Merengue Tips and Exercises

Here are some notes to jog your memory about what we covered in class, and some exercises for you to practice at home. For new motor skills to become automatic, you must move them from your conscious to unconscious. The only way to do this is through practice. With repetition, the movement will become second nature and you won’t have to think about it at all..

Tips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercises

Maximizing Hip Motion

To get the most from your hip motion, observe the following points:

  • Keep your weight towards the balls of your feet
  • Turn feet out slightly
  • Bend the bent knee inward
  • Push the straight knee back

Isolating the Hips

To isolate the hip movement from the rest of the body, remember:

  • Keep shoulder line straight
  • Don't rotate the shoulders with the hips

 

 

Exercise 1: Latin Hip Motion in Place (Feet Together)

Use music with a good beat. Stand with your heels close together and toes turned out slightly. Bend each knee, one at a time, changing legs with the beat of the music. Make sure to fully straighten each knee before bending the next one.

Note: Keep both feet on the floor throughout the exercise (heels can lift a little). Keeping your feet grounded will force proper hip action. When you have mastered the hip movement so that it feels natural, you can begin to lift your feet and travel.

To Music

Start slowly taking four beats of music to bend the right knee, and then four beats to straighten it again. Then four beats to bend the left, and four to straighten it. Continue at this pace until you feel comfortable with the movement.

Note: Take up all of each four beats of music to bend or straighten your leg. Don't just bend your knee on the first beat and wait for the next three beats to pass.

Then double the speed of your hip changes. Take two beats to bend, and two beats to straighten. Repeat until comfortable.

Keep doubling the speed until you are taking only one beat per knee.

Exercise 2: Latin Hip Motion in Place (Feet Apart)

Stand with your feet slightly apart, less than shoulder distance, toes turned out slightly. To the beat of the music, bend each knee, one at a time. Make sure to fully straighten each knee before bending the next one.

To Music

Same rhythmic exercise as in exercise one.