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American Samba
- Author:
- Dave Watson
- Date Published:
- September 2, 2004
We will work a lot on understanding the pulsing action of Samba this month in this class.
The first elevation comes as a result of “launching” the body off of the supporting ankle. However, that energy should be used to move the body across the floor, not just up and down. Additional energy will be absorbed into the center of the body.
The second elevation will come as a result of pressing onto the ball of one foot, and then landing flatly on the whole flat foot of the other foot – kind of a “peg-legged” action. Again, we should not see the heads bouncing up and down; the energy here will be taken up in the hips and knees. This is very similar to ‘Cuban Motion’, but it is NOT ‘Cuban Motion’.
Also, the counting of Samba is handled in a variety of ways. Usually we count in beats and measures. Therefore, we will frequently count the Samba: “1 uh 2, 2 uh 2, 3 uh 2….”. However, we will also sometimes count all the beats; i.e.: “1 uh 2, 3, uh 4, 5 uh 6…. In addition, certain patterns (like Voltas) are usually counted: “1 uh 2 uh 3 uh 4…. This might seem confusing at first, but it’s actually not – don’t worry about it.
COUNT:
Basic:
Man dances forward with his left foot (ball-flat), then side right (ball of foot),
Then close left foot to right (ball-flat)
Lady dances back right (ball-flat), side left (ball of foot), right foot close
To left foot (ball-flat) 1 uh 2
Both partners now dance the opposite; Man dances back – Lady forward left 2 uh 2
NOTE: the side step will be extremely small unless movement will be needed for the pattern. For example: a Basic without turn will have almost no movement to the side on the second change of weight – a Basic turning will have very little movement to the side for the partner dancing backward (inside of turn), but the person dancing forward (outside of turn) will have a larger side step.
Whisks:
Man dances side left, then crosses right foot behind left tightly, then replaces left
Foot where it was
Lady dances side right, tightly crosses her left foot behind her right, and then
Replaces her right foot where it was 1 uh 2
Both partners now dance the same action to the opposite side 2 uh 2
Lady’s Underarm Turns (Spot Volta Underarms):
Man dances normal Whisks as described above (1 uh 2, 2 uh 2)
Lady dances side right and prepares to turn under the Man’s raised left arm
She then dances forward left – turning to her right under the arm –
Now she replaces weight back onto her right foot and finishes her
Turn to face the Man 1 uh 2
Lady now repeats the action to the other side (left, right, left) 2 uh 2
Samba Walks: (Begin in PP)
Both partners will dance the same pattern. Obviously, the Lady will be dancing with her left foot whenever the Man is dancing with his right, and vice versa.
Dance forward (ball-flat) with your free foot. Then extend your other foot
back with turnout and press on the toe of that foot leaving your weight
over the front foot (the foot you moved first). Now “Pop” the hips back
which will cause that front foot to pull back just slightly. Repeat
with the other foot moving forward. 1 uh 2, 2 uh 2
Reverse Conversas:
These are nothing more than Samba Walks danced in the opposite direction – with some rotation – and alternating between a one and two-hand hold. (Sounds like a lot – but it’s not)
Man and Lady dance a Whisk to the Man’s left as described above EXCEPT,
they turn to Counter Promenade Position (CPP) at the end of the Whisk,
and begin to release the Man’s right arm from the Lady’s back 1 uh 2
Both partners now dance a Samba Walk as described above (Man right foot
Forward – Lady left foot forward) having opened up to a one-hand hold 2 uh 2
Both partners dance forward (Man left – Lady right) into another Samba Walk,
BUT they turn toward one another and take a two-hand hold 3 uh 2
At this point, partners are facing one another.
Partners now turn away from one another – keeping only the normal one-hand hold,
And dance another Samba Walk to CPP 4 uh 2
Repeat the last two Samba Walks 5 uh 2, 6 uh 2
Man now dances strongly forward left – leading Lady to move past her next
Forward step (right foot) – and both partners will turn a full ½ turn as
they both step side to Man’s right (Lady’s left) – regain a normal
Promenade Position Hold (PP) 7 uh
Replace weight to the free foot (Man’s left – Lady’s right) without moving it 2
Couple has now turned around – regained dance position -- and is heading back the other way.
Couple now dances a Samba Walk in PP as described above (Man right foot
Forward – Lady left foot) 8 uh 2
NOTE that this pattern ends in PP. Follow with a Whisk, a Side Samba Walk, or another Samba Walk in PP.
Basic Reverse Turn (Viennese Cross Turn):
Man dances Forward left, side right, then crosses his left foot in front of his right
Lady dances back right, side left (small step), then closes right foot to her left 1 uh 2
This is a Viennese Cross Turn. Couple has turned approximately ½ turn to the left over these three steps.
Partners now switch roles: Man now dances back right, side left, and closes
right to left – Lady dances forward left , side right, and crosses left
over right 2 uh 2
Again, couple will turn approximately ½ turn to left over the three steps.
NOTE: This pattern may be ‘Shaped’ for greater emphasis and personal expression. On the first measure, Man may shape to his left – to Promenade. On the second measure, he will shape to his right – Counter Promenade. (Don’t overdo it….)
Cross-Body Lead / Twirl Out (Reverse Underarm Turn):
Couple dances the first measure of a Basic reverse Turn as described above
(No extra ‘Shaping’) 1 uh 2
Continuing to turn to his left, Man now opens away from Lady – to Promenade
Position – and steps back right
Lady steps forward Left 2
Leading the Lady to pass across the front plane of his body, Man steps side left
Lady dances forward right uh
Man closes right to left – leading Lady to continue past him and begin turning
To her left under his raised left arm
Lady dances forward left – then turns on her left foot to begin a Reverse Turn
Under the Man’s raised left arm 2
Man now dances a forward Basic as described above as he continues to turn Lady
Coninuing to turn to her left under the Man’s raised left arm, Lady pivots back right / forward left / back right to end facing Man 3 uh 2
Both partners now dance an Open Break to the Man’s right (Lady’s left) 4 uh 2
The Open Break is just like a Whisk except partners only have a normal one-hand hold.
Partners are now facing each other with a one-hand hold.
We will continue into a Natural Top and Open Break Combination.
Natural Top / Open Break Combination: (Begin in Open Facing Position with a one-hand hold – i.e.: after just finishing a Cross-Body Lead / Twirl Out)
Leading Lady to close to him , and turning to his right, Man steps side left / then
Crosses right foot behind left / then steps side left again (Natural Top)
Lady dances forward right to close to the Man / then steps side left / then forward
And across with her right foot (Natural Top) 1 uh 2
Couple now dances an Open Break to Man’s right (lady’s left) 2 uh 2
REMEMBER: The Open Break is just like a Whisk except the Man releases his right arm from the Lady’s back, allowing the couple to separate away more to a one-hand hold.
Repeat the above combination 3 uh 2, 4 uh 2
Repeat the Natural Top one more time 5 uh 2
Leading the Lady to continue to turn to Promenade Position, Man steps forward
Right between the Lady’s feet, then points (NO WEIGHT) his left foot
To the side and HOLDS
Lady dances a normal Whisk to her left BUT she turns her head to Promenade 6 uh (2)
Another – more difficult – ending to the Cross-Body Lead / Twirl Out is to go directly into the Reverse Conversas from the Twirl Out.
To do this, dance the first two measures of the Cross-Body Lead as described above. Now – as the Man leads the Lady to dance her Reverse Underarm Turn (the Twirl Out) -- he will dance three steps forward instead of a Basic (forward / side / together). As he dances forward, he will keep the Lady turning along his left side. He now leads the Lady to continue to turn for an additional ½ turn to her left by turning his body slightly to his right, and by bringing his left hand forward. As he does this, he is commencing to dance into a Samba Walk in Open Counter Promenade Position. This is where we begin the Reverse Conversas; with the Man opening out onto a Samba Walk with his right foot forward, and the Lady turning into a Samba Walk with her left foot forward. A little tricky, but – if lead well – not impossible, and a nice move.
Side Samba Walks: (Begin in PP with INSIDE FOOT free – remain in PP throughout)
This pattern is usually taken after a normal Samba Walk forward in PP.
Both partners dance forward with their inside foot (Man’s right – Lady’s left)
As if dancing a normal Samba Walk as described above 1
Both partners now extend their outside foot (Man’s left / Lady’s right) to
The side and apply pressure to the inside edge of the big toe uh
Both partners now replace weight to their inside foot (Man’s right / Lady’s left)
Having “pulled” the inside foot slightly toward the outside foot (away
From Each other) – this helps to create a little more space between partners 2
During this movement, it is important to note that the body weight never left the inside foot; the outside foot receives only pressure – not real weight.
The Side Samba Walk is used as an entry into a great variety of figures icluding Criss-Cross Traveling Voltas, Fallaway Voltas, and Shadow Bota Fogas. We will continue into the Shadow Bota-Fogas.
Shadow Bota Fogas: (Begin in PP having with outside foot free)
Frequently this pattern is danced after a Side Samba Walk or a Criss-Cross Traveling Volta.
Man crosses left foot over right very tightly (as in Volta action), and leads Lady
To Pass in front of his body – back to front - under his raised left arm
Lady will cross her right foot tightly in front of her left foot (as in Volta action)
While passing to her left under the man’s raised left arm. She will pass
Across the front of Man – back to front 1
Both partners extend their free foot (Man’s right – Lady’s left) to the side
Away from one another. Apply pressure only to the inside edge of the
Big toe of that side movement – NO real weight uh
Replace weight to the other foot (man’s left / Lady’s right) 2
Repeat to the other side – again, Lady will pass across the front of the Man
Back to front 2, uh, 2
No significant turn will be made on this figure – both partners continue to face front.
Traveling Voltas:
There are many different Traveling Volta Movements. In this class, we will dance a “Criss-Cross’ Traveling Volta. But first, let’s examine the basic Traveling Volta action, with no curving or partnering. Both partners will dance the Volta action the same way, so we will examine first only the actual Volta action.
For a Traveling Volta action moving to the left, begin with your weight on your left foot and your right foot pointed to the side without weight. This is your starting position. Usually we will attain this position by first dancing a Bota Foga, a Side Samba Walk, or a Hip Bounce.
Begin by crossing the right foot tightly over the front of the left 1
Now open the left foot to the side (just the ball of foot – keep heel up) uh
Repeat usually to the count of 4 (although it could be more or less) 2, uh, 3, uh, 4
Notice that the Numbers are always on the crossing foot, and that you ended in a crossed foot position. If you repeat to the other side, you dance exactly the same thing (crossing left foot in front of right), except you will, of course, be starting with your free foot crossed behind instead of pointed to the side – no problem.
‘Criss-Cross’ Traveling Voltas: (Begin after dancing a Side Samba Walk)
There are many different Traveling Volta Movements. In executing the ‘Criss-Cross’ Traveling Voltas, Lady will always pass in front of Man as they dance toward opposite sides.
Man dances a traveling Volta as described above traveling to his right
(left foot crossing in front of right) – Man will lead Lady to dance
under his raised left arm – passing in front of him; back to front –
to dance a Traveling Volta to her left
Lady dances a Traveling Volta to her left as described above (right foot
crosses in front of left) – she will pass across the Man; back to front –
under his raised left arm 1, uh, 2, uh, 3, uh, 4
Both partners will curve approximately ¼ to ALMOST face one another (Man curves to his left – Lady to her right).
Repeat the Volta action in the other direction, again passing Lady across
the front of Man; back to front and curving approximately ½ turn
to face one another 2, uh, 2, uh, 3, uh, 4
Note that the traveling, combined with the curving, results in a Volta action that travels down the floor trading sides.
Advanced Combination:
1. Cross-Body Lead / Twirl Out >
2. Reverse Conversas >
3. Samba Walks >
4. Side Samba Walk >
5. Shadow Bota Fogas >
6. ‘Criss-Cross’ Traveling Voltas >
7. Lady’s Spot Volta Underarm Turn >
8. Whisk ending
