Swing Basic

Swing

The basic step in Swing is a Side – Side – Backstep. This is also counted Slow-Slow Quick-Quick. A slow is equal to two beats of music, and a Quick is equal to one. So the full pattern in Swing is six beats of music.

On the first Slow, the guy travels to his left and lady to her right. On the second Slow, guys travel to the right, and ladies to the left. On the Quick-Quick, the guy steps back on his left foot, and the lady steps back on her right. Since the guy and girl are facing each other, they will travel in the same direction on the Slow-Slow, and away from each other on the Quick-Quick. After that, the pattern repeats.

Tips:

Keep the side steps inside the width of your shoulders.

Keep your shoulders parallel to each other.

Keep the steps short, and the backsteps shorter.

Detailed instructions. These are from the guys perspective.  Ladies, reverse the lefts and rights.

Slow

When moving, put weight on your left foot for the first side step. This is the first Slow. 

Slow

Shift weight to your right foot for the second side step. This is the second Slow. 

Quick

On the backstep, just place the ball of your left foot (right foot for girls) behind you right heel and compress you weight on the ball of the foot for the first Quick. Don't go down on the heel. 

Quick

On the second Quick return your weight to your right foot. Your left foot is now free to travel to the left side, allowing you to repeat the pattern.

Next week we will add an outside turn to Swing.

Rumba Basic

The Rumba is similar to Waltz in that the basic step in both is a box pattern. The count and the appearance of Rumba is quite different, and Rumba is danced to music with a Latin sound.

Waltz is counted as a 1 – 2 – 3. Rumba is counted as Slow – Quick-Quick. The Slow gets two beats of music, each Quick gets one beat, for a total of four beats.

Here's where it gets fun, and a little challenging.

On beat one of the Slow, step forward with your left foot and land on the ball of that foot. Hold your heel from touching the floor.  You should travel less than a foot in distance.

On the two beat (still part of the Slow), drop the heel of your left foot to the floor. That's all the motion on the two beat. Your body will appear to stay stationary or at a stop during the slow count.

On the third beat,the first Quick, move your right foot to the right side of the left foot. Keep the travel distance inside you shoulders. You want Rumba to be a small but controlled dance.

On beat four, bring your left foot to join the right foot. That completes the first Slow-Quick-Quick, and the first half of the box.

Repeat this pattern, stepping backwards with your right foot for the Slow. Land on the ball of your right foot on beat one, and drop your heel on beat two.  Beat three and four is a Quick-Quick side together.

Ladies you are doing the same pattern, only opposite the guy. When he is stepping forward on the Slow, you will step backwards on the Slow.

This pattern of Slows and Quicks makes Rumba an interesting, and distinct dance. Late in lesson three or four we will visit how to add Cuban motion to this step. For now, concentrate on keeping the steps short, making sure the Slow lasts for two beats, and landing on the ball of your foot.  You can practice this step to songs like "Spanish Eyes" or "Kokomo".  Check the music section of DancingDates for snippets of good dance music. 

Waltz Basic

Waltz – Remember that Waltz is counted in threes and the basic pattern is a box.

On the one count, guys take your left foot and travel forward about two feet.

On the two count, take your right foot and step to the right of your left foot. The amount of travel to the right should be just a little more that the width of your shoulders.

On the three count, bring left foot over to join the right foot.

Get ready to repeat, only traveling backwards this time.

On the one count, take your right foot and travel straight backwards.

On the two count, take you left foot and move it to left of the right foot.

On the three count, bring your right foot to join your left foot. You are back at the starting position. Keep repeating the box.

Foxtrot Basic Step

At this point you have learned the basic step in Foxtrot, Waltz, Rumba and Swing. I'll give the directions from the guy's perspective. Ladies, you will follow with the opposite foot.

Forxtrot – Step, Step, Side-Step. Counted as Slow, Slow, Quick-Quick

Guys travel forward two steps and then to the left side. Walk this as forward, forward, side together. Keep you forward steps natural, 

Your left foot travels straight forward and you land first on your heel. Your right travels straight forward and passes you left foot. Again you land on the heel of you right foot. The two forward steps are followed by a side step. With your left foot travel forward and to the left then bring your right foot to join your left foot.

Ladies, you will use the same pattern, only you will travel backwards with a right, left, side together.

That completes the step. Keep repeating this pattern. We will add a new Foxtrot step in lesson three.