Latin: ribcage isolation exercises

Keep hips still and only move ribcage. (To help to make sure hips don't move, the exercise can also be done when sitting on the edge of the chair.)

• arms:
• R arm reach to floor on the side (make sure chest don't collapse forward or bend backward)
• repeat for L arm
• R arm reach up above head on the side
• repeat for L arm
  
• ribcage: Left, Right (with arms extends to both sides)
  
• ribcage: Left with L shoulder diagonally up, Right with Right shoulder diagonally up
  
• ribcage: Front, Back
• ribcage: Front, stop middle, Back, stop middle, Front (repeat)
• ribcage: L, F, R, B - separate distinct positions first, then smooth circular movement
• ribcage: L, B, R, F - separate distinct positions first, then smooth circular movement

Keep upper body still and only move hips:

• Hip to left and right side: first slow, then faster
  
• Hip: Left, Front, Right, Back; then, Left Back, Right, Front; (first stop at distinct point, then try circular continuous movement)

Rumba Practice Exercises

This is one of the two actions for in-place weight change on beats 4 and 1. Bringing the hips flat before using the twist of the hips to move the foot is needed to create the right action.

Start the exercise with right foot forward hips flat.
1) Twist back left hip to start pulling back right foot.
2) Settle left hip, and bring right foot with bent leg even with left foot
3) Keep head level, up on both toes,  rotate hips, straighten right leg, and transfer weight
4) Extend left foot forward.

Points to remember:

• Maintain pressure of inside edge of ball of foot with ground.
• On 2 and 3 create maximum forward separation between knees by rotating hips
• On 3, use core to lift hips to keep head level
• Keep shoulders flat, unrotated
• Use back muscles to create opposition between hips and shoulders

Alternate action for weight change:

Pull right foot in with straight leg, use hips and core to change weight, put left leg forward with knee straight.

The alternate action is slower, and emphasizes the hip action, while the other action emphasizes the leg. Different body types may look better doing one or the other action for in place weight changes, and what looks better may not be what feels better.

Rumba walks, in four parts:

Start with right foot back, 30% weight on ball of right foot with straight leg, feet turned out, hips flat. 

1) Turn left hip forward, this turns out right foot more

2) Settle left hip, bring right foot even with left foot, right knee bent, knees together

3) Push right foot forward, keeping weight on straight left leg

4) Push off from left foot to transfer weight to right foot.

Rumba walk back.

Start with RF forward, no weight

1) Left hip goes back, to the point of losing balance backwards

2) Right foot with bent knee quickly passes left foot

3) Catch falling weight on straight right leg back with weight on inside edge of ball of foot.

4) With straight legs, push of left ball of foot to transfer weight to right foot.

The size of a backwalk step is as big as the ball of foot can reach when the knees are together and moving leg's knee flex. If the step is too big, when settling the front foot will slide, which is not correct (except for some cases for styling).

Standard Ballroom Practice Exercises

Exercise to improve the use of legs and feet. This is the basic movement for Waltz, slowed down and detailed.

1. Start with feet together.
2. Extend the right foot forward, pushing the heel along the ground, by bending the left knee, keeping body straight.
3. Push off left leg to transfer weight to a bent right leg.
4. Press up through the right knee to bring the feet together.
5. Repeat 2-4, switching right and left feet.
6. With feet together, after pressing up through the knee, continue pressing up through the feet, getting the heels as high up over the balls of the feet as possible.
7. Step forward with the right foot, landing on the ball of the foot, keeping the heel off the ground.
8. Bring the left foot to the right foot, and do not let the heel of the right foot touch the ground until the left foot is even with it.
9. Repeat steps 1-8, switching right and left.

The same exercise going back.

1. Start with feet together
2. Bend the left knee forward over the foot. Imagine that the knee is trying to touch a spot on the floor a couple of body lengths in front of you. As you do so, extend the right foot backward.
3. Transfer partial weight to the right foot, keeping the body poised forward, and pull back the left foot, dragging the heel along the ground, keeping the heel of the right foot and the toe of the left foot off the ground until the feet are together. The forward poise of the body is required to keep the heel of the right foot off the ground.
4. Repeat 2-3 switching right and left.
5. Rise up as high as you can on the toes, and step back with the right foot. 
6. Bring the feet together, pulling the left foot back, keeping the right heel off the floor until the feet are together.
7. Repeat 2-6, switching right and left.

Daily exercises that will improve your dance

Dance exercises: 

1. [Practice, Standard] The 13-step position and shaping practice is a good warmup routine.
2. [Practice, Standard] CBM: Step toward mirror with CBM, soft knees, shoulders and hips flat. Do not turn foot.
3. [Practice] Using WF: Step back with tip toe, slip weight, roll down onto ball of back foot till two feet are even, lower heel.
4. [Practice] Using WF: Step forward, slide heel fwd, split weight, roll fwd onto front foot, bring back foot fwd, settle, repeat.
5. [Practice] Lead and follow with only body contact, shoulders parallel. Move around room and change body orientation.
6. [Practice, Lady] Lie face down on floor, lift head and bend back.
7. [Practice] Stand in front of wall with some space, then try to fill the space, make contact with wall, while keeping head and foot position.
8. [Latin, Practice] Do rib cage exercise everyday.
9. [Latin, Practice] Practice by stepping on paper and moving paper under foot.
10. [Latin, Practice] Squat on toes, keeping upper leg parrallel to floor.

More tips at DanceCentral.info

Different types of cha cha chassés, checks and cuban crosses.

The routine we were working with consisted of

1. Forward break to back lock.
2. Three cha chas forward.
3. Split cuban breaks
4. Cuban break to the right
5. Cuban break to the left.
6. Forward break to Rondé Chassé
7. Back break to Hip Twist Chassé

Points of Chasse technique:

• Feet always have pressure into the floor.
• On a check step, go to split weight, back foot has ball pressing into floor. Back knee bends, knees touch, as weight transfers to back leg, heel stays up, ball pressing into floor. Back leg straightens, hips go back over leg. Step on 2, knee bends on &, back leg straightens on 3. The ball of the back foot does not move. This was emphasized repeatedly, whether for forward breaks, New Yorks, Cuban Breaks, the ball of the back foot on the checked step stays in the same spot. The instructor said she began to appreciate over the last few months how "sticky" the feet of the best pros are.
• On Rondé Chassé, when left foot releases on 3, momentum is used to propel the left leg into the rondé. On 4, the foot lands under the body, straight leg, on the ball of the foot. On &, RF moves to bring feet together, on balls of both feet, knees bent, height of head hasn't changed. On 1, push off RF, straighten both legs, pushing off inside edge of ball of RF.
• On Hip Twist Chassé, on 4, hips rotate around spine, so RF is forward in a pressed walk. On &, bring LF together with RF, on balls of feet, knees bent. On 1, push off LF to step back on RF.

Exercise to develop flexibility of the foot: Stand on balls of feet, shoulder width apart, and then bend knees, and squat, keeping heels elevated.

Upper body is light, feet are heavy. Feet press into the floor, body is light.

Lesson on Waltz (Bronze Level)

Bronze Level Waltz, including a routine for practice.

Some practice exercises:

• Step toward mirror, soft knees, keeping shoulders and hips flat, with CBM. Our coach said one of his coaches wanted him to practice this 10000 times between sessions. (Well, he only sees his coach in English once every few months.)
• In partnership, practicing all the possible leads, from man's perspective:
  
  
  
  1. Step forward straight, LF
  2. Step back straight, RF
  3. Step straight left
  4. Step straight right
  5. Lower on right leg
  6. Step forward, LF, turn frame right
  7. Step back, RF, turn frame back to straight
  8. Step Left
  9. Shape Left
  10. Shape Right
  11. Step Right
  12. Shape Left
  13. Straighten up
• When stepping through a routine, step back and forth through the steps, particularly on steps that require CBMP.

Some points of technique that are called out:

• The hips need to remain flat. Do not tilt the whole body forward, including the hips. This is as opposed to keeping hips in the right position, and bending forward at the waist. Through the hips and the lower spine the body is erect. This is especially important when turning the frame, as it is not possible to turn the frame properly at the same time it is tilted.
• When stepping back into a turn, the instructor cautioned us that the step back should be straight, toe is only turned in a little if called for in the figure. When one tries to make room by stepping to side while turning, it defeats the purpose of CBM, and if the forward stepping partner does their step correctly, it will also result in losing connection between the partners as they drift apart.