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I might use "Matrix", the Macho Dip, at training sessions for pure fun and fitness, and I might even use it in my secondary dance mode of crazy dancing. But I almost never use Macho features in my main mode of dancing for a simple reason: It undermines the focus of my dance.
I want the look and feel of a Follow-Centric dance. For each Macho feature I use, I must make sure that I lead the Follow into something equally spectacular twice in order to make her stand out. As soon as I go down the road of just dancing with myself, of being a show-off, no matter how little, the dance becomes less and less about how good I can make the Follow dance with me.
Matrix - The Macho Dip
It is the privilege of the Lead to give himself a dip whenever he wants to. I only know of one such Macho Dip but it is quite common. I have found many RU-vid videos promoting it. Whenever the video gives a name for the dip it is almost always called "Matrix" or "Matriz".
The word "Matrix" has very many meanings depending on the subject: Mathematics, biology, anatomy, etc. But the root of the word is "mater", mother. And in Spanish the word Matriz, spelled with a "z", means womb of a woman.
In the Lead's Macho Dip, the Lead is bending backward with his stomach forward resembling a very pregnant woman. The Lead must find the hole and get out of the "womb" under the Follow's arm! This is my guess for why the Macho Dip is called Matrix?
The Cuban version of the Matrix dip, as well as the name, is borrowed and adapted from similar dips in Lindy Hop and swing dances where dips, lifts and acrobatic moves plays a much bigger role. What really is this Matrix?
Break down of Matriz
The Macho Dip can be reduced to a Rodeo Inverso type of basic figure of two counts of eight. Two counts because the Lead needs to prepare himself. It starts in Caída position with the Follow at the Lead's right side, crossed handhold, Lead's right on top, and with the Lead's left arm in Hammerlock behind his back.
There are several ways to get to the start position of the Macho Dip adding one or more counts of eight. For that reason the Macho Dip is often regarded as a "move" consisting of a couple of basic figures. The most common is to do the dip as part of a Bayamo move, starting with right-to-right handed Vacilala into Half-Sombrerero and then Rodeo Inverso to get to the start position (video #2, #4, #5).
Instead of Vacilala into Half-Sombrero, the Lead can use Exhibela into Half-Sombrero (video #1). The Lead can of cause skip the Vacilala/Exhibela step and start with Rodeo Inverso. Video #3 uses a two handed Enchufla and a Hook Turn to get to the start position of the Macho Dip, and in Video #6 the Lead uses Enchufla and asks for the Follow's other hand behind his back (not reliable in social dancing).
The Dip
From the Caída start position, the Lead is stationary, the Follow walks around him on "1-2-3", as he bends more and more back reaching his lowest position on "7-8". Then up again on "1-2-3" of the next count of eight ready to step "5-6-7". There are other ways to time it.
Doing the Matriz Macho Dip is a question of:
1. The Lead most be able to bend his back backward. I can still do it at 72.
2. The Follow must know what to do and be supportive as she walks around the Lead.
3. The Lead must go for it at the right moment in order to get under the arm and up.
The exact timing depends on the speed of the music, the skill level and the preferences of the Lead. The dip can be done fast on "7-8-1" or be more spaced out on "7-8-1-2-3". Some Lead's prefer to sit down instead of bending back.
Because of the focus on the dip itself, the inexperienced Leader can easily loose track of the timing during the dip and step on the wrong foot when he comes out of the dip. It takes training. Start to slow music and pick tall Follows with long arms.
6 сен 2024
