How to dance the macarana

How to Dance the Macarena

It has been nearly seventeen years since the song Macarena was released in Spain in 1994. Even now, it has a cult following all over the world. If you love the song, you will probably want to learn the dance as well. Luckily, Macarena is one of the simplest dances and involves only sixteen simple steps. At the most, an hour of practice should be good enough for you to dance the Macarena properly. Spare the time to learn this beautiful dance and you can win the hearts of people at a party or a wedding ceremony.

Instructions

1

Raise and straighten both arms parallel to the ground in front of your eyes, right arm before the left one with the palms of your hands facing towards the ground. Now flip over your right palm so that is faces towards the sky. Do the same with your left palm. These are the first four counts of the Macarena.
2

Now move on to the second four counts of the Macarena. Place your right hand over your left shoulder and your left hand over your right shoulder. The palms of both hands should be facing downwards. Now place your right hand behind the right side of your head and do the same with your left hand.
3

Bring your right hand to rest it on your waist’s left side and do the same with your left hand and your waist’s right side. Now grip your right hip with the right hand and left hip with the left hand to complete the third four counts of the Macarena.
4

With your hands placed on your hips, sway your body, first to the right and then to the left. When you have completed the swaying cycle three times, jump and turn counter clockwise rotating your body at an angle of 90 degrees. After you are done, you have completed all the sixteen steps involved in Macarena.
5

Repeat the same steps over and over again until the song comes to an end.

Posted by Leon Parker in Dance, Trading

The History Of The Macarena Song And Dance Fad Of The 1990’s

The “Macarena” song and dance grew into an incredibly popular fad during the 1990’s. The song and subsequently the Macarena dance spread like wildfire throughout the mid-1990s. The song and dance remain an often-referenced piece of 1990’s pop-culture, mentioned in TV shows, movies, books, and even by a United States presidential candidate.

The Origin of the Macarena Song and Dance

In 1992, the band, Los Del Rio, a Spanish flamenco pop duo, spotted a beautiful flamenco dancer named Diana Patricia Cubillan Herrera at a private party held by the Venezuelan empresario in Venezuela. Her beauty and grace inspired them to write a song. The title of the song, Macarena, comes from a neighborhood in Spain and is also a popular girls name (meaning “Mother of God”).

Originally Los Del Rio was to name the song “Magdalena” but changed the name when they discovered another song by that name had already been released. The song told of a woman, named Macarena, who was upset because her boyfriend joined the army. In retaliation, she goes out on the town to dance with other soldiers. The Macarena was released in Spain in 1993 and became Los Del Rio’s first hit song since 1962.

Several versions of the song were remixed through the mid-1990’s and accompanying videos created. Each version released was more popular than the one prior. In 1996, a video was released that featured male and female dancers in the background doing the Macarena dance. In another black and white video released shortly thereafter, the dancers were more prominent, and viewers could easily mimic the dance moves that they demonstrated.

The Macarena moves to America

In 1994, American label BMG bought the Spanish label and set out to make the Macarena a cultural hit in America. BMG marketed an English version of the song, recorded by the Bayside Boys, to dance clubs, cruise ships, and other entertainment venues and released it as a single in 1995. The Bayside Boys version of the song sold well in United States. It stayed in the US Top 100 for sixty weeks and reached and stayed #1 on the charts for a record setting 14 weeks.

In 1996, sales of the Macarena song expanded further when the Macarena dance craze hit America. By the end of the year, it had sold over four million copies. People danced to the Macarena at weddings, office parties, cruise ships, clubs, school playgrounds, and everywhere else where dancing was permitted. The U.S. women’s gymnastics team did it at the Olympics. Presidential candidate Al Gore did it on TV.

By the end of the year, “Macarena” had reached the number one place on the charts in at least nine countries, including Australia, Belgium, and the United States.

How to perform the Macarena dance

The Macarena dance is a simple dance that consists of a variety of hand and hip movements similar to a line dance. Each cycle of the dance ends with a ninety-degree rotation of the body (quarter turn), and the dance is then repeated.

To perform the dance, there are eight basic steps to learn. The dance is performed in time with the chorus portion of the song, and is as follows:

Beats 1 Through 4

Extend your left arm straight out at shoulder level while turning your palm upward. Repeat with your right arm on beat two. Turn your left palm downward as your arm remains extended on beat three and repeat with your right arm on beat four.

Beats 5 Through 8

Cross your left hand over so that it rests palm down on your upper right arm. Repeat with your right hand by crossing it over to your left arm. On beat seven, place your left hand behind your head, and repeat with your right hand on beat eight.

Beats 9 Through 12

Move your left hand across your body so that it rests on the front part of your right hip. Repeat with your right hand by crossing it over to your left hip. On beat eleven, place your left hand onto your left hip or buttocks. Repeat on beat 12 by moving your right hand to your right hip or buttocks.

Beats 13 Through 16

Rotate your hips and buttocks to the left, then the right and back to the left again on beats 13 through 15. On the last beat of the sequence, turn (or jump) 90 degrees in a counterclockwise direction. Start over and repeat the entire sequence as many times as you’d like while the song is playing.

Image Credits

Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games volunteers doing the macarena via Wikipedia Commons by John Sherwell with usage type - Creative Commons License
Macarena dance via Flickr by Teresa Alexander-Arab with usage type - Creative Commons License
Macarena dance at the 2012 CCP4 Study Weekend, University of Warwick via Flickr by Jun with usage type - Creative Commons License

Featured Image Credit

Macarena dance at the 2012 CCP4 Study Weekend, University of Warwick via Flickr by Jun with usage type - Creative Commons License

Macarena dance: basic movements how to dance

It seems that only when you pronounce the word “macarena”, a swinging rhythm begins to pulsate in your head. As if the sun rises and wakes everyone up. He calls to raise his arms, torso, makes him turn his head and even his buttocks. The popular hit of the end of the last century still has not lost its charm. Light choreography and a funny character find him admirers among the youngest and most adults. Where did the macarena dance come from? Who is it suitable for? What is the simplicity of movements and how to learn them? We will write about this in detail.

History and why is the dance called Macarena?

Spanish singers Antonio Romero and Rafael Ruiz formed a duo back in the 1960s. But their group Los Del Rio was able to become popularly known only in 1993 with the advent of the hit “Macarena”. The Afro-Cuban composition in the clave size, which is the basis of it, hit the target - the love of millions.

The song tore apart the world musical space. A light text about a girl who took a guy to the army and, to drown out her melancholy, started dancing at parties with his friends, made the hit fun.

As a result, almost immediately a dance of the same name appeared, shown in the video for this novelty. It has become a combination of several styles:

flamenco nuevo;
pachanga;
rumba;
popular music.

At the same time, such an alliance did not cause complex movements. On the contrary, the dance surprises with the ease of execution.

The famous name is explained by three versions:

In honor of the daughter of Antonio Romero.
In the quarter of the same name in the Spanish Seville, where the hit took place.
Phonetically distorted name of Mary Magdalene. Initially, the lines of the song contained the name Madalena. But later, the alphabetic abracadabra gave her the name macarena.

By the way, in the United States, the translation of poems into English somewhat changed the meaning of the text. In this version, the girl is more frivolous and unpretentious than in the original.

The Russian version of the bestseller belongs to Sergei Minaev. It is more of a comic interpretation of the original.

In December 2019, the famous rapper Tyga released a remix of the sensational hit together with the tandem Los Del Rio. The number of views of the new track is over 98 million.

Basic dance movements to the song “Oh Macarena”

The basis of this social dance is the simulated choreography of the arms, torso, legs, head, buttocks.

They can be both described and viewed.

Method one. Classic

So what to do:

Straighten your arms in front of you. The palms should be pointing down.
Alternately turn your palms up.
It is easy to put your hands on your shoulders in the opposite order so that they intersect. Right - on the left shoulder. And by analogy, the left - on the right shoulder.
Smoothly and also alternately move the hands to the back of the head. The palms should clasp the head.
Lower the right hand on the left thigh, then mirror the movement with the left hand.
Place the right hand on the right buttock. Do the same with the left side.
In a light squat, draw the number 8 with your buttocks.
Can turn 90⁰ while jumping. Repeat the movements again and turn again until the circle is completed.

For yourself, you can arbitrarily choose the right or left side, which will be the first to perform this or that action.

The legs also participate in the dance. They need to take vigorous steps in place to the rhythm of the music.

Method two. Like on video.

You can do it easier. Find a video with an incendiary dance. Watch and repeat after the dancers.

Note: An interesting fact. Macarena saves lives. Doctors from Barcelona found that the rhythm of 103 beats / min., In which it is written, is commensurate with the amount of pressure on the chest during chest compressions.

How to dance the macarena - learning for beginners

There are 3 training formats for beginners to choose from. Of course, it all depends on the seriousness of the intentions of the beginner and the desired quality in the end. You can:

go to a dance studio and learn the art of macarena there;
hire a coach and get the required number of individual lessons of perky dancing;
find a good video lesson on the Internet, watch and repeat as much as you need.

Macarena dance moves for kids

It's no exaggeration to say that this is also a children's dance. Almost every child perceives a popular song with a bang. Consequently, the kids adore the macarena and repeat its cheerful movements with undisguised joy.

There are a lot of clips on the Internet with children dancing famously to the incendiary hit Los Del Rio.

Similar training options. Most importantly, the choice must be made depending on the characteristics of the character of the little dancer. He may prefer school, a coach, and homework through watching educational videos.

Online lessons are very child friendly. Because:

They do not need to be tied to a place and time
Involve parents and other relatives in the process
Possible with any device with Internet access. A phone is enough.

Recommendation. Support children's endeavors. Macarena can grow from a small entertainment into a big interest in the dance industry.

What you may need

First of all, it must be said that no special actions and devices are required to start training. The dance is simple and unassuming. Enough:

to have the slightest sense of rhythm and love for dancing;
put on comfortable clothes and shoes;
have a good mood;

Of course, you can invite relatives and friends and thus make a mini flash mob.

Tips

Do not think that the dance is outdated. His resilient rhythm and character over the years still echoes in the hearts and bodies of people.
For those who are not yet familiar with the full content of the song, it makes sense to learn it. The text is relevant despite the release time of the hit.
Macarena will decorate any holiday and amuse any audience. This is a must to use.

Surely such a carefree and cheerful dance appeared for a reason. People often lack smiles and drive in life. Therefore, it is great that it serves as a bright decoration of human everyday life.

How to Dance the Macarena (with Pictures)

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In this article:

Method One: The Classic Method

Method two: Like on video

Additional articles

If you want to go back to 19'96, then Macarena will be a great way. It is even better to dance it in a group with those who have no sense of rhythm! Are you ready to remember the craziness of that time? It will be easy to impress your friends with macarena moves.

Steps

1

Turn on the macarena. Although, you can dance it without music, but it will be strange. So find the disc or song on YouTube.
2

Start with the third eight. There is one bit in the count, so there will be 16 bits (8 x 2) in the first two eights. For the first sixteen counts of the song, you only hear the synth, and then BAM! "Ay!" and then you can start dancing.
- You can do anything during these first two eights. Lyric dance? Irish dance? The more artistic the better!
3

Count along with the music. Each beat goes from 1 to 8. As soon as you hear "Ay!", then a new beat starts. Each movement is equal to a certain bit. Is always!
4

Extend your right hand forward in front of you, palm down by 1. On 2, extend your left hand forward, also palm down.
5

On 3 turn the palm of your right hand up. On the 4th palm of the left hand. Like you're getting paid now.
6

At 5 touch your left shoulder with your right hand. Can you guess what will happen on the count of 6? That's right - touch your right shoulder with your left hand.
7

Pass your right hand under your left and place it on your head on the right for a count of 7. And for 8? That's right - you put your left hand on your head on the left.
8

Place your right hand on your left thigh for count 1. Then your left hand goes to your right thigh for count 2. Are you doing well? Do you feel like slapping your thighs?
9

On the count of 3, place your right hand on the right side of your bottom. On account 4 the same, but with the left hand (on the left side).
10

Roll your hips 3 times - right, left and right again for a count of 5, 6 and 7. Then on 8 turn a quarter in a jump and clap your hands. Ready!
- Some people don't clap their hands. Choose yourself.
11

Repeat! It's simple, isn't it? Now don't forget the smile on your face.
- As soon as you land after the jump, you are ready to bring your right hand forward for a count of 1. After four turns, you will be back where you started.
12

Move your shoulders and hips to the beat of the music if you want to get into the action. You can always add your own style. Feel the music! She is remembered. It's Macarena!

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1

Extend your right arm forward 1, extend your left arm 3. Everything is exactly like this - everything goes more slowly. You skip half the moves, and only move to an odd count.
2

Place your right hand behind your head for a count of 5. Your left hand for a count of 7. You skip the part when you open your palms up. You don't have time for this!
3

Place your right hand on your ass for a count of 1. Then your left hand on your butt (on the left, of course) for a count of 3.
4

Roll your hips to the right, left and right for 5, 6 and 7. Same as normal dance. Then turn a quarter in a jump and repeat!
5

Since everything goes much slower, you need to get used to it first! Watch the video for inspiration. The hips and shoulders feel the rhythm, even if the arms move calmly and confidently.

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Tips

Rotate your hips a little to keep up with the rhythm.
Learn more