Rumba in West Oahu

They are sure dancing some good Rumba in the West. The only thing that has messed up the American Rumba is the square step basic "invented" by Arthur Murray, with a slow, quick, quick.
He sued Fred Astaire for using the same basic and he won. What do the courts know about dancing? So Fred Astaire changed the timing to quick, quick,slow which was closer to the real thing. Break on the two count and rock. In most dance studios on the mainland the Rock step is introduced as an "alternative basic."

"A person may fall many times, but they will not be a failure

until they say that someone pushed them."

 

In West Oahu, they use mainly the Arthur Murray, slow, quick, quick. But many are gradually moving over to the rock step followed by a slow. The ladies that are versed in International follow this easily. All the other movements in the American go as smoothly as ever. And the dancers in the West are really moving it.

Fred Astaire studios use theirs to this very day and since they run most of the competitions those are the rules. Naturally. That division of the American Style of dance has cost them a lot of dancers that came under the solid, one rule of the International Style of dance.

 

Of course the club dancer is not required to dance Arthur Murray, Fred Astaire or International Style. All he is required to do is move in the most natural way to the music. But if he is influenced by Arthur Murray, Fred Astaire and the International Style of dance, fine. From there, he can lead, and the lady can follow and they can dance up a storm.

So in Rumba, some studios will teach the rock step as an alternate basic. And you inceasingly have Club Dancers using the rock step and slow as basic and breaking on the accent whether it is on the one or the two. Everything else is the same.

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