Rhythm and Count in Dancing | SlowFox & Rumba

[@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!

[@EgilsSmagris]

Thanks! Wish you to enjoy your rumba.

[@wing.cheunglai2811]

我想問 為何不可以 1和2連接 3和4連接？ 而非要4和1連接呢？ 謝謝😊

[@kathleenbaff8330]

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

[@EgilsSmagris]

Kathleen, thanks for appreciating this video. Wish you to enjoy dancing!

[@reid66]

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

[@EgilsSmagris]

Glad it was helpful! There will be more. Stay safe and keep dancing!

[@mariner222]

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

[@SuperRajudada]

Quick quick slow 👏 yappa chika takka chikkaa 😄

[@charlessmith263]

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 beat...... 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.

[@EgilsSmagris]

+Charles, thanks for sharing about Guapacha timing, very helpful for advanced learners 👍

[@zachsandvik1867]

Great explanation Egils

[@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?

[@EgilsSmagris]

Slow Foxtrot is considered technically most difficult dance. In this sense, your dance teacher was right - if you learn how to perform the slow foxtrot technically and musically correctly, then you will learn other ballroom dances easily.

[@johnlane3179]

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

[@EgilsSmagris]

Thanks, John!

[@cindychan4930]

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.

[@EgilsSmagris]

Some figures start for Lady with right foot and others with left foot. In USA (but not in Europe) generally Ladies are taught always start with right foot. So you either choose to start with "right foot figure" or start with preparation step with right foot (as advanced dancers usually do) before left foot figure. Hope it helps.

[@NguyenHa-qc1sm]

Thank you so much!

[@phitu1215]

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"

[@EgilsSmagris]

Yes. 4, hold, 2, 3 - is good way to count. Later instead of "hold" I suggest to develop body / hip action.

[@phitu1215]

Thank you very much @@EgilsSmagris for your advice!

[@EgilsSmagris]

Key is to count 1 2 3 4

[@rubycochrane5186]

G

[@salinthjjomsangawong90]

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

[@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

[@lukdod73]

Slow-slow-quick-quick is 6/4. The Waltz rhythm is 3/3.

[@sax-show]

@@lukdod73 size 3/3 does not exist. All music is measured in quarters (rarely eighths). Each beat is a quarter. Tango, foxtrot. samba, quickstep, rumba, salsa, paso doble, jive - all this music = 4/4. Only waltz 3/4. Your 6/4 size is equivalent to two 3/4 bar. I recall the 3/4 waltz size

[@lukdod73]

@@sax-show In the Waltz dance we have 3-beat basic pattern - slow, slow, slow. In the Waltz music there are also 3 beats in a bar. In the Foxtrot music there are 4 beats in a bar. But in the Social Foxtrot dance there are 6 beats in a basic pattern - slow, slow, quick, quick. So one basic move needs one and a half music bar.

[@evgenysax]

@@lukdod73 That's why I say that it is impossible to place 6/4 in a bar that consists of 4/4. After 8 or 16 bars, the refrain begins. Each time a musical phrase begins or ends, you are in the middle of an unfinished figure, since 8, 16, 32 are not divided by 6 Music does not match the number of movements. Try dancing your 6/4 foxtrot version when an English waltz sounds. Everything surprisingly coincides with the music.

[@sax-show]

@@lukdod73 This is exactly what I'm talking about. “It takes one and a half music bars for one major movement.” Thus, the first figure ends in the middle of a musical phrase. The second and subsequent main figures no longer coincide with accents in the musical accompaniment. That is, when a new musical line or refrain begins, we are in the middle of the basic figure. Therefore, for a person who listens to music and dancing is very inconvenient. You just need to listen to the beats, and not think about the song ... However, I found some videos claiming that the foxtrot is slow, quick,quick. And in this video the same way. And it pleases

[@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.

[@madpat2001]

Nice work. Like always

[@improvementTime10.3.17]

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

[@jshoop30]

Thanks!

[@kimdaniel7727]

very good dance routine

[@dancingyuli]

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

[@EgilsSmagris]

Thanks, Lana! Yes, counting beats and bars apply to Waltz, Tango and Quickstep. Waltz 123 223 323 423...Tango & Quickstep 1234 2234 3234 4234..

[@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?

[@EgilsSmagris]

Lisa this is correct count for Tango. You can count also till 8: 12345678 22345678 32345678 etc. There is also "old" way of counting Tango because of 2/4 music where one beat corresponds to Slow, half beat corresponds to Quick. So 2 Walks, Progressive Link, Closed promenade can be caunted as 1,2,2,&,2,3,&,2.

[@professorg000]

Nicely Done Mssr Smagirs....Thank you.

[@EgilsSmagris]

Welcome Professor G!

[@fiona4777]

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

[@EgilsSmagris]

Welcome Fiona

[@dinaaufiero9461]

thank you is very beautiful

[@peterbeyer5755]

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?

[@EgilsSmagris]

Thanks, I wil think about Cha Counting video! About Rumba - all figures start on Count 2 and usually Man goes on 2 with left foot forward. But very often dancers start with introductory step on 4 and hip action on 1; and only then continue with any Rumba figure. Does it help?

[@Gary-vp7ii]

Great instruction. How do the strange sounds, "Yapa Tika" etc, assist in the dancing/timing ?

[@EgilsSmagris]

Thanks Gary for appreciating this video. When you use any syllables that are natural to you and reflect rhytm, then it becomes helpful :). I suggest that you first use count wit numbers, then count with your own syllables.

[@JacobSkir]

4:20 Rumba count

[@rlalchanvine1792]

Thanks Egils and Hi from Trinidad, good info. How do you count American Style Rumba I know its SQQ. But how do you do it with numbers?

[@EgilsSmagris]

Hi R lalchan Vine, count 1234. 12 corresponds to Slow. 3 to first Quick. 4 to second Quick.

[@rlalchanvine1792]

Thanks Egils for the info very helpful, how ever i need to clear one thing up in International style rumba all figures start on Count 2 (the mans left foot moves forward on the 2) as in your video. But do I apply this same count as (in video) to the American style rumba?. My Main Question is in the American Style Rumba (Box step) does the mans left foot move forward on the 2 or the 1, or are they the same? thanks again

[@EgilsSmagris]

Basic American Style Box starts for Man with left foot forward on 1. This means it's different from International Style Ruma. In American Style we connect 1 with 2 (slow), and 3 with 4 (QQ - side close). In International Style we connect 4 with 1 (slow) and 2 with 3 (QQ - rock). Hope it helps.

[@rlalchanvine1792]

Great you are the best, this really clear things up thanks and keep up the great videos

[@Инженерголовногомозга]

I wish I could live in Riga

[@peterisaacs4959]

So easy to follow

[@EgilsSmagris]

Glad it's helpful for you

[@quicklol7310]

if you look carefully at 3.30 to 3:40 for example you will notice that the first step is not on 1 but on 2. This is correct according to me: 1 preparation 2 first step 3 second step 4 third step

[@paullam9912]

🌹👍👌🙏

[@keendancer4636]

Could you please tell me the name of the Rumba track you dance to and who the version is by, it sounds like Spanish Eyes? Many thanks

[@EgilsSmagris]

+Keen Dancer it's Bassa Island Game Loop 🌴 by Kevin MacLeod

[@George090974]

You sound like "count" dracula LOL

[@Indianahillclimber]

I'm doomed.

[@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?