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In the tutorial for the Arcoiris move, I said that we can start the Arcoiris part, not just when getting out of the Hammerlock but in very many situations on count five. We just need to get into starting position on 5-6-7. In the following Video 1 from “Son De Habana”, Bogata, Columbia, 2015, the Lead uses the man’s hook turn.

Also I have said that the Arcoiris pose screams for something additional to prolong it. One of the most obvious things, an advanced Lead can do, is to add some macho arm juggling, the hallmark of seasoned masterclass Leads. Almost a must to do at least once in a social dance, if the Follow has the right height and arm length. That is exactly what we get in the Columbian video.

The above video is just called Arcoiris. But to get such arm juggling working in an elegant manner that feels natural, both Lead and Follow must be good. The version deserves to be called Arcoiris Complicado.

Just a sequence of moves

Video 2 from “Salsa4Water”, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2013, featuring Sam and Krista, is actually called Arcoiris Complicado. In my opinion their Complicado is an example of how not to make a Complicado. Basically they are just dancing three well-known moves in a row, Setenta Complicado, Arcoiris and their own personal version of a move I know as El Gato.

The video is ok but it is just a sequence of existing moves under a new name and nothing new is created. The El Gato variation after Arcoiris is worth a look and the Alarde show is great inspiration. It is almost always a good idea in Cuban Salsa to repeat things even very many times.