing without bounce actions include back rock, closed rock, open rock, natural roll, the bounce action in these absorbs through the hips.
In order to experience the harmonious movement, make a step forward then the hip is open, the forwarded hip and the rear knee works together to close it and bring the rear foot to the centre. The hip will rotate. Lift up the standing foot and commence another forward step. But do not focus on the rotation of the hips while you move or you will leave the hip behind while the body is moving forward. You have to develop it through not just rotate. Always maintain control and remember it is the whole body's movement in a dance, it is not just foot action. The harmonious movement comes when it is a refining, not exaggerating.
Characteristics
Two strangers in a crowd having fun, feel like at any time they can go and have fun with someone else and then come back.
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