It's a hard life but someone's gotta live it

December 4, 2006

Again I wasn’t sure about Salsa tonight in part because of exhaustion and not feeling particularly well. However, I did tell couple of people that I would be there so there I was.

Vishal made a surprise announcement that Joe was stuck in a bad traffic on M11 and was expected to be either very late or be a no show. Russell arrived by his himself fortunately. Thus the class was divided into two with Russell taking the improver/intermediate class and Vishal and Susie taking the beginners. Susie was asked to help at the last minute, and she told me later that she enjoyed it very much despite feeling that she didn’t know enough. As for me, I don’t think I could have done it tonight had Vishal asked me.

Improver with Russell

The first hour was a little too Cuban for my taste although it did offer something new. The second hour was alright and was useful because it made it easier for me to dance with several people in the improver class later in the evening.

The gimmick here is that leader uses his left hand only.

1,2,3,5,6,7 prepare and lead follower to a single stationary clockwise turn with L-R
1,2,3,5,6,7,1,2,3,5,6,7 open break and bring follower to R and lead her to walk around or promenade around leader during 5,6,7,1,2,3 (simple counterclockwise walkaround without a turn) and finish with leading follower to a stationary clockwise turn on final 1,2,3
1,2,3,5,6,7 open break and lead follower into Copa-like position on 3, but as in more Cuban movement allow follower to step back on 5 before leading follower back to original position with 1/2 clockwise turn to face leader again (perhaps I will change my mind later but this bit seems a little too Cuban for my taste) – leader’s L forearm of L-R connection is placed on follower’s back of neck to lead this movement
1,2,3,5,6,7 into CBL position while keeping L-R high and far away – this supposedly helps prevent follower from doing counterclockwise traveling turn – and lead follower into 1/2 clockwise traveling turn
1,2,3,5,6,7 leader turns full clockwise on 1,2,3 leaving follower’s R hand on leader’s L shoulder initially with the aim of getting it placed on the R shoulder after the completion of the turn – leader’s neck goes underneath the arm on 5 to get follower’s R hand back to the L side possibly followed by a body roll as R is dropped down to reconnect L-R
1,2,3,5,6,7 I think this might have been a simple Copa with challenge of using just L-R once again

second hour
1,2,3,5,6,7 crossed hold R-R on top – lead follower into stationary clockwise turn
1,2,3,5,6,7 standard Copa from crossed hold L-L on top and R ending on follower’s shoulder before leading follower’s Copa turn
1,2,3,5,6,7 L-L hat for leader while getting into CBL ending back with R-R hold with L-L underneath once again
1,2,3,5,6,7 lead follower to stationary clockwise turn ending with toss of R-R to get R-R on top again
1,2,3,5,6,7 an odd Copa – starts out with open break and with R-R going over and L-L leading follower forward on 2 – the movement for follower is somewhat more like CBL rather than Copa but that’s not quite right either – follower takes a big step forward with L foot on 2 while leader makes a similar step with R foot and follower’s R foot trails along on 3 to end in something like Copa position – end with crucifix position on 3, then lead follower straight back on 5 (leading a turn is apparently a possibility as well but it wasn’t covered) with leader doing a hook turn – end with R-R on top again probably
1,2,3,5,6,7 the odd Copa again (rather like open break CBL but with forward movement by follower on 2, which is the unusual bit) and in continuation and in same direction lead follower into 1 1/2 counterclockwise traveling turn

Mondays as club night has not been bustling, but tonight was alright with me. Although it does not bring out the best of Cambridge, I would have considered dances with at least eight different people as being quite useful experience – fun, learning and or helpful. People do get better, and if I can help, why not? And I do all this because I am such a genuinely super duper nice person :p