I am not a styling queen by any means, and there is a reason for that. Of course, it’s hard not to pay attention to gorgeous hands and arms of Instagram’s top Bachata dancers! How can we not notice Sara Panero’s killer kicks and flower hands.
The most common questions from follows in class are always about styling - like what should they do with their head, arms and hands. But ladies.... as much as we want to look beautiful, rushing to add style is a DISTRACTION! Bachata is not a choreographed dance - we all know it’s entirely improvised and therefore styling just be an improvisation as well. We do not follow our partner and dance bachata with our arms!
As I tell my girls in class, you must learn to dance bachata FIRST - with the feet, 2 - the body (hips, weight transfer, core), 3 - head, 4 - arms - and even then the arm movement initiates from the BACK, not from the shoulders. Our bodies are connected to the floor and to our partner and therefore our extension must come from that.
Of course try the styling provided in class, but please don’t make it your focus, it will only take away from your learning of leading and following.
There is also a misconception that the female instructor’s role in class is to provide styling while the male instructor teaches the technique of the pattern. Of course I disagree with this too. Our role is very valuable for explaining technique as well, how something should *feel* and how to execute our part correctly. I barely focus on what I’m doing with my hands in class, instead I like to explain my weight transfer, connection points and energy direction.
Want to learn lady styling? Check out our weekly drop in styling classes, all of our other classes on our site.
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