Dance Building Blocks and Concepts to Improve Your Dancing
Basic Salsa Steps
- Guapea, away and together
- Guapea, forward on 1 and 5
- Guapea, Big on 2 triangle
- Enchufla / Cumbia Step - walking forward,
- Enchufla / Cumbia Step - behind, over, together
- Ballroom forward and back
- in place w/ upper body
- Side Center
- Llevala p'abajo / exibe
- Big/ Side (or Front / Back) on 1
- Big/ Side (or Front / Back) on 2
- Big/ Side (or Front / Back) on 3
- Son steps - several
- Clave Step & variations
- Hops, Taps and flourishes on all of above.
- Guapea, away and together (& 3 variations) (charging batteries). (Away and together, 2.) forward & back 3.) Big on 2 triangle)
- Enchufla Step - Opposition - oppose each other (ie travel & trade places).
- Mirroring, Enchufla step with SLOW walking turn as done in Son, 1.5 rhythm cycles, initiated on 2. (No DLQN).
- Mirroring, Cumbia Step, Cumbia Turn (no DLQN)
- Miami tap and step forward, vacilala type moves.
- Exibe step / oppositional dynamic
- DiLe Que No
- Son flavor, more precise frame, upper body isolation, Tumbao, Clave. Emph on 4.
- Cuban Tension, she walks around him. Take up and USE space. (correctly). Look for sweet spot w/ right tension. (Lead - change direction after DLQN and get her on the track. Outside turn happens on 123). He creates a Frame in which she moves ~ She - Continuous movement around within a frame. if she can't go forward, she has to turn.
- Closed Position - Core Connection, upper body movement.
- Moving together back and forth
- Casino Style - Revisalas - moving in square and diamond shapes. 1, 2 Pivot (multi-directional enchufla step)
- Rueda - Spokes of the Wheel / Rayos vs. the Rim / Llanta.
- Copa - ballroom style or 3 way stop
- In the Slot dancing
- Rumba steps and interactions
- Folklorico
- Latin motion, opposition / contra poste, being anchored into the ground, articulation of rib cage
- Correct distance between core of lead and follow, allowed by positioning, not leaning back, bending forward or using arms.
- Leading skill - Create space for her with arms, show the way pointing her arm in direction she is going, not pulling.
- Follows - proactive, but fully weightless and relaxed arms. Leads using momentum & finishing moves.
- Leading with direction/angle of body, not arms, Arms are only the conduit ~ like antennae, not the doer.
- Communication by changing the direction of your own hand (not using force). Hands usually open.
- Proactive following - he works with the momentum created when you are in motion. don't wait, keep doing the last thing till he changes the lead. Stay in motion.
- Alardes - when and whether
- Circle Consciousness. Correct placement in / on the circle
- Directional guidelines of the Rueda: Los Rayos, la Linea, la Cruza
- Touching in, connecting, grounding with the group. BE a support and get support.
- Opposition with each other in the circle and in your pair.
- Building, storage and release of energy - spring loading, charging the battery, using momentum and release.
- How to Connect / lean / use each others energy, in Guapea and guapea like moves.
- Character of Son, Mambo, Rumba & Folkloric
- Switching between son timing and salsa (on-1 timing or on-3 timing).
- Ponches and punctuating certain beats with the music.
- Dancing to / internalizing Clave. Never ignoring clave. Sin Clave no hay Son. Verdad!!
- DLQN, Enchufla, Exibe, Engancha, Setenta / Kentucky ending, Josepha, Abanico, Hook turn to R., Danilo