Casino Rueda with Helen & Rhona - week 11 over all - 5th week in intermediate

June 30, 2005

Ponle sabor
R-R hold
1,2,3 break or turn hand and exchange places as is done in Once
5,6,7 return to original position
1,2,3 exchange places like Once again
5,6,7 come back under the arm with a small clockwise turn to get into open position
1,2,3 (two-handed?) enchufe
5,6,7 hook turn (Ronde)
1,2,3 exhibela start (into the center and back – raise L-R on 3)
5,6,7 lead follower to clockwise turn end with giving myself (or follower?) a hat
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

There was a routine involving Siete moderno followed by Coca cola (was this how Ponle sabor ended perhaps???)

1,2,3 L hand pushes follower's R arm outwards and catch incoming L arm/hand (follower is turning clockwise for perhaps about quarter turn
5,6,7 follower is led to a full clockwise turn for Coca cola
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Use Week 12 notes instead.

Sambucco
L-R hold
1,2,3 forward moving clockwise turn ending in wrap (L-R behind my back waist)
5,6,7 back basic and get into arm lock with R-L
1,2,3,5,6,7 basic until Se fue is called
1,2,3 counter-clockwise to unwrap (R-L released)
5,6,7 second half of Guapea
1,2,3 two-handed enchufe
5,6,7 hands over follower down to waist
1,2,3 exhibela start (into the center and back – raise L-R on 3)
5,6,7 lead follower to clockwise turn and R-L on follower’s shoulder at the end
1,2,3 exhibela start (into the center and back – raise L-R on 3)
5,6,7 lead follower to another clockwise turn – end with giving myself a neck wrap
1,2,3,5,6,7 let all go and Dile que no

Besito (demonstrated by Troy)
R-R hold
1,2,3 Dedo start
5,6,7 lead follower to a 1 3/4 clockwise turn
1,2,3 move to follower’s R side with L hand ending on follower’s L shoulder
5,6,7 move follower to my R side across in front of me (involves a 1/2 clockwise turn also)
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Beso (demonstrated by Troy - I've seen a different version of Beso)
R-R hold
1,2,3 Dedo start
5,6,7 lead follower to a 1 3/4 clockwise turn
1,2,3 move to follower’s R side with L hand ending on follower’s L shoulder
5,6,7 both walk backwards in circle in clockwise motion
1,2,3 continue backwards & clockwise circle walk
5,6,7 move follower to my R side across in front of me (involves a 1/2 clockwise turn also)
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Dame complicado reverse
dame quatro, then dame tres, then dame dos, then dame uno

Balsero
this was done tons of times with Peter

Ida y vuelta
1,2,3 enchufe start
5,6,7 move to dame dos follower
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no with new follower
1,2,3 on 1, pull follower back (so that they walk along the outside of the Rueda circle in counterclockwise walk to get back to the original leader) and walk into the circle
5,6,7 hook turn? and get back to outside the circle to meet original partner
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Pelota
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 slightly to center – clap and do a counterclockwise turn (on 7?)
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no with new follower

[note: there is a variation (ikayatay?) without change of partner as well as skipping to second follower (Pelota dos?)]

It's pasea, not pasate (see Week 6)

We made an outing to Sauce next door was made after the class.

Not particularly difficult but they're all easy now, no? - Cristian & Dee Intermediate

June 29, 2005

Football was cancelled tonight, so I managed a rare stop at a Cristian and Dee class.

1,2,3,5,6,7 cross body lead
1,2,3 prepare
5,6,7 lead follower to double turn clockwise with R-L high
1,2,3 pivot turn and into open cross body position
5,6,7 lasso
1,2,3 back to open cross body position
5,6,7 lasso again
1,2,3 back in front
5,6,7 step to right with R-L high with pizza waiters grip to lead follower to full clockwise turn, do a half counterclockwise turn to get back into open hold
1,2,3 open break and wrap (Habana start)
5,6,7 hook turn and switch to R-R at shoulder level (another pizza waiter’s hold)
1,2,3 get into cross body lead position while making L-L connection above R-R
5,6,7 lead follower forward and into a full counterclockwise turn ending in Titanic position
1,2,3 lower hands and raise L-R
5,6,7 lead follower to a 1 1/2 clockwise turn, end with a hook turn of my own with L-R lowered to my waist level (and ending behind my back)
1,2,3 let it all go and start cross body lead
5,6,7 finish cross body lead
1,2,3,5,6,7 (x3) back and forward for both – R leg raised like a dog

The place was hopping with many people, including good number of best of Cambridge Salsa scene. One of these elite followers I danced with let me know that I improved a great deal after seeing about half of my repertoire.

Vacilala y coca cola & Balsero redux - Peter and Cinzia

June 27, 2005

Vacilala y coca cola
L-R hold
1,2,3 Pimienta like away step and back in place and leading follower to just overtake
5,6,7 lead follower to a free 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 clockwise spin
1,2,3 start of Dile que no but place L hand on follower's R shoulder
5,6,7 L hand on R shoulder should be sufficient signal for 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn for follower, follow follower in a counterclockwise walk to nearly get back to original position on 1 with follower to R side (most likely position is that both are facing outside the Rueda circle
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no - this will likely involve less forward movement on 1 and more backward (counterclockwise) movement on 2,3 to leave space for the follower to move across to the L side
Balsero
crossed hold with R-R on top - or R-R hold first then get L-L later underneath R-R
1,2,3,5,6,7 sombrero start until 7 but instead of finishing, L-L goes over my head to behind my neck while R-R stays in front (optional: I tried keeping L-L in front of my head on 7/8, then moving it over and behind my head on next 1. This works fine too.)
1,2,3 L foot crosses over in front on 1, step back and to left on 2, step to left on 3 (going around partner - with both walking in circles in clockwise direction and facing same direction) - [note: it really didn't matter how the footwork is done; the point is to walk in clockwise manner to get the follower back in front of the leader in a similar position as in the previous beat 4]
5,6,7 sombrero finish
1,2,3,5,6,7 dile que no

Cinzia substituted for Mauricio in the Beginners class. I was by far the most experienced student in the class and found myself in position of something like a teaching assistant role. A feedback I heard from a experienced follower outside the class during the club hours was that I improved a great deal since she first saw me and is showing steady improvement every time and that I just need to keep it up. I also found myself incredibly dependent on cross body leads; some followers, who could dance credibly with safe Cuban stylists, were completely useless with me. I speculate that my heavy dependence on cross body lead might be one reason why I can't handle Merengue compared to Salsa.

Salsa in Portland, Oregon (USA) - night 2

June 25, 2005

I was appreciative of the fact that the staff at Fernando's Hideaway was helpful in guiding me to a better location last night; one of the staff even made some calls for me to figure out the location. I suspected that there would be smaller number of good dancers tonight compared to yesterday, and my suspicion was confirmed. The dancers were worse than Po Na Na Cambridge on typical Mondays. There was precious little Salsa from 11 PM to 1 AM, which reminded me of Club Salsa Cambridge on Saturdays. Actually, they played more salsa after 1 AM, which is opposite of the way it goes in Club Salsa Cambridge on Fridays. I'm getting very little sleep during this PDX trip.

Salsa in Portland, Oregon (USA) - night 1

June 24, 2005

I first went to Fernando's Hideaway based upon recommendation from SalsaPower website. Unfortunately, scene was not at all promising (plenty of absolute beginners only). I asked several members of the staff about this, and they said all the good dancers are probably at a Salsa competiton event at a place called PPAA. After some misadventures looking for this place, I got there just before the competition started. The event was organized by a Salsa couple who refer themselves as Gemini, who turns out to have the most up to date information about Salsa venues in Portland right now; unfortunately, I didn't realize this before I got to PDX. The venue PPAA was comparable in size to SOS, but the quality of the dancers was not as good as SOS. I would guess that Salsa in Portland may be equivalent or perhaps slightly better than in Cambridge although I was rather worried in the begininng; my first two partners couldn't keep to the beat and my third partner got me in the eye with her elbow, which resulted in my contact lens popping out. I ended up dancing with four of the seven finalists in the competition. [added Oct 2, 2005 - In retrospect, I wonder if I was too brazen in asking them although my impression at the time was that most of them parted with good humor intact.] The finalists were not necessarily the most fun to dance with; there was another out-of-towner follower who gave me as good a dance as the finalists and yet another follower who was not as experienced but but still very pleasant to dance with.

Wednesday practice before PDX

June 22, 2005

This was the last tune-up before flying off to Portland. I thought it all went pretty well. It would be interesting to see how well my Salsa skills translate in a new place with different dynamics.

Ajo y perejil second time around - Peter and Cinzia

June 20, 2005

Enchufe doble
1,2,3 enchufe start and stop partner from finishing by placing hand on partner's shoulder on 3
5,6,7 back to original position
1,2,3 enchufe start - finish as normal
5,6,7 accomodating (no change of partner unlike enchufe in Helen & Rhona's Rueda version)
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no
Ajo y perejil
R-R hold
1,2,3 Dedo start
5,6,7 turn partner 1 1/2 clockwise with R hand high
1,2,3 Exhibela start = walk into center and back and raise R hand high and over partner's head on 3 (no later than 4)
5,6,7 lead partner into center and back with 180 pivot turn (clockwise) - partner's L hand should be placed on leader's R shoulder
1,2,3 two-handed coca cola = take partner's L hand with my L hand, get ready to raise L hand high on 3 while keeping R hand low
5,6,7 lead follower to approximately 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn and follow the follower walking in counterclockwise manner
1,2,3 R-R is released and leader's R hand goes to follower's back - cross body lead (very little forward movement if any on 1 and fair bit of backwards movement on 2,3 to give room for the follower to move across to R side during 5,6,7)
5,6,7 lead partner across back to start position (finish with L-R hold)
1,2,3 Pimienta start
5,6,7 turn partner 1 1/2 clockwise with L hand high
1,2,3 cross body lead start
5,6,7 lead partner across back to start position

I accidentally stepped on someone's foot during a dance. I wasn't completely sure if this was all my fault, but it still means I need to work on improving "traffic management".

40 minutes late - SOS level 3

June 19, 2005

I got there at 7:40 PM, meaning I missed 2/3 of the class and presumably at least 1/2 of the partner dancing depending on how long the shine part lasted. I think I got the gist of the routine but I never got to a point where I could use this routine. Navigating streets of London is still an enormous challenge. Even if I get familiarized with landmarks so that I wouldn’t get lost, I still should give myself 90 min to get here (in part to account for potential traffic problems).

1,2,3 start of cross body lead
5,6,7 lead follower to a 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn with L-R high and turn myself around 1/2 turn counterclockwise on 7/8 and release L-R so that R-R connection is made at waist level on R side by 8 – leader and follower are facing same direction with leader in front
1,2,3 lead follower forward (there probably is an open break to start with) with R-R pointing forward and L-L connection made at waist level by 3/4 – by 4, leader and follower are nearly side-by-side with follower slightly behind and to right of the leader
5,6,7 continue leading follower forward (there probably is a full counterclockwise turn involved here) – I think R-R ends up at shoulder level (pointed forward and/or to right) while L-L lands on follower’s L shoulder by 8
1,2,3 prepare follower – R-R is lowered, then raised again
5,6,7 lead follower to 1 1/2 clockwise turn and on 7/8 turn around 1/2 counterclockwise with L-L high and R-R low (note: I think it was actually a 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn for leaders, but I never managed because of lack of practice time) – situation is similar to that we were in at first beat 8 with leader and follower facing the same direction with leader in front, except that L-L is over leader’s L shoulder and R-R is by leader’s R waist
1,2,3 another open break while L-L goes over leader’s head to R side to chest level (higher than R-R) then leading follower to just behind leader’s position on R side
5,6,7 lead follower (using R-R forward with L-L steady first, then doing a counterclockwise motion with R-R starting from L side to R side with L-L initially high) to full clockwise turn for a wrap – by 8, L-L is more or less pointing towards L and maybe slightly behind while R-R connection is centered around front L waist of follower and leader is positioned slightly to R side of follower
1,2,3 L-L is moved toward the follower’s waist as follower is led to 1/2 turn counterclockwise and center of R-R connection is shifted to R waist of follower – by 4 positioning is essentially middle of cross body lead – let go R-R?
5,6,7 lead follower to a 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn and give myself a hat with L-L on 8
1,2,3,5,6,7 standard cross body lead

I think I am a much better salsa dancer than last time I was here. However, I also felt that I was no better than an average run-of-the-mill leader in the dance hall tonight. I also wasn’t sure if my dance partner’s had any more fun than they did with me of old. In any case, this was another great practice both qualitatively and quantitatively. Even the worst follower provided a source of amusement – by inexplicably going in circles (Cuban style) with no input from me, she ended up twisting me enough while in a closed position to make me fall into her arms. There were no interruptions caused by Merengue, Latin R&B or pop and only a one interruption by Bachata (two if you count their mixer at the beginning). That reminds me… a free Bachata lesson was learned thanks to this mixer (of more experienced students and less experienced students)!

start on 1,2,3,4 by going towards left, and go back to right on 5,6,7,8 with Bachata tick on 4 and on 8

followers can be led to turn counterclockwise on 5,6,7,8 with L-R high and rolling wrist while leaders turn is easier on 1,2,3,4 (also counterclockwise)

presumably same can be done while going forward (1,2,3,4 for leaders) or backwards (5,6,7,8 for leaders)

Apache - Johnny & Serap Advanced

June 17, 2005

L-R hold
1,2,3 open break (stepping back very little if any), step close to follower to left side on 2,3, L-R goes behind follower on the R side, and R-R connection is made behind on 3/4– I think ideally follower’s L hand goes up on 3/4 [note. this is apparently referred to as Apache]
5,6,7 lead follower forward (while stepping away to make room and turning around on 5 – essentially 1/2 clockwise walk/turn which essentially started on 3) and unwrap follower (clockwise 1 1/2 turn) and on 7/8 do a hook turn (1/2 turn) with R-R kept high and palm facing the ceiling
1,2,3 forward and back (I found this step non-essential – it may be better to focus on the lead) while giving L hand low on my R side to make L-L connection by 3/4 while R-R is kept high – ideally follower ends up slightly behind on my R side
5,6,7 lead follower to a full counterclockwise turn while traveling forward and aimed to my L side – keeping R-R high and L-L low (ends with a wrap and both facing same direction with follower in front left)
1,2,3 R-R is lowered and raised again while stepping slightly to left forward and back in place
5,6,7 lead follower to a stationary 1 1/2 clockwise turn with R-R high and L-L low
1,2,3 give follower a hat with R-R (and let go so that R ends up on follower’s shoulders) while going into cross body lead position
5,6,7 lead follower to cross body lead with 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn with L-L high
1,2,3 give myself a hat with L-L while going into cross body lead position
5,6,7 complete simple cross body lead
1,2,3,5,6,7,1,2,3,5,6,7 simple shine (sliding forward on 6,7 with a kick and crossing over and stepping back on 1 to get back to basic for leaders)
1,2,3 prepare (open break works… so does a slight step to L and back in place)
5,6,7 lead follower to a full clockwise turn with L-R high and do a hook turn (1/2 turn) and drop L-R so that follower’s R hand ends up on my R hand
1,2,3 forward and back - R-R is raised high and L hand is offered behind to make L-L connection low
5,6,7 lead follower forward and into a reverse (clockwise) 1 1/2 traveling turn with L-L coming up high and R-R released

I was able to do this with little difficulty during the lesson and also during the club dancing with some followers with moderate success. Practicing these more difficult routines is going to be tricky because of dearth of followers who can do these types of moves with ease. I had a dance with Serap, which she claimed to have enjoyed (a first!). Timing rather than ability to lead multiple complex routines is becoming more of a concern now.

Casino Rueda with Helen & Rhona - week 10 over all - 4th week in intermediate

June 16, 2005

Adios y enchufe - this is a shortened Adios con la hermana with change of partner
1,2,3 Adios start
5,6,7 exchange places (walk under raised L-R)
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 go to next follower
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no with next follower

Much of the emphasis today was on Cero, Cero Giro, Lasso and Patine los dos once again. There was much discussion, but my original workshop note needs no major modification (except for dame dos component on Patine los dos noted on last week’s note). The only new detail to be added was on the end of Lasso, where leaders come forward to meet the follower on 1,2,3 – apparently, slide forward is done on 2 according to Helen. It was amusing to see how frequently Dereto was mangled.

My biggest problem is with rushing my routines (aside from not knowing some routines by heart … or in some cases, not at all because they haven’t been done.). I obtained some more detail on couple of routines at the end from other dancers. Because I didn’t get to practice it well (and I might have gotten multiple answers), these still may not be perfect.

Puente
1,2,3 Enchufe start – change to R-R at the end
5,6,7 accomodating steps (R-R)
1,2,3 step into the center of the Rueda circle and back with L hand pointing to center (and keep it there)
5,6,7 lead follower under the L arm (kept outstretched) to my left
1,2,3 step into the center and back again
5,6,7 lead follower under the L arm to my right
1,2,3 move to next follower and do Dile que no

Presumably, Puente with couples is done in a similar way except that instead of stepping into the center, leaders would step towards the other leader in the quartet on second and third 1,2,3 and exchange places with each other on fourth 1,2,3.

Dedo, guarapo y bota
R-R hold
1,2,3 Pimienta-like away and back step
5,6,7 lead follower to 1 1/2 clockwise turn with R-R raised high during the turn
1,2,3 keep R-R high and walk towards the follower (I’m not completely sure if there is an exchange of place like Enchufe or if this is more like Abrazala embrace – exchange seems more likely)
5,6,7 (either walk around each other clockwise or lead follower to a free clockwise turn – in either case, it involves placing both hands on follower’s waist or hips – walk seems more likely)
1,2,3,5,6,7 move to next follower and do Dile que no

Wednesday practice

June 15, 2005

Pretty good (although sometimes frantic) practice of routines learned thus far were performed with several partners. I ended up dancing with one person for 3 consecutive songs; these dances worked surprisingly well in part because I did not run out of new ideas until the last song.

Setenta Nuevo - Peter and Cinzia

June 13, 2005

Croquetta with Sacala
1,2,3 Enchufe start and change to R-R at the end (or during 5,6,7)
5,6,7 accomodating steps
1,2,3 walk into the center and back and raise R-R on 3/4
5,6,7 lead follower to pivot turn walking into the circle and back
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no led with R-R and end with open hold
Setenta Nuevo with Exhibela ending
1,2,3 a small Pimienta-like away and back step while follower is led across towards right to more or less overtake – L-R is raised ~4 while R-L is kept low
5,6,7 lead follower to traveling ~1 1/2 to 3/4 clockwise turn
1,2,3 keep walking in clockwise circle while unwinding follower (counterclockwise turn)
5,6,7 hook turn for leader with R-L raised and L-R kept low
1,2,3 to start, R-L goes over and behind follower’s head – exchange places with follower walking back-to-back as R-L is lowered while L-R is raised – L-R goes over and in front of follower’s head at the end
5,6,7 hook turn for leader with L-R raised (ideally at this point, we should be back to Guapea starting position relative to the Rueda circle)
1,2,3 two-handed enchufe
5,6,7 hands over follower’s head and lowered to follower’s waist for a wrap
1,2,3 walk into the circle and back and raise L-R on 3/4
5,6,7 lead follower to pivot turn walking into the circle and back and ending with R-L on follower’s R shoulder – let go of everything
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no (cross body lead)

[note: Setenta Nuevo orthodox apparently ends with two-handed enchufe followed by hat for the follower, then straight into Dile que no]

I think I’m now able to lead most routines taught in Cambridge with a brief demonstration and little practice. I think the approach of thinking of leading as signaling rather than guiding pedantically throughout (with some force even) made things a lot easier (and smoother). However, I’m not at a point where I could lead complex maneuver to someone who is either familiar with it or is generally very proficient and my options for useful practice of more complex routines are getting very limited. This is frustrating.

I tried practicing several of Johnny’s routine with someone outside the class. I found doing last week’s routine surprisingly tricky (even though I had practiced few times with another person beforehand). The starting bit had many pitfalls (e.g. losing connection of R-R on second 3/4 and making sure that follower’s turn is actually prevented with L hand on follower’s L shoulder, also leading follower to a turn without looking really doesn’t work very well cold.) The routine from June 3rd was okay (the trouble spot was going from a wrap with R-L on follower’s shoulder to the wrap with L-R on follower’s shoulder part – this was the case with others too). That hand-on-stomach move (from February 25 notes) just didn’t work because I couldn't prevent my partner from turning counterclockwise on second 3/4/5 (comment added later: I wonder if the hand needs to be on the stomach by no later than 3, possibly even 2/3 – I’ll need to check my notes - ahhh... it was as suspected.).

This really is getting easy despite plethora of turns for leaders - Johnny & Serap Advanced

June 10, 2005

1,2,3 start of standard cross body lead
5,6,7 lead follower across as if for normal cross body lead while I turn 1/2 clockwise (maybe starting ~7) and change to R-R hold – on 8, follower is positioned to my right and slightly back
1,2,3 push follower back on 1 and pull follower forward on 2,3 while I move to right on 2,3 and turn so that we’re essentially at open hold basic position
5,6,7 hook turn (full turn clockwise) and switch to L-R (kept low)
1,2,3 pivot turn (full turn clockwise) and switch back to R-R as this is slowly raised from 3 onwards so that
5,6,7 R-R is raised high to lead follower to a pivot turn (clockwise full turn)
1,2,3 pivot turn (half turn clockwise) with R-R kept high
5,6,7 lead follower to a pivot turn (full clockwise turn) while facing away from the follower (both initially facing same direction with follower behind me) then turn counterclockwise for half turn to face follower again – as for leading, R-R with palm facing the ceiling initially should be moved first to right on 1 and then make a clockwise circular motion to lead the follower to her turn – when R-R reaches left-most position on ~7, palm should be facing me) [note: this move rarely works on the dance floor in my experience thus far]
1,2,3 get to a crossed hold with L-L on top and initiate cross body lead
5,6,7 lead follower straight ahead to a full clockwise turn and get into Titanic position (with both hands outstretched)
1,2,3 hands lowered and raised to ~ shoulder level
5,6,7 throw R-R downwards and to right to signal follower for a free 1 1/2 clockwise turn, perform a hook turn myself

I’ve seen elements of this routine in various Intermediate classes by Johnny. I think only the first 5,6,7 bit (with 1/2 clockwise turn and change of hands during the second half of cross body lead) is the only thing I didn’t see in any of the Intermediate classes. Of course, I’ve been using this move (with 3/4 turn instead of 1/2 turn to get back to basic position with R-R hold) for past several weeks now. Anyhow, this meant that this routine was routine (very easy except for there being so many turns for the entire hour). It made me wonder if Johnny’s routines are getting simpler rather than me simply getting better. However, perhaps in part because of tight space, I couldn't lead this with people outside the class.

Incorporating Roca didn’t work particularly well tonight. Then again, Coca cola didn’t work well in general tonight (presumably due to combination of space, quality of followers I tried it with, and poor leading)

The club was never more crowded than it was tonight. It was nearly impossible to get any complex routines done. I didn’t feel like I was in top form, and my repertoire was severely limited because of lack of space. High points included a not-completely-discouraging dance (in pieces) with Serap (in other words, my best dance with Serap ever). Low point was when I found myself going way too fast during a truncated J. Lo song in a dance with a more experienced partner. In this same dance, I apparently was not always clear enough with my lead (slightly sloppy reverse cross body leads and apparently not enough snap for 1 1/2 turn during cross body lead – although I thought that once a turn is initiated, follower does a 1 1/2 turn unless stopped - so I am a bit confused now). However, she seemed friendly and acted as if she would be receptive to another dancd with me in future. However, I also feel that this won't last very long unless I take full advantage of these small number of opportunity to improve quickly.

Casino Rueda with Helen & Rhona - week 9 over all - 3rd week in intermediate

June 9, 2005

This was an odd class – largely a repeat of last weekend’s workshop. This meant I got to practice Lasso (which was easy – containing elements of SOS lesson from a while ago and reviewed with Cinzia on Monday), Cuba libre (which was very difficult for me as I’m trying to fix my Once footwork after hearing from Rhona last night that this involves back rock steps as is done in Patine + everything else was unfamiliar), Patine los dos (which I could have done already except for the need to work on that back-rock footwork and which as I learned today involves going to second follower (like dame dos). I decide to take notes on the spot (using post-it notes), but this was not really needed today considering the material covered.

Some commentaries for –

Lasso (after follower is lead to a free spin into the center) – also see Sat, Mon
1,2,3 basic
5,6,7 in place on 5, slide up on 6, feet together on 7
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Patine los dos
As leaders return from the center of the circle, aim to end up between your old follower and “next” follower. However, you will be doing Dile que no with the follower who is immediately to the right of this “next” follower. So the effect is the same as Dame dos. Trying to figure out where your Dile que no follower at the end will spin out into while doing the back-rock steps can be tricky.

Also did Roca, Dereto (not Dereta), Cero Giro (Helen sometimes called this Enchufe Giro), Cero from Guapea, etc. were done. I missed on Babosa (note available) and Puente once again, and Huckleberry Hill (see below). A follower left, meaning there was an extra leader (for the first time!), so I sat out and took notes.

Ajo y perejil (pronounced Huckleberry Hill!?!? – I would have thought something like Ah-ho eee Peh-re-hil) – it should be interesting to see how this compares to Peter’s
R-R hold
1,2,3 Pimienta-like away step and back as follower is led to almost overtake leader’s original position
5,6,7 lead follower to ~1 3/4 clockwise turn with R-R high – ending with both facing the center
1,2,3 Exhibela start – step into the center of the Rueda circle and back
5,6,7 lead follower to pivot turn (into the circle and back with a full clockwise turn) with R-R high – follower’s L hand should approach leader’s right shoulder on 8 and leader should catch this hand with L hand
1,2,3 two-handed Coca cola – Dile que no start
5,6,7 lead follower across to my right side with full counterclockwise turn and follow follower’s turn on 6,7 to get back to the right side
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no – end with L-R hold
1,2,3,5,6,7 Pimienta (away step and back on 1,2,3 and lead follower to ~1 1/2 to 1 3/4 clockwise turn on 5,6,7
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no (normal Pimienta finish)

Babosa – Snail (repeated for good measure – let us see if this matches with previous note)
1,2,3 Like Enchufe but keep R-L low and connected to wrap follower
5,6,7 let go of L-R and roll out follower (she’s turning clockwise) using R-L so that the follower is reaching out to the next leader on my right – on 8 get hold of my (parriaba) follower on left
1,2,3 Enchufe with new follower (on my left)
5,6,7 (probably) simple “accommodating” steps
1,2,3,5,6,7 presumably Dile que no

End of Ocho (how to turn follower)
get R hand on follower’s R waist (since she’s facing you, R waist is to the center of the Rueda circle) on the return approach – I imagine that the ideal time to turn the follower would be on beat 3 as is done on Adios (another thing I was trying to practice – with more success than I had with Once footwork)

About at this point, one of the more experienced Rueda leaders pointed out that he had the most of the Rueda moves written down (and that he brought a copy with him). Later, I learned that he had these on a web site. I’ll get the link when he e-mails the address to me. In any case, here’s my translation of his notes.

Spelling issues – Bajala (this makes sense). Montarro (=Tarrito), Rossitay (I had it spelled Rosate previously)

Puente – Bridge
R-R hold
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 “accommodating steps” and switch to L-R (seems silly not to have started with L-R in the first place as this change seem rather gratuitous)
1,2,3 step into the center of the Rueda circle and back with R hand pointing to the center
5,6,7 keep R hand ... hmm this cannot be right – start over (see below)

1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 “accommodating steps” and change to R-R – I think the follower might need to be led to move slightly back (towards the outside of the Rueda circle)
1,2,3 step into the center of the Rueda circle and back with L hand pointing to the center
5,6,7 keep L hand outstretched towards the center and lead follower to my left side under my L arm
1,2,3 lead follower back to the right side under my outstretched L arm
5,6,7 go to the next follower (on right)
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no with next follower

Puente with couples (with even number of couples)
probably L-L connection with adjacent leader is made (unless it’s R-R)

Abanico – fan (I couldn’t get this from the notes alone – needed a demo from Helen)
crossed hold with R-R on top
1,2,3 Sombrero start (away step and back as follower is led forward to almost overtake)
5,6,7 lead follower to ~1 3/4 clockwise turn and end with sombrero hats briefly (but R-R hat is removed and moved back in front of follower’s head on 8/1 – let go of L-L
1,2,3 lead follower to a 3/4 to full clockwise traveling turn – like Enchufe (I think this is essentially Enchufe to get back into the original position with leaders on the R side of the Rueda circle)
5,6,7 hook turn for leaders
back to Guapea basic

Hombres derecha can be called during Once (or El dos, which we haven't done yet) while leaders are closer to the center of the Rueda circle.

So, this means my idea of Sombrero followed by Coca cola (or something like Roca) must have been a pure fantasy. In any case, I should try to work Roca into my partner routine – it’s easy enough (easier than Coca cola)

After a bit of notebook reading, I got back and learned definition of some simple moves

Dame complicado
I had imagined that this was like Dile que no with an extra turn – this is wrong
Instead, do Dame, Dame dos, Dame tres, Dame quatro in rapid succession

Dos con dos – 2 with 2
This simply means Dame dos with 2 claps before leading the final follower to Dile que no (on beats 1 and 2, of course)

Okay…for good measure, I’m going to write down Babosa again even though this is present in week 5 notes

I seem to recall Helen/Rhona saying something about Rueda being an 8-week course. This is week 9 for me, and I certainly have not seen everything on the list and have not reached competency with all of routines I have seen thus far– so I guess they were being optimistic with this 8-week estimate. :)

Minor thoughts after a Wednesday practice without a lesson

June 8, 2005

My note on Cross body lead with 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn with Coca cola twist followed by cross body lead with clockwise turn – keep L-R low during the initial leading of the counterclockwise turn and keep R-L low throughout

This could get a bit dizzying but try the following when there’s plenty of room –

Cross body lead normal with Roca twist
repeat Cross body lead normal with Roca twist
Cross body lead with 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn with Coca cola twist
Cross body lead with clockwise turn

[note added June 10: The Roca part wasn't all that satisfying with a small number of followers I tried this with - I am not sure if they even noticed the difference between it and normal cross body lead. Also, I think with many of my usual partners, this will need quite a bit of space.]

Once footwork involves back-rock, similar to Patine (verified by Rhona)

Football and work are keeping me away from Wednesday salsa.

Nothing new during lessons but some noteworthy bits afterwards - Peter and Cinzia

June 6, 2005

Nothing new today except for a minor change

Dedo saboreado - same as May 16 except for the last part, which today went as follows -
1,2,3,5,6,7 exhibela (I had it written as sacala previously) with R-R hat given to the follower on 8
1,2,3,5,6,7 dile que no standard (as opposed to R-R lead without hand on follower's back as was done on May 16)
Vacilala - same as April 18

I talked to Cinzia about Lasso, which was done during the Rueda workshop last weekend. This led to a slight clarification of the beginning bit, which goes as follows -

1,2,3 go forward on 1 as follower is brought to the right side of the Rueda circle leading with L hand initially to pull the follower and turn the follower the way Adios is done so that both the follower and leader turn 1/2 clockwise on 3 and are facing each other - on 3, R hand is on follower's waist and R-R connection is made on 4 for the second part
5,6,7 leading with R hand lead follower away from the center of the Rueda circle (and to my right)

Upon observing my dance with Cinzia, Peter commented that I should try harder to keep close to my dance partner and to make sure that weight transfer does occur on steps going forwards (stepping back was deemed not a problem as I am usually staying too faraway anyway). On retrospect, Serap more or less suggested same last week (smaller steps, keeping close, etc).

Casino Rueda workshop with Steve Reid (org. by Rhona & Helen)

June 4, 2005

Advanced (watched and took notes only)

Patine los dos – this thankfully adds detail my Patine notes – this note is based mostly on my observation of some people’s interpretation of this move
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 walk to the center and to right and join other leaders arm-to-arm
1,2,3 back rock to right (L foot behind and to R of R foot on 1, then in place with R foot on 2, and to left with L foot on 3), glance at old follower
5,6,7 back rock to left (R foot behind and to L of L foot on 1, then in place with L foot on 2, and to right with R foot on 3) and glance at new follower on right
1,2,3 spin counterclockwise while moving to left and to outside part of the Rueda circle as followers now move into the center
5,6,7 this seemed awkward for many leaders – maybe this is just time to get bearings while followers move to center – curious thing is that in Patine mujeres, followers do not move to the center until next 1,2,3 – maybe both follower and leader are still at the outside portion of the Rueda circle on 8???
1,2,3 back rock to right (L foot behind and to R of R foot on 1, then in place with R foot on 2, and to left with L foot on 3), glance at old follower
5,6,7 back rock to left (R foot behind and to L of L foot on 1, then in place with L foot on 2, and to right with R foot on 3) and glance at new follower on right
1,2,3 walk to the returning and spinning follower without doing any back rock
5,6,7 complete second half of Dile que no

Another basic step, whose name escaped me-
1,2,3,5,6,7 forward and back for leaders, back and back for followers

Cuba libre
R-R hold
1,2,3 roll hands and walk to left to initiate Once-like walk but let go of hands and place R on follower’s R waist
5,6,7,1,2,3,5,6,7 do Once walk while leading follower by touching R waist on ~4 with R hand, touching L waist with L hand on ~8 – meanwhile follower is raising R hand straight up on 3/4 and L hand on 7/8
1,2,3 get under follower’s raised L hand to initiate Dile que no
5,6,7 L hand on follower’s R shoulder while starting the second half of Dile que no – on 7/8 L hand ends on follower’s back shoulder while R hand goes to follower’s L back shoulder – follower’s L hand is outstretched on 8
1,2,3 bring follower back to the right side (follower’s L hand must be brought in) – I think Steve said something about there being a Siete motion to this part – slow down on 3/4
5,6,7 lead follower slowly clockwise under arm(pit) – follower should tilt her head toward the leader rather than completely ducking under – on 8 both partners were facing R of the Rueda circle
1,2,3,5,6,7 L hand on follower’s R shoulder to lead follower to (backwards?) counterclockwise turn (on 5,6,7?) (see salsa tip below) as leaders move to the next follower with a full clockwise turn
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no with next follower

salsa tip:
positioning of hand on back (left shoulder vs center back vs right shoulder) determines whether the follower makes a turn (and direction of this turn) – so L hand on R shoulder leads to counterclockwise turn

Lasso
open hold from an extended position
1,2,3 go forward on 1 as follower is brought to the right side of the Rueda circle leading with L hand – I think follower and I turn 1/2 clockwise on 3 and are facing each other
5,6,7 leading with R hand lead follower away from the center of the Rueda circle (and to my right)
1,2,3 bring follower back to my right as I turn towards the inside of the circle (involves a slight ~1/4 counterclockwise turn?) – follower and I are facing the center of the Rueda circle with R-L outstretched to right
5,6,7 lead with R-L drawn inwards to lead follower to across to the left side of the Rueda circle and lead follower to a full counterclockwise turn and a wrap (and both facing the center of the Rueda circle again)
1,2,3 raise R-L and step in front of the follower and walk to the left side and bringing the follower back to the right side again with R-L outstretched to right
5,6,7 again lead with R-L drawn inwards to lead follower to across to the left side of the Rueda circle and lead follower to a full counterclockwise turn and a wrap
1,2,3 again raise R-L and step in front of the follower and walk to the left side and bringing the follower back to the right side again with R-L outstretched to right
5,6,7 again lead with R-L drawn inwards to lead follower to across to the left side of the Rueda circle and lead follower to a full counterclockwise turn and a wrap
1,2,3 again raise R-L and step in front of the follower and walk to the left side and bringing the follower back to the right side again with R-L outstretched to right
5,6,7 lead follower to a free counterclockwise turn into the center of the circle
[note. I have a funny note that says slide back on 1, which I don’t get]
1,2,3 basic for leader while follower “takes a breather” and turn to look back at the leader
5,6,7 leader move forward while follower comes back and both get ready for Dile que no
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Intermediate

Cero (from Guapea) – Zero (0)
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 step in place
1,2,3 start walking around each other with leaders doing the top half of the 0 in clockwise walk with feet facing into the circle at all times but head turning to look at the follower
5,6,7 finish walking around each other with leaders now doing the bottom of the 0
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Cero Giro (from Guapea) – Zero (0) with turn
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 step in place
1,2,3 start walking around each other with leaders doing the top half of the 0 in clockwise while turning half turn counterclockwise (more or less as follows - L foot pointing 10 o’clock on 1, R foot pointing 8 o’clock on 2, L foot pointing 6 o’clock on 3)
5,6,7 finish walking around each other with leaders now doing the bottom of the 0 and doing another half turn counterclockwise (more or less as follows - R foot pointing 4 o’clock on 5, L foot pointing 2 o’clock on 6, R foot pointing 12 o’clock on 7)
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Roca (from Dile que no) – This is rather similar to Coca cola in my opinion
1,2,3 start of Dile que no with a need to make L-R connection and ideally a fairly tight closed hold
5,6,7 lead follower across to the left side and follow her so that I end up back on the left side like Coca cola
1,2,3 start Dile que no again and repeat until a new call (such as Dame or Parriba) is made

Parriba – just wanted more of a fake look toward the follower on right on 7/8 before turning to real next follower on left

Beginners

Guapea – this was third version I’ve seen (first version from Peter/Rhona/Helen, second version from Johnny)
1 L foot in place
2 R foot forward and inwards
3 L foot together with R foot – R-L palm-to-palm connection made at this time??
5 R foot in place – push off each other with R-L
6 L foot backward and outwards
7 R foot together with L foot

contrasting versions of Guapea

Peter/Rhona/Helen – this is the version I use
1,2,3 L foot, then R foot, then L foot in place in succession
5 R foot forward and inwards and brief R-L palm-to-palm connection, followed by immediate pushing off each other
6,7 L foot backward and outwards, then R foot together (back to position assumed in 1,2,3)

Johnny’s version from one of the last Friday intermediate class I attended
1,2,3 L foot in place, then R foot, and then L foot walking inwards in succession
5 R foot forward and inwards and brief R-L palm-to-palm connection, followed by immediate pushing off each other
6,7 L foot backward and outwards, then R foot together (back to position assumed in 1,2,3)

Dereta?? – Direct
1,2,3 let go and walk past the current follower on the outside of the Rueda circle with R hand raise high to get to the next follower (on left – like parriba)
5,6,7 second half of Guapea with new follower

Abajo (from Guapea)
1,2,3 forward on 1, get into tight embrace by 2/3, scoop up follower and turn both of us 1/2 turn clockwise ???
or was it?
1,2,3 Enchufe start followed by accommodating 5,6,7 and step forward on 1
… I am a little confused about this move because I cannot remember whether backwards walk start on beat 5 or beat 2.

Things we did that require no or little alteration include –
Dame – no change from usual
Dame dos – followers move a little along clockwise to reduce the amount of distance that needs to be traveled by the leaders to get to the second follower – this was practiced in the other two workshops also
Enchufe – going directly forward on 1 (more like Peter’s version rather than Rhona/Helen version)
Enchufe doble
Adios – going forward on 1, get into tight embrace by 2/3 and scooping up follower on 3 to turn both of us 1/2 turn clockwise (like Abajo!?), then change follower as normal
Al medio – slide to L and R foot join together on 1,2,3 with weight on L foot from beat 1 onwards and slide to R and L foot join together on 5,6,7 with weight on R foot from beat 5 onwards
Tarrito – no change but I might want to keep going the direction I was going when doing abajo rather than being completely stationary (also there was a fake tarrito)
Fly – no change (or no time to change)
there were couple of calls that involved yelling or going Ooooh (something and something sexy)
Arriba
Ping pong

Bacala – hmm I was being picked on for several details -- but I have been doing this for quite some time now?! I think that the problem may be that I had too many teachers for this (or similar move) – both Johnny and Ivan taught me similar move(s)
- issue 1 – they didn't like that I’m stepping backwards a bit on 3 (or is it 5?) (used for stabilization purpose, perhaps wrongly)
- issue 2 – when I removed the backward rock, I wasn’t leaving enough space for the follower (without bending over backwards, which also is not recommended)
So, I’m not sure how to fix (if needed) this problem

Overall comment: In Cambridge, I don’t think there is any way to take a beginner level Rueda student to intermediate level except by throwing beginners into the wolves and make them be completely overwhelmed for first few lessons. Considering the slower pacing and more repetitions today, I could have joined in on the advanced level workshop today with fewer problems compared to that I had with my first two intermediate Rhona & Helen Rueda classes. Also, it seemed that changing old familiar routine of doing something is as difficult and perhaps more difficult than learning a new routine.

Heinz called it easy – Johnny & Serap Advanced

June 3, 2005

I thought it was very doable and lovely. Noticing my continued (or from her point of view, new) effort to lead gently, Serap commended me for having become much smoother with my lead.

open hold
1,2,3 basic – L arm up and R arm at waist level on 3/4 to get into Setenta position
5,6,7 lead follower to a full clockwise turn ending in Setenta position (R-L behind follower’s back right waist)
1,2,3 basic with step backwards on 3 keeping L high
5,6,7 leading with R hand at waist level, lead follower to a 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn (moving across me on my right side like reverse cross body lead) and keeping L high – this results in briefly unwrapping follower and then ending up wrapping follower again with R-L on front right of follower and with my arm behind follower’s back – both follower and I are facing more or less same direction or be at a slight angle to face each other with follower on my right
1,2,3 step in place on 1 as R at waist level starting to lead follower to a clockwise turn (this will end up being a full turn) - meanwhile I step in a slight clockwise walk on 2 as follower continues to turn, and I turn perhaps 1/4 to 1/2 (depending on how far the follower turned) clockwise by 3 – this ends with R arm extended forward and L arm on follower’s L shoulder – follower and I are facing more or less same direction or be at a slight angle to face each other with follower on my left
5,6,7 lead follower to a 1/2 counterclockwise turn thus ending up facing each other – arms are strangely crossed
1,2,3 pivot turn with both arms up – end with giving myself a wrap with hands across in front of my neck
5,6,7 bring hands down to my waist and switch to R-R and L-L
1,2,3 push follower back on 1 and bring follower to my left with L arm extended by 3
5,6,7 bring L-L inwards to lead follower to 1/2 clockwise turn and switch to R-L to end in Setenta like position
1,2,3 cross body lead start
5,6,7 finish cross body lead with 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn for follower to get back to open position

shine of the day
1,2,3,5,6,7 basic
1 L foot slide behind R foot without placing any weight on it
2 L foot slide back in place (or maybe slightly to left)
3 R foot slide behind L foot
5,6,7 full clockwise turn (hook turn)
1,2,3 crazy legs routine
- 1 L foot cross over in front of R foot, then R foot goes slightly to R
- 2 L foot moves slightly to L, then R foot moves slightly to R - maybe the feet are not crossed anymore at this point
- 3 L foot moves slightly to R, then R foot moves slightly to L (going back to crossed over state)
5 R foot moves slightly back and to R
6 L foot moves to left front
7 both legs slide to front left
1 L foot crosses over (could be almost like a kick) in front of R foot to initiate backwards movement
2 R foot steps slightly back
3 L foot back together with R foot
5,6,7 back basic

I must have danced with record number of followers tonight (at least 12, five of whom were new dance partners for me). With some followers heretofore beyond my reach (e.g. ones from the Cambridge Salsa Team and Sally), I found that I didn’t need to make any effort to get them to turn after reverse cross body lead (as taught by Ivan & Sally in their workshop). I was surprised to find that same held true for some of my regular dance partners. Anyhow, the gentle lead approach is going really well.

Casino Rueda with Helen & Rhona - week 8 over all - 2nd week in intermediate -piled deeper and higher

June 2, 2005

I was hoping that the second intermediate class would be less hectic than the first one. I was so wrong – I was probably helped last week by the class spending a bit of time on Sordo, which I had learned from Peter (not perfectly) in a previous class.

Name? (apparently Sambuco)
L-R hold
1,2,3 pivot turn for full clockwise turn with L-R kept low so that L-R ends up behind my back right waist (like Setenta for leaders) and connect R-L
5,6,7 back basic and get into elbow/arm lock with R-L
do basic until se fue
1,2,3 unwrap self with full counterclockwise turn
5,6,7 second half of Guapea
1,2,3 two-handed enchufe
5,6,7 both hands over follower’s head and down to waist
1,2,3 Exhibela start (walk into the circle) – I think followers are pushed backwards maybe with a slight clockwise twist in this class
5,6,7 lead follower into a full clockwise turn – follower still ends up wrapped with R-L over follower’s R shoulder
1,2,3 another Exhibela start
5,6,7 lead follower into another full clockwise turn – follower is no longer wrapped – maybe keep hands over my head and give myself a hat on 8 with R-L
1,2,3 start Dile que no – when done giving myself a hat with R-L, let go and get ready for cross body lead
5,6,7 finish Dile que no

Dedo guarapo y bota
R-R hold
1,2,3 Pimienta-like away step
5,6,7 lead follower to a 1 1/2 clockwise turn
(next 8 beats may not be there)
1,2,3 enchufe?
5,6,7 hook turn?

1,2,3 enchufe?
5,6,7 both hands on follower’s hips and lead follower to a half counterclockwise turn – so that your follower will be facing the new leader – and turn counterclockwise 1/2 turn to face new follower
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no with new follower

See the updated note from week 10 instead for a better (not necessarily completely correct) description of Dedo, guarapo y bota.

Once - 11
R-R hold
1,2,3 roll hand over clockwise and walk to left (ending behind and to left of follower) and make L-L connection on 3/4 to get into sweetheart’s position)
5,6,7 walk to right (ending behind and to right of follower)
upon se fue
1,2,3 walk to the left side – L-R goes up on 4/5
5,6,7 walk to in front of the follower and to right (ending in front and to right of follower)
1,2,3 walk to the left side (ending in front and to left of follower)
5,6,7 walk to the right side (ending in front and to right of follower)
upon se fue
5,6,7 walk to the right side – L-R goes up on 8/1 [not sure thereafter]
1,2,3 walk behind the follower and to left
5,6,7 in place and give myself a hat
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Name? Puente?
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 switch to R-R?
1,2,3 walk into the center?
at some point, L hand is outstretched, and follower is lead under the L arm in and out

See the updated note from week 10 instead for a better (not necessarily completely correct) description of Puente.

Puente with 2 couples??
L hand makes connection with another leader (in two's starting from caller couple and next leader in clockwise direction) at some point, and follower is lead under the L arm in and out, followed by leader switch

Abanico - fan
??

See Week 9 notes

Tuma Francessa – French wheel?
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 switch to R-R (holding by the wrist or arm rather than hand) and move to the next follower while swinging past the current partner on the inside
1,2,3 get hold of next partner with L-L by wrist or arm and move to the next follower while swinging past the current partner on the outside
5,6,7 get hold of next partner with R-R wrist or arm and move to the next follower while swinging past the current partner on the inside
repeat indefinitely while making connections on 1 and on 5
upon arriba
turn around with the current partner and switch directions
upon se fue ?

Bacala?/Bajala?/Bahala?
Domino (twist partner in domino-like fashion (starting from caller and going clockwise) while doing Bacala

Coca cola - using description from Peter
1,2,3 start of Dile que no - R hand on follower's R shoulder for the lead
5,6,7 lead follower to a full counterclockwise turn as I step around inside the Rueda circle while walking around in counterclockwise circle for half turn to end up on follower's left side (as was at the start of Dile que no) - in the course of leading this move, R hand goes from follower's R shoulder and end up on follower's back probably via follower's R waist or top of R hip
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Coca cola por atras
in this one, leaders stand in place without turning (and apparently without moving)
5,6,7 lead follower to a 1 to 1/4 turn in finishing Dile que no or cross body lead – I think my L hand may end up in follower’s R waist as follower is essentially parallel to my left and facing opposite direction
1,2,3 lead follower around my back in a clockwise circular walk
5,6,7 lead follower to the second half of cross body lead/Dile que no

Siete y coca cola
1,2,3 lead by pointing L-R into the circle on 1, then pull it back towards outside the circle to lead follower to a full clockwise turn/roll/wrap into my arm/side – touch R-L by palms
5,6,7 lead follower to unwrap with a counterclockwise turn – follow the turn and get to the left side of the follower
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Siga may – follow me … into a line
going from abajo/arriba circle into a line – no big deal in itself…
while in line, enchufe does not involve change of partner – but enchufe doble DOES – leaders move to right with normal change of partner (Dame, Enchufe doble)

Ocho (from Guapea) – 8
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 leave current follower from the inside (think of this as the lower left of 8 sign)
1,2,3,5,6,7 circle around next follower in counterclockwise fashion (think of this as the circle on top half of the 8 sign) starting from the outside of the Rueda circle to turn back
1,2,3 approach the original follower – who should be facing you – ready to swing around her from the outside
5,6,7 turn original follower to be ready for Dile que no
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

See notes made on Week 9 for the end of Ocho.

Ocho doble (from Guapea)
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 leave current follower from the inside
1,2,3 swing past the next (second) follower around the outside of the Rueda circle
5,6,7,1,2,3 circle around the third follower in clockwise fashion starting from the inside of the Rueda circle to turn back
5,6,7 swing past the second follower around the inside of the Rueda circle
1,2,3 approach the original follower – who should be facing you – ready to swing around her from the outside
5,6,7 turn original follower to be ready for Dile que no
1,2,3,5,6,7 Dile que no

Ocho treble
this simply involves going around one more extra follower

Ocho (from Pa’l medio) – unlike from Guapea, follower is not doing a mirror image but is rather continuing with Pa’l medio)
1,2,3 walk into the center, then turn right
5,6,7 get past the oncoming follower (who was on your right on beat 1 and who now is moving into the circle) and then turn and walk towards outside the circle and then turn left
1,2,3 get past the next oncoming follower (who is moving out of the circle) and then turn and walk towards inside of the circle and then turn back
5,6,7 get past the same follower (who is now moving into the circle) and then turn and walk towards the outside of the circle and then turn right
1,2,3 get past the original follower (who is now moving back out of the circle) and then walk to the center (and clap twice)
get back to Pa’l medio routine

Salute nino
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 switch to R-R (handshake grip)
1,2,3 walk into the center with L hand horizontal and pointing to the center and do a quick kneel (like petting a little child?) and get back up
5,6,7 lead follower across back to the original Guapea position

Salute nina
1,2,3 Enchufe start
5,6,7 switch to R-R (handshake grip)
1,2,3 walk into the center – this time followers do a quick kneel
5,6,7 lead follower across back to the original Guapea position

Setenta complicado – this was not really followed through – involved walking past each other on the back after getting to the Setenta position

I think there was another move starting with R-R and roll over of hand (similar to Once) – maybe this was Abanico??? I am a bit too overwhelmed with too many new moves to remember - this routine also may involve R-R going high after a move to right and a rolling of hand high for follower (and leader) turns???

Enchufe parada??? (name might have been different – if so, we also did
Enchufe parada, whose description I cannot recall)
1. enchufe with first follower
2. enchufe doble with second follower
3. enchufe treble with third follower

There was something that involved Siete moderno – not that I learned Siete moderno

Many of the followers in this Rueda class seem rather heavy-handed (maybe a better description is not very gentle). I wonder if this is some sort of self-defense mechanism? Or maybe this is characteristic of Cuban or Rueda style? I think I’m going to keep on trying gentler leads with this class both to avoid relapsing into leading too hard and also to see if the situation continues when I keep insisting on doing gentle leads.