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.
Taste Week 2 - Practice Tips
The main practice tips for me are:
Shift my Weight in all the Steps.- I'm good in the Basic.
- Need to work on this in all other steps, including Side Step, Swing Step and Full Turn.
In Side Step, To Lead More Clearly- When you are "back to center", make sure to almost pause for a spit second, before your hand sweeps to the side making part of a nice W shape.
- After I've fully shifted my weight to the side, I'm not done with the hands. I continue to lead the Side Step by continuing my hand to the side for another split second. Keep hand waist high. Do not lead by raising hand as it goes to the side.
In Full Turn, To Not Look Like A Dork- My first "Forward Left" step in to the turn is just like the basic "Forward Left" in that I do shift my weight forward. Helps maintain balance
- Then turn 180 degrees to the rear and shift my weight to the ball of my right foot.
- Bend the knees a tiny bit to maintain balance
- Keep steps small to maintain balance
- Turn on the ball of your right foot. Your left foot "kisses" the side of the right foot.
- Someday I'll be good enough to do all of the above and complete the turn in time so that I can pause slightly in the center on "and", (if I'm counting "and 6-7-8") then have enough time to go back right without stumbling. Maybe someday.
Swing Step- Toss that hand early - as I'm going back to center (after Fwd Left or after Back Right).
- Do not wait until you are back to center and then toss the hand. Thats when you should be pausing and starting your strong pull down the center with the other hand.
- I tend to be late. Very late. But not as late as I was before, so I'm improving. This is a problem I need to work on.
Two Point Turn (He Turns, She Turns)- Begin to "setup" as I'm going back to center (after Fwd Left). Not when I get to center. Alas, I tend to be late with this.
- I'm pretty good at holding my Follow's hand at head level. I need just a little more work on adjusting to the height of my Follow.
- Likewise, just a little more practice at keeping my hand high above her head 'till she completes her turn fully. Only then do I lower it to her waist and start my turn. Get this sequence right so I don't confuse my Follow (or worse yet, smack her in the face with my elbow because I forgot to lower my hand before starting my turn).
All Open Positions- My hands are too close to me sometimes. They need to be more in the middle, between me and the Follow.
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