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The 4 and 8 are where the HIP ACTIONS should be! Better count 123 HIP 567 Hip. Salsa without hip actions is not even a Latin dance. I have seen some miserable teachers refer to 4 and 8 as pauses. Huge mistake. When teaching or learning any Latin dance, there is always a beat or accent dedicated to hip motions. And do not forget that the Salsa is a mixture of Cuban Son and Noth American Ballroom (i.e. Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, and swing), so... PLEASE learn some hip action techniques before daring to teach other people.
I see your point as teachers don’t often tell students about what should be happening during the 4 and 8. I taught timing and musicality for my Cuban friend’s dance academy over many years. I sometimes described the pattern as 1,2,3 & a half, 5,6,7 & a half. The hip movement doesn’t need to be emphasised as much as a dominant action but rather as a natural, relaxed CONSEQUENCE of the weight transfer. I say this purely as a gentle teaching technique so that they’re not overwhelmed by too much new information at first. The cowbell is the most audible instrument and strikes on all the odd numbers, 1,3,5,7 which is when you physically launch your steps away from your cintura (core of the body) and when you return. (1 launches your direction on your dominant foot, 3 brings you back, then 5 is the launch on the other, non-dominant foot away from the cintura., 7 brings you back to the centre again. The even numbers 2,4,6,8 are when your heel hits the ground as a consequence of those directional steps. The magic hip action happens on return to your centre. I like to teach the first visual pattern to men by using the familiar image of the H pattern of a car’s gear stick. It’s another way to add on easy absorption of a principle and they’re usually experienced drivers. They become that driver/ car and put their left foot forward to copy a visual map of how a car starts its engine. Their hips are a horizontal dotted line from left to right, which is “neutral”. So they proceed using the prompts and I copy the counts as a perfect match of the syllables. (1st gear neu-tral; 4th gear neu-tral.) Once they’d got it I’d move on to the Cumbia step, this time imagining the H pattern as 2nd gear neu-tral; 4th gear, neu-tral. I also ask students to do the steps very slowly and mindfully observe whether their sole is feeling the weight or is it the heel? They should speak the count at first, then realise that the front of the feet are linked with all the odd numbers, so just make the even numbers the consequence of their action. The hip action will naturally flow as their heel syncs on 4 and 8. That takes some pressure off having to think too much. It’s a good way to wean them off the fear that they’ll never be able to dance without counting. It can also help eradicate the stiff movements that we so often see in the first months with new dancers… they try so hard to not look stupid (in their own judgement). Those first few lessons are crucial to be mastered before they’re taught a mini routine. I also recommend that in that time period they should have a remedial massage to help switch on their “muscle memory”. I’d also ask them to place their own palms together then lightly rotate them around in various directions like a Covid sanitizing handwash… 😂 Then they had to place them so that the fingertips of each hand were together, like the yin/yang symbol, each set of fingers touching their other wrist - then lightly slide them away from each other until they felt the base of their fingers. At this moment they’d have to curl up their fingers like mini hooks. It’s a great moment when the leaders realise that without any yanking, they can lightly guide their partner into an easy turn. I could go on and on, laugh😅 but I had a sense that you share my passion for wanting students to be given some easy tips that will improve their confidence and perhaps lead to them to some of their best friends and positive healthy exercise ever. I’ve been forced to stop dancing now as my hypermobile joints have given up and I have tendon and ligament tears, plus labral tears in both hips. I have hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which gives us youthful facial skin and the bones and soft tissue of a much older person! My Cuban “brother from another mother” who I used to help is Airagdin Pavon More (El Moro). There are lots of performance videos of him on RU-vid if you’d like to see the style he teaches. He also teaches Bachata Dominicana, Son Cubano and Rumba Cubana, also Mambo and Rueda de Casino. He does a lovely Bachata and Cha Cha Cha duet if you look up “Moro and Fernando”. There are some others where he dances Son with Yarima Gavilan, also with Rayda Salas and Gabriela Alegria. Best wishes for lots of dancing for you in 2024! Greetings from Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺 🤗
I have taught 14 styles of dances, which include: 9 international style dances - Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, Samba, Jive, English Waltz, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Tango, as well as Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Argentine Tango and Hustle. I have taught these dances, regularly, for over 35 years and still do it today. In all these dances, I use the same methodology based on explaining the 'Why?; and not only the 'How?". This means that I explain the musicality, history, culture, and how it all connects to the steps and technique. The reason why hip actions are important and cannot be ignored is because they are base of the sensuality and sexuality of all Latin dances. A Latin dance without hip actions is NOT a Latin dance at all. It looks stiff and lacks any Latin feel or look. Using hip actions has nothing to do with what you called 'Cuban friends', and anything to do with the knowledge of the basic history, culture, music, AND technique of Latin dancing. As a side note, the hip actions are NOT relaxations, far away from that. They involve the whole body's core! In the first example, I will discuss the hip actions in the international style Rumba. This dance is the predecessor and contains the basis for Mambo, Cha Cha cha, and Salsa. The Rumba (International style) is the best representative of the core of the dances mentioned above. In the Rumba you have 3 steps with minor hip actions on each one and one beat (#1) which is dedicated to a big hip action. This is very similar to Salsa or Mambo. Rumba is much more complicated, and sensual, compared with Salsa, but the Hip actions work in a similar way (Just on beat #1 instead of beat #4). In Rumba, as I mentioned, there is a whole beat dedicated to the hip action, and it is meant to enhance the beauty of the female dancers and create a strong lead action. The count is 2, 3 4, 1. Just listen to the music and you will be able to hear an overlying rhythm on the 4,1 Just like a heartbeat (usually performed by the congas). The music is BUILT for hip actions. I want to make it clear - the music is designed for the hip actions of Rumba dancers! In the Cha Cha Cha (again, International style) the 4 & 1 create a side hip action (syncopated chase). Ignoring the hip action here, basically, cripples the dance to the point it is not a Cha Cha Cha anymore Now, in regards to the Salsa, which is much simpler than International style Rumba or Cha Cha Cha - it is VERY EASY to teach hip actions as an integral part of the basics. I have been doing this for 35 years with a 100% success rate (in private lessons). I do agree that teaching is not easy, BUT I have seen many teachers who do not have proper hip actions as well, while they dance in studios or Latin clubs. What I mean by that it became the 'Norm' to Not use the hips. This is why there are too many hand actions. Even the hold of Salsa was downgraded to 'hands to hands' instead of frame! Solution: I suggest that every Salsa teacher study International style Rumba and Cha Cha Cha - and get certified in these dances (by passing an International style exam, such as IDTA), before teaching anyone Salsa. I also recommend diving into the musicality and technique of these dances and applying them directly to Salsa. For example 3rd position, frame, 'ball-flat' feet actions, correct transfer of weight, AND hip actions. As I mentioned. It is EASY to teach when you know how to explain the 'WHY?' before the 'HOW?. It is also faster, more efficient, more satisfying, and much more fun.
Can someone help me find a song.. that went "solo solo.." it was a salsa song that I loved.. but I cannot locate it. The beats are as in this song of course (although that can be true for so many songs!) / thanks in advance
This mans voice will be stuck in my head for the rest of my life. My daily life now moves on the salsa counts. 123, 567, 123, 567, 123, 567, 123, 567...
YOU KNOW.. .IT IS VERY VERY VERY RUDE... TO POST THIS VIDEO.. WITHOUT .... GIVING CREDIT... This Song/Timing... Belongs/Created By The Incredible Grand Papa... Of Salsa/Mambo Training/Dancer/Performer.. IDOL... EDDIE TORRES... FROM NEW YORK CITY
