Alexis Flanders

For this activity, I was asked to decompose something familiar. I chose the Macarena. In case it’s been a while, here’s a refresher!

At first, it feels almost silly to break down a dance everyone “just knows.” But once I slowed down and wrote out the steps, I realized how structured it actually is.

I separated the dance into two sections.

Section A follows a clear right–left repetition pattern. Section B includes the turn, which breaks that symmetry, so it made sense to isolate it. What feels automatic is actually built on sequence and repetition.

My professor pointed out that I did not need to rewrite Section A again later in the process. Since it repeats exactly, I could simply reference it. That feedback stuck with me. Recognizing repetition and avoiding unnecessary rewriting is both efficient and intentional.

Decomposing the Macarena reminded me that even the most familiar routines are structured algorithms. We just do not usually stop to notice.