Scientific Directions

Phase 1

From an Anatomical Reference Position, Flex your right leg anteriorly in the sagital plane around the mediolateral axis and dorsiflex your right ankle.

While simultaneously flexing your left arm and hyperextending your right arm.

Keep your knees bent and your torso bent slightly forward at your hips.

Phase 2

Continue to keep your torso bent slightly forward at your hips, and your knees bent.

Laterally rotate your right foot 90 degrees to the right in the transverse plane around the longitudinal axis.

Extend and then hyperextend your right leg and plantarflex your ankle.

Simultaneously, switch the position of your arms contralateraly.

Phase 3

Adduct your left leg about one foot in the frontal plane around the anteroposterior axis. The major abductors acting at the hip include the Adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor brevis and graciilis.

Repeat Phase 1, 2 and 3 six times in one direction and then again in the other direction.

Congratulations you have now completed the Cumbia.

Definitions

Anatomical Reference Position – is an erect standing position with the feet separated and the arms hanging relaxed at the sides, with the palms of the hands facing forward

Flexion – to bend it or decrease the angle between the bones of the joint

Anterior – toward the front of the body

Sagital plane – longitudinal plane dividing the head and torso into left and right parts

Mediolateral axis –imaginary line around which sagittal plane rotations occur

Dorsiflexion – motion bringing the top of the foot toward the lower leg; flexion at the ankle joint

Hyperextention– the rotation beyond anatomical position in the direction opposite of flexion

Laterally rotate – or external rotation, when the rotation is away from the midline of the body

Transverse plane – divides the body into upper and lower halves

Longitudinal axis – imaginary line in which transverse rotations occur

Extension - to straighten a joint

Plantar Flexion - planting the ball of the foot, opposite of dorsiflexion

Adduction – Moves the foot toward the midline of the body.

Frontal plane – Plane in which lateral movements of the body and body segments occur

Anteroposterior axis – Imaginary line in which frontal plane rotations occur

Contralateral – on the opposite side

Adductor magnus – adductor muscle of the hip

Adductor longus - adductor muscle of the hip

Adductor brevis - adductor muscle of the hip

Graciilis - adductor muscle of the hip

Practice Practice Practice

The best way to get better at Cumbia is to practice. You can break down the movement into steps and practice them individually until you master each segment and then move on until you eventually master the entire dance.

Drill 1:

Practice by stepping forward and backwards.

Step with right foot forward.

Step with right leg backwards.

Then add a rock with each step.

So it will go like this:

Rock forward > Rock back > Rock forward > Rock back

Drill 2:

Practice by adding in your hip with each rock back and forth.

With this drill all you are doing is adding a hip motion into the movement.

So it will go like this:

Rock forward > Hip > Rock back > Hip > Rock forward > Hip > Rock back > Hip

Drill 3:

Practice at a faster speed.

Do the same movement as before but this time pick up the tempo and move to the beat of the music.

Drill 4:

Practice by adding traveling into the mix.

With this drill you are going to add in the traveling portion of the move.

Which goes like this:

Rock forward > Hip > Travel > Rock back > Hip > Travel > Rock forward > Hip > Travel > Rock back > Hip > Travel

Doing these drills will help both your form and speed of the Cumbia.

Novice Video

Expert Video

Front View

Side View

Phase 1

Front

Side

Phase 1

(Right leg forward)

From a standing position bring your right heal forward with toes up.

While simultaneously bringing your left fist toward your face and your right fist toward your back.

Keep your knees bent and your torso bent slightly forward at your hips.

Phase 2

Front

Side

Phase 2

(Right leg back)

Keep your torso bent slightly forward at your hips, and your knees bent as well.

Rotate your right foot 90 degrees to the right.

Return foot to center while you bring your right leg back and tap the ground with your toes.

Simultaneously, switch the position of you arms. (Left arm back, Right arm forward).