How did your learn On2 Strategies Poll

PielCanela

Changui
I thought i would start this thread to gather in one place the ways, strategies, materials ( videos, cds, websites) or tips that you found usefull when learning On2
 
Hmmm...

Well, I know that when I wanted to learn On2, I started by simply practicing the basic step on my own and trying to figure out what the footwork would 'feel' like for certain basic moves (CBL, CBTs, jazz boxes, etc.). That helped me quite a bit...

But, I still felt/feel that it is important to learn On2 from a native On2 dancer. So, I started taking classes with Eric Baez at Universal Mambo ( universalmambo.com ) here in Orlando, FL. It helped me alot, and also helped bring out alot of shine work into my dancing.

I still dance primarily On1, but I've been getting more and more comfortable On2. I still have to think harder in order to make sure that I keep my footwork On2, but lately, it has become fairly natural. I'm now at the point where I'm accidentally changing to _ON2_ when I'm dancing On1 with a partner. ;)

I'm on a dance team that danced On1 (NY style On1) right now, so I don't have the time to concentrate on my On2 dancing right now, but after December, that is my plan. More importantly, i want to pick up some more of that 'native On2 NY style' that I see when I watch Eric dance.

I WISH there was a video series that was entirely made for On1 dancers who want to learn On2. Showing the differences, how to lead/follow the basic moves, common problems for On1 dancers, etc. I'm sure it would sell. :)

Anyway, for starters.. I think it is good to just put on some old mambo, practice the basic On2, get a 'feel' for the music, and then work on doing some basic turns on your own. Do this until you start to get a genuine feel for the timing of the turns and basic step. After that, I would recommend the videos or - preferably - an On2 instructor. If you already know how to lead/follow then, there it is ALOT easily. It is just getting your footwork right since you already understand tension, connection, taking small steps, etc.
 
Re: Hmmm...

mexi_gabacho said:
Well, I know that when I wanted to learn On2, I started by simply practicing the basic step on my own and trying to figure out what the footwork would 'feel' like for certain basic moves (CBL, CBTs, jazz boxes, etc.). That helped me quite a bit...

But, I still felt/feel that it is important to learn On2 from a native On2 dancer. So, I started taking classes with Eric Baez at Universal Mambo ( universalmambo.com ) here in Orlando, FL. It helped me alot, and also helped bring out alot of shine work into my dancing.

I still dance primarily On1, but I've been getting more and more comfortable On2. I still have to think harder in order to make sure that I keep my footwork On2, but lately, it has become fairly natural. I'm now at the point where I'm accidentally changing to _ON2_ when I'm dancing On1 with a partner. ;)

I'm on a dance team that danced On1 (NY style On1) right now, so I don't have the time to concentrate on my On2 dancing right now, but after December, that is my plan. More importantly, i want to pick up some more of that 'native On2 NY style' that I see when I watch Eric dance.

I WISH there was a video series that was entirely made for On1 dancers who want to learn On2. Showing the differences, how to lead/follow the basic moves, common problems for On1 dancers, etc. I'm sure it would sell. :)

Anyway, for starters.. I think it is good to just put on some old mambo, practice the basic On2, get a 'feel' for the music, and then work on doing some basic turns on your own. Do this until you start to get a genuine feel for the timing of the turns and basic step. After that, I would recommend the videos or - preferably - an On2 instructor. If you already know how to lead/follow then, there it is ALOT easily. It is just getting your footwork right since you already understand tension, connection, taking small steps, etc.

I am just starting to learn on2 myself I can hear the 2nd beat really well when I practice by myself but once I am with a partner my body always speeds up to get back on one. Although recently I got out of a series of patterns and I was still on2 :D As you can see I was really excited.

I suppose I need to practice more like you have said. (which I appreciate the tips they all sound quite sound) I do take lessons with a NY on two instructor and also I would like to find more on2 follows to help me
 
I have started up the same project - learning on-2. I do excercises every day home in my livingroom. I find it heard to incoorporate the shines&footwork I know. It always ends up in a on-1 step back with left feet on 1:th.

I cannot remember what leg I start to break on ...as a girl.
Left forward och right back?
Can anyone help?

/luc
 
lucretia said:
I cannot remember what leg I start to break on ...as a girl.
Left forward och right back?
Can anyone help?

/luc
Left forward! ;) (Usually the lady starts with a forward step with the right foot on count one, and then takes a forward step with the left foot on count two...)
(I'm a newbie on "ON2" but I think I got it right with the basic steps for both men and women... :P)
 
lucretia said:
I cannot remember what leg I start to break on ...as a girl.
Left forward och right back?
Can anyone help?

/luc

Right foot forward on the count of one
Left foot forward on the count of two
Right foot in place on the count of three
Left foot back on the count of five
Right foot back on the count of six
Left foot in place on the count of seven
 
Thanks PR and MistressMambo!

This is the way I have started up my on-2 training. That means that my shines will work fine ...even when I dance with a guy :D


/luc
 
Thanks peach...so now I have to learn to salsa on not 2 but 3 different footwork patterns..great! Just when I though I was getting quite good at it....
 
PielCanela said:
I thought i would start this thread to gather in one place the ways, strategies, materials ( videos, cds, websites) or tips that you found usefull when learning On2

One of the first thing my teacher recommended for learning Salsa On2 was to learn Cha-cha.
It is also danced with a break on the 2nd beat but it looks different enough from salsa that you do not have to feel like you are doing something wrong every time you practice.
By the time you are fluent in a half dozen cha-cha patterns and you try dancing Salsa On2 it is child's play.
 
PielCanela said:
I thought i would start this thread to gather in one place the ways, strategies, materials ( videos, cds, websites) or tips that you found usefull when learning On2
There are many salsa dances around the world (even if only some are taught and danced in a given town or area) and the web is kind of worldwide, then the general meaning of "on x" is "breaking on x", and you've got more than one salsa dance breaking on 2, so it would be very kind when talking about "On 2" to specify further (at least (assuming cross-body-lead slotted salsa) are we talking about (P2) or (ET2) or both?).

This is relevant as you've got two different factors:
When do you break? (for instance breaking on 1 (ex. LA1) or breaking on 2 (ex. P2, ET2))
What is the basic steps timing? (for instance classic basic step (ex. LA1, P2) or ET basic step (ex. ET2))
 
Re: Hmmm...

mexi_gabacho said:
But, I still felt/feel that it is important to learn On2 from a native On2 dancer.
What does "native On2 dancer" mean?

mexi_gabacho said:
I'm on a dance team that danced On1 (NY style On1) right now ...
What is "NY style On1"?
 
Re: Hmmm...

Alias said:
mexi_gabacho said:
But, I still felt/feel that it is important to learn On2 from a native On2 dancer.
What does "native On2 dancer" mean?
I think it means a dancer that is very familiar to ON2 dancing. :) (For example a native English speaker is a person who has English as their mother tongue. (Learnt English as a kid) Sorry if you know this already... :roll:)
 
mexi_gabacho said:
...I still felt/feel that it is important to learn On2 from a native On2 dancer...

With all due respect, I would disagree. A "native" On2 dancer would have to teach you from scratch, to make sure you learn only exactly what he knows.
On the other hand, somebody who has already made the jump from On1 to On2 will be beter equipped to make point by point comparisons between both styles and save you time and effort learning by using what you already know from dancing On1 to crossover to a different style.
 
Jones said:
mexi_gabacho said:
...I still felt/feel that it is important to learn On2 from a native On2 dancer...

With all due respect, I would disagree. A "native" On2 dancer would have to teach you from scratch, to make sure you learn only exactly what he knows.
On the other hand, somebody who has already made the jump from On1 to On2 will be beter equipped to make point by point comparisons between both styles and save you time and effort learning by using what you already know from dancing On1 to crossover to a different style.

I don't discount that at all. However, When you watch someone dance NY On2 that has been dancing it for a LONG time (and it was their FIRST style of salsa), there _IS_ a significant difference in how they dance. THAT is what I feel gets missed when learning from an On1 convert. Obviously, that is not always the case, but it's just MY personal preference as I'm not just looking to learn the steps and footwork, I'm looking to pick up a part of the 'style'. It can be difficult to explain.... but, I've seen plenty of dancers that CAN dance On2, but don't necessarily have that On2 'feel'.

For example, watch Edie dance On2.... she is a great On1 dancer and very technically clean, BUT... when dancing with native On2 dancers, her style just doesn't match the NY On2 way of doing things. She doesn't have that 'flow' and 'relaxed, smooth' look. Again, a difficult thing to just put into words, but it is certainly noticeable.
 
Re: Hmmm...

Alias said:
What is "NY style On1"?

NY On1 is the same as NY On2 in that it is a cross-body style which emphasizes closeness, smooth turn patterns, and lots of shine work.

People always seem to think that because you dance On1, you dance LA Style On1. And this is certainly not the case everywhere. LA Style is built upon those large open-breaks and dramatic moves. I would describe it as 'bigger', 'flashier' than NY style. Also, the spinning in completely different in LA Style vs. NY Style (particularly the spin preps).

Obviously, as salsa dancers move and influence each other, there will always be alot of crossover such that the lines are blurred between styles, but there is still a distinguishable difference between the two.

NY Style does NOT ALWAYS = On2 (although, I think it is fair to make that assumption most of the time). The school that I'm at, we teach basically NY On1 with some moves that kinda use the LA Style. We also teach rueda at another location, so sometimes we even have moves that use some of the cuban-style sort of thing (pretzels). It's a whole mix really.
 
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