Tips for beginners and others. Areas to focus on along the journey.

S

Sonny

Changui
Hello all,

so I want to share a thought, but I am not sure where to go with it, so I'll just let it flow and we'll see how it comes out.

A few things.

I wanted to discuss beginners.

Moves & Traits that one should have to have a good time and show their partner a good time.

1) Timing: There are lots of ways to improve your timing. There are two parts however, training your ear is one thing, synchronizing your dancing is another. It's easier if you do it in one step. So I know people (particularly, us natives) would sometimes argue that you have to feel the music, but my take is you start from where you start, so if an organized method works for you, then go for it. I found 4 tracks which count the 1 for you and would be willing to share if needed.

**As ColdSalsero mentioned. This is from the perspective of an On1 Salsa

2) Basic Moves:
  1. Basic Steps-All of your basics, meaning forward, side, cuban back drop. Learn them well. And I know everyone wants to get great fast, but take your time, particularly if you are a lead. Learn the basics well so that you never have to worry about them.
  2. CBL-Cross Body Lead. A must have. There are many variations of it, but the basics are the same. It's simply a 180 turn done by getting out of the way of your follower and allowing her across. Practice it. Turn her on 5,6,7 (you can also do a spin, but it's less common :) ). Do a shoulder turn with it, whatever you want but appreciate the usefulness of being able to switch position with your partner at will.
  3. Open Break-This can be tricky for newbies, but realizing that you have to slight push and pull to create space, then move your partner. Learn it, learn it and learn it. If you dance On1, it's tricky because you have to step back on 1, but it's useful and I now use it as much as I can because there is nothing cooler than the things you can do from an open break.
  4. Right Pressure-Frame-Connection-This is really about partner work. You have to have a firm, yet gentle touch. You need a good frame, so stand up, good posture and connect to the middle of the back of your partner or shoulder blade depending on your school of thought.
  5. Fluidity-Be like water...lol. The Robotic steps don't look good but they are a necessary evil for newbies. The basic trick is to overstep one 3 and 7 so that you don't end up perfectly in line.
  6. Pride&laissez-faire-The pride says that you are not wasting your time and that you are committed to getting better and the laissez-faire says that you'll let go of the shortcomings, hang ups and will not allow them to deter you from having a good time and improving in the process.

I am not an advanced dancer, but those are some things that I have picked up along the way and still find useful to revisit once in awhile. So I hope that the next newcomers will enjoy this.

As for you advanced dancers, please feel free to critic and offer some of the tips that you find to be useful, particularly things that are not always well communicated by instructors or things that you just learn by doing, even if they're part of the mindset.
 
Hey Sonny,

I like the tips and how you've organised it!

I am not an advanced dancer by any means, but what I lack in ability I make up for in nit-pickiness! Haha.

I am very very wary of the word 'spin':

Sonny said:
[*]CBL-Cross Body Lead. A must have. There are many variations of it, but the basics are the same. It's simply a 180 turn done by getting out of the way of your follower and allowing her across. Practice it. Spin her on 5,6,7. Do a shoulder turn with it, whatever you want but appreciate the usefulness of being able to switch position with your partner at will.
Click to expand...

It's not a spin. It's a stepped turn. Spinning implies staying rooted to the spot.

I don't mean to be overly pedantic, but it's the one thing that catches my ears more than anything else when I hear it. I've heard some instructors say it in class and I'm not saying I know better than they do... but it's a poor choice of word by them.

Then I just re-read the context of this post... in a crossbody lead it is MOST DEFINITELY not a spin! It's definitely a turn - a half-turn at that too in its basic form and in its other variations it's a travelling turn. I was initially thinking of leading a right turn. Whatever the case may be... it's NOT A SPIN! :)
 
Hello Suitz, that's a very good observation. However, you can actually spin during a CBL. Sometimes, I would lead the CBL with an inside and out turn, followed by a spin and catch my partner by 7. It's not for everyone, but it's an option. However, you are correct that the turns are more common than the spins. I'll edit it to reflect that.
 
I appreciate the idea Sonny. I would just preface it by saying that anything timing related you talk about is in the context of On1. Timing for On2 dancers of course would be quite different.
 
ColdSalsero said:
I appreciate the idea Sonny. I would just preface it by saying that anything timing related you talk about is in the context of On1. Timing for On2 dancers of course would be quite different.
Click to expand...

That is an excellent point. I'll update that as well.
 
Sonny said:
Hello Suitz, that's a very good observation. However, you can actually spin during a CBL. Sometimes, I would lead the CBL with an inside and out turn, followed by a spin and catch my partner by 7. It's not for everyone, but it's an option. However, you are correct that the turns are more common than the spins. I'll edit it to reflect that.
Click to expand...

Hey Sonny, fair enough - although I have to be honest with you, I really can't picture what it is that you're describing. Would you happen to be able to provide a video clip or something? Clearly I do not know all the possible variations of a crossbody, so I'm not trying to start a fight here... haha, but I just really can't picture the move you've given as an example. Enlighten me please.

I'm being very pedantic (it is what I'm REALLY good at!) but if the follower is in any way moving from point A to point B laterally across the floor as I would picture any crossbody lead - especially as you say switch positions... then it isn't an 'on the spot spin'. I'd still term it a travelling turn...

Also you did mentioned this was aimed at beginners, right? I have found that generally beginners do not yet have the correct technique to 'spin'.

AT THE END OF THE DAY... this is all semantics. I just very much dislike the word 'spin' I guess. It seems to give the wrong connotation to most people.
 
Got it. Thank you for the observations. If you have any additional tips for beginners, please continue to post them.
 
It is important to realize as early as possible that salsa (like any other dance) is a partnership, and no just a sequence of moves and steps. Maintain connection, adapt to changes, compensate within reason. And as a guy, its your responsibility to control it.
 
Indeed.

I was also thinking of developing a sequence of moves for beginners. I speak and interact with absolute beginners and they have a hard time piecing an entire dance together, so maybe this would help.

Kinda like CBL > Inside right turn > Open Break > copa, whatever...you get the idea.
 
A very nice collection of tips, Sonny.
As stated before by others, if you are a beginner, turn, don't spin.
Spinning is by no means a beginner's element, and one must know the difference between a turn and a spin.

Also, another point to add is musicality.
There is a whole huge thread about it, but one thing is certain - as good as you technique might be, it is worth nothing if it is detached from the music and doesn't reflect it.
So, a very good recommendation for a beginner would be to listen to LOTS of salsa music, the more (various) the merrier, any time and place one can.
It will also help with the issue of timing.

Oh, and another very important thing, that one must learn early on!
SMILE
Even if you are thinking of a super cool combo you are going to do in a few seconds, always smile to your partner, and don't have an overly concentrated, self occupied, face.
 
My theory for the best way to learn is to not just travel upwards, but dipping back down...

Spend time in beginners, get all your basics right. Then move on to your next level, once you are comfortable then go back to beginners for a refresher on the basics before moving up levels etc....

So if you have levels 1-4, and C=Core Learning, and R = Refresher...

1C
2C
1R
2R
3C
1R
2R
3R
4C

Oh and social dance as much as possible.
 
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