. . : cucarachas : :
Now put your arms in the air. Now wave them around and say, 'Teletubbies!!!'
A cucaracha is three steps that end in first position or with the feet together. They essentially don't move your position greatly and are not a movement step. They can be danced in any Latin dance, but PG has taught them to Tash and me in the rumba.
Here's the break down of a cucaracha:
2
Feet: Begin count 2 in a natural first position, with the right foot beveled. Roll the foot's pressure on the floor around in a circle, from the inside of the foot to the outside and back to neutral.
Knees: While rolling the pressure of the ball of the foot, bend the right knee slightly; the left leg is still straight.
Hips: This foot action will cause the right hip to also move in a half a figure-eight, with the hip rolling clockwise to the right.
Body: The abdomen contracts, but only slightly so as to not distort the shoulders.
Shoulders: There is slight movement in the shoulders. Engage the right lat. muscle while moving the right foot.
Arms: Because the right lat. muscle is engaged, the right elbow will bend and be brought down. Think of it as shortening the distance between the elbow and the hip on the right side.
Head: There is no head movement on this count.
3
Feet: Same as count 2 but this time with the left foot.
Knees: The left knee bends as the right leg remains straight.
Hips: Because the left foot is working this count, the left hip completes the figure-eight that the right hip started by circling to the left in a counterclockwise position.
Body: The body contracts here again, but not so much that the shoulders are distorted. This is a contraction with the lower abs (below the bellybutton).
Shoulders: Engage the left lat. muscle.
Arms: Because the left shoulder is engaged, the left elbow bends, countering the movement on count 2.
Head: No head movement.
4~1
Feet: The right foot extends to the side, with the foot still beveled, and with the heel of the shoe on the ground. Roll pressure from the inside of the right foot, to the center. At the end of the count, the left foot will now be left extended, and it should be turned out more than usual.
Knees: The left knee is kept fairly straight, but the right knee is bent. As weight is transferred over to the right foot, the right leg straightens.
Hips: The right hip repeats the hip action of count 2, starting another figure-eight.
Body: The abdomen contracts again, but only slightly.
Shoulders: When the right foot extends, the right shoulder extends that direction as well. This right shoulder leads the body.
Arms: Same as count 2, because the hip action is the same.
Head: Because there is a movement to the side, the head can look in that direction during this count.
Phew, I think that's everything I can remember from the time when Mary filled in for PG's Latin Technique class. All she did was go over cucarachas in detail. Cucarachas are also a part of the cha cha, but I think they are a cha cha's side chasse.
