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TOCA STUDENT · Lesson 28 · Kizomba technique

How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis

The pivot comes from the centre and from the ball of the supporting foot. Never from the arms. An arm that pulls is an arm that already lost the axis.

Dawou Tarraxo, pioneer of Tarraxo. How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis

Stay tall through the rotation instead of crushing down into the floor. Let the head follow gently, it never leads the body. And finish every turn on one clear supporting foot, never between two.

If you need the hand to stay up, the turn is not yours yet.

Drill it alone tonight. Quarter turn, half turn, two seconds of stillness at each end, until there is zero recovery step.

Turn technique for followers in kizomba and urbankiz starts in the centre.

Turning without losing your axis, step by step

  1. YOU TURN AROUND YOUR OWN SPINE, NOT AROUND YOUR PARTNER.
  2. The pivot comes from the centre and the ball of the supporting foot.
  3. Not from the arms. An arm that pulls is an arm that lost the axis.
  4. Stay tall through the rotation. Do not crush down into the floor.
  5. The head follows gently. It never leads the body.
  6. Every turn ends on one clear foot. Never between two.
  7. If you need the hand to stay up, the turn is not yours yet.
Could you let go of the hands mid turn and still land clean?

The full carousel

How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis, slide 1 of 9 How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis, slide 2 of 9 How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis, slide 3 of 9 How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis, slide 4 of 9 How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis, slide 5 of 9 How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis, slide 6 of 9 How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis, slide 7 of 9 How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis, slide 8 of 9 How to turn in kizomba without losing your axis, slide 9 of 9

This lesson comes from the book

Page 288 of The student's book by Dawou Tarraxo, the TOCA Method page this lesson comes from
The student's book · page 288

The student’s book takes dancers from the first foundations to real feeling. The teacher’s guide gives instructors the structure to pass it on. Both in English, French and Spanish, on Amazon and Apple Books.

The student’s book The teacher’s guide

The method

T O C A

Two bodies. One connection.

TTouchThe connection with your partner. Feeling through contact, never through force.
OObservationListening to your partner’s body, energy and tempo.
CControlMastery of your own movement. Precision without tension.
AAwarenessFull presence: with yourself, your partner and the music.