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.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Taste - 4th Week Steps

We Learned Two Different "Hand Over Heart" Turns, and The Wrap

Two Different Hand Over Heart Turns
Description: From a swing step, the lead does a hand over heart turn and takes the follow's right hand. He can comes out and takes the follow with his left hand (Two Point Turn) or his right hand (Four Point Turn). You'll be "taking" the follow's hand a lot, so remember how to do it. Fingers only (not whole hand) and fingers are fairly straight - not too grippy.

The Introduction - Getting Ready for These Two Turns
Introduction. You need to be in the swing step. Swing left; swing right; swing left; swing right; etc.

For beginners, the easiest is to simply do a couple of basic steps, and then get into the swing step. Leads, you signal the swing step from the basic by giving an early warning signal (Some instructors call this "setup" and others call it "about to"), which is a side toss at waist height BEFORE you swing. Example, lead goes "forward left" in the basic, and as the lead's left foot is returning to center he's already tossing the follow's left hand to the side with his right hand. He does not wait until his feet are "back to center". So, to get ready for the these two turns, beginners can just do:
  • Basic (two to four, whatever is comfortable)
  • Swing step (three to five of 'em)
  • The lead's the final swing step before these turns is "back right".

Hand Over Heart Turn
  • Lead does the "hand over heart" turn. Lead's left hand is low, placing follow's hand on his side.
  • Lead keeps his step small and feet close together. Follow keeps doing that swing step!

Two Point Turn
  • Lead reaches follow's hand with his LEFT hand.
  • Lead swings "back left", follow should be swinging "back right".
  • Lead pulls follow with his left hand into an inside turn, and ends up "back right". Follow ends up "back left".
  • Then you get out of it by doing several swing steps.
Four Point Turn
  • Lead reaches follow's hand with his RIGHT hand. Also known as "shake hands" position.
  • Lead swings "back left", follow should be swinging "back right".
  • Lead pulls follow with his right hand into an inside turn, and ends up "back right". Follow ends up "back left". Note even tho lead's right leg is back, his right hand is forward grasping follow's right hand.
  • Lead does a left turn, which is really similar to a hand over heart turn except as noted above you are already holding the follow's right hand in your right. You keep your hand low and as you turn and your right hand is behind you at pocket level, you steal the follow's hand with your left. Follow continues swing step. After the lead's left turn, follow ends up "back right" and lead ends up "back left".
  • Note at this point lead's left hand is holding follow's hand, so the final move is simple. Its just the lead guiding the follow into an inside turn at the end of which the lead swings "back right" and follow is "back left".
  • If you are REALLY good you can go right back to basic. The rest of us will do a couple of swing steps and then go back to basic.

The Wrap
  • This is one way the wrap is taught. There are others.
  • Leads signal the wrap by taking both hands to one side. You can wrap left or wrap right.
  • Lets say you take both hands, waist height, to the right. The lead's right hand is out to the right and the left hand is centered in front of the lead's belly button.
  • The lead lifts his right hand (his "far out" hand) as the lead does a turn to the left. The right hand goes back over the lead's head bringing the follow's hand with it, and as he turns left the lead's left hand goes on his belly and slides off onto his waist.
  • The lead completes his turn and faces the follow, then leads the next wrap by . . .
  • . . . . moving both hands to the left, waist height.
  • The lead raises his left hand (his "far out" hand) and turns the follow "in" (across toward the lead's right) pulling his left hand behind the follow. The lead's right hand grazes the follow's waist as he lets go with that hand.
  • Follow completes the turn.
  • I have no idea how the footwork on this is supposed to look. Sorry!
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