Feelin' Merengue

Merengue is surely the easiest door to the world of Latin dancing. It contains the rhythm, the joyous sensuality and the typical body movements of many other Caribbean dances, but at a slower pace and without the challenging footwork which makes learning salsa, samba or lambada so difficult.

This DVD will teach you how to dance Merengue from the very foundations of the hip movements and basic steps to more advanced figures. The DVD is not only easy to follow, but also visually spectacular. All the figures are presented with the breathtaking Australian scenery in the background. All the moves are demonstrated in the amazing beaches, parks, rocky coastlines and deserts of Western Australia.

The video contains 19 figures. Starting from some simple moves, you will progress to intermediate and then to some very challenging figures, allowing you to progress smoothly and at your own pace.

	Feelin' Merengue - Moves' Description	top

This document contains the description of the turn patterns contained in the DVD "Feelin'Merengue". This may help you to practise the figures when you are not in front of the TV as well as to memorise them.

Simple moves

Idea #1 Obvious blue: In a normal open hold the man leads the lady into a hammerlock by turning her right with his Left and then un-winds the hammerlock by turning her left. Now the man leads an outside left turn for the lady with his Right and the dancers end up in the hammerlock position again, however on the opposite side. From here, the man turns the lady right, combs her with his Right and gently flicks up her Left by touching her elbow. The lady places her Left on the man’s right shoulder and the dancers return to a closed hold.

Idea #2 Atomic pink: In a normal open hold the man leads the lady into a hammerlock by turning her right. The man does a full left turn exchanging hands and catching the lady’s Right with his Right. You can see in the ‘closed up’ shot that the man is now fully facing the lady and holding her Right with his Right behind his back. Then he releases his Right and gently flicks up the Lady’s right arm. The lady places both hands on the man’s shoulders embracing him, while the man embraces the lady around her waist.

Idea #3 Frivolous bronze: In a crossed hold with the Right on top the lady turns right and the man leads her around (clockwise) with his Left. The lady walks around the man and when she completes a circle the man leads her into a right turn. Then the man brings both hands behind her back into an embrace position.

Idea #4 Succulent Peach: In a crossed hold with the Right on top the man leads a right turn for the lady and combs her with his Right. Then he brings his Right down, turns the lady left and combs himself with the Left.

Idea 5 Confusing Copper: The man catches Right to Right and keeping the Right down leads a left turn for the lady by gently twisting her wrist. When the lady completes the turn the man catches Left to Left and combs her. Then the man releases both hands, flicks up the lady’s arms and the dancers embrace each other.

Idea #6 Immense Green: In a crossed hold with the Right on top the man brings up both hands, turns the lady right and starts leading her around (clockwise). When the lady completes a circle the man combs her with his Left, brings up his Right and leads her into a right turn. Since the lady’s Left is positioned behind her head, she has to slightly tilt her head to do a turn. When the lady finishes the turn, the man combs her with his Right. Then he releases her Right and combs himself with the Left.

Intermediate Moves

Idea #7 So Aquamarine: In a normal open hold the man turns right and initiates a right turn for the lady with his Right. The lady executes ½ a turn and the man brings his right arm down behind her back. At this moment the lady is on the right side of the man. From this position the lady goes into a tunnel. She ducks under the man’s right arm and moves (behind his back) to his left side. The man releases his Right and leads a left turn for the lady with his Left.

Idea #8 Immense purple: In a normal open hold the man leads a right turn for the lady with his Right. The lady turns and the man combs her with his Right. Then the man releases his Left and flicks up the lady’s Right; he then releases his Right and flicks up the lady’s Left. The lady places both her arms on the man’s shoulders.

Idea #9 Absurd Orange: In a crossed hold with the Right on top the man turns right, transfers his Right (holding the lady’s Right) over his head and bring is down behind his back.

Idea #10 Ironic Yellow: In a crossed hold with the Right on top the man leads 1 ½ right turns for the lady and brings his Right down. You can see that now the lady is standing with her back to the man. From here the man leads a left turn for the lady with his Right. When the lady completes one full turn the man brings his Right down, raises his Left and continues to turn the lady left. The lady completes another full left turn, so that she is standing with her back to the man again. The man brings his Left down and up and leads 1 ½ right turns for the lady. The man turns right and combs the lady with his Right.

Idea #11 Intellectual Brown: In a crossed hold with the Right on top the dancers do a ½ back-to-back turn, where the lady turns right and the man turns left. They remain in the back-to-back position for a while with the hands raised up and then complete a turn. When the dancers are facing each other again the man starts turning right. You can see that while turning he places the lady’s Right on his shoulder: he does this for the styling purpose. The man completes the turn and combs himself with his Left. At this moment he releases his Right and positions his right arm under the lady’s right arm. The man starts turning left and flicks up the lady’s right arm. The lady rests her right arm on the man’s shoulder. The man completes his left turn and finally combs the lady with his Left.

Idea #12 Fossilized Orange: In a normal open hold the man combs the lady with his Left and starts turning her right with his Right. When the lady completes a ½ right turn, the man brings his Right down, starts transferring his Left over the lady’s head to her front and steps forwards. Here, it is important to note that the man releases his Right and catches the lady’s Left behind her back (as opposed to in front of her). The man raises up his Right, transfers it over his head and brings it down. He is now standing with his back to the lady. The man raises his Right again, transfers it over his head and places it on his shoulders. Then he releases his Left and catches the lady’s Right behind his back (as opposed to in front of him). He then starts transferring his Right to front and brings the lady forwards with his Left. The lady walks from back to front and the man starts turning her left. The lady does a ½ left turn and she is now facing the man. The man combs the lady with his Left.

More challenging moves

Idea #13 In a crossed hold with Right on top the lady turns right and the man starts leading her around (clockwise) with his Left. When the lady completes a ¾ of a circle and is positioned on the left side of the man, the man rests his left arm on her shoulders and brings her to front. He then combs the lady with his Right and combs himself with his Left.

Idea #14 Gentle Plum: In a normal open hold the man leads a right turn for the lady with his Right. The lady turns and the man hooks her Left behind his Right shoulder. Then he transfers his Left over the lady’s head to front. If the lady is tall, she might have to duck slightly to allow this move. The man brings both hands down, turns left leaving his Left behind his head and combs the lady with his Right.

Idea #15 Philosophical Violet: In a normal open hold the lady turns right and while she is turning the dancers bring both hands up and down. The man turns ½ left bringing his Left up and down then starts turning right. In order to facilitate the right turn the man ducks under the lady’s right arm. From here the dancers do a back-to-back turn (where the lady turns right and the man turn left). As you can see, this turn is slow and the dancers remain in the back-to-back position for a while with their hands raised up. The dancers complete the turn and when they are facing each other again the man continues to turn left. He leaves his Left on his shoulders and combs the lady with his Right. The man can playfully release the lady’s Left and repeat the comb several times as shown in the video.

Idea #16 Clearly not green: In a crossed hold with the Right on top the dancer execute a ½ back-to-back turn (where the man turns left and the lady turns right). While turning the man raises up only Right and transfers it over his head to front. Now the dancers are standing back-to-back to each other. The man brings up his both hands, ‘pulls’ them over his head and brings them down again. He then releases his Right and the dancers continue to turn until they face each other. The man leads a right turn for the lady and combs himself to finish the figure.

Idea #17 Spiceless Green: In a crossed hold with the Right on top the man turns right and while turning transfers his Right and his Left over his head. He then brings both hands down and the dancers initiate a back-to-back turn, where the lady turns right and the man turns left. The man leads the back-to-back turn with his Left, his Right stays down. The dancers execute a ½ turn and they end up in back-to-back position, however the lady is actually on the right side of the man. From this position the Lady steps to the left side of the man and ducks under his left arm, so that now she is facing the man. The man combs himself with his Left.

Idea #18 Fulfilling Green: In a normal open hold the man leads a right turn for the lady with his Right and when the lady completes the turn he combs her with his Right. From here the man lifts up his Left and transfers it behind his back. The lady steps to the right side of the man to facilitate this move. The man starts bringing his Right down and turning the lady right. Meanwhile, he turns left (similar to the back to back turn) and in order to do a full turn he ducks under the left arm of the lady. Then he leads a left turn for the lady leaving his Right on her shoulders and combs her with his Left.

DVD - $22

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