This week...the Jive! The Jive is a very fast version of the Swing. It feels like an amazing workout for your calves. :P


The Jive is part of the International Latin dances in ballroom. In competition it's danced at a speed of 176 beats per minute. Crazy right?!


The first year I was on ELEMENT we did a Harry Potter Jive for the 4th or 5th movie, and oh my gosh was it hard at first. We'd get so tired but eventually we got used to it. Now, this routine is stuck in my head. I'm never going to be able to forget it.


Unfortunately I don't have a video of this particular performance, but I did find one on YouTube that I think you'll enjoy:


http://youtu.be/7KChBpxOA1M

This week....the Rumba!

The rumba is a slower dance out of the Latin section of ballroom dancing. It involves a hip sway over the standing leg (meaning, take a step, stand on that foot, and sway your hip). This dance generally has no rise and fall during the routine and uses arms in various figures. It's a very sensual dance, it's slow and allows you to see the dance movements that the dancers are trying to execute.

Here is a video to YouTube with Derek Hough and Jennifer Grey from Dancing with the Stars dancing a Rumba:


http://youtu.be/GABO66Dkz1Q