Purr
09-05-2004, 09:09 AM
My last dance lesson last Thursday was on mambo. My teacher & I went up to the mirror, and he said he was going to try with me a tactic that one of his old coaches had used with him. I was to explain to him how to do a mambo basic, in detail, as if he didn't know the first thing about it. I started out with the foot position, then the basic pattern, and finally added technique. My teacher made lots of mistakes, and I had to keep correcting him. It was a really interesting exercise, because it brought home all the information that's he's been telling me about just the basic step. His thinking was that by doing this I would have to really think about all the details.
I was wondering if anyone has experieced this method of teaching, and if so, what were the results.
_____
To the best of my recollection, the "lesson" went something like this, and I demonstrated as we went along.
Stand with feet in V position, at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Come forward on left foot
Change weight, feet come back to V position
Go back on right foot
Change weight, feet come back to V position
Posture says straight, body moves with moving foot, body does not teeter forward and back
You land on a bent leg with moving foot
Weight of body should be on bent leg, you should be able to pick up the other foot off the ground
We then add hip action
Hip action is in opposite direction of moving foot
With forward basic, when left foot is coming forward, right hip is back
When left foot is moving back, right hip is forward
When forward step is completed, right hip is back again
Reverse for back basic
Hip movement is predominately front & back, not side to side
However, there is some side movement, when coming back on forward basic, filling out the pocket so to speak
Reverse for back basic
Twist off of the foot you're leaving, use the twist movment to acheive better hip action
Pressure is on inside edge of foot
Movement occurs from the chest down; from the chest up the body is straight
Timing is quick, quick, slow
I was wondering if anyone has experieced this method of teaching, and if so, what were the results.
_____
To the best of my recollection, the "lesson" went something like this, and I demonstrated as we went along.
Stand with feet in V position, at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Come forward on left foot
Change weight, feet come back to V position
Go back on right foot
Change weight, feet come back to V position
Posture says straight, body moves with moving foot, body does not teeter forward and back
You land on a bent leg with moving foot
Weight of body should be on bent leg, you should be able to pick up the other foot off the ground
We then add hip action
Hip action is in opposite direction of moving foot
With forward basic, when left foot is coming forward, right hip is back
When left foot is moving back, right hip is forward
When forward step is completed, right hip is back again
Reverse for back basic
Hip movement is predominately front & back, not side to side
However, there is some side movement, when coming back on forward basic, filling out the pocket so to speak
Reverse for back basic
Twist off of the foot you're leaving, use the twist movment to acheive better hip action
Pressure is on inside edge of foot
Movement occurs from the chest down; from the chest up the body is straight
Timing is quick, quick, slow