Son Nari

“A turn needs continuity, right? Instead of thinking of it as a "spot," you have to think "I'm turning this way" — that's what makes the turn actually go around.”

Explaining that the mindset of intending the rotation matters more than fixing your eyes on one point (spotting)

“In the swing, straighten one knee and you get the plain basic. Straighten it and take the hip along with it, and you get the macho basic. Straighten the hip and change direction, and that's the sensual basic.”

Explaining how the swing mechanism determines which kind of basic step you get — plain, macho, or sensual

“You've got to think of the swing as the essence. Without the swing, none of this works.”

Drilling the bachata swing on repeat, driving home that it's the base of every movement.

“Once you're tilted, all you have to do is look where you want to go and go there.”

Explaining that when the body tilts mid-turn, the follow's only job is to look at the destination and travel that way

“It's not one-two-three and then lean — the swing is going to come from your hips.”

Teaching the basic step, stressing that the movement starts from the hips, not the head or upper body

“Put the swing in and the exact same move becomes something completely different.”

Demonstrating the same walk/basic side by side — without swing, then with.

“When you push, you want only your hips to go. The upper body should stay out of it.”

Coaching upper/lower body separation in the cross — hips push back, chest stays put.

“It just looks like a head roll — it's not actually a head roll. It's the chest moving like this.”

Explaining the real mechanics behind the move that looks like a head roll in the tilt turn