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Enchufla is one of the most important basic figures in Cuban Salsa. In most named longer moves, Enchufla is likely to appear one or more times. No other basic figure have so many options for what to do at the half-way position. Many of the options are basic figures in their own right.

Enchufla can be started from more positions than most other figuer: From Open Position, Caida Position, Rodeo, the Hammerlock, Coca-Cola, Reína, Paseo and Saloneo walks, etc. And we can do Enchufla one-handed, two-handed, Crossed-handed.

Being so common, Enchufla is one of the keys to better social dancing. Mastering as many aspects of Enchufla as possible, really to own this figure, is a good help on your journey to the next level.

No figure exists alone

In this tutorial we will only look at the very basic Enchufla figure of one count of eight starting from Open Position. Just like for several other figures, e.g. handheld Vacilala and Casino Clásico, we have four main options for how to continue after step “7”.

Enchufla never exists on its own in isolation. It is always started from somewhere and continues into something else. All figures, even the first and the last in a dance, begin and end with “8-1”.

When we discuss how to do a figure, how to lead and step it, we should always go for the alternative that makes the most options, the richest dance, possible. We should consider: from how many other figures and positions will it work, how many options are available at the half-way position, how many options are available for the continuation.

Back-rocking strait-jacket

In some sub-styles of Cuban Salsa, Enchufla is done in a back-rocking strait-jacket, stepping back on “1” loosing two steps, turning already on “2”, and even to step back on “5”. Back-rocking might look good and work well in some situations but it kills many of the build in options of Enchufla.

Just one example: I use at least six different Coca-Cola turns from Enchufla. Most of them are not possible, or can only be done with difficulty or is likely never to happen, if the Follow back-rocks on “1” and/or on “5”. But that is for another tutorial.

Basic Enchufla

From the start position of Open Position, the Follow steps forward on “1-2-3”, pivots around, a half left turn, on “3-pause-5”, steps forward again on “5-6-7”. The Open Position Enchufla has four common options for how to continue:

1. On “1”, the Follow steps forward on a curved line around the Lead into a Rodeo type of figure.
2. On “pause-1”, The Follow pivots inside into the so-called Caída position from where we can start more than 20 different figures, like Exhibela, Pasala, Saloneo, Enchufla por la Derecha and Dile Que No.
3. On “1” the Follow can step around, into the outside Caïda position from were we can start more than 20 different figures.
4. On “1”, the Lead can bring the Follow into Closed Position, e.g. the start position of the Adiós Carousel.