Marco y Sara

“Bend your elbows a little and keep the tension. That tension comes from your back. You're activating your back.”

Explaining where frame tension actually comes from

“There's no wifi in bachata. You need contact.”

Stressing the need for connection in closed position

“There are four basics: the 8-count basic, the pendulum basic, the opposite hip and weight basic, and then doing them one after another. Once you know these four concepts, you can use them in partnerwork.”

Laying out the kinds of bachata basics and how to use them

“The man doesn't lead with his legs. He leads with his body. Using the hips.”

Stressing that the lead comes from the torso, not the legs

“The most important thing as a follower is to understand the lead and finish the movement all the way through. The problem is, women don't wait.”

Calling out followers who auto-move — doing whatever they want

“The music isn't always at high tension. Music usually goes up and down. When it comes down, you have to match that energy.”

Explaining why he doesn't use flashy sensual moves all the time

“In closed position you work with your body — your hips. In open position you work with the tension in your frame.”

Breaking down how the technique changes for each position — separate, half, closed

“You lead with your body, with your hips. Sara's just waiting for me.”

Showing how to lead while keeping the hip contact

“If you overuse your arms, you can't do anything. This is communication (between the man and the woman).”

Explaining the arms as a tool for communication

“You can't be 100% relaxed when you dance. Your back has to keep working the whole time.”

Explaining what the back is doing during partner work

“In salsa you have to use your arms more, but in bachata the hip movement matters more.”

Comparing how leading works in salsa versus bachata

“This is my lead. Not the hand.”

Showing that the lead comes from the body, not the right hand

“The right hand is there to guide her to the limit. But in the end, what sends her back is the body.”

Explaining just how limited the hand's role is

“There's a really simple rule: if you want to go up, you have to prepare by going down.”

Explaining how to build a hip-up movement out of a prep instead of lifting the leg

“If the man's body tips forward and back, the woman's center collapses. When the movement ends, my shoulders have to be over my hips — that's how you keep the balance.”

Explaining how the leader's alignment affects the follower

“If you lift your arm, the tension disappears. You have to hold the tension in the elbow. This is my basic neutral position.”

Explaining the fundamentals of frame

“If you go "oh, I know this move" and just do it on your own, you're cutting off the leader's ability to keep the pattern going.”

Explaining what a follower's impatient freelancing does to the leader

“Any woman who keeps the connection — I can lead her.”

Explaining that the follower keeping the connection is what makes the lead possible

“Even without looking each other in the eye, we're connected.”

Explaining the connection points made with the hips and the ribs

“The left arm is decoration. It's just helping — it's not what I'm leading with.”

Explaining that the left arm is only there to stabilize in sensual movement

“This is my lead. Not my hand.”

Explaining the leader's lead point in the infinity move — it's the body (hips), not the hand

“I end up using my body, not my hands, to bring her to me.”

Explaining that you bring your partner in with body movement (down & up), not by pulling with your hands

“I use my hips for leading.”

The leader explaining firsthand how he leads the follower with his hip movement in the infinity

“When you move the hips, the chest is fixed. Move the chest, lock the hip.”

Explaining the isolation principle behind the infinity move — alternately locking and moving hips and chest