If You Can Swing Your Hips You Can Lambada

Sensuous. There is no better word to describe Lambada. It’s an intimate and energetic dance, and really fun to learn. The rules are simple: Grab your partner and hold on tight, feel the rhythm of the music, and sway your hips in unison as you move across the dance floor.

Lambada is characterized by swaying, wave-like movements, and is danced to a strong Brazilian/Caribbean beat. It originated from Brazil and became popular in the 1980s in Latin America and Caribbean countries. The Lambada’s incredible hip action—combined with the very short skirts of the female dancers—made it intoxicating to watch. It didn’t take long before the dance gained world-wide attention.

Lambada is a Portuguese word for the wave-like motion of a whip. And that is exactly how Lambada dancers move. They stay on the balls of their feet, with hips closely positioned to create a fast-paced, swaying action that moves from side-to-side.

You can learn the Lambada! Follow the music’s rhythm and move your shoulders from side to side in the opposite direction of your hips (when your hips twist to the left, move your shoulders to the right).  Continue alternating these movements. Once you are comfortable with that, you can add head rolls to continue the wave movement, moving your head in the same direction as your hips. Spins and dips can be added later, after you have mastered the basics.

Schedule a Lambada lesson today at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Charlotte and Lake Norman, NC.