Once, Coca cola and Juana Cubana – Peter and Cinzia

May 30, 2005

Everything was more or less new today. Only for the third time this year, we didn’t start with Enchufe (and the other two times, we did a single extended sequence for the entire class)

Once – 11
R-R hold
1,2,3 break follower’s hand and then move to the left of the follower (keeping behind) and make L-L connection by 4 – i.e. sweetheart’s position with follower in front and to my right
5,6,7 move to the right side of the follower (staying behind)
1,2,3 move to the left side of the follower (staying behind) – on ~4 raise L arm and release R-R
5,6,7 move to the front of partner and walk to the right side of the follower and make R-R connection by 8 – i.e. sweetheart’s position with follower now in back and to my left
1,2,3 move to the left side of the follower (staying in front)
5,6,7 move to the right side of the follower (staying in front) – on ~8 raise L arm and release R-R
1,2,3 move back behind the follower and move to the left side
5,6,7 give myself a hat with L-L
Coca cola
1,2,3 start of Dile que no (=cross body lead) – by 3 or 4, L hand could be placed on follower’s R shoulder but do not lead/pull (if any) until 5 (in fact, just placing the hand on follower’s shoulder should be sufficient in real Rueda)
5,6,7 lead follower to a tight full (or slightly less) counterclockwise turn as I follow the turning follower in a circular walk in counterclockwise direction involving not quiet a full turn
1,2,3 start of Dile que no (this one probably will involve more going backwards than usual to get to the usual position by 4)
5,6,7 finish Dile que no
Juana Cubana -
crossed hold with R-R on top
1,2,3,5,6,7 Sombrero start and finish = pimienta-like step away from follower and back on 1,2,3 followed by leading follower to ~ 1 3/4 clockwise turn (R-R going first high) and ending with Sombrero position
1,2,3 get out of the Sombrero position and lower both hands to waist level in front
5,6,7 lead follower to the left side (like cross body lead – probably using R hand for the lead) while keeping L-L high – L-L ends up behind follower’s head on 8
1,2,3 break follower’s R hand and then move to the left of the follower (staying behind)
5,6,7 take L-L over my head to back of my neck and back over in front of my head
1,2,3 Exhibela like – step into the circle and back and then raise L hand on 3/4
5,6,7 lead follower to a full clockwise turn while follower walks into the circle and back then get into the Sombrero position – NOTE: in this maneuver, follower is being led with L hand and NOT R hand as is the case in the start of sombrero
1,2,3 let everything go – R hand moves down to follower’s back – start of Dile que no
5,6,7 finish Dile que no

Renewed emphasis on leading gently all the time is working out very well. Obtained some additional coaching from Peter and Cinzia afterwards and talked more about Coca cola (and about not completing a move if falling behind). I even managed a crossed body lead with a counterclockwise turn a la Coca cola followed by another cross body lead with clockwise turn while dancing with a ringer without a hitch on my first live trial (with just one demonstration practice with Cinzia earlier in the evening) and was repeated couple more times without any problem. A pair I knew from Sergio's class showed up, which made tonight special. A very busy night of dancing was only marred slightly by too much Merengue.