Previously, we talked about how to improve balance using the principle of grounding. Time to get more advanced!
Practice Three: Progressing with Rise and Fall
- Stand tall as before. Soften into the right knee and extend the left foot forward with a heel lead.
- Push off with the right foot and shift weight onto the left. As you complete the weight shift, begin pushing downwards with the ball of the left foot and stretching upward from the torso.
- Brush the ball of your right foot forward and transfer weight, gradually pushing more and more strongly into the floor to elevate the heel, while stretching up with more and more of the upper body. Remember to keep the downward energy the strongest.
- Brush the ball of the left foot forward and begin transferring weight, completing the rising action as it completes.
- Lower the heel, soften the left knee and extend the right foot forward, and repeat.
- Practice going backwards as well, using the same technique as going forward, but don’t allow the heel to rise.
Change your dialogue when understanding rise and fall in future: You are no longer pushing yourself UP; you are pushing the ground DOWN. This keeps the focus on downward energy.
Practice Four: Cuban Motion
- Stand with toes turned out. Direct your energy downward from your pelvis, as though you were wearing a cast-iron belt pulling you downwards. Put your weight on the right foot and bend the right knee, feeling the quicksand sensation on that side.
- Straighten the right knee and let the right hip roll back (the left knee will bend as the right straightens), and push off the ball of the right foot to send the left foot forward. Drag the ball as if you were making a divot through mud. Keep it bent long enough to give it the quicksand feeling.
- Repeat with the right foot, keeping pelvis and below compressing downward. Practice going to the sides and backwards (the hardest). Remember that every weight change is on a bent knee, even if the step is in place.
How can I avoid rolling over on my ankle while transferring my weight while practicing? Especially in a side step.
Hi Kate, usually the solution is to step side with the pinky elevated (WITHOUT weight), then letting momentum roll onto a flat ball on the transfer. Similar to the forward step, you should be able to balance on one foot, so it may take some practice. Hope that helps!