Music, Rhythm and Dance

I love it when I get more tips on how the music and dance interact.
My Flamenco teacher began explaining the rhythm of Bulerias, a dance of fun and foolishness. The rhythm of 12 is divided into 4 triples or 2 sixes - or 2 triples and 3 twos. Begin the dance on the count of 12. End it on the count of 10.

Really I prefer something simpler - Swing. The downbeat, or first beat (called "down" because the conductor's baton goes down at that point - Time to Start!) is less important in swing. The upbeat, coming before the downbeat, leading up to it is also fun but not where swing dancers put the emphasis. The backbeat You can't lose it!), or the even count, is more important.

Phrasing is another factor to pay attention to. Robert Royston, West Coast Swing teacher, suggested noticing the Tonic chords that can signal changes.