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Rumba Underarm Rollby Harold & Meredith Sears The Roll
is a phase II two-step figure, but, of course, it can be used in any
rhythm. We step and turn individually, not as a couple, and the only
constraint is that each step must progress down our line of
progression. So, we might roll down line, to reverse, on one of the
diagonals, or even toward the wall or toward center. The starting
foot, the number of steps, whether we roll right or left, and the
total amount of turn all may vary and often will be specified in the
cue, such as "roll 3 down line." A few examples: In Unknown
Stuntman (choreographer unlisted), we start
in open-facing position, man facing wall, and we roll 2 down line.
Here, we roll out -- the man rolls LF and the lady rolls RF. Then we
walk pick up; walk 2; 2 forward two-steps. In Bamboo
Two Step by Watanabe, we are in butterfly
position, for a face to face; back to back; solo roll 4 down line to
butterfly. Because of the preceding body flow, here, we roll in --
the man rolls RF and the lady LF. In So Much
Foxtrot by Tucker, the dance begins in
open-facing position with a roll 3 down line to a chair, recover, and
slip to closed position LOD. Again, the roll is out. In Cario
Mio 4, a waltz by Pinks, we are in half-open
position, trail feet free, and the man rolls RF in 3 to half-open
while the lady does a forward waltz; then the lady rolls RF in 3 to
half-open while the man does a forward waltz; thru face close; whisk. The Rumba
Underarm Roll
(unphased) is more of a couple figure, although the actual rolling is
still done individually. In shadow position, both facing LOD, both
with R feet free, step fwd R beginning an individual RF roll and
raising joined left hands. Step fwd & sd L turning under raised
left hands. Step bk & sd R to end in M's shadow or in tandem
position, M in front, both facing COH (QQS). This is a non-standard
figure and, at least once, has been choreographed to begin with the L
feet. In shadow LOD, step fwd L trng strongly, sd & fwd R trng to
face COH, cross L in front of R to tandem COH (QQS). For example, in
Los Rayos del Sol by
Moore, there is an open hip twist to shadow man touch; cucaracha
cross; crab walk 3 to reverse; shadow fence line recover forward to
face LOD; R-foot underarm roll to face COH; shadow fence line.
Carnival by Rumble has
the same figure. In Jurame
by Worlock, there is an open break; underarm turn lady in 4 to shadow
LOD L ft free; back break; walk 3; L-foot underarm roll to a
cross-lunge. Any rumba figure can be
danced with Cha-Cha
timing. In Pata Pata
by Shibata we are in shadow position facing LOD with L feet free. We
cross walk 2 and forward lock cha; underarm roll to a side cha; and
in tandem COH, M in front, open fence line twice. To accommodate the
side cha, this underarm roll is a little sharper than in the rumba, a
little overturned. We step forward R beginning to turn RF, side L
turning to face COH, and then with no further turn, we dance the side
cha toward LOD. Bolero
is "the other Rumba," so we should expect to see the
Underarm Roll in this rhythm, too. The big difference is that rumba
figures end with a slow step, and bolero figures begin with the slow.
When we dance rumba figures in bolero, we can feel as though we are
crossing measures with each figure. We begin with a slow, preparatory
step and then begin the rumba figure that we are familiar with. The
bolero Underarm Roll begins in shadow position or in skaters LOD with
L ft free for both. We step fwd L, fwd R turning RF, fwd & sd L
trng to end in M's shadow or in tandem position, M in front, COH
(SQQ). Comparing bolero to rumba, note the preparatory step forward L
to the QQ roll of the rumba figure. Then slow side R of the rumba
figure becomes the initial slow of the next measure in bolero. For
instance, in La Distancia
by Moore, we are in shadow LOD R feet free. We dance samefoot walks;
then L-foot underarm roll to M's shadow COH; lunge R rec swivel point
R RLOD; cross point twice. In La Barca
by Goss, part B begins with a syncopated underarm turn lady in 4;
break back to skaters, L feet free; sync prog walk; to a L-foot
underarm roll. In Slow
Two Step,
the Underarm Roll looks the same as the rumba version, of course
without the latin styling. In You
Needed Me
by Worlock, we also have an underturned version that they called
shadow right turns. We step forward R with no turn, forward L raising
left hands and turning 1/2 RF, lady passing under raised arms, back R
to M's shadow RLOD. In the second measure, we step back L joining
right hands behind the M's back, back R raising right hands and
turning 1/2 RF, again lady passing under raised arms, and forward L
to shadow LOD (QQS; QQS). Later, in the
dance, we do
the same, two, arm-over shadow right turns;; to a standard underarm
roll right; slow cross lunge & extend. So in this one dance, we
do the underturned version that turns 1/2 and then the full version
that turns 3/4. We haven't noticed the Underarm Roll in a Waltz, but in the hesitation/canter waltz This Is Your Song by Prow, as an option, we do two Underarm Rolls, the first underturned to face RLOD, and then a second Underarm Roll to shadow LOD (like the shadow right turns in You Needed Me);; shadow chair and recover. In the West Coast Swing Draggin' the Line, also by Prow, we see a modified version that begins in shadow wall with L feet free. The cue is "right underarm roll to man's tandem and tap," and we step side L raising left hands and turning 1/2 RF to face COH, side R in M's tandem, cross L in front of R, and tap R. The Underarm Roll is an unphased figure that has been widely used in a variety of rhythms, and it feels especially good. On the one hand, we are dancing solo rolls, but the underarm or "arm-over" feature makes it feel not at all solo and every bit a cozy couple figure.
More rumba figures here, or go to index.
This article was published in the Dixie Round Dance Council (DRDC) Newsletter, November, 2011.
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