Better Salsa
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Fault: Big Steps
The clip demonstrates the complications of taking oversized steps in the Back Basic. There isn't enough time to put the whole foot down, so the heel stays off the floor. Only part of the Dan's weight is transferred onto the backstep, and at an angle to the floor because of the raised heel.
Often results in:
slipping at higher tempo because of poor floor contact and angled transfer of weight; difficulty in keeping time because the duration of weight transfer varies from beat to beat; trouble keeping track of which foot to use because of incomplete weight transfer; lack of hip action over the back step since the hip cannot settle over the raised heel.
Frequently Asked Questions
The instructions tell me to move my weight onto a particular leg but it's already there!
Remember that a step is a foot placement AND a weight transfer. Just make sure that you've transferred your weight properly after the foot placement in the previous step.
I start in time but seem to fall out of time. How do I fix it?
You may need to pay attention to the fourth beat; you should dance on three beats and WAIT on the fourth. Many people rush and end up dancing on the null beat, throwing their timing off.
I can dance faster if I keep my heels off the floor on the backward steps, but I end up with sore calf muscles…
Keeping your heels off the floor is a bit of a cheat, you should practise your back steps with your heels down. You might dance slower at first, but it will eventually help you develop power in your legs. Lowering your heels gives your calf muscle a chance to relax and eases tension on your Achilles tendon.
My feet keep slipping whenever I take a back step.
It's probably a combination of two things: you're not lowering your heel to the floor and it's causing you to transfer only part of your weight at a shallow angle into the floor. First lower your heel to the ground; full contact with the floor gives you more friction and therefore more grip. Then transfer your weight completely over the foot by ensuring that your hip is moved directly over it. This process is slow until your legs develop more power but it gives you more control, especially on slippery floors.
I have trouble keeping up with fast music.
You might need to relax a little. People tend to move slower if there is tension in their bodies. Another possibility is that your step size might be too big. Try dancing "on the spot" to check if you can dance in time. If so, then you should dance with smaller steps, at least until you build up enough power.
How much should I turn in the turning basic?
In the tutorial it's taught as ninety-degree turns. Dancing in real life requires you to be able to adapt to whatever conditions, so you can practice it at whatever increment from no turn whatsoever (the back basic) through to a full turn.
I don't feel confident or safe dancing in heeled shoes.
The answer to your dreams is the toe lead. That's when you take every step landing first with the front of the foot instead of the heel. Learn the basics with toe leads in flat shoes first, then move on to heeled shoes.
Some salsa instructors teach the Latin basic with the right foot forward and left foot back. Which one is right?
Generally speaking you should be able to do both. The convention is left foot forward because of the ballroom hold, where the partners' hips are offset half a hip-width to the left of each other so that their knees don't collide together. It's therefore easier to go forward with the left leg, as opposed to the right leg which would always encounter your partner's left knee.
I want more speed and control during my turns and spins!
Turning quickly requires a strong push off and less contact with the floor during the spin. The energy needed for a quick turn is provided by a strong transfer of weight from the set-up step into the turning step. During the turn, the weight is held over the front part (ball) of the turning foot with the heel slightly raised off the floor.
How do I get more control of my turns?
Keep your head up and your weight over the front half of your feet; dropping you head will cause your butt to jut out, and your weight to move over your heels, introducing a wobble during your turns. To stop the turn, lower the heel of your turning foot and your other foot to the floor. This increases your contact with the floor, effectively applying the brakes.
That's Only The Beginning
Solo Practices
- Gender Convention:
In Britain those leading begin with weight on the right leg stepping onto the left; and those following begin with weight on the left leg stepping onto the right. Practice starting each basic obeying your gender convention. Stop and start repeatedly.
- Step Transitions:
Leads usually change from one basic to another when they are about to step with their left leg; Followers usually change from one basic to another when they are about to step with their right leg. Select two basics e.g. side–to–side and latin basic; and obeying gender convention, dance an even number of one basic then change to the other for an even number. Start with eight repetitions, then six, then four, and lastly two repetitions. Practice until you are completely fluent in changing between all the basics.
- Changing Orientation:
Dancing the steps facing only in one direction isn't healthy; it makes you a little wooden and does not reflect what's required under real dance conditions. Try performing each basic gradually changing the way you're facing by rotating to your right. Aim to have completed a full revolution after sixteen times, then eight, then four. After that, practise it turning to your left.
- Splitting Basics:
Dancing one half of one basic, followed by one half of another e.g. the forward part of the Latin basic and right half of the cucaracha (verbal cue: forward–and–close,–side–and–close). This changes the way you perceive each basic, into smaller and more flexible sections.
- Reverse Gender Convention:
Sticking only to your natural convention can make you a lop-sided dancer. You may be required to change on your "other" foot; due to a unusually constructed turn combination, or if the music is played in phrases of an odd number of bars. Practise this by dancing an odd number of repetitions of two or more basics.
- Beat Discipline:
Make sure that every basic (or string of basics) that you dance is on time i.e. that you always start on beat one and pause on beat four. When you can do that then try dancing your basics starting on beat three, pausing on two; beat two pausing on one; beat four pausing on three. Fluency with this exercise ensures you can keep an even beat, also dancing on other beats sometimes suits particular songs.
Partnered Practices
- Gender Convention, Partnered:
Practice starting each basic with each partner obeying their respective gender convention: leads begin with weight on right leg stepping onto left; followers begin with weight on left leg stepping onto right. Stop and start repeatedly.
- Step Transitions, Partnered:
As with the step transition practice described in the solo section, but partnered. Practice until you are completely fluent in changing between all the basics.
- Changing Orientation, Partnered:
Perform each basic gradually changing the way the partnership is facing by rotating to the right. Aim to have completed a full revolution after sixteen times, then eight. After that, practise it turning to the left.
- Split Basics, Partnered:
Unlike the solo practice, this one involves the lead partner performing one basic while leading the following partner to perform a different basic. The most versatile combination is the lead executing the cucaracha while the follower executes the turning basic. Experiment to see which other combinations are possible and usable.
