This name covers several different popular intermediate moves. I have found around 10 variations, having nothing in common except that they start with a right-to-right handed Vacilala (El Dedo). Nobody remembers why it is called El Dedo, (the finger), but I suspect that one finger was the hand signal for the move, and it soon also became the name for
Read more
The Apertura (opening) figure is a good example of a basic Son figure that works just as well in Casino, Cuban Salsa. Apertura is a short basic figure of one count of eight with the purpose of “opening up = getting apart”, from closed to open position. Some dance schools call Apertura for “Dile Que No #1”. There are many
Read moreCuban Salsa, “Casino”, developed as a sub style of the Cuban Social Dance Son in the late 1950ties, and the two dances have a lot in common. Two of the major differences are that Son is danced on two, and that Son has a very distinct sideways set of steps called Son Clásico or Son Basic Steps. In Cuban Salsa,
Read moreWe have two, on the surface, equally good ways to do the Setenta, the Hammerlock part of Setenta moves. We can start with Vacilala steps, turning the Follow into the Hammerlock already on 1-2-3, and just walk on 5-6-7, or we can walk on 1-2-3, and use the Cuban Vuelta right turn on 5-6-7, also called the Habanero. Most dance
Read more
We can do Enchufla forward and back one or several times, using the left-to-right handed Enchufla basic figure. But for some of the times, we can change hands or use both hands, and we can even use the El Uno figure instead of Enchufla. So when we call a figure Enchufla Triple Mix, it implies that we do an Enchufla
Read more
Just like the Brazo Largo (long arm) exit from Setenta (Hammerlock), the Al Cuello (to the neck) exit is both rare and difficult, the hallmark of better dancers. Not that it is a must, but many good Leads love to use it with strong Follows. Al Cuello con Vacilala (1) Some Follows dislike the figure because it is a little
Read more
We have at least 20 different moves called Setenta y Cuatro (74). So this move name it pretty much up for grabs. In this tutorial I have selected the move that in my opinion deserves the name. I like this version because it is one of the very few Setenta moves that has a Giro de Setenta exit (Hammerlock Exit
Read more
I am exited about this tutorial because it presents a new family of Setenta moves most dancers have not even heard about. The origin of the Brazo Largo (long arm) exit from Setenta, the Hammerlock, is uncertain but its modern popularity can be attributed to Yoandy Villaurrutia, 2011. Yoandy has promoted the exit in many show dances with Diana Rodriguez
Read more
The Gancho Doble de Yoandy is a special version of the standard Gancho Doble, we know from moves like Setenta y Dos. I attribute the move to the creativity of Yoandy Villaurrutia, at least his version is the only instance of this basic figure I have seen so far. The normal Gancho Doble (hook with both arms) is a little
Read more
The La Jenny figure is another popular classic from the Salsa Lover Collection. It is a Paseala type of Rueda move also used in 1-on-1 social dancing. The Follow is lead around the Lead starting with the Paseala thumb-over-thumb, right-to-right “wrestler” handhold. The move contains an advanced use of the “police grip” most Leads only use in El Uno (Cubanita).
Read more