Rhythm and Count in Dancing | SlowFox & Rumba

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Want to be more rhytmical in Slow Foxtrot and Rumba? Learn with us Structure of Music, Count and become musical dancer!

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Egils Smagris personal accounts

[tehatte]

I’ve just started learning with my wife and Rumba was our pick. The thing that bothers me the most in Rumba is between beats 4 & 1. I’ve watched many videos and you’re the only instructor so far that explained the connection between 4&1 and 2&3. Your instructions and demos are the best! Thank you!

[kathleenbaff]

Thank you Egils. Your instructions are so clear and easy to follow, especially for dance students. Wonderful dancing.

[reid]

I love the quality of your instruction, and with such beautiful demonstration. It makes me hungry for more. Very grateful, thanks

[SuperRajudada]

Quick quick slow 👏 yappa chika takka chikkaa 😄

[mariner]

Fantastic! I thought I must be crazy when my dancing instructor counted rumba with one beat offset from my counting ;-) Thanks for clear explanation.

[johnlane]

Thank you Egils, this is just the best timing video on youtube. Love the strange sound bites.

[charlessmith]

When you are an advanced rumba dancer in International Latin, you will face a recognized syncopated rhythm in rumba called "guapacha timing."

Take the rumba basic timing, like this:

2 3 4-1, 2 3 4-1, 2 and 3, 4 and 1, 2 3 4-1, 2 3 4-1, etc.

Now, with guapacha timing, you will have more syncopations and more pauses than the basic rumba timing. You will see guapacha in novice, pre-championship, and championship level rumba (the so-called "open style" levels). Here is an example of guapacha timing....basically the first half of the 2nd beat is held with no foot movement, and foot movement is resumed on the second half of the 2nd

2 3 4-1....(hold 2) and 3 4-1 (hold 2) and 3 4-1 (hold 2) and 3 4 and 1 2 and 3 4-1 (hold 2), etc.

Whether it is basic timing or guapacha timing, since Rumba comes from Cuba, modern Latin ballroom dancers call this "Cuban timing", focusing on the strong accent on the "2" beat, not on the "1". This also happens in Mambo as well.

[hseverins]

I have gave you comment before! Your explenation is very good!

My first teacher who died a few years ago, once said?! Of you can dance slowfox technicaly good? You can dance anything .

Is that true Egils?

[santhiyag]

Thank you. I am a beginner bachata enthusiastic. Do you have any video on how to find the beats and how to identify the dance rhythm patterns.

[cindychan]

I love your teaching. I am confusing with lady step when dancing as a couple. How come the lady is step back left foot? I thought laday alway step back with right foot.

[phitu]

Thank you so much for your explanation!
Because of the 2nd beat of Rumba rhythm is soft, I like to put it in count step 1 (hold)
Could I match count step 2 with 3rd beat of Rumba rhythm?
So the sequential order step count in one Rumba rhythm music bar should be: "4, hold, 2, 3"

[improvementTime..]

2:25, 1234, 2234, 3234, 4234, , it's to indicate it's the 2nd or 3rd or 4th bar, only thing that changes is the first number

[dancingyuli]

You are the best, keep on doing the great work, and thank you so much this helps a lot, There are options I can choose from now. I was also checking this other count as well 1&2&, 2&2&, 3&2&, 4&2&, etc., which seems to be a little tricky but I think I understand.

[evgenysax]

BRAVO!!! Foxtrot = 4/4.
Most videos offer basic shacks like this: slow - slow - quick, quick.. And this is 3/4. That is, the rhythm of the Waltz. It’s very difficult to dance 3/4 when music is 4/4

[professorg]

Nicely Done Mssr Smagirs....Thank you.

[salinthjjomsangawong]

Practice rumba count 1234 follow nice song. I'm OK.💃👍👌👏👏👏💗💗💞💕💓💜💛💚💙I love song rumba so much and love a both nice teachers. 🙏

[fiona]

Thanks a lot. It explains a lot and I do like the way you explain. Following

[dancingyuli]

Hi, wonderful videos. Does this type of counting in numbers beats and bars apply to standard Quickstep, Tango and Waltz?

[peterbeyer]

Thank you for the counting lesson. Can you do another one on the cha cha cha. In the rumba, when the music starts, it's 4/4 time, the first for to move is the left which moves forward with the 4 count? There is no movement of the feet until the left goes forward on the forth beat of the music?

[dancingyuli]

Ok. So Tango 2 Walks, Progressive Link, Closed promenade can be counted as 12, 34, 2, 2, 34, 3, 2, 34? [SS, Q, Q, S, Q, Q, S] and is there a other way of counting Tango?