Daewoo

“When you have the fundamentals, that stuff (the creative moves) is so easy — but when you don't, the move itself becomes agony.”

Realizing how much the basic principles matter, watching the creative moves of the dancers who are really good

“I think variety has just been added on — the bachata we dance hasn't actually changed. Traditional bachata, Dominican style, they were already there, and sensual is just one more current in that same flow.”

Talking about where the bachata scene is going and its variety

“I think what matters is building up the capacity to do all of that variety yourself. These days a lot of songs come out where you can express all kinds of things within one single track.”

On the variety within bachata and the range a dancer needs to handle it

“When it comes around here, your hips can't start drifting off. You have to keep them locked in the center, no exceptions, and move with the contraction.”

Correcting the common mistake of the hips wobbling during isolation, stressing how important it is to keep the axis fixed

“I got a lot of chances to watch, right up close, how the people who are really good were growing. Copying them a bit, building my own thing a bit — and it hit me that this is a dance with so much room to be creative in.”

Talking about watching the bachata scene grow while competing

“If you want it to look big, just use the up-down. Go down, drop way down, and on the way up you only have to signal with the ribs — the range already reads huge.”

Suggesting the up-down (drop → rise) combined with a ribs signal as a way to make a move look bigger and richer.

“The most important thing is isolation. When we do this, everybody's fine up to about here.”

Pointing out the key of the basic movement while demonstrating chest/shoulder isolation

“You're not moving it — you leave it completely still, send it over this way, then send it back toward me.”

Explaining the detail of trading contractions like drawing a half-circle while the upper body stays fixed