Adding Styling to Latin Steps

What inspired me?

I wasn't too fond of cha cha cha but now I have now changed my mind. Why? I was at a Goodlife Fitness Centre in Mississauga and I noticed a woman at the front of the class for how much rhythm she had in all her steps. I said to myself "She's probably Latin ...that's why". All of her moves had a latin flavor - the way she swayed her arms, the way she shifted her rib cage area above her waist and how she made slight pauses in between her moves. As I did my workout that day I studied what she was doing and 2 classes later after that information sunk in I had developed an awesome sexy Cha Cha Cha. - Since then...I like to do this dance in the zumba cardio classes. Kudos to her because watching her helped me to improve a basic 1 2 step so that it has a Latin flava as well. I complimented her at the end of the class and she accepted it with a smile:)


Styling in 1 2 step:

A 1 2 step is where you alternate your feet by taking 2 steps forward and 2 steps back (i.e. right leg forward, left leg forward, right leg backward, left leg backward) - and you do this over an over again to the beat. Some mix it up by adding arm movements, a hop, a cha cha cha and go back to the same 1 2 step.

So! If you want this step to look for Latin while you're doing it, take the step as though it is a merengue movement by shifting your rib cage and swinging your elbows back as though it were a merengue type step. It's fun to do


Styling in merengue:

For a more Latin flare, use rib isolation movements side to side as you do this step


Styling for Cha Cha Cha:

Involve rib isolation movements and arm movements in a graceful fashion


Styling for salsa:

On the 3 count use pauses in between each side step or forward or back step, and move your hips in a 1 2 3 fashion (right, left, center) - incorporate shoulder shimmies when you reach 3 count or whenever if you can focus in your foot steps;)


Styling with whining your waist:

This may be one of the hardest ones actually. This requires a lot of rib isolation movements and moving your hips round at the same time - it's a Latin way of whining - so hott! Suitable dancing to reggaeton music, calypso, and reggae


Styling for belly dancing:

When you're doing the standard side hip movement with your coin belt on and your arms gracefully in the air and your fingers positioned accordingly - lean back a bit more and bend the leg that you have more of your weight on. Arabic dancers love to do that leaning thing because it's more sexy and appealing as they flick their hips to that tabla beat;)


Styling for batchata steps:

With out styling, the batchata step will seem as a 1 2 3 step, when it is actually a 1 2 3 4 step. On the count of 4 is where you flick your hip up to the beat before you begin at step 1 again. Your leg steps go to the right left right flick, left right left flick. The more rib isolations you involve as you take your steps the more sexy this step becommes. Do it better and better and it becomes better for your abs and it is tiresome too because it involves balance and isolations and good breathing.

Awesome mp3 such as arabic belly dancing music, salsa, reggaeton, batchata, etc to practice available on my site to listen to www.zumbaworkoutscanada.com