:: Back to CBDC ::

SALSA

UPDATES

Class Info

  • The Summer 2004 Salsa class was the last taught through CBDC. Please see the Caltech Salsa Club -- they specialize in all things salsa!!!

Figures for Summer 2004

PLACES TO DANCE SALSA

  • King King, 6555 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles
  • Rumba Room, City Walk, 1000 Universal City Dr., Universal City
  • Let's Dance LA, 17 South First St., Alhambra
  • Zabumba, 10717 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles - A favorite of Caltech salsa regulars, Stephane teaches here from time to time!
  • The Mayan, 1038 S. Hill St. Los Angeles
  • The Conga Room, 5364 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
  • The Sportmen's Lodge, 12833 Ventura Blvd., Studio City

For additional salsa clubs (there are tons!), check out Planet Salsa.

MUSIC

There are a great number and flavor of salsa music available, you cannot go wrong by sampling music by salsa greats like Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Eddie Palmieri.  Music by the Buena Vista Social Club and the Afro-Cuban All-Stars, which put together some of the finest salsa musicians ever, are just purely astounding.

Daven, from Salsa Club, has put together a sample of a standard Salsa rhythm section, which you can find on the Salsa Club site here.

SUMMER 2004 SALSA CLASS

INSTRUCTOR

  • Brigette Ryerson

Brigitte is an instructor at Let's Dance LA, one of the most popular dance studios in the Los Angeles area.  She started as a student at Let's Dance in 1998, and having worked her way through all the levels, she starred as an anchor for the Let's Dance Youth Dance Team.  Brigitte is well trained in Salsa and Casino Rueda, and competes in International Latin. 

SUMMER 2004 BASIC FIGURES

Week 1
Notes

  • Remember that the basic salsa timing is quick-quick-slow, quick-quick-slow.  That is there are 6 steps in 8 beats.

  • Unlike mambo, cha-cha or rumba which starts at beat 2, the first step in salsa in on beat 1.

  • Timing: step 1 (beat 1)-step 2 (beat 2)-step 3 (beats 3-4), step 4 (beat 5)-step 5 (beat 6), step 6 (beats 7-8)

  • In class, Brigitte calls out the number of steps (1-6), take note of the corresponding beats in which they occur (1-8).

  • In class, we dance salsa in either open or close position.  In close position, the leader's R hand is on the follower's L shoulder blade (which allows him to move her frame), the follower's L hand is on the leader's L shoulder/deltoid (to feel his movement, hold shoulder with thumb to the front), and we have a leader's L/follower's R hand hold.  In open position the only connection btw leader and follower is the hand-hold: either L/R, R/R, both hands or crossed.

  • During warm-up, we usually do the leader's steps (step L on beat 1, step R on beat 5), note that the follower's steps while partner dancing is phase-shifted by 3 steps or 4 beats (step R on beat 1, step L on beat 5).

  • A good tip to remember for leaders is that you lead a new step on your L side (steps 1-3) and the transition is on the R (steps 4-6).  Inverse for followers.

Basic Steps

  • In place: step L-step R-step L (steps 1-3), step R-step L-step R (steps 4-6).

  • Basic: forward L-step R-step L (steps 1-3), back R-step L-step R (steps 4-6).  Remember to pass feet in the middle.

  • Reverse basic: back L-step R-step L (steps 1-3), forward R-step L-step R (steps 4-6).

  • Side basic  or Cucarachas: side L-step R-step L (steps 1-3), side R-step L-step R (steps 4-6).  Remember the side step is a step not a foot tap.

  • Forward only: forward L-step R-step L (steps 1-3), forward R-step L-step R (steps 4-6).

  • Back only: back L-step R-step L (steps 1-3), back R-step L-step R (steps 4-6).

  • Cumbia: hook L-step R-side L (steps 1-3), hook R-step L-side R. Hook refers to crossing free foot behind the other, stepping back on the ball of the feet.

  • Spot turn L from Cumbias (L foot stay on spot during turn): hook L-step R-side L turning foot so now facing the side (steps 1-3), cross R turn ccw-side L-side R turning foot so now facing front again (steps 4-6).

  • Spot turn R from Cumbias (R foot stay on spot during turn): hook R-step L-side R turning foot so now facing the side (steps 1-3), cross L turn cw-forward R-side L turning foot so now facing front again (steps 4-6).

Patterns

Basic to Cumbia transitions

  • Either in open (L/R or both hands) or close position.

  • Transition from Basic to Cumbia steps: take step 6 of Basic to the side to start Cumbia.

  • Cumbia steps for leaders and followers.

  • Transition from Cumbia to Basic steps: take step 6 of Cumbia forward for leaders, back for followers.

Under-arm turn

  • Basic to Cumbia in close position.

  • Leader drops R hand on step 1 of Cumbia (follower then also drops L hand) and takes L/R hold side L and up on step 3 of Cumbia.

  • Follower Spot turn L on steps 4-6, taking step 6 back to transition into Basic steps;  leader continues Cumbia on steps 4-6, taking step 6 forward into Basic steps.

Week 2
Basic Steps

  • Turning Cumbias: Footwork similar to regular Cumbias, but body direction turns along with the foot.  From basic, hook L turning body 1/4 ccw, forward R, side L facing front (steps 1-3), hook R turning body 1/4 cw,  forward L, side R facing front (steps 4-6).

Patterns

  • Turning Cumbias Side-to-side: From basic, change from close position L/R hold to open position R/R hold on step 4.  Leader Cumbia on step 1, lead follower to turning Cumbia on step 4 continuing your own Cumbia steps..  Follower hold both arms out during turning Cumbias.  Leader's Cumbia in opposite direction as follower.  Cumbia to basic.

  • Turning Cumbias Side-to-side Underarm: From basic, change from close position L/R hold to open position 2 hand-hold on step 4.  Leader Cumbia on step 1, bring L/R up, R/L low on step 3.  This leads follower to your R side under your L arm for her turning cumbias on step 4.  Continue Cumbias opposite each other in this position (leader's supporting hand is wrapped across follower's back, leader's lead hand in front) by using supporting hand to signal (slight nudge on her back) follower side-to-side.  Cumbia to basic.

Week 3
Basic Steps

  • Forward turn: Cross L wind up-full turn cw step R-step L (steps 1-3), back R-step L-step R (steps 4-6).

  • Hook turn: Forward L-step R-step L (steps 1-3), hook back R wind up-full turn cw step L-step R (steps 4-6).

Patterns

  • Girls turn, Guys turn: From basic, leader leads Under arm turn. Leader change L/R hold to R/R hold on step 1 of  leader's forward turn, back to basic on step 4.

Week 4
Basic Steps

  • Right pivots (pivots are 1/2 turns cw): Back R, step L, wind-up forward R (beats 1-4), forward pivot on R step L, back pivot on L step R, forward pivot R side-step L (beats 5-8).  Note that legs are scissored during pivots.

Patterns

  • Cross-body lead: Leaders forward L, step R, side L to open passing slot to follower (beats 1-4), back R, step L, forward R pick-up follower (beats 5-8).  Followers back R, step L, forward R settle into R hip (beats 1-4), forward L, pivot step R, back L (beats 5-8).

Week 5
Basic Steps

  • Left pivots (pivots are 1/2 turns ccw): Back R, step L,  forward R (beats 1-4), forward L pivot, back R pivot, forward L pivot (beats 5-8).  Note that legs are scissored during pivots.

  • Reach turns: Back R, step L, forward R (beats 1-4), forward L, spot turn step R, forward L (beats 5-8); forward R, spot turn step L, forward R (beats 1-4), forward L, step R,  step L (beats 5-8).

Patterns

  • Free-spin: Leaders L/R hand hold, back L, step R, forward L, R hand on follower's forearm to lead free-spin (beats 1-4), reach turn: forward L, spot turn step R, forward L (beats 5-8).  Followers back R, step L, forward R (beat 1-4), right pivots: forward pivot on R step L, back pivot on L step R, forward pivot R side-step L (beats 5-8).
 

[ CBDC ] :: California Institute of Technology :: 1200 E. California Blvd. Pasadena CA 91125 :: [ Email-List ]