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The figure name Dile Que Si is a good example of the anarchy and of the complete lack of a textbook authority in Casino, Cuban Salsa. Just because we have a figure called Dile Que No (Say no to her), many people think that there must be a corresponding figure called Dile Que Si (Say no to her).

But there is no textbook figure called Dile Que Si. In desperation, many salsa teachers come up with their own figure or move and call it Dile Que Si. It is such a nice name, it must be used for something. And when the students learn Dile Que No and ask: “What then is Dile Que Si?”, the teacher has something to show them.

Searching YouTube, it only took me a little more than an hour to find 16 different figures called Dile Que Si in videos labeled Casino or Cuban Salsa. We probably have many more.

1. A common name for Guapea in France
2. Sometimes used for Cross Body Lead
3. A call in Rueda meaning Dame Una (one video)
4. Salsa Basic Steps (one video)
5. Name for a not well-formed Saloneo (one video)
6. Name for Paséala (one video)
7. Name for Casino Clásico
8. Name for Adios con Tumbao
9. Cross Body Lead with hockey stick leg styling
10. A variation of Dile Que No: the Lead steps forward again on 6-7
11. Directly from Open to Clossed Position with or without Tumbao
12. Name for Prima into Closed Position
13. Enchufla into Closed Position
14. Handheld Vacilala into Closed Position
15. Name for any move starting with a handheld Vacilala
16. Name for intimate social dancing

Dile Que No/Si?

To invent a Dile Que Si to match a Dile Que No is in many ways to pile junk on junk, because Dile Que No is the worst example of a misnamed figure. Dile Que No has nothing to do with what the figure actually does. It makes the confusion even worse to take Dile Que No seriously and invent a Dile Que Si that likewise is meaningless.

Dile Que No was invented as a Rueda Call in the early days of Rueda de Casino. In many situations it was common to do an automatic Dame Una that is for the Lead to go to the next Follow, an automatic change of partners. To avoid that a Rueda Caller came up with the idea to call Dile Que No, that is to say “no” to the next Follow and continue with the Follow you are already dancing with.

Should we rename Dile Que No to what the figure actually does in social dancing, the name would be “start counter clockwise circular motion” or “start leftt turning circular motion”.