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.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Taste Week One - Practice Tips

Things to practice after the first lesson.

Basic Step: Four Beats With Three Steps. Do it twice for 8 counts
  1. And. In this class you don't do anything on the first beat. Think of a brief "and" or "pause" on this beat.
  2. Forward Left. As your left foot goes forward, move your body & shift your weight over it
  3. Back to cen- as your left foot goes back to center, move your body & weight over R foot
  4. -ter Center is two counts. This is the second.
  5. And
  6. Back Right As your R foot steps back, move your body & shift your weight over it
  7. Back to cen- As your L foot goes back to center, move your body & weight over it
  8. -ter Center is two counts. This is the second.

Notes:

  • You don't swing your hips, as something you are actively trying to do. You shift your weight, and the hips movement just happens, naturally.
  • Don't stick your foot forward and back like you are trying to trip a bank robber. Move your body over the step and shift that weight!
  • Small steps. How small? Ask the instructor!
  • Practice this over and over, preferably to Salsa music.
  • If you are not rhythmically gifted, culturally attuned to Salsa music, or a general Klutz, do not worry. You will get it - it will just take longer and more practice, and more listening to the music of this culture.

Side Step:

  • Same beat and rhythm, as basic,
  • But instead of forward and back its side to side.
  • Be particularly mindful of taking small steps. This looks better & will help you with the next point.
  • Be focused on shifting your weight. Its easy to stick your foot out sideways instead of moving your body over your foot.
  • The lead moves his hands in more of a U. The thing I learned this week (4th time thru taste and I'm still learning) is make sure you go waist height, not higher which confuses the follow and might lead her to think its a turn, AND take a longer arm motion. Seems backwards, but small step, with bigger arm motion that actually continues for a while after the step is completed, is something I'd never thought about before. The follows all say its much easier to interpret what I'm leading. Yes, all of 'em.

Swing Step:

  • Same beat. Same rhythm. As for foot placement, you learned it in class.
  • The main practice point for me is to take smaller steps, and to shift that weight.
  • As a lead, I need to remember to toss the hand sideways early enough. Oh yeah and keep it low (I keep tossing the hand too high and the follow thinks its a turn. Sigh...)


Full Turn:

  • Same beat. Same rhythm. As for foot placement, you learned it in class.
  • The main things I did wrong, (and that I need to watch out for in practice) are:
  • When you step forward in to the turn, go straight forward. Don't step right at a 45 degree angle in an attempt to start your turn early and make it easier on yourself.
  • If you can (and you probably cannot at first, so don't worry), attempt to bend your knee as you step forward. You will wobble less as you turn.
  • If you are counting (and this studio does not push counting, so if you don't want to count, thats cool, just read this and take it for what its worth), you want to get to the point where you get halfway thru the turn on the second beat, leaving your self plenty of time in beats 3) and 4) to finish the turn and attempt to look graceful. This means 1) the "and" is still a brief pause, and 2) the beat where you'd step forward in the basic is the place where you step forward and turn 180 degrees to the rear. I still can't turn this fast, but I'm better than I was a few months ago. You then use beats 3) and 4) to complete the other 180 degrees and go back to center with your weight over your left foot by the time you get to beat 4). Thats good news since it helps you look like less of a dork when you go back on your right.

Mix it Up:

  • For practice, do all of the above for a minute each.
  • Then mix it up, and practice with 4 of each step, 4 more basics, and then one full turn (4 basics, 4 sides, 4 swings, 4 basics, one full turn). Repeat till comfortable.
  • Then mix it up, doing all of these steps in random order.
  • If the follow can close her eyes and follow your lead, then you are doing it right.


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