3 Hips Forward and Back

COURSE: blues-moves-family-tree

FOCUS: This lesson focuses on teaching forward and back hip movements in blues dance, including variations like pendular pulse, funky butt, rock steady, and choo-choo shuffle, with the goal of mastering weight distribution and body control.

TIP & TRICKS:

• Keep weight in the center of the foot for pendular pulse by maintaining a central body axis.
• For funky butt, shift weight to the heels as hips go back and relax the ankles for a smoother look.
• In rock steady, straighten knees on the up movement and bend them more on the down movement.
• For choo-choo shuffle, go onto toes when hips go forward to maintain balance without gripping with toes.
• Add styling by lifting a leg or incorporating hip bumps during movements like funky butt.
• Practice movements slower to focus on body feeling and weight distribution.

REMEMBER:

• Weight distribution on the foot varies between movements, such as center for pendular pulse and heels for funky butt.
• Maintain a long spine and relaxed posture to enhance movement fluidity and control.
• Movements can be adapted to different music styles and integrated with walking or rotating.
• Focus on the circular motion and groove inherent in blues dance for authenticity.
• Use the shuffle rhythm for choo-choo shuffle to align with blues timing.
• Experiment with combining movements for improvisation and versatility in dance.