How to Jive or Swing dance for Zumba

Jive is a fast, heart-pumping rhythm.  I'm not going over every possible step here,  just the ones I commonly use that have a lot of technique built into them.  See videos, Footloose, Tu Vuo Foi L'Americano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwO0KRAHnbU&feature=plcp&context=C3c80d7fUDOEgsToPDskKEH68t58oxW-n_26So8WmK, Hey Mickey,  Hafanana for examples.  For a descriptive video of this post, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXxCxKhzCkw&feature=plcp&context=C3295737UDOEgsToPDskJUcscfXuQUxWoWWZagQIwt

Basic step
Timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4, 5 6  (This is a 6 count step done to 8 count music.  It's normal.)
footwork: R L R (to the right), L R L(to the left), R(backward) L(forward)
knees: They pop up high right before each whole number.
body weight:  forward, on the balls of the feet, just like any Latin dance, and on 5, step back on your whole foot, to sink your hip into your heel.  Keep your upper body weight forward on 5, so you can quickly come forward for count 6.  The music is fast!
hips:  The dance is called swing because your hips swing.  Do a hip bump at the same time the opposite knee pops up, on the "a" before each whole count.  Then on 5, step back on your right foot as you do a right hip bump toward the rear.  On 6, put your weight on your left foot and do a left hip bump.
Just Say: triple step, triple step, rock step

Jackhammer
timing: (straightforward), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat.  Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork:   At the same time, point your right foot, bend back your right knee and kick toward the floor (don't touch the floor), right next to your standing foot.  All your upper leg muscles should be engaged to make a sharp, stacatto kick.  After the kick, quickly retract your foot to repeat.
body weight:  Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.

Sailor's Shuffle (pas de bourree) - See in "Hey Mickey"
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R L R, L R L
foot direction: Right foot diagonally back, left foot to left, right foot diagonally forward.  Repeat other side.
body weight: (This step has the appearance of a drunk sailor, hence the name)As soon as your right foot goes back, begin tipping your whole body to the right. Second, your left foot should push off, causing your body to tip even more to the right.  Finally, your right foot coming diagonally forward, catches you and keeps your from toppling all the way over.  All of your body weight will be on that right foot. 
hips: When your left foot pushes off, your left hip bumps up.  Then your whole hip slides to the right till stopped by your right foot ending diagonally forward, at which point your right hip is up.
ribcage: Between the 2nd and 3rd, your ribcage slides right and up, so that on 2, your body weight is on your right foot, and the upward rib cage movement is causing you to start tilting toward the left.
arms: Lift your right arm up on 2, as an extension of you rib cage sliding right.  same on other side.  Let your arm float as hold the 2 and 4 as long as possible.

Tap, back, side, cross - see in "Footloose"
timing: (straightforward)  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat.  Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork: 1=tap right foot next to left foot, 2=right foot diagonally back toward left side***, 3= left foot to left, 4= right diagonally forward to left side / repeat other side   ***Try pushing off with your left standing foot on count 2, to add pep and momentum.
direction: Start count 1 by standing on a diagonal facing the front right corner of the room.  End on count 4 facing the left front corner.
body weight: Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.
arms: On right tap, left forearm comes down sharply, (contract bicep).  Then on 2, 3 4 left arm more gently goes down up down, while right arm goes up down up.  Note that as your forearm goes down or backward, you should be focusing on your tricep.  As your forearm comes up, you should be focusing on your bicep.

Kick Ball Change
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R RL, R RL
description: Snappy kick on 1 with right foot, quickly step on ball of right foot , keeping body weight in the middle,.  Keep right knee bent.  Then place ball of left foot right next to right foot. Keep left knee bent.  Left leg straightens during right kick. 
hips: On kick, left hip bumps up.  On 2, right hip bumps up.\
arms:  Here's a good chance to pump those arms.  On the kick on count 1, punch them sharply out to the side - don't straighten them, but them let bounce back in. The sharpness and sudden stop will cause you to contract your muscles.  On the even counts, cross your arms in front of you, with the same sudden stop and bounce return.

How can I protect my feet during Zumba? Shoes good for Zumba?

To protect your feet during Zumba, first you need good shoes that support your foot, provide cushion, allow sliding and allow you to bend the sole of your foot.  Avoid heavy shoes, like those used for basketball, for instance.  Non-marking court safe shoes are important for many dance studio floors.
1) I do not recommend split sole jazz sneakers. Bloch Women's Boost Mesh Sneaker Dance Sneaker,Black,10.5 X(Medium) US   I started out with them but quickly realized they had no side support.  So when you trot sideways across the floor, you risk twisting your ankle.
2) I used to use Nike court shoes that are commonly used for hip hop.  They have a wide flat sole and a pivot point on the bottom.  I liked them for a long time, but they are a little bit stiff and don't allow maximum bending of the sole of your foot.  They also caused a lot of friction and callouses on my toes.
3) I do recommend Nike Musique. Nike Women's Musique IV Dance Shoes (7.5) But they are for narrower feet and will fit narrow feet snugly.  If you have wide feet, don't even bother.  They have arch support, a smooth sole for less friction on twisting and a pivot point.  They are quite flexible. They are marketed as a dance fitness shoe.  If you are thinking of ordering online, I take the same size in Nike Musique that I take in any other Nike shoe.  So you can try any Nike athletic shoe on in the store and order that size.  Beware- there are different styles of Nike Musiques.  Some have a little bit of mesh on the side.  Others seem to be all leather.  The all leather ones are smelly sweat chambers.  Go for mesh ventilation if possible.  I find these at DSW, Nordstram Rack clearance or on Ebay.
4) I also highly recommend Ryka Transitions. Ryka Women's Transition,Tyre Grey/Metallic Platinum/Metallic Baja Purple/White,10 M US
  They are for average or wider feet.  I have narrower feet and still wear them; they give me lots of toe room and keep the callouses away.  It's good to be able to lift your toes up and wiggle them while you dance.  You don't want scrunched up toes.  The Ryka Transitions have the most flexible soles, which is great for stretch at the end of class.  They also have fairly smooth bottoms and a pivot point.  Again, some have more mesh ventilation than other styles.  Look for the mesh.  I found mine at DSW.  Sizes do not run the same as Nikes.  I wear a half size bigger in Ryka.
5) I just tried on Ryka Influence and liked them a lot.  I bought a pair!  They have good support, cool colors, a smooth, flexible sole, a pivot point and good ventilation.  They have more cushioning than Ryka Transitions.  However, after my studio refinished its floors the surface of the Ryka sticks to the wood.  So I either need to use them with DanceSocks or save them for the tennis court now!
6) I also have two pairs of Zumba sneakers. Zumba Women's Z1 Dance Shoe,White,9 W US  They do the job but really don't have as much support as Nike or Ryka Influence.  They do have a lot of toe room and feel light.  However, they do not protect your feet well from heavy impact such as when you jump a lot.  If your zumba class is not real jumpy, these should be fine.  The surface of the Zumba brand shoes work great with the refinished wood floors.
7)  Due to the refinishing of our floors, I have been trying different shoes.  And I found Asics Noosafast that I think look great, are ultra-light and flexible and react well with my floors.
8) Should you run into sticky floors or carpeted surfaces, keep some shoe gliders such as DanceSocks in your bag.  They're cheap and will save you a lot of knee pain!

Here are some tips for your feet while you are dancing or even just walking:

1) Roll thru whole foot from heel to toe when you walk forward.  Even when you do a merengue march, roll through the whole foot.  When you take the backward step in the salsa basic, land on the ball of your foot and then settle into the heel.  This is why flip flops are bad for your feet.  People tend to walk flat in them instead of rolling through the foot.

2) Don't crash your foot into the floor.  stop your foot before it reaches the floor or as it reaches the floor so the impact  won't be hard and straining to your joints.  The stop engages your muscles also.

3) Dance Latin style with high arches (heels up)- this not only looks good and mimics the high heel look of Latin dancing but stretches your foot at the same time.

4) When you push into the floor with the ball of your foot to get grounded and more hip movement, relax and toes and raise them up.  Don't curl your toes inside your shoe.  That would stress a lot of muscles in your foot.  This is why it's good to have shoes with some toe room.

5) Incorporate foot stretching at the end of class.  For example, during a hip flexor stretch,  your back foot can have a very high arch, where you heel is all the way up and your toes can bend.

6)Get regular foot massages.  Or stand and roll your foot over a tennis ball to give yourself a massage.

7) When you're tired in class and you stop paying attention, that's when you can get hurt.  Always pay attention to what your feet are doing and know where you are putting them.

8) Don't try Zumba moves in high heels at a party.  Dancer use special dance high heels, not just street shoe high heels.

How can I get more hip and pelvic movement?

Every student wants to move their hips and pelvis like the instructor.  Here are the directions you need, but remember, besides know-how, you need flexibility.  So always stretch your hips after your workout, when your muscles are warm, for increased flexibility at your next dance session.  At the end of each hip movement section below, I have included a stretch that goes with it.  I will also show the movement on a skeletal hip joint model in the video http://www.youtube.com/user/SheilaLebedenko?feature=mhee#p/u/6/UpmOsE8yE8A



Hip bump 
     The hip bump is the first of many hip articulations extremely common in Zumba, in almost every type of rhythm.  Bring the femur or thigh bone up into the hip socket.  Imagine you're bored, waiting at the bus stop.
     While we could do this with straight legs for a particular look, we usually bend our knees to do this movement. 
     Most students do well up to here, but I seldom see a student who couldn't learn from the next suggestion.
Focus on the foot of the hip you want to bump up and press down with the ball of that foot into floor.  While everyone sees your hip going up, up, up,  you should actually be thinking "My foot is going down, down, down."  This alone will increase your hip movement and caloric output significantly. 
     After you've put your miles into practicing the hip bump and feel confident with your hip bump, an advanced ad-on is to focus on your the side of your chest opposite to your working hip.  You'll look more dramatic by working your chest in opposition to your hip.  For example, a right hip bump happens at the same time as a rib cage slide to the left.
     A great stretch to work on your hip bump is an s-shaped cleopatra pose.  Make sure your nose is alligned over your navel; that's how you know you're standing up straight.

Hip slide
     This hip movement reminds me of a motorized Santa Claus display figure that moves its hips from side to side to beckon you into the Christmas ornament shop. 
     The most common mistake I have seen with the hip slide is that students will do a chest slide instead, or a hip slide when they're supposed to be doing the chest slide.
     To learn the hip slide, try doing a simple side plank on the floor.  Hold up only your side with your forearm.  Leave your hip and legs on the floor.  Now lift up only your hip to make the side plank a little more difficult.  Release and lift.  This is a hip slide.  Try it on both sides and memorize the feeling so you can repeat it standing up.
     When standing up, imagine someone someone is pulling a string attached to side of your hip, one side at a time.  And remember that when you slide to the right, your body weight transfers slightly more to your right foot, and vice versa.
     A great stretch to work on your hip slide is to stand with your left side to the bar, left arm extended, feet under your arm pits - or close to it.  Raise your right arm over your head and point your right hand toward the wall with the bar.  Let your entire right side stretch to the right, like it's falling away from the bar.  Even your hip will slide to the right, just like in a hip slide.  Your right arm stretching to the left will counterbalance your right hip moving right, so you won't fall over.  Repeat on both sides.

Hip twist
     This is common in belly dance. Try practicing on the floor first.  Lie on your left side with your knees together, right left on top of left leg.  Then bring your right knee forward onto the floor.  Now bring your right knee back to neutral (on top of the left knee) and then backward till it is several inches above and to the right of your left knee.  Repeat on the other side and memorize the feeling so you can do it standing up.
    
     To me a hip twist feels like rolling a snake out of play-doh.  My hips are the play doh.  Imagine there is a coffee cup holder on one of your lower spinal vertebrae.  Then someone uses the holder to turn you from side to side.  Try to isolate your lower body;  keep your upper body still while learning the movement.  Your waist will be turning and working. Even your thighs and knees will turn gently.  Your feet will gently roll from side to side and give you a wonderful foot massage if you focus on pressing them (not the toes- don't curl your toes) into the floor  But try not to move your hands (unless you're imagining rolling the play-doh snake.)
     A great stretch for your hip twist is to sit on the floor, lets straight in front of you.  Raise one knee and cross over the other leg so that you knee touches the floor.  Feel the twist.  Repeat on the other side.

Hip rotator
     Rotation joint movement is common in samba and hip hop and any Latin move where you want to make an extreme figure 8 movement.  Overall, students seem to be successful at the basic movement, turning the leg from side to side at the hip joint.  But I have both a safety tip and a power tip:
     safety - Always keep your knee and toes pointing in the same direction!  Some people think they can't do this move because it will hurt their knees, but this movement has nothing to do with the knees- it just looks like it does.  Only your hip rotator is moving, not your knees.  If you don't keep your knees aligned with your toes, you could torque your knee.  This safety tip is much easier to follow if you have proper shoes, with smooth, low tread soles and a pivot point, such as Nike Musique or Ryka Transitions.
     power - Since you're usually only in class for an hour, let's not waste any time with floppy, lower calorie burning movements.  Press the ball of your foot (keep your toes up, not curled) into the floor as it twists from side to side, as if you want to squish a cockroach.  You'll use your muscles more, make more dramatic movements and have better control over your movement to protect your knees if you follow the "cockroach" advice.  There is a Latin dance movement called the "cucaracha,"  which is based on this piece of technique.

Pelvic rock
     Pelvis movement is very common in Zumba!  You'll need this to do a body roll, which I'll explain in another blog post.  Some consider the pelvic rock "dirty" or inappropriate.  This is unfortunate because it's an extremely healthy movement and great for you back and abs.  Don't be ashamed.  Those who don't practice moving their pelvis will only grow older faster. 
     Practice on a chair.  Sit up straight.  Then slouch. Go back and forth between these two movements.  Everyone knows how to do both of those, though they may slouch more than sit straight!  After a minute, try to focus on the pelvis and less on the chest.  Slouching involves lowering your chest too, but try to isolate just pelvic movement.  Memorize the feeling of your pelvic movement by repeating several times. 
     Practice on the floor.  Relax and notice how you can place you hand under the small of your back. Now the bottom of your pelvis is tilted back and the top is tilted forward.  Now press the small of your back into the floor so that your hand can't fit underneath anymore. (This is the correct position for abdominal work by the way.)  Go back and forth between these 2 positions.  Memorize the feeling in your muscle memory so that you can do the same movement standing up.
     Variation:  If I swing my upper body back and forth and the same time as the pelvic movement (upper body forward when the bottom of the pelvis goes back and vice versa), I'll get a different look that really engages the ab muscles.  I use it a lot for calypso or even hip hop.

Knee raise/swing back
     Your hip joint lets you move your knee up and down as well.  I won't focus on that because students are generally great at it!  Just lift your knees higher to get more workout!  Hug your knee up to your chest for a good stretch.  The opposite, swinging your knee backward will stretch your hip flexor.  Grab your foot behind you and feel a great stretch through your thigh and hip flexor.

Conclusion
     Yes, there's a lot of information here.  The video, coming soon, will help you by letting you watch segments over and over to practice.  This blog entry will be the script for my video.  In another blog entry, I will show advanced hip movements that involve combinations of the above elements, such as circles, figure 8's and shimmies.  Let me know if you have any questions.