Gotta go with what's there

November 13, 2006

Intermediate with Tiz

angled Suzy
1,2,3 Slave to left
5,6,7 Suzy Q to left
1,2,3 Slave to right
5,6,7, Suzy Q to right
(followed by Mambo basic)

from last week – name?
1,2,3 da-da-da-da-da (5 steps in all - Johnny might have referred to this as crazy steps or such)
5 R foot on heel to front R
6 slide to back left with L
7 slide R foot back together
(followed by Mambo basic)

from last week - slave grapevine?
1,2,3 slave (L cross over to R with typical slave leaning motion on 1, R in place on 2, L back to original spot on 3)
4 R cross over in front of L
5 weight on L
6 R cross over to R
7 L cross over in front of R
8 R cross over in front of L
(followed by Mambo basic)

1,2,3,5,6,7 CBL low cross pass – end getting ready to switch to R-R (R hand can be on follower’s R forearm briefly)
1,2,3,5,6,7 R-R hold, Copa with R hand to follower’s leading hip and L hand to trailing hip – lead follower to do standard Copa turn on her own (preferably with both her hands over her head in diving position) – leader could do a clockwise turn and get back to facing follower

1,2,3,5,6,7 open hold, Copa with R-L going over follower’s L shoulder and L-R kept low – lead follower into 1 1/2 Copa traveling counterclockwise turn with R-L high (I was keeping R-L at same height throughout but this was not necessarily the way this was taught – I think the point might have been to try to get follower to turn on her own power) – keep L-R at waist level throughout briefly letting go before reconnecting it behind follower’s L waist
1,2,3,5,6,7 lead follower into traveling swapsi turn (1 1/2 clockwise traveling turn for follower) so that R-L ends behind follower’s R waist – leader can turn clockwise briefly letting go R-L before reconnecting it behind follower’s R waist – L-R ends behind leader’s R waist
1,2,3,5,6,7 Copa start (letting go L-R) but lead follower into overall 1 1/2 counterclockwise traveling turn instead – I think the lead was to come immediately after 3 (on 4?) to lead follower to turn this direction instead of doing normal Copa – in one version, the position ended with R-L across follower’s stomach on her R side while in another version

1,2,3,5,6,7 there was a bit starting with follower's R hand across her stomach (possibly the end of previous turn pattern), allow follower forward on 1 and turn her around counterclockwise on 2,3 and continue her into traveling 1 1/2 counterclockwise turn with leader also turning clockwise at the same time. I think the leading was done with R-R

1,2,3,5,6,7 open hold, simplest Copa start and ending with free R hand on follower’s back on 8 (or in a version done tonight, follower ends doing only a full traveling turn as opposed to 1 1/2 traveling turn for the Copa… with the full turn version, follower would end doing a full turnaround on next 1,2,3 as opposed to doing a half turnaround on 1,2,3)
1,2,3,5,6,7 lead follower to a half or full turnaround on 1,2,3 (follower is walking around leader in counterclockwise fashion), then lead follower into Cuban walk on 5,6,7 (follower continues moving around leader in counterclockwise fashion to start with but ends with a clockwise 1/2 traveling turn)

1,2,3,5,6,7 crossed hold R-R on top, touch-and-go double turn
1,2,3,5,6,7 open break and bring follower straight forward while leader gets around follower from her R side and get around behind her to her L side
1,2,3,5,6,7 Mambo jazz start and lead follower into full traveling clockwise turn with R-R ending across follower’s stomach on her L side
1,2,3,5,6,7 lead follower to turn 1/2 counterclockwise on the spot on 1,2,3 while leader turns 1/2 clockwise at the same time – lead follower into Cuban walk (traveling 1/2 clockwise turn) with R-R ending in a elbow-to-elbow position and end with drop catch to end with L-R

After a long stretch of time without extensive dancing (the weekend SOS plan having been aborted because of too many complicating factors (i.e. people getting ill, my trust of the train system reaching a new low, too much bicycling including a ludicrous “shortcut” or a “scenic route” on an increasingly harrowing footpath between Stapleford and Sawston, too much work and not enough time)), I felt ready for a good exercise.

Upon receiving a reminder from Vishal about making fliers for the Bachata event with Tony & Daniela, I whipped up something in a hurry. If life has not been so chaotic lately, I would have done this sooner. As it was more glitches encountered meant that the fliers had to be printed using normal paper rather than thicker photo paper. Also the fliers were cut at the Club Salsa just before the classes started.

Between arriving early and Joe and Tiz arriving late, there was more lull than usual leading to chitchats. Perhaps the most striking conversation involved being a third party to a conversation between two women talking about leads of various men seen about at Club Salsa. I thought such conversations happened in places where men were unlikely to overhear the conversation (unless it is a one-on-one conversation), so it felt a little strange (as well as getting me to strain to listen for any veiled allusions to my lead in general). Perhaps they trusted that the contents of this conversation weren’t going anywhere and that it was harmless. Less surprising were comments, gawking, etc about what people were wearing, etc.

It was a little difficult to remember all the material from the class – not because the material was difficult (of course it would depend on the level of the student) but perhaps because it was not unusual enough (or it’s my memory becoming worse with less use and with increased age). Maybe because I yawned couple of time (or did I? I don’t remember for sure), I noticed some others yawning during the class. Joe modified his usual joke about Club Salsa being the smallest Salsa club in the universe to about Vishal working on getting a larger space – perhaps using dynamite. Joe also talked about starting a level 4 class started but needing more space to do so. I have no idea if level 4 is economically feasible.

Random fluctuations dictated that there be nearly twice as many women as men in the intermediate class today. However, this did not have much effect on how the social part of the evening unfolded. If form holds true, opposite will happen next week.

Generally my dances (or leads) felt more on the restrained side but presumably would have been considered very busy by most of my partners. No doubt some like it while others find it to be too much.

Tomorrow has the postponed CDC Salsa social at the University Centre. I also spotted posters for the big CDC Salsa event (Pasion de Invierno on Nov 26th) for the first time at Club Salsa. It probably helped Vishal’s sensibility because it’s being held on a Sunday and thus not competiting with any of the Salsa evenings at Club Salsa (meaning everyday but Sunday).

Quote of the day - "You're the one who's supposed to remember the routine and write it on your blog. (I'm not supposed to remember) I'm supposed to just follow."

I was saying I had a memory lapse about the material. I think I managed to squeeze it out of my head after returning home.