Bronze Rumba - The Aida

The complete DVD is available for download at http://shop.grandballroom.com/. This Bronze I Latin DVD collection is the series that follows our Beginners series. It consists of four discs showing the International Style of Samba Cha Cha, Rumba, Jive. The Cha Cha and Jive are a continuation of the Beginners videos while the other Samba and Rumba are taught right from the basic steps. Each DVD features Andy & Wendy Wong, owners and instructors of the largest dance studio in North America, teaching and demonstrating the steps exactly the way they do it in their hugely popular classes. Learn from these professionals who have taught over 15,000 students in their world-renowned dance studio, The Grand Ballroom. See their whole catalogue of instructional DVDs by visiting their online store at www.grandballroom.com.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Rumba
• Ballroom
• Dancing
• Grand
• Dance
• Instruction
• Basic
• Bronze
• level
• Latin
• American
• International
• style

[2Pourlavie]

Is there a different exit timing possible?

[aanw97]

@2Pourlavie

At the bronze level, the timing of the 'rock in place' and 'spot turn' after the Aida can only be '2341'. There can be alternatives exits at the Silver level such as a double spot turn or rock in place and Kiki walks. But the timing of these options still remains as '2341 2341'.

Andy Wong, The Grand Ballroom

[aanw97]

Thanks for the comment. In Rumba, there are 4 beats but only 3 steps in each bar of music. But to really dance the Rumba well requires the understanding that each bar actually has 8 half beats (1&2&3&4&). The steps are taken on '2, 3, 4'. So what do you do with the other 5 half beats? The answer is body rhythm- the explanation of which requires more than a 30 sec video clip or 500 words. To make a long story short, there is much more to dancing Rumba musically than just quick quick slow.

[aanw97]

There are 2 styles of Rumba- American style & International style. I teach the International style. The basic count in American Style Rumba is usually SQQ (Slow, Quick, Quick) starting on count 1 or sometimes as QQS starting on count 1. The basic count in International Style Rumba is QQS also but starting on count 2, ie. '2341'. Thanks for watching and happy dancing.

Andy Wong, The Grand Ballroom

[chance8yes]

Very nice group and clearly taught. Thanks.

However, one thing that is not clear is the rhythm. They dance neither Quick/Quick - Slow nor Slow - Quick/Quick. Rather, they seem to dance on the euqally spaced Waltz rhythm which does not match the music closely.

The lack of clear rhythm here really confuses the beginers.

[aanw97]

Thanks for the comment. To clarify the rhythm of International style Rumba shown here, the music is 4/4 which means 4 beats to 1 bar of music, counting 1234. The dancer steps fwd (or back) on 2, replace on 3, & step side using 2 counts 4,1. This slow transfer of weight to the side is to emphasize body rhythm. A forward-replace-side is equal to quick-quick-slow. In American style Rumba box step, dancers step forward on 1 hold the 2, step side on 3, close on 4 (Slow-Quick-quick).

[jamesandsab]

@zxcvbnrebus

NO!

Listen to the cha cha music there is a syncopation on the backbeat aka 1, 2, 3, 4 and 1 thus cha cha uses five steps for four beast of music but this is the character of the music - 2, 3, 4 and 1

Dancing on 1 in cha cha rather than 2 is disregarding the music.

Rumba are steps on 2, 3 (replacing weight it depends on the step) but the 4-1 transition is used to accentuate body movement to the music thus step on 4 but the hip movement completes on 1

So both do regard the music!!!

[zxcvbnrebus]

Excellent teaching skills, however....chance8yes is correct in his observation. Your

movements are disassociated from the music being played. I only hear 4 equal beats but your steps incorporate QQS which means that the S is constantly syncopated. It seems that Intl. rumba and cha cha are like Argentinian Tango..going through the motions without any regard for the music being played !

[daileisu]

So the music plays 4 beats but the dance steps are still quick-quick-slow with the slow step being counted as 4,1. That is interesting. I've learned some basic rumba mostly with quick-quick-slow. Thanks Mr Wong. Your teaching skill is super.

[sanloong]

yes.. indeed this is the best !!!!!

[Hoang302]

It is fantastic ! very clear and easily applied techniques. The most interesting and very helpful for beginners are foot works and man-leading techniques. Many thanks.

John H

[5382035]

He is the best instructor so far I 've had.