We saw some lovely friends from way-back this week! People we used to dance with back in the day. Our level 1 students are making great progress - so many are really getting the moves! And level 2 is continuing with more and more difficult patters. This week, level 1 learned Vacílala & Vacílala con Mano, while Level 2 learned Espresso.
Especially for all our leads, it's so important to find the "1" in the music - that's the key to dancing with the beat of the music. Even if you get lost, you find the 1 and then you're back on time with the music.
Listen to the song below by Maykel Blanco y Su Salsa Mayor - it has a very strong beat that should be easy for you to find. Clap along with the beat and say (out loud) "One" every time the 1 comes along. Here are the first few lines where I've highlighted the syllable where you'll find the 1:
Cuando tenía diNEro
Ay como me querIa
Y ahora que tengo los bolSIllos pela′os
No se acuerda de que yo EXistía
Cuando tenía diNEro
Cómo me perseGUIa
Y ahora que estoy arranCA'O
Si la miro, me LLAma a la policía
Finding the 1 with Cuando Tenía Dinero:
Level 1 - Vacílala & Vacílala con Mano
Vacílala: Vacílala con Mano is the same as Vacílala - just don't let go of the hands! Many people just say Vacila instead of Vacílala. This move is fundamental to so many of the moves you'll learn in level 2 and beyond such as Sombrero, Setenta, etc. The follow's feet do the same on all those moves. Leads, remember to prep on 7 !
Another Vacila video with rueda circle:
Level 2 - Espresso
Espresso: This move combines three separate dame moves! Dame Directo, Dame Dos, and Dame Arriba. With both Dame Directo & Dame Arriba, the leads go in the opposite direction as usual - going to their left instead of the normal dame to the right.
In the video below ignore the way the dancers do the "traveling" guapea going into and out of the circle - that's not part of the "Espresso" move but just a different way to do guapea.
Beginners - Welcome! Guapea & Dame are your foundational moves
Guapea: Basic move in rueda (cuban style salsa dancing)
Dame: (Scroll down to see detailed step-by-step video.) Switch partners by lead bringing partner on right over to left. Dame is the same as Dile Que No - dame is what we call in a rueda circle and dile que no is what is done dancing one-on-one.
Dame: (Detailed step-by-step video, start at 2:00)
Spotifyplaylist of some Timba favorites (Cuban-style salsa songs)
Videos of some of our all-time favorite Timba songs:
