Manager's Forum: Why do I need to learn Cuban Motion if I only want to be a social dancer?

In this week's Manager's Forum, we asked a very popular question that we hear from a lot of students! Why do I need to learn Cuban Motion if I only want to be a social dancer? Our managers at Arthur Murray Dallas and Plano gave us some great feedback! This should clear things up for you!

"Cuban motion in the simplest definition is traditionally “proper hip movement” ... Cuban Motion is what the body does naturally to maintain balance and control when shifting weight from one leg to the other." - Joe Donato

Let's hear from our female managers first:

Sarah: You need to learn Cuban Motion BECAUSE you want to be a social dancer! Well, wait. Maybe I should ask if you want to be the kind of social dancer that no one wants to dance with and that looks stiff and awkward trying to do a bunch of steps? OR if you want to be a well-rounded, fluid, fun-to-dance-with and can clearly feel and hear the music kind of social dancer? I am guessing you want the latter. 

Imagine this; You are walking in to get your relaxing full body massage, it's cold outside and you are very tense... You go into the room and you get on the table, ready to relax and feel a physiological change. Next thing you know, a clumsy, awkward and stiff metal robot walks in and a recording says, "I will be performing your full body massage today." The robot robotically dims the light and clunks over to you like C3PO and begins your massage... I have one word for that.... "YIKES!!" This is what NOT learning Cuban Motion does to your dancing and "YIKES!!" is the word everyone around you will be thinking when watching you dance "Socially".

Cuban Motion gives you a quality that can either help you FIT IN to the social crowd or if you'd like, you can "Wow!" people and stand out in a good way. In addition to all the logical reasons why we need Cuban Motion like stronger lead, sound style of dances, feel for the music and control/understanding of your body in movement, Dancing is a 'Human' thing. Dancing is NOT a Robotic thing. Dancing involves emotions, feeling, MUSIC, connection and communication with another person that has to constantly change and adjust to any and all outside influences... Rigidity will fail in these situations. Einstein said, "The measure of intelligence is the ability to change." Social dancers MUST be able to adjust.You can't predetermine who will be at the club, what songs they will play or what kinds of scenarios you may have to face on the dance floor. Flexibility in your body is necessary to be a great social dancer, a comfortable, strong, fun, "Human" social dancer. Like a lava lamp or a Volcano, you can be stubborn with your structure, your frame and your lead/follow, but when it comes to your body moving; Be infinitely FLEXIBLE and constantly AMAZED. 

Nikki: I get asked a lot why someone, especially men, need to learn Cuban Motion...  And while there is an aspect of "looking the part", the answer is actually much more simple.  It is the lead needed to communicate with your partner.  I'm speaking mostly to men, as many women are willing to let their body move naturally and so they are ok with body movement happening.

As men, there aren't many times in their life when they have had to move easily with motion, so there aren't many practice opportunities.  However, there ARE things in real life that will help everyone to understand why Cuban Motion is so important to the rhythm of dancing.  If you are on a sail boat, and need to walk from one end to the other, and you try to do it stiff legged, and without adjusting to the motion of the ocean, what happens?  IF you make it down the boat without falling over, it was a really rough ride, right?  Dancing is the same.  Using at least some Cuban Motion allows for a "smoother" ride along the dance floor.  And it allows your partner to have a good sense of what you are doing, and what you are going to do next, which allows THEM to have better time with you.  Now, do you need to learn competitive Cuban Motion?  No.  Only high competitors need that.  Everyone else will be just fine with an understanding of how to move their body easily, and then translate that into something their partner needs.  Your teacher will likely work on the concept of Cuban Motion quite a bit, maybe more then what you think you might need, but what they are really working on is your ability to move your body easily and freely.  And often, we need to exaggerate things in the beginning,  and then we can tone it down later.

Hang in there, Cuban Motion is necessary.  We promise.  And it isn't to turn you into a competitive dancer, it's to make YOU a better partner to everyone else!

And now the men:

Ian: Well, cuban motion is the whole reason they're called RHYTHM dances.  The body action used to make the dances recognizable is also what makes them both feel and look good. To look your most beautiful or feel your most studly on a dance floor, you need to look relaxed and fluid.  And let's be honest, no one ever watched a robot move, and said, "Hey, those moves are hot!".  And feeling good comes from feeling in control of your body so that you can relate how the music makes you feel and how much fun you're having to your partner without having to literally say, "Wow, this is so much fun" (said in that really awkward and nerdy voice only heard in movies).  Cuban motion isn't for competitive dancers only; it's for anyone who wants to look and feel great while they dance, both for themselves and for their partner. 

Justin: Cuban motion helps you look better AND feel better. It is definitely not one of the most natural things we do as dancers (at least not to start) but the more familiar we get, the more it helps it helps our dancing. In terms of how our dancing looks, cuban motion is what puts the body rhythm into our "rhythm dances."  It allows us to express the music through multiple layers in our body.  As we develop those layers, we'll look at how we use our feet, knees, hips and torso. It will eventually lead to more fluid movement, even though in the beginning it feels like even more to keep track of. When we start our rumba, for instance, the box step often feels choppy. As we add cuban motion, the dancing can feel like your teacher asked you to play twister while walking.  We promise, it will become less awkward and more connected, creating a better feel as we dance. It also will help the guys lead better, through clearer weight transfer.

All of this does require you to be patient- none of this happens overnight. Most of us didn't grow up doing cuban motion, and we don't walk through the grocery store doing it (most of us), so the limited practice means you need to cut yourself some slack. And unlike many other techniques that only have a couple layers, cuban motion has many layers. So you should expect to continue developing it for a long time- no rush, and no beating yourself up unnecessarily! Have fun with it, and you'll find cuban motion really does enhance your dancing!

Manager's Forum: What is the Difference Between "Using the Floor" and "Floorcraft"

Are you ready to learn something? For this week's manager's forum question, we asked the managers AND the Dance Director's at the Arthur Murray Dallas and Plano studios for their explanation of the difference between "using the floor" and "floorcraft". What we ended up with were these awesome answers!

Ian & Sarah at the 2012 Texas Showdown

Ian: "Using the floor" simply means pushing off the floor with your feet so that you can move more easily and with more fluidity.  "Floorcraft" is actually how you get around the floor.  In both smooth and rhythm, but more so in smooth, you really have to be able to navigate your way around the floor so that you can fully get into the dance and truly express all of it's characteristics without running into other couples.

Adriann at the 2013 Cancun Showcase

Adriann: When your teacher says "use the floor", he or she is referring to the way you use your feet against the floor to move yourself. Like jumping, your feet pushing against the floor, uses the floor as leverage to move your body. "Floor-Craft" is, essentially, driving. Remember, when you're dancing, you're the only car on the road, so don't run yourself or your partner in to anyone else. 

Justin & Nikki competing

Justin: To me, "using the floor" deals with how your foot interacts with the floor, where "floorcraft" deals with navigating and direction of movement around the floor.  

So when we talk about using the floor, we want to be aware of what part of our foot touches the floor, how we slide or roll along the floor with our foot, and how we use friction with the floor to move against it. For instance, pushing the edge of your foot against the floor to move in the opposite direction is an example of using the floor.  This is why it's important to keep your shoes brushed, as we need texture to create friction between the foot and floor.  This is also what we are referring to when we talk about dancing on top of the floor versus "using the floor." Cuban Motion, for example, should be a result of your feet and legs interacting with the floor, not just a lot of movement near the surface.

Floorcraft, on the other hand, will relate to where you face on the floor, and how you move around it. Room alignments, like Line of Dance, help you aim your traveling figures.  Understanding that certain figures serve specific purposes--like traveling, rotating, or picture steps-- will help you choose which figure to use next.  It's important for men especially to develop skills to protect his partner from other less-aware couples, as well know how to brake quickly or "shoot the gap."  For both men and women, it's important to know etiquette for dancing on a crowded floor compared to an open floor with more space between dancers.  Size of step and arm styling can effect floorcraft because it concerns your neighbors on the dancefloor.  

The less-dance-nerdy version is that using the floor is pushing on the floor with your feet to make your dancing more comfortable and balanced. Floorcraft is making sure you don't run in to people when you're dancing. Clear as mud, right?

Lindsey & Ian at the
2013 Texas Showdown

Lindsey: Using the floor vs floor craft

To me, I have a mental image when it comes to these topics. Picture this:

1) imagine one of your favorite movies where the scene depicts a king preparing for battle by seeing an areal view of the landscape and sees how his chess pieces can move in the most strategic way.

For a man on the dance floor, his teacher is his trusted advisor that intentionally created the flight plan  for his most successful and skillful  route around the floor. You can see this skill by observing the plan from an areal view and see how it maps out to your advantage. This is the art of using the floor.
But scenario 2 comes into play when the actual battle begins and plan turns into action. For example:

2) The man is aware of what he needs to accomplish and then he himself realizes that there will be obstacles that will try to thwart the plan. Imagine this idea:

You are actually on the battlefield in the front line. In that moment, the leader is in the moment, knows what he is supposed to do, however must adjust his strategy to what the reality is and find the best way to maneuver through the unknown. This is the art of floor craft.

Therefore, there should always be a plan to what a leader wants to accomplish, but also have a fine balance between strategy and what reality will throw at you.

Nikki & Justin at the 2012 Showdown

Nikki: The difference between "using the floor" and "floorcraft" is a huge one when I am teaching...

I can certainly see where "using the floor" can mean using all corners and such; however, if I'm teaching, I'm referring to your feet on the actual floor.  A lot of times when I see people dance I see surface movement, meaning that they are using the big muscles in their legs, but no muscles in their feet.  When you are dancing, it should actually be the tiny muscles in your feet that work to move you from foot to foot, and across the floor...  Not your thighs, or head weight.  Imagine standing on one foot with the other in the air...  (or actually try it!)  then pushing from the leg you are standing on, jump onto the one you just had in the air.  Using the floor is very much like that.  Another analogy is to think of the old school tread mills...  The one's that weren't motorized.  In order to start them, you had to push hard with your feet into the belt and then make it slide backwards.  That's also "using the floor."  One last thought for those of you that used to be in marching band.  Do you remember how to roll your feet to move across the field so that your instrument didn't bounce?  That is also "using the floor."  If you can look at your feet, point your toes and notice little muscles pop up from being flexed, good job!  You are "using the floor!"  If you can't, just keep working!  It will come.

Now, as for "floorcraft..."  Well, I think this the most important skill that a man can develop in dancing.  This is the road map that a man will use to get around the floor.  "Floorcraft" is often looked at like a chess board.  How is each piece moving, and which piece is moving at a particular time.  However, since I am terrible at chess, I have to think of it as driving on a highway.  Back in the old days, before GPS, we all had to plan our own trips based on maps.  Then, if we ran into traffic, we had to do some quick recalculating of our own and find a new route.  Dancing is the same way.  We can set out on doing a specific set of steps, and traveling a specific way, but if there is traffic, an accident, or a lane closure, we have to be will to adjust, and adjust quickly.  This is often pretty easy if we are dancing rhythm, as we are not trying to move around the floor...  But in smooth, we have to make sure that we are not the car waiting till the last minute to try and get over, or the car that ignores the caution signs and ends up as part of the problem.

Both techniques make dancing a much more enjoyable experience for all involved, so make sure you are studying both!

Sarah at the 2013 Cancun Showcase

Sarah: What a wonderful question! All the true dance nerds will surely eat this up and get very excited about it! So here it goes;

Floor craft is like driving a car in traffic. Sometimes the traffic is heavy, sometimes it's light but you can learn how to drive you and your partner around like a Ferrari! Most times you start like a Mack truck and as you learn different patterns you can begin to grow your agility, your response time becomes faster and you handle the turns and breaks better! FUN! 

"Using the Floor" is how you use the relationship between your feet and the only constant thing in dancing ( the floor) to move your body. Using the floor with your feet is the same as how a tire uses tread. It gives the car traction, groundedness, control and a smooth strong ride. So yes, they both have to do with the QUALITY of movement, but in two very different ways. Floor craft = quality of movement in a crowd or in the "big picture". 

Using the Floor = quality of movement in your own body from your feet and how you feel, just to your partner. 

What I really love about doing this post each week is that you can very clearly see the benefit of learning from as many of our instructors as possible. Everyone interprets, understands, and explains things just a little differently, and when you take all that information in and let it simmer for awhile, what comes out will be a amazingly well-balanced dancing! 

Manager's Forum: Why is it so important to have a good frame?

This week, we asked the managers at Arthur Murray Dallas and Plano to tell us about the importance of a good frame. Here's what they said...

1) Justin: Frame serves two purposes- communication and aesthetics. If you are dancing in an event, performing a show, or just want to be sure people enjoy watching you dance, your frame and topline are some of the first things people notice. Like your posture, your frame conveys confidence and experience. But when it comes to the social aspect of dancing, few things make more of a difference than leading and following. Your ability as the man to communicate where you're going and how fast you're going will put her at ease and put the energy back into having fun. As the lady, the better you can listen, the easier it is to follow, and your frame is your new set of ears. Rather than saying where and when, the frame is the way to non-verbally talk to each other on the floor, and that takes practice. But just like any other language, you'll become fluent by immersing yourself as much as possible. The more people you get to dance with, the parties and events you attend, all teach you how to adjust to each nuance of your partner. Be patient and diligent with your frame, and you'll be a master communicator in no time. 

2) Sarah: Having a good frame is like having good pronunciation or the ability to speak all languages. The frame is how you communicate with your partner. Communication (physically) is the most important thing about dancing with another human being. Having a good frame promotes good connection which promotes amazing communication. And when the Lead is clear and the Follow is open, dancing is truly an amazing experience! 

3) Nikki: I am sure that everyone knows the logic behind a good frame: it's the foundation to the dancing, you don't want the frame of a house to be unstable, etc.  But I don't know that many people think of how it relates to their partner...  And how it can ease the most common complaint, "He/she isn't Leading/Following!"

Most guys think that if they know all the steps, the girl will follow, and the dance will be great.  They spend SO much time making sure the steps are perfect, that they don't spend an appropriate amount of time working on trying to make sure that they communicate those steps.  Everyone grumbles when "the Rack" (the metal dance frame) makes an appearance, or if they are forced to dance with the lovely "Sue" (a Chair), but really, they are great tools to really understand what your frame is doing, or not doing...  Just because a guy knows his steps, doesn't mean that he is communicating them correctly.  His elbows may be sliding behind him, making the lady complain he is pulling on her, or maybe he is moving his frame independently of is body, making the lady feel like he is pushing her over.  Neither of these things makes a desirable dance partner.  I challenge ALL men to take "Sue" hold her up with her back away from you (so you can't cheat), and see if, as you are dancing, she changes position.  When you can do ALL your steps and routines with her in the correct position, you are ready to try things with a real live girl!  Of course, it's always an ongoing process, but at least it will make you more aware of what you are ACTUALLY leading when you try things out at a party.

Women - You aren't off the hook.  I hear all the time, "If he would just learn to lead, I can follow..."  Ok, that is true, but only up to a certain point.  Most women who say that aren't really that great at following, and they are the "Hangers" and "Fridges."  A women's frame is equally as important as a man's, and actually has to be MORE sensitive.  Otherwise she feels heavy and immovable.  Women, it isn't the man't job to hold up your arms, or your upper body.  By doing that, you are sending your energy straight down to the ground, and you aren't going to feel anything he sends your way.  (Plus it exaggerates that chicken wing/saggy skin look in your arms that we all hate!)  By the same token, your frame can't be so hard that man feels like he is in a pushing match.  If you feel like you are pushing against him and your back and arms hurt, that's WAY too much.  Dancing shouldn't be painful, no matter what we, as teachers, sometimes tell you! ;-)  Relax, hold up your hands, and just feel.

The frame is all about communication.  And in order to be a great partner, you have to be great at communicating...  On BOTH ends.  The man has to be clear about where he is wanting to go, and the lady has to be clear that she understood, and is willing to go on the journey with him.  Without both sides, you are just dancing NEAR each other, but not really WITH each other...

4) Ian: A good frame is one of the key components for everything that man is trying to get the woman to follow.  Without a good frame, the man can't effectively communicate how fast he is traveling and which direction he wants the lady to go, short of literally whispering to her under his breath (which I've seen many students try without much success).  You can't have a beautiful picture without a strong, solid frame to support it, just as it's very difficult for a woman to be fully shown off in the most beautiful way on the dance floor without a stong, solid man to support and lead her.

5) Amy: The frame in dancing is probably the most pivotal part of the partner relationship and the ability to communicate. The frame must be firm, yet forgiving, strong, yet subtle. It must communicate the nuances and respond to the slightest signal. It is how the dancers speak to each other. With a great frame, the dance will feel effortless, but without it...well, not so much. Here is the analogy I normally use when explaining frame. 

Have you ever been driving down the highway and seen the wonderfully frightening sight of a car being towed with a ROPE?!? This seems to be a common occurrence in Dallas. So, obviously, you have a leader car and a follower car. But, you have a wiggly, loose rope in between ("spaghetti arms" for the Dirty Dancing fans out there). So, if the lead car brakes suddenly, what happens? Well, unless the driver of the following car is really paying attention, probably a crash. What if the lead car accelerates suddenly? You can see the rope being pulled taught and then the following car feeling the "yank". This is what dancing with a poor frame can feel like. Pulling, pushing, yanking, trying to second guess ahead of time what the leader is going to do. All these things are uncomfortable and detrimental to an enjoyable dancing experience. Now, let's take another example, a car being towed with a nice, strong steel towing bar. Consider all of the same scenarios. You now have flawless communication. As one speeds or slows, so does the other. In fact, are you ready for this? You no longer even need a person in the following car at all. The person there (ladies, this is you) can just kick back and relax and trust that the frame will guide them. No need to keep a foot on the brake, no need to think ahead and try to read his mind. Just sit back, relax and enjoy. 

So, what this all means is that if you become a master of the frame, you will also become a master leader or follower, and everything else is secondary!  

Junior Dancers from Arthur Murray Dance Studio of Dallas perform on WFAA's Good Morning Texas to celebrate the finale of Dancing With the Stars!

This morning on WFAA's Good Morning Texas, 11 year old Alexander Stevens and 10 year old Riley Berger from Arthur Murray Dance Studio of Dallas performed a Jive to Elvis Presley's "Rubberneckin'". Good Morning Texas showcased the young dancers to celebrate the upcoming season finale of Dancing With the Stars. Alexander's older brother, Nicholas, and his older sister, Grace (15 and 13 respectively , also performed on the show. They danced a Cha Cha!

Alexander & Riley's Jive:
http://www.wfaa.com/good-morning-texas/More-Little-Dancers-Help-Celebrate-the-Dancing-with-the-Stars-Finale-208142611.html?ref=next

Nicholas & Grace's Cha Cha:
http://www.wfaa.com/good-morning-texas/Local-Dance-Sensations-Help-GMT-Celebrate-the-DWTS-Finale-208142391.html?ref=prev

LOCAL JUNIOR STUDENTS AT ARTHUR MURRAY DANCE STUDIOS CAPTURE NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL DANCE TITLES

LOCAL JUNIOR STUDENTS AT ARTHUR MURRAY DANCE STUDIOS

CAPTURE NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL DANCE TITLES

PLANO, TX, JULY 31, 2011 - - Claudia and Zack Stevens are thrilled as only parents can be that their son Nicholas Stevens, 13, and his dance partner Alexandra Gutkovich, 12, recently won the US Junior 1 & Junior 2 (NDCA National Dance Council of America) Championship in Provo, Utah, placed 1^st in the IDSF (International Dance Sport Federation) National Competition at the Junior 1 level and were runner up in the Junior 2 level.

They also placed 8^th in the Junior 1 division at the prestigious Blackpool Competition in England, the Superbowl of the international ballroom dance world! And if that wasn’t enough, this past June, the dazzling pair won first place in both the Junior 1 and Junior 2 age divisions at the Millenium Dancesport Championships and first place in the Junior 1 division at the Manhattan Dancesport championships.

It’s even more exciting for these parents, because Claudia and Zack own and are hands-on managers and teachers at the Dallas and Plano Arthur Murray Dance Studios, which has an outstanding dance program for children. Nicholas may have inherited some dance talent, but it is the training and encouragement that he and Alexandra receive at the studio that have brought them to a championship level.

“We are delighted that Nicholas and Alexandra, who have only been dancing together for about a year, have come so far, so fast,” beamed proud mother Claudia. “The program that we run for all children has brought great success and fun to all of our students. It’s a great way for children to learn self-control, develops confidence and strong social skills. Parents tell us all the time how their children seem so much more confident and sure of themselves after just a few months on the dance floor. And of course the joy of dance is something that extends throughout all ages and stages of life for our children students.”

The Dallas Arthur Murray Dance Studio is located at 6526 LBJ Freeway, Dallas TX 75240 (972-702-9660) and the Plano Arthur Murray Dance Studio is located at 3001 West Spring Creek Parkway Plano, TX 75023 (972- 312-1262). To learn more, visit http://www.dancedfw.com/.

The iconic Arthur Murray Dance schools celebrate 100 years of teaching the world to dance in 2012. Today, Arthur Murray Dance Studios can be found throughout America and Canada and in Australia, Brazil, England, Italy, Germany, Latvia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, UEA, Egypt, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan and Puerto Rico.  For more information about ballroom dance, visit the Arthur Murray International website at www.arthurmurray.com.