Zouk made in Germany

Today we did some exercises to improve the musicality of your dance. Musicality means that if somebody is looking you dancing, this person can see the music in your body.

At the beginning if we are learning musicality in the zouk class, (1) we try to be sensitive about the structure of the music and (2) we learn to move our body with the music. We will speak today about the structure.

The structure is almost always the same in every song: you could count till 8 for times and then the music changes. It’s like four sentences with eight words each sentence. At the end of every sentence you can hear a little accent and after the four sentences there is a bigger accent in the music.

It’s very important if you practise this exercise with all kinds of songs because later you will feel the structure without thinking on it.

Have fun!

Hi!

Going with your hips makes your dance more beautiful! If you do this easy exercise you will improve the quality of your move.

We are speaking about two energies:

- The energy of the torsion: if you go with your right to the front you will turn your upper body to your right. If you go with your left to the front, you will turn your upper body to the left.

- Pressing with the foot behind. If you go with the right you will press with the left foot. If you go with the left, you will press with the right foot.

You will hold this extra-energy till the end of the move, from 1 to 3.

Have fun!

Today we learn a very popular step. We call it the door because we are going like through a door, first the lady and after that the guy.

For the ladies. You are doing your steps always on the line. Two steps on the line and on the third step you come back (like lateral). Try to turn your upper body always for your partner.

For the guys. You lead a left turn with your right hand up and your left hand down. After the turn you bring the right hand down (you have to close the door) before you go into the next turn. For the next turn open the door (right hand goes up on 1) change the position of the hands (right goes down and left goes up) while turning to the right and close the door again. At last you will lead a normal left turn and get the lady with your right hand on 2.

Have fun!

Something very beautiful if you are dancing: you can go everytime out of the beat. Imagine you are dancing the lateral step and there is no beat in the music. Then you can lead this move in slow motion and after that you go again into the beat.

For the guys: You can lead this step in both directions. The leading hand is always the “inside” hand of the lateral step. Then you play slowly with your partner and you go on 1 into the beat again.

For the ladies: If you are turning at the end, remember, you go two steps and after that you have to come back. Have fun!

Hi!

Some times you are waiting for the beat and don’t know what to do at the beginning of a song. You can try this step. Going in slow motion you will look for the contact with the lady with your arm (watch the video) and with your back.

We’ve learnt today three variations.

1. To be in front of the lady again.
2. To open to the left. Guys, you bring the lady in front of you and you lead a left turn.

3. To turn the lady to the right. It’s a turn on the line. Ladies, do your steps on the line turning at the end your upper body to your partner. Guys, first the lady into the line and after that lead the turn. After thta you will do the yo-yo step.