SalsaSelfie.com 🇨🇺

The Panqué is the original name used in Cuba. In Miami Cuban immigrants change it to Siete (Seven). The Siete name is almost never used in Cuba. I prefer the Panqué name because in many countries a pancake is flat and often rolled tight like a Burrito. Since the Panqué figure consists of a “roll her in – roll her out” motion, the Pancake name is good because it helps us remember the figure.

Nine out of ten dancers are not likely to remember what Siete is but most of them know what Pancake is. The irony is that in Cuba a Panqué bread is not flat and not rolled but more like a loaf type of bread.

Many Siete Figures

Surprisingly many Panqué figures have been recorded and uploaded to YouTube. Most of them developed or inspired by the “Salsa Racing” and “Salsa Lovers” dance schools in Miami. We have at least 20 more or less common figures. They mostly start with “Siete” like Siete con Coca-Cola, Siete Moderno, Siete Loco, etc. Some of them are common in Miami inspired Rueda de Casino where they work because the Rueda Caller announce them both to the Lead and to the Follow.

In couple dancing Panqué figures are rare for a number of reason. Even the basic Panqué is difficult to get right, either the Lead leads with too much force or too soft. And many of the advanced “Siete” figures are either that not leadable or more like show choreografies that doesn’t have a chance in realistic social dancing.

Pancake as a Basic figure

Pancake is a basic figure of one count of eigth: roll her in, roll her out. When we say a move starts with Siete or Pancale, we almost always talk about a move that starts with the first “1-2-3” of Pancake (roll her in), and instead of rolling her out as in the Basic Figure, we roll her out in a new way. The “5-6-7” of Pancake becomes Pancale+Something.

It is important to note that Panqué is a very unusual figure. It is “on the spot” and linear in nature. Only some versions of Guapea has the same feel to it. The leading is very similar to a handheld Vacilala starting on “1” for the hand motion. The Lead remain in front of the Follow preventing her from moving forward so she is doing a half Pirouette instead.

If the Lead’s hand movement is too soft the Follow doesn’t get it. If it is too strong the Follow overturns or complains that the leading is painful. All Lead’s experience from time to time that nothing happens when they start Panqué. If the Follow hasn’t tried it for some time she is likely to fail it the first time around.

When even the most basic Panqué figure is far from fail safe, there is a good argument for never to use any of the more than 20 Siete figures. It might help the Lead also to lead by voice. It is ok to “announce” the move in a low voice the first time it is used. it is better to whisper ”Pancake” than to risk an outright misunderstanding.

Rueda Fun

In Rueda de Casino there is a long tradition of “fun” moves starting with Panqué including “naughty” variations. Moves like Pancake con Chocolade, Panqué with Sneak Attack, Panqué con Castigate (Punishment), “Panqué stepping on the Follows’ foot”. Many Cuban Leads and Copycats love such moves, but most Leads and Followers consider them juvenile Cuban Junk, sexualistic or bad taste.

Coca-Cola

The Siete/Panque family of moves are not that difficult when done in classes, workshops and in Rueda de Casino, because the Follow knows what is coming. The moves are often surprisingly difficult in social dancing, because they are difficult to lead.

Many of the Siete figures continue with a Coca-Cola turn around the Lead. But the start position of these Coca-Cola turns are not ideal with the Follow’s back to the Lead. The Follow need to angel her left foot to the extreme left but there is no way to lead that. Most Follows end up doing a Coca-Cola turn that is far from well-formed.

I use very many Coca-Cola turns and I am always aiming at perfection. I always do them on a curved or straight line in forward walking motion. I start them mostly on “5” but also on “7” and “2” and even on “1” as an exception to the rule. These Coca-Cola turns are three step turns where the Follow’s steps exactly in the foot prints she would have stepped if she just walked without turning.

Coca-Cola from Panqué does not live up to my standards for how turns can be integrated beautifully into my dance. For that reason, I never start Coca-Cola turns around the Lead from the Panqué half position, Siete Moderno is the exception. I make the Follow step forward from Panqué as she does the turn and then into Rodeo.

Siete Loco

Siete Loco is a popular figure with several Complicado versions. They are only possible if the Follow overturns the first half of the Panqué figure and presents her left hand at her right shoulder. In almost all videos, I have seen, except one, there is no prepping of the Follow. The figure is done like in Rueda de Casino where no prepping is necessary because the Rueda Caller annonces the figure.

In social dancing, a Follow should not overturn and present her hand because in most Siete figures the hand is not used and the overturning creates instability. But there is a way to prep the Follow into overturning and presenting her hand:

If the Lead wants to do Siete Loco type of figures with overturning and the Follow presenting her hand easy to catch by her shoulder, the Lead can show a High Five with his right hand as he starts Siete. It signals to the Follow that the Lead wants her hand in the half-way position and that she must overturn.

How to lead Siete Loco

For many years I have considered Siete Loco and other Siete figures that require that the Follow’s left hand lands on her right shoulder for utterly fake because there is no way to lead them. In most Siete figures the hand is not needed at her shoulder, so why should she place it there?

In the original videos from Salsa Racing and Salsa Lovers, and in the videos above, the Follow’s left hand lands on her right shoulder by magic, or as used in Rueda where a Caller announces the figure. There is no leading.

Actually there is a way to lead the move. As I and my training partner Mona shows in the next video. The Lead simply shows a High Five to the Follow as he starts the Panqué. This indicates to the Follow that the Lead wants to clap her left hand or to grab it in the halfway position of Panqué. In the video we just clap hands.

If the hand lands over her shoulder easy to grab, the Lead can proceed with the Coca-Cola. If not he simply continues with some other Panqué figure where the hand is not needed.

In the next video clip from the Polish most excellent Agassi couple, we see how the Lead shows a High Five at the start of Siete Loco, signaling that he wants to clap or catch the Follow’s right hand in the half-way position of Panqué.

I do test the classic Siete figures in social dancing from time to time to see if I can use them for something.