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Rumba Silver Routine Technique Notes

General Notes:
  • Posture: 
    • Chest more forward, stomach back.
    • Arms: more rounded with tone, do not drop arm on side and hold tight. Tone with partner shall be "just right" to be lead-able and not heavy.
    • Shoulders down, but arms needs to "float", do not tense up arms.
  • Connection with partner: 
    • In open position, Lady hook middle finger of right hand, respond in same level of tone - which will be different for different partner. Do not "resist" or stiff up.
  • Movement:
    • When stepping back, move stomach first. Give it a moment to have a "picked up" center (corresponding to breathing in) before settling into the hips.
    • When stepping forward, move chest forward first.
    • Size of steps: measure the steps, be consistent stepping forward and back.
  • Rumba basic and Rumba Walk:
    • Forward step: When "stepping" on beat forward, push the back foot, weight is transferred to front foot, chest forward, stomach back, back hip stays high, then, taking "&" (or "&1"), to "settle" meaning really crunching the side that is forward, shoulder down connecting to hip, last split second twist the hip (to switch direction). The twisting always makes the direction switch or making the other foot forward.
    • Backward step: not much twisting (because twisting is really for switching direction). Pull stomach and butt back, almost falling, then step the foot back to catch it.
  • Choreographed breathing: generally, breathe in when stepping, breathe out when settling.
Routine Notes:
  1. Man starts with weight on LF, RF back; Lady weight on RF, LF fwd, slightly cross in front, point.
  2. Basic Movements: Open  (2341)
    • Lady: not a standard step, more like prep step, then delayed walk.
      • LF does not get full weight in this, more like a rock forward, keeping L leg straight, rotate hip only.
      • 4: move stomach back first, hip rotated to left
      • 1: when receiving weight on LF, do not let hip back to neutral, hip is still twisted to left. Then, start twisting upper body to right, followed by hip and RF into next figure.
  3. Curl  (2341 2341) Fan finish
    • Lady:
      • 2: give it a moment to be "tall", stomach back, chest forward before settling. Then, really settle, R shoulder connect down to right hip, R arm stay rounded.
      • 3: chest forward first, crunch right side, then, pendulum diagonal forward, crunch left side and hip twist at last split second and be fast. 
      • 41: let upper body turn L first, keep R arm same level (do not drop) and rounded. Trailing foot is connected with floor with 5% weight while doing Curl. At "1", still need to settle R hip.
      • 2: Settle hip.
      • 3: RF forward, slightly cross feet, upper thighs tight, sharp left turn. Push LF after turn,
      • 41&: LF back, For Fan finish, L hip to side, (do not rotate L to open up), keep thighs very tightly closed. Then, at "&", rotate L hip to draw RF in sharply, then twist hip to R into next Hockey Stick.
  4. Hockey Stick  (2341 2341) ending facing parter
    • Technique the same as before for forward walk and tight turns. This is not Fan finish, so L hip will settle by rotate to L.
  5. Cuban Rock LF  (2341)
  6. Cuban Rocks RF  (2341)
  7. Cucarachas: LF  (2341) Man to his left; Lady to her right
    • End: finish feet together. Then, Lady turn to her left to step back - a bit awkward feeling sometimes.
  8. Aida  (2341 2341 2341) With Double Spot Turn Ending, At last step, do Spiral, continue with Rope Spining
  9. Rope Spinning  (2341 2341) ending Lady fwd to Man's R side
  10. Closed Hip Twist  (2341), pressed walk. continue with Reverse Top
  11. Reverse Top  (2341 2341)
  12. Opening Out From Reverse Top  (2341 2341)
  13. Alemana  (2341 2341)
  14. Opening Out To Right And Left  (2341 2341)
  15. Natural Opening Out Movement  (2341) ending facing partner
  16. Alemana  (2341) Finish in Open Position
  17. Open Hip Twist  (2341 2341) finish in Fan Position
  18. Alemana  (2341 2341) Finish in Closed Position
  19. Spiral  (2341) Closed Spiral, afterwards, Lady immediately swing LF to go into Cuban Cross for Reverse Top
    • When doing spiral/curl, keep left arm close to body, in front so the arm doesn't hit Man when going into Reverse Top next.
  20. Reverse Top  (2341 2341) At end of last "1", spiral to L, make sure to have enough turns and follow Man's line going into Aida.
  21. Aida  (2341)
    • Lady getting into Aida - the footwork is very similar to Fan.
    • Ending: Cuban Rock (41 point foot before doing Spot Turn), and then Spot Turn
  22. Hand To Hand RSP  (2341)
  23. Progressive Walks Forward in RSP  (2341 2341) sharp half turn at the end
  24. Hand To Hand LSP  (2341) ending facing partner
  25. Underarm Turn To L  (2341)
  26. Basic Movements: Open  (2341)
  27. Repeat from Curl.