Macarena

Music: Macarena by Los Del Rio (102 BPM for teaching/132 BPM for dancing); Macarena by Los Del Mar, Los Del Sol, or the Bay Side Boys version; Sold by John Michael Montgomery; Setting the Woods on Fire by The Tractors; I Don't Even Know Her Name by Alan Jackson; or Doreen by The Tractors
Prepared by: Knox Rhine, edited by Ronald Lee Still July 7, 1998.
Choreographer: Diana Patricia, Venezuela
Position: Individual line dance—all dancers face the same direction, heels together, hands on hips
Difficulty: Beginner
Description: 16-count, 20-step, 4-wall, line dance.
Comment: Macarena is on a BMG compilation found in the Latin section of most major chains titled, Macarena Mix. This CD has three different mixes of Macarena by Los Del Rio. Tracks #1 and #5 are 102 bpm for teaching. Track #10 is at 132 bpm for dancing. Macarena is easy enough for anyone to "dance," is taught on virtually all cruise ships, is popular in coastal clubs, and made the VH1 rock video line up. This dance was taught in its extreme basics during the lesson at a major dance club - 12 counts of arm movements, 3 rear end wiggles, and 1 hop. It lost a lot of styling.
Banned: Sue King, assistant superintendent of Wake County Schools, Raleigh, North Carolina, banned the Macarena from being added to the physical education curriculum based on one parent's concern.-News and Observer

Copyright © 1996, 1998 by Ronald L. Still. Merida Business Group, 1413 Kenbrook Drive, Garner, NC 27529-4447; 919-772-2082. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

Standard steps for gentleman and lady are identical.

Knee Pops (Heel Lifts) For Eight Counts, Palms Move Up and Down, Arms Straight-Fold-Cover Ears

Keep knees flexed and transfer weight from side to side with each beat of the music, letting the hips sway from side to side with the heel movements.

1. Left heel lift and right arm pointed straight forward with palm down

2. Right heel lift, left heel drop, and left arm pointed straight forward with palm down

3. Left heel lift, right heel drop, and turn right palm up

4. Right heel lift, left heel drop, and turn left palm up

 

5. Left heel lift, right heel drop, and right hand placed on left upper arm

6. Right heel lift, left heel drop, and left hand placed on right upper arm

7. Left heel lift, right heel drop, and right hand placed over right ear

8. Right heel lift, left heel drop, and left hand placed over left ear

Knee Pops (Heel Lifts), Hip/Thigh Slaps and Placement

9. Left heel lift, right heel drop, and right hand slaps across in front of body onto front of left hip/thigh

10. Right heel lift, left heel drop, and left hand slaps across in front of body onto front of right hip/thigh

11. Left heel lift, right heel drop, and right hand placed on right hip

12. Right heel lift, left heel drop, and left hand placed on left hip

Hip/Shoulder Rolls with 1/4 Turn CCW

Bend knees during the following hip rolls, pivoting on balls of feet 1/4 turn CCW (syncopated). (May also keep doing heel lifts through end of dance.)

13. Left hip twists forward and then right hip backward, starting slow 1/4 turn CCW

& Right shoulder twists forward and left shoulder twists back

14. left shoulder twists forward and right shoulder twists back

& Right shoulder twists forward and left shoulder twists back

15. Left hip twists forward and right hip twists backward, continuing slow 1/4 turn CCW

& Right shoulder twists forward and left shoulder twists back

16. Left shoulder twists forward and right shoulder twists back

& Right shoulder twists forward and left shoulder twists back

This completes your 1/4 turn to the left.

Repeat Counts 1 to 16 until the end of song.

Option 1

Substitute the following Counts 11-16.

11. Left heel lift, right heel drop, and place right hand on right rear pocket

12. Right heel lift, left heel drop, and place left hand on left rear pocket

 

Bend knees during the following hip rolls, keep the hands on the rear end through Count 16.

13. Left hip twists forward and right hip twists backward

& Right shoulder twists forward and left shoulder twists back

14. Left shoulder twists forward and right shoulder twists back

& Right shoulder twists forward and left shoulder twists back

15. Left hip twists forward and right hip twists backward

& Right shoulder twists forward and left shoulder twists back

16. Hop 1/4 turn CCW

Option 2

Drop all foot movements, but hop 1/4 turn CCW on Count 16. Do the hand movements for Counts 1-10, then move the hands to the rear on Counts 11-12 and leave them there through Count 16. Wiggle your rear end on Counts 13-15.

Option 3

K-Mart and some clubs teach the turn at the end as CW instead of CCW.

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