Alba

“Push up diagonally. Watch your feet — if you breathe as you push up, your neck moves three times.”

The key point, demonstrated live: how the head moves on three breaths, and how it connects to the feet

“You need to really know how to move your hips — in a way that doesn't affect your partner. That's how I can be dancing with a partner and still go boom boom boom, tak tak tak, tiki tiki all on my own.”

Showing how your own hip movement shouldn't travel to your partner when lead and follow are dancing close

“When you're happy dancing bachata, your mouth makes a 'U' shape, right? Your hips should draw that same 'U'.”

Teaching the up-down level movement of the hips as a U-curve, like a smiling mouth

“There are different parts inside a song — slow sounds, fast sounds. When it's fast, go traditional or majao; when it's smooth, try sensual or circular.”

Choosing a hip mechanism based on the tempo of the music

“Don't think about dropping down — you go up, and you release on the way up.”

Explaining the breathing behind head movement, stressing that the energy goes up, not down

“It's like making a little table between your ribcage and your stomach. And you rise up onto it.”

Explaining the Korke-style technique of moving the head through the breath, with a visual image

“When you shift your weight, try taking a curved path instead of a flat, straight line. Going from point A to point B, you don't go straight — you go on a curve.”

Comparing straight and curved paths while explaining weight change

“Your torso shouldn't wobble. It's not blocked, it's stable. And to get there, you have to use contraction.”

Explaining contraction as the way to move your hips while keeping the upper body still