The posture in different embraces.
Let’s have a closer look on the details. Let your body experience different positions and learn about the consequences in each.
In all styles pay attention to the following details:
Keep your navel inside, slight activity of your abdominal muscles. This actually activates the sternum as a consequence without pushing it to much forward or pulling it inwards. Grow tall through your spine until your crown while you keep your shoulders relaxed and heavy.
What are the differences in open and close embrace?
Starting from an even balanced posture where I have my weight evenly distributed . Shall I lean to the front ? Shall i lean back ? or just keep my weight in the middle?
It all depends on the embrace.
In the close embrace:
As a general guideline the weight is in the balls of your feet when you are in a closed embrace. Depending how the leader positions himself, your weight can even be more in front ( out of axis ) .
The Milonguero Style has the weight slightly more in front than the “abrazo cerrado” of the Salon Style.
In the open embrace:
In “abrazo abierto” your weight is in the middle or can be also slightly in your heels. This enables you to keep connection with the hand of your partner on your shoulderblade. Make always sure that you feel the leaders hand with firm contact.
In open embrace giros a slight backward leaning is helpful to generate more momentum.
EXERCISE:
stand straight with relaxed shoulders and active sternmum, weight evenly distributed on all 6 points. Now level out your balance using only the balls of your feet (big and small toe ) but leaving the heal on the floor.
Now bring your weight backwards and feel the heel heavy , big and small toes only touching the ground without weight. Shifting forward and backwards as fare as you can without loosing balance.
AVOID THESE MISTAKES:
In the close embrace do not hang on the leader by flexing both legs.
Your energy should always go up and in front. Not pulling down. The relaxed hip and the gravity over your free leg will give you the traction needed. ( will be explained in my next video)
In the open embrace do not lean forward but also do not lean back with your upper body while your legs are not progressing. Just keep it straight with awareness in your shoulderblade therefore allow firm contact in with leader’s hand.
Usually the leader determinds which embrace he uses. The follower will adjust her posture in different embraces. She will adjust herself according to the leaders requierment. This is usually arranged in the beginning of the dance.
follow to next lesson : the zero position
