Zouk made in Germany

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Month: Januar 2015 (page 1 of 3)

28.01.15. Beginners 2. Prison step and dancing at the party.

Today we did two new things.

1. We can continue the prison step and do so many turns as we want.

2. To dance in a circle around of the lady if you don’t have enough space. That’s a very important thing if you are dancing at the party. You have to respect the space of the other dancers and sometimes it’s not possible to do the long steps on a line.

28.01.15. Intermediate. Shock, little spiral and circles with the upper body.

Hi!

Today we have a very beautiful step, perfect if you want to play with the music.

First we repeat the step of the last week going around the lady. I’m not tired of saying it: please ladies, if you are painting half of circle with the head to the front, put your chest in. It will help you to keep the balance. For the guy: don’t forget to lead the shoulders of the lady and be next to your partner.

For the step on the line, if you are coming back, you do the cambré (last week) or the variation with the little spiral. Ladies: when we come back, we bring the left ear to the left shoulder and then we paint the circle to the front. For the guys: by bringing the lady back, lead your left hand up and your right hand down. If you have the lady in front of you, both shoulders of the lady are parallel to the floor. Then you change with the right hand up (left shoulder of the lady) and the left hand down.

Next week we will learn two nice ends for the step.

See you!

27.01.15. Beginners 1. Sidestep or lateral.

Hi!

There are three steps, which we are doing the hole time while dancing zouk: basic step, sidestep (lateral, half a turn to the front) and the normal zouk turns. Today we learn the sidestep or lateral.

The beginning is lke the cross step. After the first three steps, guys go to the right and the bring the ladies to the left. You let your right hand slide till you have the left hand of the lady in your hand. Steps for the guys: we are doing today the steps on the line just to be confident about the leading. Next week we will learn another possibility for your steps.

For the ladies: the steps are the same as the last week but it’s very important to turn your upper body always to the guy.

Here you can see some more informations (subtitles in English).

See you!

27.01.15. Advanced. Head movements behind the lady and turns with head to the side.

Hi everybody!

So many things to say! It’s very nice to start again with the advanced course in Bremen.

For the ladies: you have to look always for the contact with the guy, even if this contact is on your back. If you feel the arm of the guy, you press against the arm (not too much, because in this case you will be heavy for the guy).

For the guys: the leading is like a “V” on the back of the lady. While painting the circle on the front you turn the hand putting the palm of the hand up, so the lady has more space. While painting the other half of the circle you continue with the contact and you bring your left hand to the axle of the lady, so you can lead the turns after the circle.

Ladies: for the circle on the front you go down, pelvis to the front, your chest is in. While turning let the head fall to the left side and when the guy is bringing the hand down, you paint the circle to the front. Don’t forget to contract your center for don’t lose your balance. Next week we repeat it!

The second step. Guys, watch the video to know how to keep the contact with the lady. For the ladies: your head is going with your shoulders. At the end of the turn, you comb your hair and look for the guy.

Next week more!

26.01.15. Intermediate. Sidestep behind the lady.

Hi!

For the last course today in Oldenburg we wanted to do the side step behind the lady with little “ochos”. The most important thing for the guys is to feel the center of the lady over her feet. In this way you know where to turn her, always between the first and the second step.

For the ladies: be careful about your steps, little details could change the hole step. You are going every step like a cat. If you turn, you bring the feet together, for more details please watch the video.

We will see next week, how much you have practiced! ;-)

26.01.15. Beginners 2. Long turn on the line + elastic & wave.

Hi!

We did today in Oldenburg the step of the last week and we combinated it with elastic and the wave.

For the long turn on the line the guys have to be in front of the lady bu a little bit to the left. The way of the lady has to be free for the turn. First you pull for the lady to go on the line and after that you lead the turn. While turning you hold the hands over the head of the lady.

For the ladies: the guy is pulling from us into a line, so it’s very important for you to visualise the line and walk the line.

After the turn the guys need a little distance from the lady to feel the tention and lead the elastic. After the elastic, guys, don’t forget before the wave to put your left foot to the front so you can really do a BIG wave with your body.

Here you have another video for the elastic (subtitles und German) and for the wave too if you want to practice at home.

See you next week!

26.01.15. Beginners 1. Cross step.

Hi everybody!

Today we did the cross step. For the basics we have some more videos in German but with subtitles in English. For the cross step you find here a long explanation:

See you next week!

25.01.15. Intermediate. Lateral changing hands, elastic, lateral behind the lady, lateral behind the guy & cambré with snake

Hi everybody!

We continue in this course with some variations of the last step.

Guys: after the elastic you lead the lady to the front and when she is turning you start to turn to your right side too. Your left hand stays down and your right hand comes over your head. Pay attention and change the position of your right hand. Continue turning to the right and help the lady to turn to the left. Then lead the lateral. For the ladies: while turning you have to think to come back to the guy.

We did another interesting thing. I call it “elastic backwards”. Guys: if the lady is going with the left backwards, just before she transfers the weight to the left foot, we lead the circle (please watch the video) for she to go down and go little by little up with her. For the ladies: if you go down, first you push your chest to the front and your head goes back. If your are going up, you do it from the bottom to the top. Your head stay to the front till the end.

We continue next week. Thank you for watching!

25.01.15. Beginners 2. Easy head movements and how to be behind the lady.

Today I’m singing for you! Sometimes I forget the microphone…

So! We explained the long turn on the line and the turn for the guy. Now we have to speak againg about the head movements.

Guys: first you lead the lady to the front. If she is going, you bring your left hand a little bit up under her shoulder. In this way, the lady will let the head fall to the left side. On “2” you let your left hand on the left shoulder blade of the lady and press a little bit to help her to turn and do the head movement.

For the ladies: we will feel that the guy is bringing our right shoulder up, so we have to let our head fall to the left side. Keep the contact with the hand of the guy on your shoulder blade. If you are painting half of circle to the front you should put your chest in. In this way you don’t lose your balance.

For the elastic. One of the reasons I love zouk it’s because we can play a lot with the space. We are learning now, how to be behind the lady. We can do it from elastic. Guys, at the beginning from elastic we will go just “1” and “2”. The lady is going “1”, “2” and “3”. Guys, your second step with the right goes directly behind the right foot of the lady. Then you bring the lady to you and you block her.

We will explain the variations from here next week.

Thank you for watching!

21.01.15. Beginners 2. Prison step.

Hi!

In this course for beginners we’re learning  some interesting steps. Yeah!

Prison-step: guys, you lead a left turn for the lady with two hands up and you change the hands while turning. After that it’s very important for you to imagine a line for the lady and you pull the lady to you over this line. During the turn on the line the ladies are doing five steps, the guys four. After that we lead just the long turn on the line (Bumerangue). By one you just lead and you go on two.

For the ladies: keep your steps on the line if the guy is pulling before a turn.

See you next week!

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