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American Rumba
- Author:
- Dave Watson
- Date Published:
- July 5, 2004
There are many different kinds of Rumba (Rhumba); all of which are interesting, and important to have in the repertoire of the well-rounded dancer. The American – or BOX STEP – Rumba is based (as you might guess) on a Box Step. The Rhythm is EITHER Quick, Quick, Slow, OR Slow, Quick, Quick. We will use S,Q,Q for this class. Most changes of weight are taken Ball-Flat.
COUNT:
Box Step:
Man steps forward left directly at the Lady
Lady steps back right S
Man dances a chasse’ (side / together) to his right – [right / left]
Lady dances a chasse’ to her left (side / together – [left / right]) Q, Q
Man now dances straight back right
Lady dances straight forward at the Man with left foot S
Man now dances chasse’ to his left – Lady dances chasse’ to her right Q, Q
The Box Step will almost always have a very slight rotation to the left over the course of all 6 steps.
Underarm Turn:
Both partners dance the first three steps of a Box Step S, Q, Q
Man continues by dancing the next three steps of his Box Step, lifting his left arm
On S, and leading Lady to turn under his raised left arm
Lady dances forward for three steps, passing under the Man’s raised left arm, and
Curving approximately ¾ turn to her right S, Q, Q
Man now turns approximately ¼ turn to his left to face Lady as he dances the first
Three steps of a new Box Step
Lady dances forward right, then a chasse’ (side / together) to her left to face Man S, Q, Q
Both partners now finish with the last three steps of a Box Step S, Q, Q
Cross-Body Lead:
Both partners dance the first three steps of their Box Step S, Q, Q
Man now steps back right, opening his body by turning leftward to
Promenade Position (P.P.), and leading Lady to pass forward across the
plane of his body
Lady dances forward left in Promenade Position (P.P) S
Man now continues to turn, continues to lead Lady across the plane of his body,
And dances a small step side left – then closes his right foot to his left
Lady dances forward right (in P.P.) – then forward left (beginning to turn left
To face Man Q, Q
Man now leads the Lady to close to him as he dances a small step forward into the Lady
Lady dances diagonally back with her right foot and closes to Man S
The couple will have turned approximately ½ turn to left by the completion of the pattern.
Both partners now finish by dancing the last five steps of their Box Step Q, Q – S, Q, Q
5th Position Breaks:
Couple dances first half (3 steps) of a Box Step as described above S, Q, Q
Couple dances side to Man’s right – Lady’s left, and opens to PP S
Both partners dance a back rock (Man left / right – Lady right / left) in PP Q, Q
Both partners now dance a side step to face one another (Man left – Lady right),
At the end of this side step, Man releases his right arm hold, and Lady releases
her left arm, and couple turns to Open Counter Promenade Position (OCPP) S
Both partners now dance a back rock in OCPP (Man right / left – Lady left / right) Q, Q
Both partners now dance side to face one another – Man right / Lady left. At the
End of this side step, couple will turn more and regain normal PP S
Couple dances one more back rock – Lady swivels to close to Man at end of rock Q, Q
Couple finishes with whole Box Step S, Q, Q – S, Q, Q
Traveling Cross:
One of the secrets to this step is remembering that MOST of the time – throughout the course of this pattern – partners are dancing “Mirror Opposites” of one another. In other words, partners are facing one another, and, when the man’s left foot crosses behind him, the Lady’s right foot will cross behind her; if he steps side right, she steps side left, etc.
Man steps forward left, and turns slightly to his left – Lady steps back right S
Man steps side right, turns to his right, and releases right arm hold
Lady steps side left, and continues to “Open Out” by turning to her left Q
Man steps through with his left – Lady steps through with her right Q
Partners are now in OPEN COUNTER PROMENADE POSITION (OCPP); as if they were dancing a Crossover Break to the Man’s right side. However, in this pattern, partners will continue to move down the line on which they’ve now started.
Man now steps side right, and turns slightly to his left to face Lady
Lady steps side left, turning slightly to her right to face the Man S
Continuing to move to his right, Man crosses left foot behind right
Continuing to move to her left, Lady crosses her right foot behind her left Q
Man steps side right, turning slightly to his right to “Open” Lady out
Lady steps side left, turning slightly to left (preparing for Crossover Break) Q
Both partners now step forward (Man left / Lady right) into a Crossover Break S
Both partners now step back (Lady turns in left foot to prepare to turn to right) Q
Man steps back left – Lady steps side right having turned to her right approximately 3/8 Q
Man steps back right, lifts his left arm, and leads Lady to dance a ‘SPIRAL’ on S& --
Lady steps forward left, and dances a ‘SPIRAL’ under the Mna’s raised left arm on S& -- S&
NOTE: There is no weight change on the & count here. That is purely for the Lady’s SPIRAL action.
Man steps side left to face Lady – Lady steps side right to face Man (Take 2–Hand hold) Q
Continuing to move to his left, Man steps forward right across his left foot
Continuing to move to her right, lady steps forward left across her right foot Q
Man steps side left and faces Lady – Lady steps side right and faces Man S
Continuing to move to his left, Man steps back right across his left foot
Continuing to move to her right, Lady steps back left across her right foot Q
Man steps side left, Lady steps side right Q
Man now steps side right – moving to his right – as he leads Lady to dance forward into
an inside swivel
Lady steps forward left (small step) – across her right foot – then swivels to her left on it S
Man dances a side rock (left / right) while leading Lady to dance two more inside swivels
Lady dances two more inside swivels Q, Q
MAN NOW HOLDS HIS POSITION WITHOUT CHANGING WEIGHT and leads
Lady to wrap into his arms on his right side
Lady steps forward right across her left foot – moving towards her left – then spirals
On her right foot (turning ½ turn to left on the &) to end up wrapped in Man’s arms on
His right side S&
Partners have maintained a 2–Hand Hold throughout the last 9 steps. Partners are now in right parallel (or, SHADOW) position; and both are standing on their right foot with their left foot free. They will now connect left hand to left hand – Man’s right hand on Lady’s waist.
Both partners now walk forward for 6 steps Q, Q – S, Q, Q – S
Man now walks forward left (S) – Wile Lady dances a syncopated Reverse
Free Turn to end facing Man (Q & Q &) -- S (Man) or Q & Q & (Lady)
Man steps forward right directly at the Lady – Lady steps back left S
Man dances a Progressive Rock Forward (left forward / right back / left forward)
Lady dances a Progressive Rock Back (right back / left forward / right back) Q, Q – S
Both partners now finish by dancing the last 5 steps of their Box Step Q, Q – S, Q, Q