Seattle Rueda

It was fun working on chequendengue yesterday, so I’m hoping that simply writing the word “chequendengue” here will encourage more callers to call it. (I had to find out how to spell it, but here it is.) This call only works when there is an even number of couples, and it’s a good idea to check in with the circle to make sure there’s a general understanding before calling it.

Also, since “chequendengue” is for the fun staggered timing effect, let’s use  “cambio” as the call for shifting the entire dance by 4 counts (like when the musicians throw in an extra 4 counts).

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What: An open meeting for the Seattle Rueda community to provide input on the format of the Sunday afternoon practica

When: Sunday, January 29, 2012, 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. (immediately prior to practica)

Where: 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.**

Who: All are welcome.

Why: To get feedback from current and past practica participants on ideas for improving the Sunday practica format to better accommodate a range of levels, ensure it’s a place where people can reliably have fun and improve their dancing, and ensure that dancer-to-dancer communication is courteous and constructive.

Details: A small group of practica participants created an agenda for this meeting. The meeting will present a very short history of how the community practica began and has been run, present several ideas for tweaking and improving the current practica format, and facilitate a community discussion of these ideas. Betsy Geller and Kyra Freestar will facilitate. Click here to download the handout for Jan 29 2012 open meeting. Email feedback@seattlerueda.com with ideas and suggestions, especially if you will be unable to attend the meeting.

Please come if you can!

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We reviewed moves we had worked on in previous sessions.  Next sessions are Jan 29, Feb 12 and Mar 11.

1) Music: Se La Llevó,  Son 14, La Máquina Musical

base, al lado, enchufla, mambo.  We also worked some on exercises moving the rib cage and shoulders: the side that the foot steps expands (shoulder up) and the opposite side contracts (hip out and shoulder tries to meet it).

2) Music: El Temba,  David Calzado Y La Charanga Habanera, Pa’ Que Se Entere La Habana

Vuelta, izquierda, base viaje, camina, echevarria

3) Music: Lo Toma o lo Deja,  Manolito Simonet y Su Trabuco, Trabuco una vez más

Linea moves : 1+1 , 2+2 , 2+1 , “L” , “L” al reves.

4) Music: Pa’ que usted lo cante,  Michel Maza, Como gato de angora

Cha-cha-cha – vuelta, izquierda, enchufla

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

Misc Tapping and Kicking and some review of the Walter P. components

6) Music: Mi Chocolate,  Los Van Van, Llego Van Van

More Tapping

7) Music: Perdona, Issac Delgado, SuperCubano  (latest Delgado Album)

Revisit All

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Hi all,

There is another special holiday event at Sonny’s on January 1, so we need to reschedule practica for the day. We’re currently planning to dance 3:30-5:30 pm on January 1, then go back to our regular 4:30-6:30 schedule for all subsequent Sundays. Please pass the word — and watch this space especially on the weekend in case there need to be any further adjustments.

See you dancing soon!

Kyra

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Hi everyone,

Just a reminder that everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate in Suelta–which is happening this Sunday 4:30-5:00. This includes folks who are still new-ish to casino. It’s a great way to work on footwork and timing and improving your dancing. So I’m encouraging everyone to take advantage of this opportunity (and thanks Ofer for leading us!). Don’t sit it out!

Betsy G

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Hi all,

Sunday Practica is on for Christmas Day. However, we will be meeting from 4:00 to 6:00 pm — starting and ending half an hour earlier than usual — to accommodate a waltz party that starts at 6pm. Please pass the word to anyone who might not be watching the blog.

Thanks!

Kyra

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Here is the summary of what we did today:

1) Music: Perdona, Issac Delgado, SuperCubano  (latest Delgado Album)

Warm up and went through basic moves: base, al lado, adelante, enchufla, enchufla adelante, vuelta, izquierda.

2) Music: Deja la Duda,  Maikel Blanco Y Su Salsa Mayor, Anda y Pegate

Continued with basic moves with some of the traveling moves: Camina and base con viaje.

3) Music: A Cuba, Amilcar Suarez Y su Salsa Matriz, A Cuba

Worked on Cha-Cha-Cha. We did some of the basic moves (base, enchufla and turns). My goal is to show that you can use all of your knowledge of movement in a cha-cha-cha (this true during couples dance).

Note that unlike salsa/casino which you can really dance on (1,2,3 or 4), cha-cha-cha really requires matching to the music. The congas play “four-and-one” which is the “cha-cha-cha”, so it is alway “cha-cha-cha-two-three-cha-cha-cha” – not “one-two-cha-cha-cha”. If you follow that pattern you will be easily able to transition from cha-cha-cha to son by eliminating the shuffle and visa versa.

4) Music: Después de un beso,  Havana D’Primera, Haciendo Historia

Linea moves : 1+1 , 2+2 , 2+1 , “L” , “L” al reves.

5) Music: No Tiene Caso,  Jonas Pomo,Unreleased Single on SoundCloud  ( New group from Sweden  – read more here )

We did base con columbia – a move I learned from Jose Carrion  in one of his salsa classes a few years ago. The toe-heel combination is borrowed from the traditional Columbia Rumba (see e.g. 0:24 here)

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

Worked on first two parts of Walter P.  see video from last month’s post.

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

Completed the third part of Walter P.  We had a discussion on the timing of this part.  I taught it as it is demonstrated in the video – last tap is on 7.

8 ) Music: A La Italiana,  Cesar ‘PUPY’ Pedroso,  Tranquilo Que Yo Controlo

Review and finale. We didn’t attempt Walter P. at full speed, but please practice and we can try it all together next time

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Several people asked to see the Spanish or to get translations for some of the calls we were working on the first hour yesterday. Here they are:

Camínala = walk her (caminar= to walk)  When called during guapea, it means a walking version of guapea, moving to your right (which is counterclockwise when the circle is in the normal, inside orientation). We might sometimes call “caminamos” (we walk) instead of “camínala, but both commands mean the walking version of whatever position you’re in.

Se fué = it’s gone. Sounds like “Safeway” but with the emphasis on the second syllable. This call means that you stop whatever special thing was last called, and continue as before. If we call it during camínala, it means that at the next count of 1 you go back to guapea in place.

There is also a call “se quedó” which means roughly “keep it in the current position or formation.” You might hear this sometimes. What you do when se fué and se quedó are called depend on what you were doing before.

Enchufla pa’arriba = enchufla up. “Up” in this case means the damé will be in the opposite direction from normal, which means—if you are a lead—instead of moving to the next follow on your right (counterclockwise), you move to the follow on your left (clockwise). Follows stay put and let the leads come to them. Enchufla your current partner on counts 123. Then leads look to the next follow on the left. Head toward her far side on 567, and scoop her up with your right arm into the díle qué no on 123-567.

Enchufla pa’fuera = enchufla to the outside. This is the call that turns the circle inside out. Enchufla your partner on counts 123. On 567, the lead raises his left hand, which is connected to the follow’s right hand, making an arch, and walks under the arch, circling toward his left about 270 degrees until the pair is in guapea position with their open side oriented out from the circle. The trick here is that he has to use all 3 counts (5, 6, and 7) to walk into position. If he back-steps on 5 he’s not going to get there in time for guapea on the next 1.

Enchufla pa’dentro = enchufla to the inside. This call turns the circle back to an inside (normal) orientation. Lead and follow do exactly the same as in enchufla pa’afuera, and everyone ends up oriented into the circle rather than out.

I know there are videos out there on you tube, and now that you have the words you should be able to search for them.

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Thanks for those who came. Also thanks to those who gave feedback. Here is a summary of what we did, with some clarifications, video resources and playlist. Next suelta practice – November 27th.

1) We started with some basic steps, we covered:

• base
• al lado
• adelante
• enchufla
• vuelta
• izquierda
• base con viaje
• camina
• mambo
• echevarria
• cuatro rincon

2) Next we did some line dancing moves:

• linea (una con una)
• linea dos con dos
• linea dos con una
• “L”
• “L” al reves
• “L” doble (“L”  + “L” al reves)

I used a convention that may have confused some of you that all the linea moves were repeated unless another move was called. The “L” moves were done only once. We can decide in the future to use a different convention.

3) We then learned Sencillo – see video below.

4) We practiced tapping on the 4 and 8 with toe (moving forward) and heel (moving back). We also practiced tapping to the side.

5) We completed 2/3 of a routine Walter P. – see video below. I did teach the 1st part with the tap ending on 7 instead of 8 which is cool but somewhat harder. Next time we will follow the video.

Playlist:

Corazón, Corazón, Issac Delgado, Versos En El Cielo
En Este Juego, Manolito Simonet Y Su Trabuco, Locos Por Mi Habana
Lo Toma o lo Deja,  Manolito Simonet y Su Trabuco, Trabuco una vez más
El Año Que Viene, Issac Delgado, Los Grandes Exitos De Isaac Delgado
Después de un beso,  Havana D’Primera, Haciendo Historia
Cuando el rio suena,  Havana D’Primera,  Haciendo Historia
Mi Chocolate,  Los Van Van, Llego Van Van

 Video Resources:

Sencillo:

Walter P:

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I’ve been considering (with Kyra’s encouragement) leading a Suelta Practice once the Practica moved indoors. I can’t commit to coming every week, but can do it with once a month and see how it works out. I posting to gauge interest.

My thoughts are to do an hour with work on basic footwork, develop a common vocabulary of moves that we can build on for calling out a group suelta and also try every time to work on a short routine.

There are also some logistic issues to work out:

• Would this run in parallel to regular Practica or not ?
• and if so how to deal with music as for the most part I envision moving continuously to music.
• what time within our 2 hour slot ? (My preference is to do this 4:30-5:30)

Please post (or email) your thoughts. If there is interest I can prepare the 1st time for October 30th.

See you all tomorrow en “La Maquina de Cuba”

-Ofer

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