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
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The Rainbow, Arcoíris, is often depicted as a brain dead Rueda Couple Move, always done the same way and often rushed, that is, the Rainbow goes up and down on “1-2-3” and into Hammerlock on “5-6-7”. I prefer to enjoy the Rainbow, using at least a full count, and first to exit back-to-back on the next count. Social dancing should
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Many Leads across many sub-styles of Cuban Salsa use Paseo Walks in a box-shaped pattern starting from Open Position and sometimes called Caminala. The Lead can change handholds for each half count or use the basic left-2-right handhold all the way, and one can walk the figure one or more times. After one or more Paseo Básico walks, many Leads
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I first saw this sequence of basic figures deep inside a demo dance of a Polish couple, 2016. I don’t know if it was pure inspiration, or one of the standard moves of the Leader. I don’t know if he has ever used it again or if has a name for it. I link to the video below. I liked
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Thank you to Diana Rodriguez Garcia and Ismaray Aspirini for this workshop dance video that gives us an opportunity to talk about some of the important issues in Cuban Salsa. The video, labeled Casino con Trucos (tricks), was first published on Ismaray Aspirina’s FB Page, April 7, 2022, and shared by Diana Rodriguez Garcia on her FB Page April 8.
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The name Vacilala Continuado seams so obvious and straight forward as a name of a figure that it must exist. But it doesn’t until now. At least not as a generalised figure, easy to replicate. Except that we do have a short “Continuado” called Vacilala Double. But even double turns are surprisingly rare iCuban Salsa. They are difficult on a
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For many years I have worked hard to reduce the use of named moves in my social dancing. Almost all named moves are fixed sequences of basic figures with a beginning and an ending, a mini-dance following the Rueda template for how to construct couple moves for use in Rueda de Casino. Just think of it! To base a social
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From the start position of Open Position almost all basic figures start a “right turning circular motion”, the Follow walks around the Lead. The Follow can just walk for the full count of Eight, or she can turn right or left on the first or on the second half of the walk or on both. By using different handholds, normal,
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Genuine Cuban Salsa, based on the Circle and Walks, makes it possible for both the Lead and the Follow to step forward simultaneously, on all six steps of a count of Eight. This is unique for Cuban Salsa. It is simply not possible in “forward-and-back” type of dancing in the rectangular slut of X-Body Salsa. The purpose of the Lead’s
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For a Cásate, “Get Married”, walk in real life, the Lead can put his arm over and around the Follow’s arm or, just as good, the Lead’s arm can get under and around. In social dancing the Lead should normally always put his arm over and around because that makes it easier to disengage again by turning the Follow out
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