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.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Chips - J*, Week 1. Practice These Combos

*Note:
Chips "J" means the Chips in January and then every other month (March, May, July, etc.)

Coming out of this first Chips class you have two combinations to practice: The Wrap and the Three Point Turn.

The Wrap
  • Swing Step a little bit
  • When you go back left, lead anticipates grasping BOTH hands, instead of just with your left.
  • As you swing back right, you are grasping BOTH her hands. This is so unusual, she know's something's up!
  • Coming out of "swing back right" lead turns left, raising right arm & draping around you, your left hand holds her hand low, slides on your stomach/side as you turn.
  • Finish your turn "swing back left" and catch her free hand with your LH. Now lead's RH is low, and LH is moving up in preparation for - - -
  • Lead turns her to lead's R, with leads LH going high and draping (wrapping) around her.
  • Finish this turn grasping BOTH hands, this signals you are doing a 3rd and 4th turn.
  • 3rd wrap turn
  • 4th wrap turn. But when you come out, instead of grasping both her hands, lead just grasps with left hand, (she then understands that wrap is over!) and does a single swing step (Back Right) And back to basic.
Three Point Turn (Last Turn Cross Led) (Edit: See Chips, Session J, Week 2 for more detailed description)
This is simply 3 full turns, except the lead uses the right hand for the last turn. Since lead's right hand reaches across, I think of this as "cross led".The first two steps are a regular two-point turn. The third feels funky at first, but is actually easy once you learn it.
  1. First Full turn. (Setup, "She Turns".)
  2. Second Full turn (Lead's elbow down, "He Turns")
  3. Coming out of "He Turns", lead doesn't switch hands behind his back at pocket level and do a full turn. Instead, lead turns 3/4 of a circle, and presents the right hand (palm up? palm down? HELP!) and using the right hand (feels like the wrong hand) lead does the setup in the same position, Follow's hand in an L just above head level) and leads the full turn in the regular normal direction (this might feel backwards, but its not).
  4. At conclusion of 3rd turn, immediately go "Back to Basic - Forward Left."

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