famka32@yahoo.com
famkafaye
how to do use your hips in salsa dancing?does anyone know of anty hip moves i can learn?
im new at salsa;i been studying bellydancing;

famka

I've been lurking

I think that when someone (girl or guy) has a natural Latin hip motion (already), it won't be hard for him/her to fully master it. On the other hand... Because the hip motion is natural to them, it would be strange to "force" it for dance. (I wouldn't be surprised if someone with a natural motion has trouble dancing the Samba at first )

What I've also noticed, is that those same people don't "feel" that they're moving their hips, so sometimes the forceful motion in Latin (which often looks exaggerated) could come from that as well (Of course, there will always be ducks chasing after popcorn :P)

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." - Horace

Yeah, what he said! Hahaha.

(Good post Keh!)

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." - Horace

A hip movement is actually a weight transfer from your other leg to the leg you're currently standing on. If you concentrate on that (instead of concentrating on your hips) you'll notice that your hips will "come along" with the weight transfer That's what worked for me.

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." - Horace

There is a more complete description and exercises on hip movement on this site at the following link. https://www.ballroomdancers.com/Learning_Center/Lesson/Default.asp

Blair

Hip movements in Salsa come from the combination of using both legs.

When you step upon one foot, you will immidiately move all your weight and body to that side(or front, or back). Do keep your standing leg(knee) straight though. And keep the standing side from shoulder, rib cage, hip, knee and a back of ankle in a straight line. Allow your upper body weight settle upon that hip once you get there. Don't purposely move your hip. In the mean time, you will position the weightfree leg in such a way that your knee is bent toward the front where your body is facing. Only the inside of ball of you foot in contact with the floor on the weight free side. You will quickly notice your hip rotate to the back all by itself.

Exercise all the above techniques slowly in front of a large mirror. Gradually pick up the speed to the Salsa musics.

yes, the "secret" of the hip motion is in the weight transfer, as well as when that weight transfer occurs. After you've done that, you can concentrate on hip isolationary movement to complement / amplify the motion.

Hi Michelle:

Nice to see you back here again and on the other dance site too.

Believe me the hip motion(latin motion/Cuban motion) did not come easy for me. It took me a good five years to finally get some motion out of my hips. I noticed my hip movements through the mirror at the studio recently. And I jumped to joy!!

I work at a large 3000-room hotel with 6000 employees and potentially seeing 6000 guests+4000 employees daily. Just too many times I walked behind someone(most liekly a non-dancer) and noticed the natural Latin hip movements while people walk( not just girls, I admit sometimes I do look at pretty girls . I wonder if one walks naturally like that he/she could easily learn the Cuban motion?

On the other hand, some dancers move their hips forcifully and artificially will only portrait a duck chasing after popcorns?:p