The place to be today

Hope to see you there,
Israel

Play list – heavy on Havana D’Primera and Alexander Abreu due to their US Tour:

1) Intro del Mayimbe, Mayimbe y Barbaro Fines, De La Habana a Peru

Introduced Quatro – very simple step on 1 /3 / 5/ 7  - basically marking half time.

We also did a cool twist on the base adelante ( basic forward):

LF1 RP2 LC3     RF5 LP6 RC7   –   to be read as : Left Forward, Right in Place,  Left Close……

Instead we do:

LP1 RP2 LF3    RP5 LC6 RF7   LP1 RC2 LF3…    -   we are still dancing on “1″ but it looks like we are not and it has a nice different feel to it that emphasizes the “3″ and the “7″.

2) Ella no Tiene, Tumbao Habana, Mambo Duro

Until not to long ago I would have trouble getting back to the basic step after a complex foot pattern. I would try hard to keep track of where I was in the count during the pattern. We did an exercise to help with this problem: They key is not to worry of where you are during the pattern as long as you know to hit the “1″  when you are done.

3) Carita_de_Pasaporte, Havana D’Primera, Demo

We did linea footwork – moving back and forth, added to our repitoire by doing quadradas (squares) both of 1 and 2 steps , clockwise and counter clockwise

4) Mi música, Havana D’Primera, Haciendo Historia

Scencillo / Sencillo complicado

5) Mis Dos Habana, Wil Campa, Todo Es Posible

Oscarito review – we looked quite good by the end.

6) Julito, Cesar ‘PUPY’ Pedroso, Siempre Pupy

7) Cha cha-Cha cha chá, Vission Latina, Sonando como un Cañón

8 ) Ni Te Lo Imaginas, Suave Tumbao, La Canonera

This song had opportunities to hit ponches and quatro (which we learned earlier) in the music.

9) Cuando el rio suena, Havana D’Primera, Haciendo Historia

We did some taps and kicks. We normally tap/kick during the pause on the foot we are about to step on i.e. on 4 and 8:  RT4 and LT8 (T for Tap, K for Kick).

so :  LT8  L1R2L3  RT4 R5L6R7……

Remember that in  ponche we delay the pause and switch between a step and pause and then get back on the normal track. Here we delay the step and instead kick (or tap):

L1R2L3   R5L6RK7R8  L1R2…

This idea can be developed further which we will do in the future.  We modified the above pattern further and added the normal kick/tap on beat 4 to get two kicks on the left side :

L1R2L3  RK4 R5L6RK7R8  L1R2…

10) La Familia (ft. Alexander Abreu), Tumbao Habana, Mambo Duro

11) Ella Dice, Maikel Blanco, Promo 2007

1) Music: Ya empezó la fiesta, Los Van Van, Ay Dios, Amparame

Warm up

2) Music: Adiós amor, Klimax, Solo Tú Y Yo

Con la Cruz, Taps

3) Music: El Carretero, Azúcar, Tabaco y Ron, Son de Mi Cuba

We reviewed what we did the previous week. Walked and danced following clave rhythm.

4) Music: No Mires a Los Ojos, Issac Delgado, Los Grandes Exitos De Isaac Delgado

5) Music: Tu Sabes Que Yo Se , TimbaLive, La Timba Pa’ To El Mundo

Turns, Camina con vuelta

6) Music: Cangrejo Fue A Estudiar , Sierra Maestra , !Dundunbanza!

Cha Cha Cha turns and switching to Son.

7) Music: Mi música ,  Havana D’Primera, Haciendo Historia

8 ) Music : Relámpago, Manolito Simonet Y Su Trabuco, Control

We reviewed Sencillo and Sencillo Complicado  and added Oscarito.

The move is in honor of Oscar D’Leon who would hop with his bass. I couldn’t find a video of him hopping, but watch him dancing with the bass while playing and singing:

See Felix’s video with oscarito below

I was asked how what we do in suelta practice can be used in a social dance. The answer is twofold:

1. We do a lot of footwork that you can incorporate  into your dance. We also play with the rhythm. Eventually that gives you a better feel for the rhythm while you dance to the music.
2. But also these are moves that can be danced in a club with a group together. “suelta” I believe means “letting loose”

Here’s what we did:

1) Music: La Bola, Manolin, Issac Delgado, Para Mi Gente

Warm up and going through our developing repetoire.  We combined Camina with a Vuelta for “Camina con Vuelta”. Sidney Weaverling made an insightful  comment when I showed her Camina:  the move is basically  a Dile Que No. You are pivoting  with your left shoulder – there is only really a small variation in the end orientation. In DLQ follows rotate 3/4 of a turn (270 degrees) in camina only 180 degrees.

La Bola is Manolin’s biggest hit ( I believe the longest song at #1 ever on cuba’s charts) – he sang it at the SF Festival.

2) Music: Andar Andando, Azucar Negra, Andar Andando

More warm up. I love this song so much….

3) Music: El Carretero, Azúcar, Tabaco y Ron, Son de Mi Cuba

We danced most of this classic son side to side, stepping to the rhythm of the clave. It’s quite difficult if you aren’t used to it. You alternate the starting foot for each instance of clave. I chose this and the next track  because  you can hear the clave well throughout the track.

4) Music: Tribilin Cantore, Supersones, Son del Pacifico  (free download from Supersones’ website)

We tried a different approach to dancing the beats of the clave. We‘ve been familiar with Ponche taught by Ryan Mead that lets us hit the 3rd beat of the three side of clave:

R1L2R3  P4  L5R6L7R8  P1L2R3……  (Leads – for follows reverse L/R)

We step on beat 8 and pause on 1. This pattern step on all beats of the the clave except the middle one of the three side – the Bombo which is the and of 6. we can do that by stepping L6.5 instead of L7 – we need to make a quick step after R6 and a longer pause after the L6.5:

R1L2R3  P4  L5R6L6.5R8  P1L2R3……

Now we can dance all beats of the Clave and still stay in salsa structure. To style this, lean back/sit into the Bombo step and step forward for the Ponche.

5) Music: Salsa, Timba Y Amor, Issac Delgado, SuperCubano

We learned Pare a simple yet cool syncopation which is a mirror to ponche:

R1L2R3L4   P5   R6L7    P8    R1L2R3…..

Watch the 1st video below @ 0:43   for styling. I love this dudes sueltas.

6) Music: Tu a Lo Tuyo, Yo a Lo Mio, Los Van Van, Arrasando

We reviewed Sencillo.

7) Music: Yo Vengo Suave Y Sabroso,  Ciso Guanche Y Sus Soneros, Levantando Presion

We learned Sencillo Complicado which is the same steps as Sencillo, only a turn is inserted.

I’ve reposted the video demonstration of Felix below. We’ll do Oscarito next.

8 ) Music: Una Mulata En La Habana, Adalberto Alvarez, Jugando Con Candela

Practice Sencillo and Sencillo Complicado to faster music.

Next dates:

• 4/1
• 4/29

The plan requires volunteer support in the form of several working committees. Some are “one-time” committees whose duties will be mainly completed this spring. Others are ongoing. Here’s a list of the committees. Click the following link to download the sign-up sheet which lists the complete duties for each committee: committee sign up.

Ongoing Committees

• Practica Scheduling and Blog Update Committee
• Music Committee

Short-term Committees

• Guidelines and Peer Teaching Guidance Committee
• Etiquette Committee
• Advanced Practice Committee

I will bring the committee sign up sheets to practica the next few Sundays. If you would like to be on a committee but won’t be at practica, please email me at betsygeller (all one word) at gmail. Folks have definitely already shown an interest in serving on committees and making this plan work!  (I’ve posted the blank sheets here so as not to publicizing volunteers’ contact info.)

White the duties for each committee are set, the committees will determine exactly how they fulfill those duties. If you want to serve on an ongoing committee but only for a short term, please don’t hesitate to sign up–we’ll make it work.

1) Music: Salsa, Timba Y Amor, Issac Delgado, SuperCubano (latest Delgado Album)

Warm up and going through our developing repetoire.  The song is  about a  couple from Puerto Rico and Cuba – He loves Salsa and she Timba.

2) Music: La Gorda, Wil Campa, Todo es Posible

Taps & crossovers.

3) Music: Que Tiene ese Guajiro, Los Van Van, La Maquinaria  (Latest Los Van Van)

Salsa Time to Son Time :

L1R2L3   P4   R5L6R7L8   P1   R2L3R4   P5   L6R7L8

Explanation :  L1R2L3   P4   -  Left step on 1 , Right on 2 and so on. P = Pause.  In Salsa we often tap on the pause. If you are dancing Son you typically won’t tap on the pause, if you are just dancing to Son time, you can do as you please.

So when switching to Son we step an extra step on 8 onto our left (just like in Ponche). In Son time  our anchors are beats 4 and 8 that correspond to a pluck on the Bass.

Son Time to Salsa Time :

R2L3R4   P5   L6R7TL8   L1LR2L3   P4   R5L6R7

When heading back to Salsa, we tap on 8 with our left and then immediately step back with same foot “1″.

4) Music: El Veterano, Maikel Blanco & Suprema Ley, Mi Olvidé Quien Era

Uno Y Cinco to match the hits in the song.   Practiced Salsa/son switching to a faster tempo.

5) Music: Fuga (Cha-cha-chá), Tiempo Libre, Bach in Havana

Cha-cha-cha – vuelta, izquierda, enchufla.   Song is based on Bach’s Sonata In D Minor – how cool is that ??

6) Music: El Año Que Viene, Issac Delgado, Los Grandes Exitos De Isaac Delgado

We studied a move taught by Duane Wren. Practiced it to our standard slow practice song.

Let call it “El Duane”.  See our own Maritza demonstrating it:

Let me know if you have any questions.

Location: Broadview Library meeting room, 12755 Greenwood Ave N; on the #5 Metro bus route, just a few miles north of Sonny Newman’s Dance Hall (**This event is not sponsored by the Seattle Public Library.**)

Agenda: Download the agenda in advance by clicking here.

Hope to see many of you this afternoon!