Carinosa Steps •
The basic footwork is similar to the steps used in a waltz: You move around the floor by stepping to the side with your left foot, then moving your right foot next to your left. You finish off this series of three movements by tapping your left foot on the floor. Repeat this seuence of steps, this time beginning by stepping to the side with your right foot. !pins are another fundamental element of carinosa. They take up the last two bars of an eight"bar seuence. #f you$re the male half of the dancing pair, you either fold your hands behind your back or put your hands on your hips. The best way to think of this modified hands"on" hips pose is to make sure your thumbs point inward toward your waist and your knuckles rest on your love handles, even if you don$t have them. #f you$re the female, hold your skirt up a few inches off the floo fl oorr by ta taki king ng ea each ch si side de of yo your ur sk skir irtt be betw twee eenn yo your ur th thum umb b an and d forefinger. You can either do two turns, one for each three"beat bar, or one turn on the first three"beat bar. %or the latter, you simply stand still for the last three"beat bar. You$ll always turn to the right.
Carinosa Props •
%emale carinosa dancers often use fans. #f you$re the female dancer, you open your fan by giving it a firm shake. &nce it$s open, simply fan yourself to the music, matching each downward movement of the fan with one beat in the three"beat bar. The handkerchief hide"and"seek is a key element of carinosa. 'ach partner holds two corners of the handkerchief and stand facing each other, holding the handkerchief so it blocks the view of the other
partner$s face. &n the first beat of the three"beat musical bar, both partners lean to the right side and peek at each other around the handkerchief. They hold for a beat, then, on the third and final beat of the bar, they return to an upright position, holding the handkerchief so it is blocking the faces again. &n the first beat of the next bar, the partners flip the handkerchief while still holding it, so if one partner had been holding the top two corners, he$s now holding the bottom two corners, or vice versa. (s they do so, they lean to the side and peek at the other partner around the handkerchief again. This series of movements continues for six bars in total) for the last two bars of the eight"bar section, the partners switch places by waltzing around each other while still holding the handkerchief. This entire seuence repeats. The hide"and"seek seuence can be performed with a fan instead of a handkerchief. The female dancer of the carinosa pair holds her skirt with one or both hands, pinching the fabric of the skirt with the thumb and forefinger, at the side, at about mid"thigh level.
