The movement comes from shifting your weight
Swaying is a repeated side-to-side shift of your weight. When standing, your weight moves from one foot to the other, and your torso follows this small movement. Both feet can stay on the floor. If you only throw your head or shoulders from side to side while keeping your weight centered, you’re more likely to bend your upper body instead. Keep your head roughly over your pelvis and your knees relaxed.
One side of a sway is not automatically one full measure of music. The audible pulse and the group’s tempo determine how long each side lasts. With fast music, it can feel comfortable to spread a shift over two beats. This is a practice aid, not a binding rule for every song. What matters is that you shift to the same side as the people right next to you, rather than frantically dancing out every beat.
Unlike moving group dances for Carnival, you stay in the same place. There’s no prescribed partner role and no need to link arms. If you generally find it hard to hear the pulse, the rhythm exercises in the guide to the dance course for beginners with no prior experience can also help with shifting from side to side.
