Oh, I think anyone who has tried Samba knows the answer to that question!! Samba is a Latin dance, but different than the others. That's probably because most of the other dances come from Cuba or a Spanish-speaking culture. Samba comes from Brazil, the Portuguese-speaking culture. Yes, the music makes you want to dance, just like other Latin rhythms, but the dance has its own peculiar style.
The first thing you should do is just stand in place and let your body bounce to the music --- that is, soften your knees slightly on each beat of the music. The tough part about learning the dance is learning to soften the knees as part of the styling. As we age, many people suffer from knee problems, but you don't have to go overboard!! Just soften, the same way your knee bends as you come down a stair to cushion your landing so you don't go thud. Use those little shock-absorbers!! We count Samba "1 a 2, 3 a 4"......each time you say a number you are on a flat foot with a softened knee. And notice that in Samba both knees are softened at the same time, rather than taking turns, one bent knee and then the other, like we do in other Latin dances. That's one of the big differences.
Timing is another difference....we count Cha Cha "1234&" - meaning that 4th beat is split in half. The "a" in Samba is not a full half beat, and therefore requires a partial weight change. What exactly does that mean? The easiest way to think of it is to imagine that your foot is sore and you will only place partial weight on it before putting your full weight on the other foot. The other thing to remember about the timing is that the "a" is split with the number before it....but the number after it, the beat after it, is one full beat of music. That means that it almost feels like a "rest", it gets just a little more time, and a little more emphasis and both knees should be softened.
It's that weight distribution thing that gives most people a problem when they first try Samba, and it really takes practice to get the feeling of the dance. When you take that "a" step your weight should not be centered between both feet (remember it is only a partial weight change!) and that seems to be the hardest thing for people to get the knack of. It is easy to spot if you watch other people.....you can easily see that the person's weight is fully centered between. If you suspect that you are having a problem with the weight distribution in Samba, the best thing would be to practice in front of a full-length mirror so you can see and check where your weight is as you dance a basic box or everyone's nemesis "Two-Way Com Pasos". And ask the Advanced Class how they feel about "Truco" --- they'll have a lot to say!!
And then there is the sliding of the foot!! Just doesn't seem like the natural thing to do, does it? Guess that's the reason so many students start taking little shortcuts. They stop trying to slide the foot and just go through the motions of the pattern, especially during a Copa. Sorry, but there are no shortcuts, folks!! If you are doing a Copa without sliding the foot you are actually doing a cute little polka move!! You are not doing the styling of Samba and not doing the timing correctly either!! It seems strange that Polka and Samba are related, but then most of the dances are inter-related, remember?
I promise if you take the time to learn and master the correct timing and the correct weight distribution of Samba you will learn to love the dance!! The music just grabs you in your tummy and makes you want to hit the boards! I have had so many students tell me they want to learn the dance because it always looks like the people out on the floor are having so much fun ---- believe me, they are!! And they are also proud of themselves for finally getting it --- so just remember as you watch them out there having fun......they've been where you are and they feel your pain! They hung in there and got past the initial struggle of learning and you will too!
No comments:
Post a Comment