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There are three main factors at work in our development of power and control on the dance floor:
1) Balance – covered in a previous series
2) Source of power – which starts with the use of the supporting leg and
moves up to body projection.
3) Control – alternating body movement and leg movement.
BALANCE
We went into great detail on the development of balance in our three-part series,
”Balance – the Elusive Quality”, which included some exercises to help improve this
important aspect of dancing.
The essence of good balance relies on the premise of maintaining both a good straight
vertical axis (where the spine is straight), and a good parallel alignment of the hips and
shoulders with the dance floor. It also requires an awareness of your supporting leg
and body column, which will ultimately become the foundation of your source of power.
SOURCE OF POWER
Power is created by an awareness of your supporting leg and body column, and a body
projection towards a clear destination. Depending on the style of dancing, there are three
main ways to create power for your movement:
1) Compression: This type of movement is used in dances like Samba, social six-count
Foxtrot, and to some extent at the second half of the chasse in Waltz, Quickstep, and
Slow Foxtrot. You start by compressing your supporting leg and forcing your knee to
flex and spring back up (similar to the action of a pogo stick). Your body will travel like
the letter ”n” – it compresses down, goes back up, travels while up, and lowers at
the arrival to the receiving leg.
2) Body Swing: This type of movement is used in dances like the Viennese Waltz, Waltz,
Slow Foxtrot, and Quickstep. Another perfect example is the Hesitation step in the
Waltz. You start by swinging your hips straight down and allow your supporting knee
to flex while directing the action forward (similar to the action of pushing a child in a swing
at the park). Your body will travel like the letter ”u” – it swings down, travels while down
through the knees, and rises as it arrives to the receiving leg.
3) Body Projection: Variations of this type of movement are used in dances like Rumba,
Cha-Cha, Swing, and Argentine Tango. With your supporting leg straight, compress your
hip down slightly as you project both the rib cage and receiving leg forward (imagine
you are walking against the current in a river). You then transfer the weight forward onto
the projected receiving leg while holding onto the floor with the back trailing leg until
the transfer is fully completed. Repeat the same process of body projection
and weight transfer for every step.
CONTROL
As you improve your balance and develop more power in your dancing, you will find
a need to control that power. Without the control to absorb your movement, you will
constantly dance with your brakes on in order to keep your balance and timing.
The main key to controlling your power is to hold onto the floor with both feet as
the body is moving. As you move off of your supporting leg, allow that leg to stretch
and hold onto the floor until the body has arrived to the receiving leg. So, in essence
the supporting leg has two jobs: it gives you the power to move when you are on it,
and gives you the control to absorb that power after you move off of it.
Developing power in your dancing is a natural process and tends to grow as you practice
and become familiar with your dance patterns. However, you can only develop as much
power as you can absorb. Become aware of your free leg, stretch it and use it to hang
onto the floor while your body is moving. Soon, power and control will be yours
on the dance floor.
Happy dancing,
Blanche & Emilio
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Next Issue: Developing Power and Control with Turns
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