Dance - What I'm working on Currently...

My instructor and I are currently working on an International Rumba performance we will have in December. Our studio puts on a dance showcase twice a year where the teachers will perform individual routines with their students. We call it "a dance recital for big kids."

We had originally talked about dancing a Paso Doble. However, we reviewed the DVD's of my last dance competition and decided we needed to work on my Rumba. We're specifically trying to soften me up on my Rumba. Don't get me wrong, Rumba is still fierce. (ALL of the dances in International Latin have a "fierceness" to them.) However there is also a softness in this dance that I will be working to gain (and keep forever) over the next few months.

Here is a picture of my now husband (at the time he was my boyfriend) and I at my very first competition back in January 2008.



My favorite dancer of all time is Yulia Zagoruychenko. Her dancing is simply magical. She has amazing technique and yet her showmanship is beyond amazing. You simply can't tear your eyes off her when she performs. I like to watch videos of her and try to figure out just how she does it.

Below is Yulia performing a Rumba. Please disregard the shaking on the first part of the video. It gets better=) One thing I notice while watching her Rumba is that she looks sharp because she is really getting over her feet and giving such great drama on the Rumba slow count. (In International Latin Rumba, this is on the 4-1 beat). She softens and romanticise her movements on the the 2-3 beats. THIS is what we are working on specifically with me. I really need to work on romanticizing my Rumba. I tend to keep things very hard and stiff on all 4 beats. However, THIS is going to change! I'm determined to do it!



Another Yulia Rumba Showcase Performance:



Here is another video of her competing a Rumba in a competition: