Hey there Alf-Olav Nilsen!

We think the issue might be absorbing the connection too much in your sugar tuck…meaning, you’re letting your elbow and hand get too far past your shoulder. Try to make sure everything stays in front of your body. As long as your feet are also stepping forward (in a sugar tuck) on 4, then your timing should be ok. You can also shorten your arm after it’s cleared the followers head to ‘make up time’ if needed to stay on beat.

Hope that helps!! Let me know if you have any more questions 😊

Shawn Hake first congrats!!! There are a couple of options with that song (great song btw) If you have the space, you could do Two Step. Some other options would be a slow bachata, or straight time Foxtrot (also known as Foxy) where every step is one beat. Hope that helps!! Please let us know if you need help with your first dance!!

Riley Ventura that’s what I would suggest! When I do it with my hat on and leading, I get closer to my partner and duck the head a bit, or lower in my legs for the moment 😊

Nice!! Welcome to our dance family 😊

Thanks Paul! Connection is key with any hand hold (and your partner), so I would look into that first! We have several videos on that!We have quite a few videos with different hand holds too, and how to not look stiff when you're dancing. Are those what you're looking for? Or something else?

Hey Michael Daly! You can use a followers inside or outside turn to get back to closed. As the leader, the easiest way to get to closed, in my opinion, is to use a J-hook action and pick up the back as the follower comes towards you. Hope that helps!!

Awesome! Glad it gave you some options...Let us know if you have any questions about the suggestions!

Hey Paul Frank!The starter step can definitely be tricky. Try thinking of the second triple, not as a rock step but as more of a second triple in place (aka your anchor step) to allow your partner to connect to your right hand on their shoulder blade. That connection/stretch is key to lead whatever you want to do out of the anchor step. Check out this video about creating the stretch. There are a few other videos about mastering the anchor step too! Hope this helps!

Hey Fred Yankowski - so sorry about that! I'm not super tech saavy, but perhaps someone from the community will have some insight. I'll see what I can find out!

Hey Wendy Robinson - I don't think we have a video for Sweetheart Walks for Rumba. The Cradle circle is similar...we'll see if we can add it to the mix!