 |
| Kandykane in class |
Upon hearing the word 'technique', most people frown. And and when it gets to Paso Doble, people frown even more.
However, it is not as hard as you think. All you need to do is to get used to the tippy toes, and forget about the hips. Okay, I know this is harder than said but so true that once you have strong enough ankles and calf muscles, it is a piece of cake. It is so because Paso Doble is a dance that work mostly on the balls of the feet, and each step is taken with deliberation. Therefore, what you need to do is to choreo your step, calculate your beats, mind your partner. There is no hip movements, no hip circling, no hip twisting, no Cuban hip rocking, no hip rolling, no hips got involved in this dance at all- which can be a good news to many dance learners.
However, minus the hip movement may not make it an easier dance. The fact that dancers need to keep the Spanish shape throughout is indeed a challenge. In this shape, the posture is very erect with stomach pulled in and weight all over the balls of the feet, hips are thus pushed forward and rib-cage is lifted so as to lengthen the spine. If you think yourself a matador, this won't be too hard, but the point is that few people can really convince themselves. So if you can imagine how a matador walks, remember to keep the contra position in your every step- but I can assure you that thinking yourself a matador is much simpler.
And if you are observant, you notice that the hold is slighted varied. It is still a closed hold but instead of placing the right hand on lady's shoulder blade, man holds the her upper left arm; and lady grasps his upper right arm with left hand. This is to leave enough space for footwork.
Apart from the hip reminder and the position, the arms here play an important role in Paso Doble. In fact, arm styling is much more important in Paso Doble than in other Latin Dances. The sharp and strong lines can be presented in several arm positions where your arms go in front of and behind your body, go overhead, at the side and bent at chest.
...................................................
Follow me for more updates on: