Slowing down in Rumba

[ShyDancer]

Im having a great deal of trouble slowing myself down in Rumba....
I cant quite figure out why.

I can hear the beat clearly, I know the steps, I dont have any problem in waltz which is similar timing, and the strangest thing...this is only a recent problem! I was fine with it when I first learnt it.......or maybe I wasnt, maybe I just didnt know any better! :lol: :lol:

Although for the last 2 months I have only been dancing Cha Cha, Salsa and Mambo which are much quicker dances, could my feet just be "programmed" so to speak , into dancing faster?

I have been practicing all day long and I find that if I dont count it out with every step I lose it :? Very frustrating :evil:

Anyone experienced anything like this?

[Shamby]

You'll get it eventually Shydancer. I had the same trouble when I first started ballroom. It was a nightmare because my mind and body move so quickly (I'm used to salsa) and I just couldn't slow it down to do Rumba. Like you my feet were programmed into the faster beat but keep practicing because one day it just clicked and now I'm OK with the speed. But at the back of my mind I'm always thinking "can't this music speed up a bit''? It's a nice dance but I prefer something a little faster.

[Genesius Redux]

That happened to me also as I first became more comfortable with rumba, there was a tendency not to hold on the slow--especially since rumba tends to be a dance that is in continuous motion. The fact that you want to be in motion interferes with the hold on the slow step.

What helped me eventually (and I'm still working on it) was an emphasis on technique--making sure that my steps were into the ground, stepping all the time on the bent leg, hip motion.

[SDsalsaguy]

...stepping all the time on the bent leg, hip motion.
Umm, this is only appropriate for American style -- and given Shy's location... well, straight leg is the way to go. But *do* work the body throughout the entire slow! I know that when I was going too fast in Rumba it was because I was settling too early rather than working my body across the intervening beat before settling the hip to roll it into the next step.

HTH

[Sagitta]

Im having a great deal of trouble slowing myself down in Rumba....
I cant quite figure out why.

I can hear the beat clearly, I know the steps, I dont have any problem in waltz which is similar timing, and the strangest thing...this is only a recent problem! I was fine with it when I first learnt it.......or maybe I wasnt, maybe I just didnt know any better! :lol: :lol:
?

Waltz is quick, quick, quick, while rhumba is quick, quick, slow! :? Isn't it?

[cupojoe2]

I have been practicing all day long and I find that if I dont count it out with every step I lose it.

Anyone experienced anything like this?
I had/have exactly the same problem but found that practicing to Destiny’s Child's "Emotion" that the beat is so strong and so clear that it is hard for even me to mess up. :)

... and after a few times with this song, I was able to switch to a less obvious song and still not lose it...

I do the same thing when practicing almost all my dance patterns -- use a song that is as close to my instructor counting in my ear as I can find …and when I feel more comfortable, I move to less obvious songs.

[ShyDancer]

It was a nightmare because my mind and body move so quickly (I'm used to salsa) and I just couldn't slow it down to do Rumba.

I played competitive basketball for 8 years, started at 12 and stopped playing in comps at 20. I still feel the constant need for my feet to always be on the go, my coach would always be at me to keep the feet moving on court and stil to this day when I feel the boards under me I want to move :lol: :lol:



But at the back of my mind I'm always thinking "can't this music speed up a bit''? It's a nice dance but I prefer something a little faster.

This is me all over :lol: I said pretty much the same thing to my teacher who didnt seem paticulary impressed with it!


there was a tendency not to hold on the slow--especially since rumba tends to be a dance that is in continuous motion. The fact that you want to be in motion interferes with the hold on the slow step.


This is where Im having the most touble...my foot just seems to take off on its own...It would be quite funny if I wasnt trying to gain a medal!





Umm, this is only appropriate for American style -- and given Shy's location... well, straight leg is the way to go. But *do* work the body throughout the entire slow! I know that when I was going too fast in Rumba it was because I was settling too early rather than working my body across the intervening beat before settling the hip to roll it into the next step.


Yep straight legs here, my teacher did however briefly mention we will be learning the technique of "sitting" into the hold in the next few classes. Im hoping this will help me.


had/have exactly the same problem but found that practicing to Destiny’s Child's "Emotion" that the beat is so strong and so clear that it is hard for even me to mess up.

This is what I am practicing to :D Ive been playing it over and over even when Im not practicng to it and keep repeating to myself "HOLD, 2, 3, 4 ..HOLD, 2, 3, 4 .....everyone is finding it quite amusing!



Thanks everyone once again for all your help!

[Genesius Redux]

[quote=Genesius Redux]there was a tendency not to hold on the slow--especially since rumba tends to be a dance that is in continuous motion. The fact that you want to be in motion interferes with the hold on the slow step.


This is where Im having the most touble...my foot just seems to take off on its own...It would be quite funny if I wasnt trying to gain a medal!

At the risk of importing some of the tango-sex thread into the rumba, have you tried taking the slow step to establish an emotional connection with your partner, maybe even tying it to an inhale and an exhale? It's kind of a sexual rhythm, isn't it? Maybe let yourself enjoy that moment with your partner--you don't have to tell him that's what you're doing! :wink:

[ShyDancer]

At the risk of importing some of the tango-sex thread into the rumba, have you tried taking the slow step to establish an emotional connection with your partner, maybe even tying it to an inhale and an exhale? It's kind of a sexual rhythm, isn't it? Maybe let yourself enjoy that moment with your partner--you don't have to tell him that's what you're doing! :wink:

Oh no, Not you too!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Believe me when I say I have very little trouble (or hesitation) in establishing a connection with my partner. Quite possibly watching his well trained hips sway is one of the problems Im having with concentration....This is a G rated site so Ill let your imagination work this one out!

[Genesius Redux]

At the risk of importing some of the tango-sex thread into the rumba, have you tried taking the slow step to establish an emotional connection with your partner, maybe even tying it to an inhale and an exhale? It's kind of a sexual rhythm, isn't it? Maybe let yourself enjoy that moment with your partner--you don't have to tell him that's what you're doing! :wink:

Oh no, Not you too!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Believe me when I say I have very little trouble (or hesitation) in establishing a connection with my partner. Quite possibly watching his well trained hips sway is one of the problems Im having with concentration....This is a G rated site so Ill let your imagination work this one out!

Hmmmm. Maybe the next time there's an occasion, you can get him a new dance belt. Might that help with your focus? :wink:

Not that I would make any, er, off-color suggestion....

Cheers,

Genesius

[dTas]

what i've found useful was to play with control to train my body to stop and hold a beat....

try putting on some music and walking forward to the beat quick, quick, quick, quick, slowww (hold for 4 beats) and then then head off for another 4 quicks and a 4 beat slowww.

this helps teach the body the difference between quicks and slows. try it forwards, backwards, side to side, side steps, with twists and turns, whatever!

the long accented slow will teach you body what it needs to do to stay over one leg and not move the other.

good-luck!

[ShyDancer]

Hmmmm. Maybe the next time there's an occasion, you can get him a new dance belt. Might that help with your focus? :wink:

Not that I would make any, er, off-color suggestion....




Oh you naughty man! :lol: :lol:

I only found out today what a "Dance Belt" is! I accidently stumbled across them on a website and as soon as I saw them I remembered this post... I thought you were talking about an ordinary belt :lol: :lol:
Boy do I feel silly now!

[Sagitta]

Hmmmm. Maybe the next time there's an occasion, you can get him a new dance belt. Might that help with your focus? :wink:

Not that I would make any, er, off-color suggestion....




Oh you naughty man! :lol: :lol:

I only found out today what a "Dance Belt" is! I accidently stumbled across them on a website and as soon as I saw them I remembered this post... I thought you were talking about an ordinary belt :lol: :lol:
Boy do I feel silly now!

hey I'm curious too, now...

[Sagitta]

Quite often when I see people dance rhumba I see them going through the motions. What I mean by this is that rhumba is a slow dance. Each step is made with pressure applied through the floor...there is an intense feeling of being grounded, and pushing through the floor...I have this problem too, but the more I do this the less of a problem rhumba becomes for me and the more I enjoy it. It is easier to keep that slow, really a slow...

[Adwiz]

Im having a great deal of trouble slowing myself down in Rumba....
I cant quite figure out why.

While I no longer have this issue in the Latin dances, I have a similar problem with the Waltz, especially when moving from Quickstep right into a Waltz.

When I analyzed the problem it really boiled down to a challenge in finding the beat. Some Waltz songs have such a subdued beat that it is difficult to really locate the "1" or sometimes any of the beats. It is when these songs come along that I have that challenge.

So perhaps your problem is also in finding the distinct beat count. Start by finding the "1" and everything else will tend to fall into place.

For a long time I struggled with finding the beat, especially with some songs that had a really soft or "hidden" beat count. So I spent several weeks immersed in the process of finding the "1" on every Latin song I could find. I spent two to three hours every day finding the beat and checking with others whether I had it or not. Sometimes I was wrong. Eventually it became second nature and now the Latin dances are so obvious I don't give it a second thought. My primary challenge now is the Waltz.

[chachagirlie]

Funny...it never occured to me that rumba was such a slow dance!

SDsalsaguy wrote:

But *do* work the body throughout the entire slow! I know that when I was going too fast in Rumba it was because I was settling too early rather than working my body across the intervening beat before settling the hip to roll it into the next step.

This post really hit the nail on the head. If you are really working through your center your feet should be naturally delayed. I love rumba because I really have ample time to drive the movement through my center and I can purposely dance my back as well.

[ShyDancer]

Hmmmm. Maybe the next time there's an occasion, you can get him a new dance belt. Might that help with your focus? :wink:

Not that I would make any, er, off-color suggestion....




Oh you naughty man! :lol: :lol:

I only found out today what a "Dance Belt" is! I accidently stumbled across them on a website and as soon as I saw them I remembered this post... I thought you were talking about an ordinary belt :lol: :lol:
Boy do I feel silly now!

hey I'm curious too, now...


Did you find out what a dance belt is Sagitta? :lol:

[Genesius Redux]

Hmmmm. Maybe the next time there's an occasion, you can get him a new dance belt. Might that help with your focus? :wink:

Not that I would make any, er, off-color suggestion....




Oh you naughty man! :lol: :lol:

I only found out today what a "Dance Belt" is! I accidently stumbled across them on a website and as soon as I saw them I remembered this post... I thought you were talking about an ordinary belt :lol: :lol:
Boy do I feel silly now!

hey I'm curious too, now...


Did you find out what a dance belt is Sagitta? :lol:

Actually, ShyDancer, there was a time when I was going to dance lessons right after my tae kwon do workout--and the scheduling was so tight, I didn't have time to change. (I get to be pretty good friends with my teachers, and one of the things that results from that is that I sometimes will dance with them drenched in sweat, unshowered, etc.) So I'd come into the studio wearing the pants of my dobuk (uniform), a clean tee-shirt, some hastily applied deodorant, and my dance shoes.

One of the first times I did this, though, my teacher wanted to work on a little tango stuff in closed position--and I had to warn her beforehand that I was still wearing a cup. :lol:

Since in a later routine, she did this little swivel-fan kind of thing that brought her knee dangerously close to the family jewels, however, this was not an entirely unfortuitous precaution.