Cuban Salsa

[ShyDancer]

Can anyone tell me the timing of Cuban Salsa pretty please?
Is it the QQQQ or QQS ??

Im considering attending my first Salsa workshop this weekend (You heard about it salsachinita? Vivadance is hosting it with Sky and Ricardo from Picante in Syd.)
The brochure says its Cuban salsa so Im just curious to find out if its the same timing as the ballroom type Im currently learning.


Thanks in advance :wink:

[salsachinita]

QQS......but there is a bit of 'drawl' on the timing IMO......which gives a 'groove' that characterises Cuban style (as opposed to 'faster', flashier L.A. style).

Check out "Slow Footwork???" thread under 'salsa' if interested.....

You will have fun....! Viva & SalsaPicante are both fantastic companies....! Good to see Cuban schools doing worshops....!

[ShyDancer]

Why did I know it was going to be QQS :x :x
Thanks SC :D

I am going to give them a call I think and ask if its ok that Im an absolute begginer in Cuban Salsa. I think the bodywork will be awesome to learn even if I never use the QQS again! :lol:

[salsachinita]

Oh, believe me, you will use QQS plenty (if you wanna salsa socially, that is).....!

I know you are going to be fine with the workshop....most people are absolute beginners.

Where did you get the info...? It's not on the website & I haven't heard a thing......which means the promotion could have been done better......

[MacMoto]

Some Cuban style dancers add a tap on the 4 and 8, which may give an impression of QQQQ timing, but there is no weight shift occurring on those beats. I think the tap is more about individual styling and not a requirement.
I know a number of people who started by learning the LA style then moved on to Cuban, and also Cuban-style dancers taking LA style classes and incorporating some of those moves into their dancing. I'm all for crossovers -- I love the little surprises these dancers can give you. And as a follower, it's great to be able to do both with all the authentic styling.

(Note to self: Authenticity -- got to stop going into dile que no when dancing with an LA-style leader trying to do a cross body lead...)

[SDsalsaguy]

...got to stop going into dile que no when dancing with an LA-style leader trying to do a cross body lead...)
:doh: :uplaugh: :uplaugh: :uplaugh:

[Pacion]

Some Cuban style dancers add a tap on the 4 and 8,

Or they tap on 1 and 5 :wink:

Shydancer, if you can go, I say go for it. Irrespective of the timing or where the tap is, a "major" difference, IMO, between Cuban and the other styles, is there are more hand combinations. The holds are closer and closed rather than the open style of CBL (whether it is On 1 or On 2 :wink: ). Therefore, as a female, you really do have to use your body more to interpret the music.

Be sure to have fun and report back. Enquiring minds would like to know :wink: :lol:

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

(Note to self: Authenticity -- got to stop going into dile que no when dancing with an LA-style leader trying to do a cross body lead...)

LOL! I sometimes do what I call a "cross body dille que no". It´s sort of a mixture of the two. I apply this move when I´m planning to do a CBL and discover the girl was expecting a Dille Que No (DQN). :lol:

[Sabor]

Therefore, as a female, you really do have to use your body more to interpret the music.

yesssssss! :snake: .. get them hips and shoulders flying like nobodysbiznezz 8) .. body isolation rules! bring it afrocuban style :banana:

[ShyDancer]

Where did you get the info...? It's not on the website & I haven't heard a thing......which means the promotion could have been done better......

I got it in an email from them...would you like me to forward it to you? They have an intermediate and advanced workshop to for the same price ($25) or you can get a dinner and show package as well...

Therefore, as a female, you really do have to use your body more to interpret the music.

yesssssss! :snake: .. get them hips and shoulders flying like nobodysbiznezz 8) .. body isolation rules! bring it afrocuban style :banana:


I want to go more to pick up the bodywork than anything else....salsa is a dance you can just get your feet to move to as long as you keep your body moving in the right direction :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: (remember Im still a newie at salsa! :wink: )

[Sabor]

and a wonderful newie you are ShyDancer : :D .. we are all 'newies' girl in relative terms.. let your passion loose :wink: cause u know u gona be fabuloso dont u 8) i can sense it :D

[sbsalsera]

(Note to self: Authenticity -- got to stop going into dile que no when dancing with an LA-style leader trying to do a cross body lead...)

LOL! I sometimes do what I call a "cross body dille que no". It´s sort of a mixture of the two. I apply this move when I´m planning to do a CBL and discover the girl was expecting a Dille Que No (DQN). :lol:

Could someone please clarify the difference between a cross body lead and dile que no? Is it just that a cross body lead is slotted whereas dile que no is rotational? Or is there more to it?

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

(Note to self: Authenticity -- got to stop going into dile que no when dancing with an LA-style leader trying to do a cross body lead...)

LOL! I sometimes do what I call a "cross body dille que no". It´s sort of a mixture of the two. I apply this move when I´m planning to do a CBL and discover the girl was expecting a Dille Que No (DQN). :lol:

Could someone please clarify the difference between a cross body lead and dile que no? Is it just that a cross body lead is slotted whereas dile que no is rotational? Or is there more to it?

SBS, I´m not the most qualified person to explain this. Anyway, besides the slotted and rotational difference, I would say the the CBL is a change in partner position, i.é., the man switches position with the lady. The DQN I´d say it is more of a "the lady´s by my side and I want to place her in front of me". I think the DQN in Spanish means "tell her no" (not sure though). I think it´s sort of a "I´m not going to do what you expect or want, but rather I´m going to do this..."

Not sure if this makes sense or if it´s correct. Boriken, Salsarhythm, Sabor, can you help me here?

[borikensalsero]

Not sure if this makes sense or if it´s correct. Boriken, Salsarhythm, Sabor, can you help me here?

I have got no idea what it is except that it does mean "Tell him/her No"

Brujo would be much more qualified to answer this question than me.

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

I´d just like to wish Pacion, Peach, Salsachinita, Pygmalion, Sarah, MacMoto, SBS, Vey, SD, Scorpion, Boriken, Youngsta, Sabor, Sagitta, Salsarhythms, NeoDevin, DanceMentor, Brujo, Vince and all the rest of the DF members a very HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[borikensalsero]

Same to you MapleLeaf!!! :D

[Sabor]

Happy Easter to you and yours MapleLeaf! Enjoy! :D

PS. and quit dancing next to giraffes! it can't be healthy u know :lol:

[Sagitta]

Thanks MPS. As for the differences between CBL and DQN, I thought that DQN involves partners switching positions, while CBL does not. Let me explain what I'm talking about. If you mark the spot where the leader and follower are dancing, then DQN should involve leader and follower exchanging spots L-F1. That DQN involves switching places makes sense since it is part of a rotational dance vocabulary. In CBL, on the otherhand I would say that the leader remains in the same spot, moving follower from L F1 to F2 L. Or at least, that's what I do.

[danceguy]

I've enjoyed reading up on this thread since I love to watch Cuban style...but not a lot of people do it where I go dancing. The circular motions and footwork really remind me of some of the Chinese MA that I've studied (Bagua in particular).

Here's a link with some terms...there is a bit about Dile Que No but its rather confusing to read. Also, I think their abbrviated title (S.C.A.M) ought to be changed! :shock:

http://www.salsaatmaryland.com/terminology.html

Anyone know of sites with clips of a DQN? I'll look around a bit when I have some time.

Best,

SG

P.S. Happy Easter to all of you as well! :D

[danceguy]

Here's one clip I found of a Dile Que No...its not the best video quality but I couldn't find any others.

http://freepages.pavilion.net/users/charles/dilequeno.mpg

Best,

SG

[sbsalsera]

Here's another site with clips:
http://ruedamoves.tripod.com/

Sagitta: your explanation makes a lot of sense to me - thanks!

[Neil]

Some Cuban style dancers add a tap on the 4 and 8,

Or they tap on 1 and 5 :wink:

I've noticed that it's very common for Cubans to tap on the three and seven, even when they are breaking on the one and five beats. In fact, I think most Cubans tap on the three more often than the four. It's a variation from basic timing that they don't even realize they do. The older Cubans do different "syncopations" that I never really bothered to watch closely enough to break down.

[Neil]

(Note to self: Authenticity -- got to stop going into dile que no when dancing with an LA-style leader trying to do a cross body lead...)

LOL! I sometimes do what I call a "cross body dille que no". It´s sort of a mixture of the two. I apply this move when I´m planning to do a CBL and discover the girl was expecting a Dille Que No (DQN). :lol:

Could someone please clarify the difference between a cross body lead and dile que no? Is it just that a cross body lead is slotted whereas dile que no is rotational? Or is there more to it?

When the dile que no starts in dance position, I think it might be exactly the same as a CBL to open position. However, it usually it starts with follower on her partners right side in handshake hold as they face almost the same direction.

The dile que no looks rotational, but it's really two straight lines at a 90º angle. The follower does a back rock while she's on the leader's right side. Her third step is a large forward step that puts her in front of her partner. Then, she walks in another straight line to get to his left side. The connection has a bungie cord effect to help her change directions. On the three and four beats she is stretching away from the leader and then she shoots straight forward like a sling shot.

[Neil]

I just saw the video clip from the link that ScorpionGuy posted. It looks like they are doing Cuban style. Even though they are in closed dance position, you can see that they get a little bit of that bungie effect I was talking about. You wouldn't do it that way in ballroom. Ballroom dancers look for a connection by moving forward. The default ballroom connection has some compression in it that Cuban Salsa dancers never get. They have more of a tethered connection that is kind of similar to what you sometimes see in street Swing or Hustle, although Swing and Hustle dancers will also get a compression type connection sometimes.

[Pacion]

:banana: Went to a salsa club in London that is predominately cuban style. It is the second time, but tonight was really good. :banana: I was reminded how blessed I am to have started off with cuban and part of me has been wanting to go back to the root/source. I danced so much :shock: :lol:

I also met someone there who had started around the same time I had, with the same cuban teacher. We had a great dance :banana: we were like 'bat and ball' :lol:

Looks like I am going to have to work out some sort of timetable here :lol: so that I work the LA, cuban and On2 in equal measures :lol:

[Genesius Redux]

Cuban dancers so rock! I wish we'd get over it in this country and have more exchanges....

[salsachinita]

Cuban is my most preferred style........it took me a little while to get the groove on, but now I will never look back :D !

I will get my dose of real Cuban fix this week, as we have a new musical/dance show in town: "Bar at Buena Vista". I believe there will be lots of after parties 8) !

[squirrel]

I prefer Puerto Ricans... both in music and in dance!
But I'd rather go for LA style (or Millenium)

[Neil]

Here in Miami, we only had Cuban/Casino style Salsa for a long time. Over the past five years or so, I've seen more and more LA style. Still, about a million dance Cuban style compared to maybe about one or two hundred doing LA, but the ratio isn't so extreme if you only look at the hard core dancers who dance every day, instead of just on Saturday night.

[MacMoto]

I like the fact that, as a follower, I get to dance both Cuban and LA styles more or less in equal measure here in Scotland because, when I dance just one style for a period, I begin to miss the other. The Glasgow scene is heavily Cuban, while the majority of Edinburgh dancers do LA style, so I try to fit in both cities each weekend whenever possible. It can be a bit confusing at first when you dance with someone you have never seen dance before, and some dancers have done both styles and mix and match, so you have to be able to adjust quickly. It only adds to the fun of it though. :D