It’s wedding season, which means lots of dancing!  What better time than now to bust out the moves your parents grooved to?  They might even be up for a tutorial.

The Watusi

Stand with your feet about hips distance apart. Keep both knees bent at all times. Pretend like you’re on the links about to swing your club.

Practice the two parts separately.

Hip Movement:

On the count of one, shift weight to right foot, making right hip move out to the right.
On the count of two, shift weight to left foot, making left hip move out to the left. Move from side to side with hips swinging right to left to a 1-2, 1-2 rhythm.

Arm Movement:

Hold arms out in front of you.  Swing hands to your right, then down in a semicircular motion to your left, back to right, then to left, counting 1-2, 1-2.

Putting Them Together:

Now do the hand and hip movements simultaneously from right to left on a count of 1-2.

Make sense?  Now Watusi for all!

The Basic Madison

Stand slightly sideways with your left shoulder to the front. Count six beats that go like this:  step; close; step; tap; tap; tap.

1. Step left foot to the side.
2. Close right foot to left foot without weight and clap.
3. Step back on right foot to place.
4. Cross left foot in front of right foot and tap.
5. Uncross left foot and tap.
6. Cross left foot in front and tap.

On the clap, reach forward with both arms. On the taps raise the hands to shoulder level and wave from side to side. It gets easier once you swing it a couple times.

Once you’ve figured it out, plunk yourself right in the middle of this Goddard video.

 

 

-Arianna Schioldager