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This move ends with five times Dile Que No! Quite a challenge for both Lead and Follow. The first part of the move is a nice sequence of simple one handed turns, the basic stock of any social dance. But the most interesting part is of course the five times Dile Que No at the end. They can be done tight on the partner circle, or one can break out of the partner circle and free-style the Dile Que Nos like a Paseala walk all over the dance floor, as we see it in the last two videos.

Video 1 is from the legendary “Salsa Lovers”, DVD #4, Miami, Florida, USA, 2001. See my blogpost about the Salsa Lovers for more information. The move is attributed to Rene Guits, the instructor in the video.

El Dedo variation

The first half of El Clásico is a Dedo variation and can be used and modified on its own.

1. Handheld Vacilala on 1-2-3
2. Enchufla por abajo to the Lead on 5-6-7.
3. Enchufla on 1-2-3.
4. Lead’s Hook Turn on 5-6-7.
5. A rare right-2-right handed Vacilala with hands held high.
6. Enchufla (1-2-3) and Lead’s Hook Turn (5-6-7).
7. Enchufla on 1-2-3 (still right-2-right handed).
8. Lead’s Evelyn “Hook” Turn on 5-6-7 changing hands twice.

Cinco Dile Que Nos

The other half of El Clásico can of cause also be used separately. Dile Que No change the direction on the partner circle from clock-wise to counter clockwise. Dile Que No Inverso is a special DQN we use, when the direction on the partner circle is already counter clockwise.

1. Dile Que No with Paseala handhold and Coca-Cola on 5-6-7.
2. Dile Que No Inverso. Shifting to normal handhold at the end.
3. Dile Que No Inverso. Shifting hands on 2-3 and again on 6-7.
4. Dile Que No Inverso. Shifting hands on 2-3 and Coca-Cola on 5-6-7.
5. Dile Que No Inverso. Shifting hands back to normal handhold on 6-7.
6. Hand-free Vacilala.

Clásico in Rueda de Casino

The next two videos show how El Clásico can be used in Rueda de Casino, but the only difference is that after the last Vacilala the Lead go to the next Follow instead of picking the same Follow up again. I really like Video 2 from “Media Noche Salsa”, Israel, 2010. When they get to the sequence with all the Dile Que Nos, the two couples break out of their partner circles, and sweep over the dance floor as they circle. This is something to imitate!

Video 3 is from “myatushi55”, Japan, 2011. They also travel “all over” the dance floor for the Dile Que No section. This makes El Clásico an excellent advanced Rueda figure, and why not do the same in 1-to-1 social dancing, if there is sufficient space on the dance floor?

To execute the five Dile Que Nos like a circling counter clockwise Paseala walk all over the dance floor, as we see in the two last videos, is one of the most inspiring things, I have seen for a long time.

The last part of El Clásico, the five times Dile Que No, is true advanced level. I takes training for both Lead and Follow just to learn the sequence, and much more time to do it so well that it both feels and looks great.

The bigger the satisfaction when you finally have it.