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Compiled by Manny
Siverio
Osmar Perrones - Founder & Director of the Yamulee Dance Studio & Dance Company. INSTRUCTOR REVIEW See 2017 video promotion for
Yamulee Dance Studio Classes . I finally had the pleasure of visiting Osmars class on a really stormy-windy-wet Tuesday night. While waiting for Osmar to arrive, I found his group of students very friendly and open. They seemed very excited and eager for the class to begin (always a sign of a good teacher). Then like a U.S. postman who makes his delivery regardless of weather conditions, a semi-drenched Osmar walked into class with his lovely assistant fellow Mambo Dancer Cindy Carrion (currently of The Santo Rico Dance Company). After a warm greeting from Osmar, he cheerfully invited me to participate in his class along with the rest of his students and went straight to work. The class began with a warm up session led by Cindy which consisted of a series of basic exercises designed to help improve a students flexibility. As the class progressed, I noticed that it was taught in a bi-lingual format (English-Spanish). Counting was done in English while instruction was offered in both English (mainly by Cindy) and Spanish (mainly by Osmar). This way students from both languages could benefit from the class. After the warm the class was divided into 3 different groups (Beginners, Intermediate and Advance). The more advance students are taught by Osmar, while the beginners and intermediate students are led by Cindy and an assistant. The first half of Osmars class is dedicated to Open Floor Shines. Old shines are reviewed while new Shines are slowly broken down in a gradual step-by-step manner. Students are asked to quicken the execution of each shine as they retain the basic sequence of steps. Osmar begins to tie these shines together once several of them have been taught. At first he performs these sequence of shines in the order learned with a basic step in-between and later he eliminates the basic step to create a open floor shine routine for the day. Osmar is a very patient task-master. Ive seen him drill a shine over, and over and over again until satisfied that everyone has it. These shines are first done without music (to the count of Osmars verbal command) and finally to music. Osmars choice of shines are high in energy (like his partner work) and can be characterized as a quick series steps, interesting shuffles and syncopated foot movements. You can tell that Osmars students are into his floor shine because you can see them reviewing them during break time and at the end of class. The second half of the class centers on partner work. A total of at least three turn patterns are taught to the class. One for the beginner level, one for the intermediate level and one for the advance level. Osmar uses Cindy to demonstrate the turn pattern being taught to each group. Students are divided according to their level and begin to work on the turn pattern designed for their level. Osmar focuses his attention from group to group offering valuable partnering tips and breaking down patterns in a stop-and-go format. Patterns are done slow at first, then faster and faster at the speed of Osmars verbal command. Students are rotated from partner to partner so that everyone can get a chance to work everyone else. When a 2nd turn pattern is taught, it normally is designed to flow right after the first pattern. Finally the class is allowed to go through a practice session performing their turn pattern to music. Name Style in a nutshell
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