Merengue Arm Slide / Separation

In twelfth class, we also learned Merengue Arm slide / separation (apart and together) steps. Again these have a count of 1-2-3-4; 1-2-3-4. With hands on partner's upper arms, we both back away from each other, back, back, back and back. During these steps our arms slide away each other till we form locks with our fingers. Then we step forward, forward, forward and forward, back to loose closed. These steps may also be danced over four measures: move apart 8 steps and together 8 steps. Here is a diagram showing an 16-step separation:

Separation Steps: After completing a side basic steps (step 4), male partner will give a slide push with his left or both hands. Both the partners will then start doing back steps.

1. On the first beat/step, with his weight on right leg, he moves his left foot backwards. Waist goes towards right direction. Simultaneously she steps back slightly with her right foot. The weight will shift from right to left leg. The foot going back will always be placed flat.
2. He moves his waist form right to left, moving his right foot back. She does same steps, but with other foot.
3. This is copy of the first step, with his left foot going back.
4. In final step, the right foot will go back very little (in-line to left leg). He will give next lead for forward steps (a slight pull to her hands). Weight is shifted on right leg.

Forward / Together Steps: After completing the separation steps (step 4), he starts forward steps with his weight on the right leg. To perform these movements, he gives her a lead on the last separation step.

1. On the first beat/step, he moves his waist to other direction (i.e. from left to right), stepping forward slightly with his left foot. The weight will shift from right to left leg. The foot going forward will be placed flat.
2. He moves his waist (form left to right) and moves his right foot forward.
3. This is copy of the first step, with his left foot going ahead.
4. In final step, the right foot goes forward very little (in-line to left leg). He gives leads for next steps, either side or back steps.

Merengue Tips:

• Girl performs steps that compliment those of boy (like a mirror image). For example, if he moves his left foot forward, back or side left, she will move her right foot forward, back or side right.
• Always keep upper body erect and as motionless as possible. This will add to the look of the dance.
• While doing Merengue, lay emphasis on your legs. At the same time, avoid thrashing about your arms.

Jive Leads and Break Away steps

In twelfth class, we learned Jive's "Break Away" steps:

• We start with basic steps 1-4.
• After doing step 4 of basic Jive, we rotate by 90 degrees and perform step 5 and 6 in perpendicular directions (to step 1-4), such that they start facing the same direction. Male partner rotates to his right and female partner rotates to her left.
• During step 6, their hands should form a W. Always remember to take small steps in Jive.
• Partners then do their 1 - 4 steps facing the same direction.
• Then on step 4, male partner pulls female partner's left hand in his left direction. They both rotate back by 90 degrees and perform steps 5 and 6, facing each other.

We also learned Jive leads:

• Basic steps lead are simple and hands remain at waist height.
• For performing breakaway steps, he gives a push by his right hand to her left hand.
• Similarly, to join back, he pulls her right hand by his left hand.
• If she doesn't receive any lead during breakaway steps, then both the partners keep on doing rest of the steps without changing the direction.

Cha Cha Leads

In today's (eleventh) class, we were taught taking leads in Cha Cha. These are very similar to leads in Rumba, only difference being, that there is no shift-2-shift step. We learned leads in basic, Newyork, hand to hand and New-hand steps.

Basic leads: Male partner gives a slight push/pull to his left/right hands, towards forward/backward/side directions.

Newyork leads: Male partner leaves female partner's right hand and try to bring left hand inside (towards his right direction). His right hand kind of flies towards right direction. Similarly, for other side, he leaves left hand and bring in right hand (towards left direction). He does not hold hands tight, and the contacting hands kind of slide, with her fingers sliding over his fingers.

Hand to hand leads: He slightly pushes girl's left hand and try to bring right hand inside (towards left direction). Left hand kind of flies towards left direction. Similarly, for other side, he pushes right hand and bring in left hand (towards right direction). Again, he does not hold hands tight, and the contacting hands kind of slide, with her fingers sliding over his fingers.

New-Hand leads: He picks up both hands to shoulder height. First he does Newyork step and she does hand to hand step, then he does hand to hand step and she complements it with Newyork step. After completion of these steps only, hands come down.

Salsa and Rumba Leads

In today's (tenth) class, we were taught taking leads in Salsa and Rumba. In Salsa, we learned taking leads for basic, side and open steps. In Rumba, we learned taking leads for basic and shift-2-shift steps.

Salsa basic step:

• Female partner puts her hands in boy’s open hands. Male partners keep their thumbs pointing outwards.

• In Salsa basic step, our hands make a 90 degree angle at elbows.

• While going back or front (on steps 1 and 5), we try to move hand's elbow with the body. Elbow should not touch body, but keep it at a comfortable distance. During movement, female partner should keep her hands stiff, so that whenever male partner gives a lead, her elbow should not get back or ahead of her body; it should move with our body.

• He gives leads at 4 (end of 3) and 8 (end of 7), which she has to catch and follow the steps accordingly.

• Try not to rotate hands in rounds, while doing steps. Try to keep them at 90 degrees.

Salsa Side steps:

• Here our hands just go down in the direction of movement, and then come back.

Salsa open steps:

• Try not to crisscross the hands while doing the steps.

Rumba steps:

• In Rumba, we were taught only two leads; one when male partner leads female partner backwards/forwards or other when he leads her sideways.

• Giving leads either forward or backward means that partners have to do basic Rumba steps.

• For shift-2-shift steps, he leads by moving his hands in the opposite direction. So in step 1, when we shift our weight on left foot, we lead by stretching our right hand in the right direction. Similarly we lead movement towards right, by moving left hand in left direction.

Cha Cha Newyork and Hand to Hand Steps

In today's (ninth) class, we added two new steps to Cha Cha, the Newyork and Hand to Hand steps. Both steps have same count as Cha Cha, i.e., 2-3-Cha-Cha-1-2-3-Cha-Cha-1. During practice, we were asked to do two basics, then two Newyork steps and finally two Hand to Hand steps.

Details of Newyork step:

0 – Male partner starts with weight on right leg and left leg inline (horizontally stretched around a foot away).

2 – We pick up left leg and place it in right of right leg (not much far), rotating 90 degrees clockwise. Our view line also shifts by 90 degrees. Our view line is same as to where our left foot has gone. During this step, weight is shifted to left leg and right leg heels gets up. Our right leg also slides by 90 degrees, with right leg's forefoot acting as a pivot.

3 – Right leg is twisted back counter-clockwise by 90 degrees, heel starts touching dance floor and weight is shifted on it.

Cha – This is a quick step where we pick up and bring back left leg close to right leg (basic Cha step). Our view line also comes back to initial direction. Weight is shifted from right leg to left leg and the whole left foot touches the dance floor.

Cha – This is a again a quick step, where we shift right leg sideways such that it starts touching left leg. The whole foot touches the dance floor. Weight is shifted from left leg to right leg.

Cha/1 – Here we shift the left leg sideways by more than a feet, in-line to right leg. The whole foot touches the ground. Weight is shifted from right leg to left leg.

2 – We follow above four steps again, but with other foot. We pick up right leg and place it in left of left leg (not much far), rotating 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Our view line also shifts by 90 degrees. During this step, weight is shifted to right leg and left leg heels gets up. Our left leg also slides by 90 degrees, with left leg's forefoot as a pivot.

3 – Left leg is twisted back clockwise by 90 degrees, with heel coming back on ground and weight is shifted on it.

Cha – This is a quick step where we bring back right leg, and place it around 3 inches away from left leg (in-line). Our view line also comes back to initial direction. The whole foot touches the ground. Weight is shifted from left to right leg.

Cha – This is a again a quick step, where we shift left leg sideways such that it starts touching right leg. The whole foot touches the ground. Weight is shifted from right to left leg.

Cha/1 – Here we shift the right leg sideways by more than a feet, in-line to left leg. The whole foot touches the ground. Weight is shifted from left to right leg.

Details of Hand to Hand step:

0 – We start with weight on right leg and left leg inline (horizontally stretched around a foot away).

2 – We pick up left leg and place it in right of right leg (not much far), but this time we rotate counter-clockwise (backwards). Our view line also shifts by 90 degrees, but now it is opposite to where our left foot has gone. During this step, weight is shifted to left leg and right leg heels gets up. Our right leg also slides by 90 degrees, with right leg's forefoot acting as a pivot.

3 – Right leg is twisted back clockwise by 90 degrees and weight is shifted on it.

Cha – This is a quick step where we pick up and bring back left leg close to right leg (basic Cha step). Our view line also comes back to initial direction. Weight is shifted from right leg to left leg and the whole left foot touches the ground.

Cha – This is a again a quick step, where we shift right leg sideways such that it starts touching left leg. The whole foot touches the ground. Weight is shifted from left leg to right leg.

Cha/1 – Here we shift the left leg sideways by more than a feet, in-line to right leg. The whole foot touches the ground. Weight is shifted from right leg to left leg.

2 – We follow above four steps again, but with other foot. We pick up right leg and place it in left of left leg (not much far), rotating clockwise (again backwards). Our view line also shifts by 90 degrees, but in opposite direction of our right leg movement. During this step, weight is shifted to right leg and left leg heels gets up. Our left leg also slides by 90 degrees, with left leg's forefoot as a pivot.

3 – Left leg is twisted back counter-clockwise by 90 degrees and weight is shifted on it.

Cha – This is a quick step where we bring back right leg, and place it around 3 inches away from left leg (in-line). Our view line also comes back to initial direction. The whole foot touches the ground. Weight is shifted from left to right leg.

Cha – This is a again a quick step, where we shift left leg sideways such that it starts touching right leg. The whole foot touches the ground. Weight is shifted from right to left leg.

Cha/1 – Here we shift the right leg sideways by more than a feet, in-line to left leg. The whole foot touches the ground. Weight is shifted from left to right leg.

Rumba Side-to-Side and Newyork steps

In today's (eighth) class, we added two new steps to Rumba – the Side-to-Side and Newyork steps. Side-to-Side step has count of Side-to-Side-Side-to-Side. Newyork step has same count as basic step, and is also a bit similar to it. During practice, we were asked to do two basics, then two Side-to-Side steps and finally two Newyork steps.

Details of Side-to-Side steps are:

Side – Before this step, your left foot should be a foot away from the foot right, with weight on right foot. In this step, weight is shifted to left foot and right foot’s heel gets up, while shifting weight. Simultaneously right foot is brought closer to left foot.

2 – At this moment, the weight is on left foot and only foot’s forefoot touches the ground (with heel lifted up), with both the feet side-by-side. Weight shift is made. Now weight is on right foot.

Side – Left foot again goes left by a foot and weight is shifted to it. Right foot’s heel gets up, while shifting weight.

Side – Weight is shifted from left to right and simultaneously left foot is brought back closer to right foot.

2 – At this moment, the weight is on right foot and only foot’s forefoot touches the ground (with heel lifted up), with both the feet side-by-side. Weight shift is made. Now weight is on left foot.

Side – Right foot again goes right by a foot and weight is shifted to it. Left foot’s heel gets up, while shifting weight. We come back to initial position of Rumba.


Details of Newyork step:

0 – We start with weight on right foot and left foot in line (horizontally around a foot away).

2 – We pick up left foot and place it in right of right foot (not much far). Our view line also shifts by 90 degrees clockwise and is in same direction to the movement of left foot. During this step, weight is shifted to left foot and right foot heels gets up. Our right foot also slides by 90 degrees, with pivot on right foot’s forefoot.

3 – Right foot is twisted back counter-clockwise by 90 degrees and weight is shifted on it.

4 – We pick up and bring back left foot a foot away to right foot. Our view line again comes back to initial direction. Left foot’s forefoot remains in-contact to ground and heel remains lifted up.

1 – Here we do a quick weight shift from right foot to left foot. Left foot heel comes down and right foot’s gets lifted a bit.

2 – We follow above four steps again, but with other foot. We pick up right foot and place it in left of left foot (not much far). Our view line also shifts by 90 degrees counter-clockwise. During this step, weight is shifted to right foot and left foot heels gets up. Our left foot also slides by 90 degrees, with pivot on left foot’s forefoot.

3 – Left foot is twisted back clockwise by 90 degrees and weight is shifted on it.

4 – We pick up and bring back right foot a foot away to left foot. Our view line again comes back to initial direction. Right foot’s forefoot remains in-contact to ground and heel remains lifted up.

1 – Here we do a quick weight shift from left foot to right foot. Right foot heel comes down and left foot’s gets lifted a bit.

Newyork Salsa Open or Back break steps

In today's (seventh) class, we added one more step to Salsa – the open or back break step. It is a bit similar to basic step. Here our legs move only backwards. During practice, we were asked to do two basics, two side, and then two open steps, one basic, one side, and then one open steps, half basic, half side, half open, half basic, half side, and finally half open.

Details of open steps are:

1 – Left leg goes behind right one, not much far, with weight shifting from right to left leg. Left leg is placed at 45 degrees to right leg.

2 – Weight is shifted back from left to right leg.

3 – No weight shifting. Left leg is brought back to original position (in-line to right leg), such that its only forefoot touches ground and heel remains lifted.

4/Shift – Only weight is shifted from right to left leg.

5 – Above four steps are repeated with other leg. Right leg goes behind left, with weight shifting from left to right leg. Right leg is placed at 45 degrees to left leg.

6 – Weight is shifted back from right to left leg.

7 – No weight shifting. Right leg is brought back closer to left leg, such that its only forefoot touches ground and heel remains lifted.

8/Shift – Only weight is shifted from left to right leg.