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.
Chips - Session F, Class 4
We learned 3 combos in this class.
1. The Waterfall
You can get into this from one side or the other. This example is one, but they are mirror images.
- You are in the swing step. Assume in this example you are in "swing Back Right".
- When you come "Back to center" you grasp both hands (almost as if you were starting The Wrap), but immediately go from having your wrists parallel, to crossing with your right wrist over your left. This time your right hand is above.
- As you swing "Back Left":
- Continue to hold both hands.
- But your top hand (right hand in this example) goes up behind her head. As it goes up there, drop her hand, and brush your hand over the back of her head, and . . .
- . . . down over her shoulder, and as you come back to center you "show the hand" with your right hand. Note hands are now crossed in the center but this time your right hand is below.
- Now "swing Back Right", draping left hand behind her head
- You have now done two drapes. Now its time to drape yourself.
- I forgot exactly how thats done. But the idea is tosignal you are going to drape yourself instead of the Follow, then drape yourself twice, then get out of the waterfall.
2. Getting out of Waterfall (Or Swing Step)
- To get out of the waterfall (note: this also works to get out of the swing!) you hold both of your hands in the middle as you come back to the center.
- Raise hands up into prayer position in front of faces. Her elbows are in. Lead's are on the outside.
- Now using your body to do the leading, you lead a "Back to Basic Forward Left" move. As you do so, your hands go up the center, over her head . . .
- . . . . and you drap behind her hair and go to closed position.
- This is a very romantic looking move!
3. I Can't Remember The Third Combo
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