Intermediate
Body Wave
Intermediate Level
Going deeper — techniques and nuances for experienced dancers
A sequential ripple that flows through your spine — chest, ribcage, belly, hips — like water passing through your body.
Intermediate focus
Start leading/following body waves with a partner. The leader initiates from the chest and the wave transfers through connection. Practice waves in different directions — front-to-back, side-to-side, circular. Match the wave intensity to the music.
Tips
- •Practice against a wall: stand with your back to it and try to touch the wall with each body part sequentially
- •Film yourself from the side — the wave should be visible as a clear sequential motion
Common mistakes
- •Moving everything at once (the 'plank wave')
- •Only waving with the upper body and forgetting the hips
- •Making it too big — subtle waves are more powerful than dramatic ones
- •Holding breath during waves — breathe with the movement
Practice drill
Stand sideways to a mirror. Play a slow bachata song. On every 4-count, do one body wave. Film it. Watch it back at 0.5x speed. Can you see each body part move separately? If it's all one block, isolate each section and slow down more.