THE LIVELY RHUMBA IS INTERESTING TO DANCE

Southland Times, Issue 23610, 10 September 1938, Page 16

THE LIVELY RHUMBA IS INTERESTING TO DANCE

BY LAWRENCE HOSTETLER The charm of the rhumba lies in the smooth, subtle swaying of the hips which accompanies each transfer of weight. Cuban in origin, rhumba rhythm is highly distinctive and characteristic. It is easily led and easy to follow. Count as you would for the fox-trot —two counts to a measure. For quick steps, or changes of weight between accented beats, use AND. If you’re dancing to an orchestra, you’ll hear the seed-filled Cuban gourds beating out the lively rhumba rhythm for you. BASIC STEP Begin by standing on right foot with knee slightly flexed, so as to have weight on ball of this foot. The hips are carried to right side. Your left foot should be resting lightly on the floor .alongside right

See lower left diagram: Count 1, take short quick step to side with left foot. Lower left heel and shift weight to that foot. At same time let your hips sway to left side. Count AND, quickly close right foot to left. Immediately shift weight back to right foot, press heel of that foot down slightly, and sway hips to right. Count 2, take short quick step forward with left foot, lower that heel, and sway to left. Pause, with one foot slightly ahead of the other. Be sure to lower heel before allowing hips to sway to side, and don’t move body from the hips up. COMPLETE FIGURE In the step above .your feet have made a right angle. Continue the pattern: Count 1, step quickly to side with right. Count AND, close left foot to right. Count 2, step forward (or back) with right foot. Pause.

Rhumba steps are short, remember! Which means that the Basic Step won’t carry you far over the floor. So add the Open Step, shown in upper left diagram, to take you forward or back. OPEN STEP Count 1, step forward with left foot. Count AND, step forward with right foot. Count 2, step forward with left. Pause. Practise this a few times and then try it backwards. The Open Step has same rhythm as the Basic Step. Three steps to two beats followed by a pause with a sidewise movement of the hips after each step. The Open Step is taken in a straight line either forward or backward.

Think of the rhumba as being always three short quick steps to one measure of music. That will help you to learn it easily. And relax! Your hips most of all, but knees and ankles too. The

rhumba calls for suppleness. Do you recognize the figures in diagram on right? First comes Basic Step, then Open Step, and at top, Basic Step again. Pin diagram on the wall, and get some one to call these steps out for you. i Count 1, step directly to side with left foot. Count And, close with right. Count 2, step forward with left. Pause. Count 1, step forward, right. Count And, step forward, left. Count 2, step forward, right. Pause. Count 1, step forward, left. Count AND, step forward, right. Count 2, step forward left. Pause.

Count 1, step to side with right foot. Count AND, close with left. Count 2, step forward, right. Tips for rhumba dancers: Press heel down and bend knee slightly before swaying sidewise. Throwing hips from side to side isn’t dancing the rhumba—sway with subtlety,