Chicago Salsero

My Notes To Myself - So I Can Practice

About Me

Chicago, IL
* Married. * Two daughters. * Uncoordinated but determined Salsa dancer. * Marathon runner.

About Chicago Salsero

I'm Dan. I'm taking Salsa lessons at LSD (Latin Street Dancing) in Chicago. I'm taking two classes, Taste and Chips. I find that I need to take notes so I can practice. If I don't write down the right way to practice, then I will either fail to practice at all, or (even worse) will practice wrong.These notes are from the perspective of a Lead (sorry Follows!). They also reflect the fact that I'm a bit of an un-co-ordinated klutz, and I need to spell out details that simply come naturally to those who are more gifted musically, or who are more graceful physically.

Confusing Terminology

Music is not in my blood and I have no formal dance training. A lot of the jargon confused me at first, usually because they explain it verbally and I forget (I'm a visual learner - I have to write things down), and sometimes because they just use the terminology and assume everybody understands. These definitions might help you. Break. They use this term but I don't know what it means. They never explain it (or if they do I just don't listen closely enough!). But thats totally OK. Its not a critical term. I mean, nobody ever says "now here is where you are supposed to break", and expects you to understand what it means. Tumbao (pronounced doom, BAH-oh). You will learn to hear this particular conga drum beat in the music. A written definition has no value. Once you hear it, you will understand what it means. Open Position - This just means holding hands (well, finger tips) facing each other, a comfortable distance apart. This is the only position taught in Taste. "Open" is as opposed to hand on partner's shoulder, which is "closed position" and isn't taught until Chips. Combo means "combination", i.e. a series of dance moves one after the other. Basic, Half Basic. Some instructors say "basic" and mean all eight counts, meaning forward/back-to-center as well as back/back-to-center. To them four counts is a half basic, either a forward half basic, or a back half basic. Other instructors refer to the full eight counts as "two basics" because they use the word "basic" to mean just four counts. I have no idea which is correct or incorrect, and in fact since Salsa is still young and evolving as a dance form, they are probably both right. Simply get used to your particular instructor's terminology, and if you get a little confused when you do a makeup or fill-in class with a different instructor, don't worry about it. Just keep smiling!

Other Terminology

  • Full Turn - 1st Class of Taste
  • Two Point Turn (as opposed to three point turn or multiple turn or inside turn) - You lead the Follow into a full turn then the Lead does a full turn.
  • Three Point Turn - 2nd Class of Chips. Starts as a Two Point Turn, then lead the Follow into the last turn using the "wrong" hand. See 2/7/07 Post.
  • Four Point Turn. Unlike the above, this does NOT start with a full turn. It is one of two Hand Over Heart (H.O.H.) combos. This is H.O.H.- Right (i.e. "shake hands) + 3 more.
  • Inside Turn - means you grasp the follow's right hand and lead the follow to turn to her left (inside) 360 degrees. I think this is taught at the end of Taste.
  • Hand Over Heart Turn - LEFT. (Chips). After a turn or a swing, H.O.H. turn, come out with LEFT hand, and lead your Follow into an inside turn.
  • Multiple Turn - Taught in Chips, Session F. H.O.H.-LEFT as above, but continue with 2 more inside turns.
  • Cross Step means _?__
  • The Wrap. Week 4 of Taste.
  • Rock Step. Taught in Chips, but some instructors think you had it in Taste.
  • Chips Session J and Session F. I use "J" to mean the January/March/May (etc.) sequence and F to refer to the February/April/June (etc.) classes.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Chips - Session J, Week 4

Table of Contents
A. Practice Tips for Closed Position
B. Lead Hook Turn (or whatever it might be called)
C. Combination called [no official name, Steve calls it "earth wind and fire"]
D. (added 3/23/07) Practice the Hug and Toss

A. Practice Tips for Closed Position
R. Arm. As a lead I need to keep my R. hand on her shoulder blade, well onto the upper part of the shoulder blade. Do not drift down onto Follow's back, and certainly not onto her waist. Keep my R. arm high enough so Follow can rest her arm on mine.
Basic. No signals with arms. You lead with your whole body. Surprisingly, the Follow can understand this, but you must lead with confidence and authority.
Side Step. No signals with the arms. I lead with my body.
Full Turn. You push forward and down as you go Left Forward, before "back to center Setup". This will feel strangely exaggerated but just do it anyway. For "setup" nothing is different: you raise L Hand to head level as usual. Try not to clonk the Follow in the head as you lead the turn.
Swing Left. Left arm moves out to the left as your left foot goes Back Left, but there are two important differences: you hold on with your left hand as you swing Back Left. Also, your right hand does not drive down the middle, it stays on her shoulder blade.
Swing Right. There is no difference from the way you lead a right swing from open position. Your right land does let go, and you draw your left hand down the middle.

B. Lead Hook Turn (or whatever it might be called)
Practice Tips:


  • If I can't get all the way around, think about a 1/4 turn followed by a3/4turn.
  • Bend my knees down a bit. Less likely to lose my balance!
  • What comes next? Well, since I do the hook turn on "Back Right", the next step is forward left. Logical, but feels unnatural to me. I need to practice this. I am tempted to go Back Right after the hook turn to regain my stablility. It helps me resist this temptation if I lean forward as I come out of the hook turn. I'm more likely to actually remember to go forward left!
C. Combination called [no official name, Steve calls it "earth wind and fire"]

Introduction
You will be smoothest if you manage to start in the handshake position. There are lots of ways to get into the handshake position. This is one way:


  • Basic
  • Full turn your Follow
  • Rock Step. As I (the Lead) rock step Back Left, I hold my L hand low . This sorta signals to the Follow that an inside turn is coming soon.
  • Inside Turn the Follow. (As she turns, I swing Back R.)
  • H.O.H. -Right (handshake position)

Earth Wind and Fire
From the handshake position:


  • Draw her across in front of me with my R Hand. R Hand is high and L Hand is low. Footwork: Swing Back R.
  • E.W.F 2. Do the E.W.F move as taught in class. Footwork: Swing Back L.
  • E.W.F 3. Do the E.W.F move as taught in class. Footwork: Swing Back R.
  • E.W.F 4. Do the E.W.F move as taught in class. Footwork: Swing Back L, and get mentally strong to exit this move. Your time has come.
  • Hook Step back with Right Foot. Your L Hand is now low and your R hand is now high. As you hook step back with the right foot, my left hand does not rise. My L Hand stays low behind my back. Simultaneously the R Hand comes down in front. (Yes, it is strange that both hands are low, plus you are mid stream in a hook step, which makes life doubly weird).
  • Back to Basic. You are now facing your partner. Do at least two, maybe three basics. Your R. Hand goes up to top of Follow's head and lets go.
  1. During this time look into Follow's eyes and s l o w l y comb follow's hair with your R Hand as you take your leisurely time going down her hair, shoulder and arm and eventually getting to her hand and do the basic in the open position.
  2. During this time Follow's R Hand should s l o w l y go down the R side of her head, shoulder and R side and eventually find your R hand in an open position Basic.

D. Practice Tips for Hug 'N Toss (Hug1, Toss, Hug2, Exit) These Hug 'N Toss practice tips were added 3/23/2007, and reflect Steve's classs. Other instuctors have slightly different styles.

Introduction: You get into it from the wrap.
  1. You can get to the wrap any way you want, so long as you get to the wrap.
  2. Example: Basic Sombrero During the 2nd turn of the wrap ("She Turns") you hug her in to your side instead of completeing the wrap turn.
  3. [See fancy option below]

The Toss Out. The 4 following items all happen simultaneously:

  1. Establish your line. You are in line, to the left of your follow, not in front or back.
  2. Using your L Hand slight push on upper arm to help your follow spin out directly on the line.
  3. Your arm does not extend straight like a string, but ends up in a V. This is a forward V about 6-12 inches ahead (not a downward V).
  4. Footwork:
  • Direction. You must move L as you toss, making it easier on her & cutting distance she travels in half.
  • Verbally. This is 4 counts as you move left, saying: "Back, Left, Right, Tap". Then its 4 counts back to your right saying "Back, Right, Left, Tap"
  • Details - Left. "Back" means the R foot goes behind the Left. The two middle steps are small (Left, Right). Finally, your tap with the L foot can be either toe or heel. I like heel because I stumble less.

Hug 2

  1. On the first count you do the J move with your hand to swing her back in, and simultaneously start the footwork for you to go back right and meet her in the middle
  2. When she wraps in, grasp her hand.
  3. Footwork Details - Back to the Right. As you wind her back into Hug #2, the concept is the same. Your L foot goes back behind the R, then 2 small steps, then for the right foot "tap" I like the heel rather than the toe to finish. You've tapped with your R, so your next step is with your R foot.
Exit. Left hand unwinds her, while you swing "Back Right". (& back to basic if you want)

Fancy Option. At the point indicated above, you can do an 8 count of a sideways lean against your body. Lead widens stance to balance her on top of you at not quite 45 degree angle. (Maybe just partway down, like 60 degrees?) Follow looks elegant, perhaps pointing toe, putting toe on knee, etc.
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)