The Exhíbela “turn” is one of the most misunderstood basic figures in Cuban Salsa. It is not a turn but a walk, a Casino Clásico variation. Exhíbela means “show her to the world”. Some dance schools teach Exhíbela as a sideways Vuelta right turn with back-rocking. Exactly like Salsa on One, LA style, would mimic Cuban Salsa. A turn is
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The classic Coca-Cola left turn is done as the last half of Dile Que No, on “5-6-7”, around the Lead. The classic way to proceed is for the Lead to add another Dile Que No and bring the Follow into the start position of Open Position. But we have many alternative ways to do Coca-Cola turns from Dile Que No.
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Paséala is a classic basic figure of one count of eight, often repeated one or more times. It is a closed position walk starting from Caída position and back to Caída positoin. Just like for Exhibela, the Follow walks three steps forward, and three steps back, still in forward walking position. For Paséale the Follow pivots left on “3-4-5” and
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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
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Coming from Dile Que No into Open Position, I mostly skip Guapea: I don’t want to stop-up, I don’t want to do the “back-and-forward” Guapea Horror Show, or to suddenly go sideways using Cruzado Guapea. I do use the versatile “forward-forward” Guapea (Cruzado), the traditional Guapea GOAT, from time to time and in certain situations as an ordinary figure in
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For a long time I have wanted to create a rock solid Titanic figure for Casino, and I have collected video clips of such figures from other social dance styles for inspiration. Both walks on a straight line and in circular motion. A month ago, I decided to give the Titanic walk a serious go. It took me and my
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Coming from Dile Que No into Open Position, I mostly skip Guapea: I don’t want to stop-up, I don’t want to do the “back-and-forward” Guapea Horror Show, or to suddenly go sideways using Cruzado Guapea. I do use the versatile “forward-forward” Guapea (Cruzado), the traditional Guapea GOAT, from time to time and in certain situations as an ordinary figure in
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The Grapevine is a universal dance pattern used in many dance styles. It is not common in Cuban Salsa. I don’t know of any named classic move containing a Grapevine figure. I have wanted to use such a figure in my Casino for a long time. Fortunately, Grapevine figures are common in Cuban Son. I have looked at a lot
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This iconic video clip is from the 1939 film, “Another Thin Man”. The dancers, René Rivero Guillén and Ramona Ajón (Estella), where originally from Matanzas in Cuba. The video clip is fabulous, mesmerizing. The Mother of all Cuban Son. There is only one problem. The dance is completely dominated by the Leader. This is a common problem in Cuban social
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If a Follow steps forward by default on 6 out of 6 steps of a count of Eight, creating an ongoing forward motion, it is easy for the Lead to add turns, left or right, all over the place, at the start of the Eight Count, in the middle of the Eight count and at the end of an eight
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