Any advice for on1 dancer who is learning to dance on2?

[vey]

I've been taught how to dance salsa on1 and have been dancing on1 for the past 10 months. Now I'm trying to learn how to dance on2 and was wondering if any of you went through this ordeal and could share your experiences/advices/tips.

When I'm listening to the music and doing basic step/ basic turn/etc, I have no problem hearing and feeling the beat, but it's when I'm trying anything more complicated than that, my body doesn't listen to my brain signals :( :( :(

To make things worse, lately, when I'm getting a bit behind the beat after some complicated combination while dancing on1 I started sometimes switching to on2 :shock: :shock: :shock:

[peachexploration]

Hi Vey. :D Try these topics:

How do you keep on time? (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1999url)
Why is 3/2 easier for me than 2/3? (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3437url)

[Hank]

I always count the whole song, and I count differently depending on which count I'm breaking on.

When breaking on one, I count: 1, 2, 3; 5, 6, 7.
When breaking on two, I count: 2, 3, 4; 6, 7, 8.

Thus, I leave out the beat in my mind that I'm holding with my feet. This difference in counting helps me keep the different styles straight. It still took me a couple years before I thought this was easy.

I've had other people tell me that they always count "quick, quick, slow" or "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6" (completely ignoring the beats of the music), but these don't work for me.

[youngsta]

vey I had the same issues when I first started dancing on2. All I did was dance it as much as possible to get used to it. After a while everything naturally fell into place.

[volleybgrl]

I'm in the same boat, and I'm going Youngsta's route and frequenting on2 spots. Yeah, everything's a little messy, but I don't see the need to go to classes to learn something I pretty much know already. Things aren't clicking yet for me, but they're getting there.... :D

[salsachinita]

On2 is something I've been wanting to do for a few years.......it's near impossible if you live in an on1 city :roll: .........

I guess you guys will just have to be really patient with me when I visit your cities :oops: ........

[tj]

I think part of the difficulty lies in how (after you've been dancing On1 for a while) is your muscle memory. You've trained your body to remember steps in a certain fashion.

I've been dancing On1 long enough that it's perfectly natural for me to do a small tap during the 4 while doing a CBL. Or finishing a turn and automatically stepping back on the 5.

But it's precisely stuff like that which will throw you off when learning Eddie Torrez On2. In that the syncopation (the pause) is different and that causes all the little things to be different. Which is the reason why it's pretty common for On1 dancers to dance Power2 or Montuno by mistake.

So for me, I'm still at a stage where I have to consciously think about my footwork and the count of the music when dancing On2.

Oh, and to answer SC's question - most scenes that I've been to (about 15-20 cities) dance primarily On1. On2 is definitely growing, but not predominent like some may lead you to believe.

[aragonh]

As a person who learned on1 first and then on2, i must agree with all that has been said.

It will feel very ackward at first when your dancing on2. It reminded me of the good ol' dayz when I was first learning to dance on1. I would step, think about what to do next, and then step again. Needless to say, I was very mechanical.

However, all u have to do is stickwith it and practice more and more. As the people bf mentioned, the more people you dance with it, the more you become accustomed to it.

One thing about the on2 phenomenon I like was the emphasis on dancing in slots. Most on1 teachers I had did not stress that (hell, LAstyle is all about being everywhere :) ) However, I prefer the tight and clean movement that on2 promotes.

[SalsaGeek]

One thing that I do is to break on1 with your right and then go on2 with your left. For example instead of breaking with your left on1 just do a tap or a small step with your right then quickly break with your left foot and you will be on2 every time. It's a tip that I picked up from a Pro last year.


I've been taught how to dance salsa on1 and have been dancing on1 for the past 10 months. Now I'm trying to learn how to dance on2 and was wondering if any of you went through this ordeal and could share your experiences/advices/tips.

When I'm listening to the music and doing basic step/ basic turn/etc, I have no problem hearing and feeling the beat, but it's when I'm trying anything more complicated than that, my body doesn't listen to my brain signals :( :( :(

To make things worse, lately, when I'm getting a bit behind the beat after some complicated combination while dancing on1 I started sometimes switching to on2 :shock: :shock: :shock:

[tj]

One thing that I do is to break on1 with your right and then go on2 with your left. For example instead of breaking with your left on1 just do a tap or a small step with your right then quickly break with your left foot and you will be on2 every time. It's a tip that I picked up from a Pro last year.


You've piqued my curiousity...

Could you explain it further? Preferably with what you're supposed to do on each of the 8 count?

[vey]

Guys, thank you so much for all your feedback and advice!!!! All that you've wrote is very-very helpful :!: :!: :!:

I have another related question for you:
while you were learning on2, were you continuing dancing/taking classes on1?( that's what I'm doing and I'm wondering do I have to stop on1 for a while in order to learn on2 or it's OK) :?: :?: :?:
Eventually, I would really like to be able to do both well ...

[tj]

Guys, thank you so much for all your feedback and advice!!!! All that you've wrote is very-very helpful :!: :!: :!:

I have another related question for you:
while you were learning on2, were you continuing dancing/taking classes on1?( that's what I'm doing and I'm wondering do I have to stop on1 for a while in order to learn on2 or it's OK) :?: :?: :?:
Eventually, I would really like to be able to do both well ...

Well - for example, if you were trying to learn English, would you really want to learn how to speak with a Southern drawl while simultaneously trying to learn the Queen's English?

[vey]

One thing that I do is to break on1 with your right and then go on2 with your left. For example instead of breaking with your left on1 just do a tap or a small step with your right then quickly break with your left foot and you will be on2 every time. It's a tip that I picked up from a Pro last year.


You've piqued my curiousity...

Could you explain it further? Preferably with what you're supposed to do on each of the 8 count?

I think I'm doing a similar thing: my perception is that on1 and on2 are extremely similar, it's just that foot placing is a bit different on each particular beat, so when I'm practicing on2, I'm still starting on1 but not with my left foot going front (as in on1), but with my right foot doing a little, almost "in place" step and than right foot going front on2.

[tj]

One thing that I do is to break on1 with your right and then go on2 with your left. For example instead of breaking with your left on1 just do a tap or a small step with your right then quickly break with your left foot and you will be on2 every time. It's a tip that I picked up from a Pro last year.


You've piqued my curiousity...

Could you explain it further? Preferably with what you're supposed to do on each of the 8 count?

I think I'm doing a similar thing: my perception is that on1 and on2 are extremely similar, it's just that foot placing is a bit different on each particular beat, so when I'm practicing on2, I'm still starting on1 but not with my left foot going front (as in on1), but with my right foot doing a little, almost "in place" step and than right foot going front on2.

Ok, now that you've chimed in, I understand what SalsaG is talking about.

The "tap" means no weight change in my lexicon, but obviously he is doing one.

As I said earlier, one of the most difficult things that I find in learning On2 (Eddie Torres style) is that the pause is on a different part of my footwork.

Granted that this isn't truly right in that the On2 is typically taught with one's feet never being together... a rough translation is that On2 is like On1 except you break on the 6, but with the pause being different.

Obviously, this varies by instructor - I'm specifically referring to a couple of instructors from NYC; I forget the name of one, but the other was Bernard Martinez. He and his wife are quite good!

So, this step in place on the 1, then breaking forward with one's left on the 2, isn't this reversed? Granted, that's how we're learning it in my local studio, but basically, I believe that we're dancing it with our 1's and 5's reversed (at least compared to how "true" NYC instructors have taught it). No big deal, honestly, but I think it'll add to the confusion if any of us were to actually get more serious with it. Similar to when an instructor dances rueda different from the rest of the world.

[ketchup]

Which is the reason why it's pretty common for On1 dancers to dance Power2 or Montuno by mistake.

For a long time I believed the only way to dance "on2" means stepping 234, and one day while I was dancing, my "experiment devil" (see another thread :twisted: ) told me, "Hey what if you skip 4 and step on 5 instead while you are away with the partner?" I think, actually somehow I felt it was "right" for me to do so because of the music that was being played at that time. So I was playing with my feet, 23-5, 67-1, 23-5, 67-1.... and it felt so good.

And in a week or so, it became my habit to step this way even while doing moves. Then I thought, "Damn, I have developed another bad habit!!" I tried to "correct" it, but it was not easy, because it felt so good....

After a year or so, I heard about "Eddie Torres 2 --- stepping on 123, 567 but breaking on 2" for the first time. I was wondering how it was possible....
After a lot of thinking, I finally realized that stepping on "23-5, 67-1" means stepping on "123, 567"!! :shock: So I was doing the exact same step without knowing it was already a common thing among a lot of dancers.

The problem for me was, since 5 and 1 comes on the last part of three steps in my way of feeling the music "23-5, 67-1," I had trouble with those moves that has to be initiated on 1. Like multiple turns. I was always late for that. So I tried to fix my way of feeling music, and finally I can somehow feel the music "123, 567" instead of "23-5, 67-1". Does this make sense to anyone else? :?

[borikensalsero]

Wepa Ketchup!! Rather nice that you came up with that stepping sequence without any help. very sweet!

Yeap, it makes sense, the one and the five are ususally the strongest beats in the music, so when you hit them it really feels like you are going with the music, weather you go forward of backwards the music is still felt very strong.

But, I'm still a bit confused, are you still breaking on2? I'm having difficulty seeing how 23-5, 67-1 is different than 123 567, that is being late on the 1. For you will have to compensate for either way for those moves on the one. The slow downs are still the same, and the quick quicks are still the same. Even if the last step comes on the 1 or the 5,( the way I'm thinking about it ) all that changes is the way we think about the numbering sequence, that is if you are still stepping back with your left on the 1. For to me the last step on 123 567 it still the 1 and the 5 in the middle. Even if we count 1,2,3 the last step will be the middle and the beginning the 2. I'm lost...

[ketchup]

But, I'm still a bit confused, are you still breaking on2? I'm having difficulty seeing how 23-5, 67-1 is different than 123 567, that is being late on the 1. For you will have to compensate for either way for those moves on the one. The slow downs are still the same, and the quick quicks are still the same. Even if the last step comes on the 1 or the 5,( the way I'm thinking about it ) all that changes is the way we think about the numbering sequence, that is if you are still stepping back with your left on the 1. For to me the last step on 123 567 it still the 1 and the 5 in the middle. Even if we count 1,2,3 the last step will be the middle and the beginning the 2. I'm lost...

Borikensalsero, I wish you could see me on the screen right now... My body is literally shaking with HAPPINESS!!! :shock: :D :D This is the first time my way of feeling the music (resulting in this particular numbering sequence 23-5, 67-1) and my way of viewing the steps (the last step on 123 567 is still the 1 and the 5 in the middle, as you mentioned) have ever made sense to anyone I've talked to!!!!!

As for "being late on 1," I think what I meant to say was actually "I used to miss the 1." ---- this is what I mean:

Let's take "copa (which we discussed in another thread)" for example.

If you dance on Power2, after the open break on 6, on 8 you are already stopping her on her waist, and after a little pause (the 1) you start to push her away on the 2. And I was used to this little pause on the 1, which is happening immediately before starting to push her back.

Now, EddieT version, after the open break on6, it is on the 1 where you stop her. This means that "little pause" (in this case the 8th beat) is happening while you are pulling her toward you, instead of after you stop her on her waist. So in this version, you have to start pushing her away immediately after you stop her unlike power 2.

However, since I was after all used to 234 678version, when I started to dance on 23-5, 67-1 version, my body was not yet understanding this type of difference in mechanism. So when I started to dance on 23-5, my copa was something like ---- pull her toward me on 678 and stop her on 1, and then waited one extra beat (because in my mind, somehow I was feeling as if I stopped her on the 8, when in fact I stopped her on the 1) and then I started to push her away somewhere near the 3.

I think this means that somehow I was not feeling the first beat of the music, because of the particular numbering sequence that I was feeling and using. As you do, I also see the 1 and the 5 are the last step. And in my case, this affects the way I feel the music. I don't know why.

Anyway, if you learn ET style in schools from the very beginning level, your mind would be probably trained to feel the music 123 567 (instead of 23-5 67-1), and be trained to view your back step on the 1 (L) as the first step in sequence even though it is not the break step. And I think this would prevent the learner from the type of confusion which I had to go through.

AAarrrrrrrggggggg, I don't know if I am making sense this time, but please just ignore this post, if I am not. It's just that I am soooooo happy that I have finally found someone to talk about this kind of stuff with, so I kept going. :P

[ino]

I always count the whole song, and I count differently depending on which count I'm breaking on.

When breaking on one, I count: 1, 2, 3; 5, 6, 7.
When breaking on two, I count: 2, 3, 4; 6, 7, 8.

Thus, I leave out the beat in my mind that I'm holding with my feet. This difference in counting helps me keep the different styles straight. It still took me a couple years before I thought this was easy.


This is exactly what I did and let me tell u that it works. I suggest dancing to the step without the music repeating the counts in ur head. Then when u feel u got it then turn on the music and count the 2, 3, 4; 6, 7, 8 . Think ur step through and begin when u feel comfortable. Using this it took me only 5 min to get it down :D

[borikensalsero]

AAarrrrrrrggggggg, I don't know if I am making sense this time, but please just ignore this post, if I am not. It's just that I am soooooo happy that I have finally found someone to talk about this kind of stuff with, so I kept going. :P


It makes perfect sense ketchup. Indeed if your mind is still thinking it is dancing power2 with your own twist of it, you'll have subtle difficulties here and there that will slightly mess up your "onbeatness" and the lead. Now, I understand what you originally meant.

I know both power2 and ET's on2. I dance power 2 about 90% of the time. So I always make the girls finish their spins on the 4 instead of the 1. :twisted: It feels weired at first because you have a girl comming at you while your are still on the 4, it makes it feel as if she was going to step on your foot. lol...

Once your body adjusts to the beats, you'll be more than fine. :D

[DiAnAoN1]

I've been taught to dance On 1 and I live in Orlando which I think is a city where people dance mostly on 1 ( i have rarely seen anyone dance on 2) anyways I'm just curious on why On1 dancers want to learn On2, does it look better, does it feel better, I'm just wondering. :?:

[jamaicanspice]

ok so like I am officially LOST here!! I've never learnt all the terms in dancing :oops: all this talk of on1 and on2 is making me feel slightly ashamed for NOT knowing it. I mean I figure they are the steps but unless I am seeing it done infront of me you have me confused with the talking about it. I need a visual here please!!! :oops:

(you'd think after all this time I would KNOW this wouldn't you??)

[Sagitta]

I have no clips that I think can explain all 4 common styles that I've seen...

However I think I can explain the concept of breaking and on1, ET on2, on2, and on3. Break means you stop, so next beat your body changes direction.

Think about the first half of the measure 1, 2, 3, 4. During that first hlaf you change direction.

For a leader's body....
on 1, that means beat 1 is going forward and beat 2 is going back
on 2 ET means beat 2 going back, beat 3 going forward
power on2 means beat 2 forward and beat 3 back
on3 means beat 3 is going forward and beat 4 you are going back

for follower's body..
on 1, that means beat 1 is going back and beat 2 is going forward
on 2 ET means beat 2 going back, beat 3 going forward
power on2 means beat 2 back and beat 3 forward
on3 means beat 3 is going back and beat 4 you are going forward

Is this what you meant - the concept of breaking?

Or are we talking of the moves such as copa?

Or is it where the quick, quick, slows are, and where you hold for two beats for the various styles?

[ketchup]

I know both power2 and ET's on2. I dance power 2 about 90% of the time. So I always make the girls finish their spins on the 4 instead of the 1. :twisted:

On the 4 instead of the 1? I am picturing multiple R spins now... do you mean "instead of the3 or the 5"? I might be picturing something wrong?

Also, does this mean your steps are power 2 90% of the time when you are dancing with a ET follower? Or do you mean when you go out dancing, 90% of the time you dance with power 2 dancers? In any event it sounds very interesting. I have heard it is not very easy to find power 2 dancers in NY nowadays.... is it true? :?:

anyways I'm just curious on why On1 dancers want to learn On2, does it look better, does it feel better, I'm just wondering.

DiAnAoN1, in my case, I just started to dance both ways from the very beginning. And somehow on 2 felt good. Actually, the person who first taught me salsa told me to try the same thing on different beats and choose whichever I felt comfortable, and I just tried with every beat. I never felt comfortable dancing on 4, but felt equally good on 1 and 3, and felt best on 2. It depends on the music, though. (I am very grateful to this person for giving me this advice on the very first day of my salsa lesson. If I had danced on a certain beat for a long time, and then had to switch to on 2, I would have had a really hard time. In fact, I used to break forward on 2 with my L, and now I am trying to reverse it ---- but since it is a long held habit, I am now having a lot of difficulty. )

As for how it looks --- I am not sure. But if people want to switch to on2, maybe that should be part of the reason.

I know a couple of people who "switch"ed to on2, and they all say they love the feel of it and they cannot go back to on1. And some of them refuse to dance on1. Me.... I just follow the person who kindly dances with me. If she likes on1, fine. On2, fine. On3, fine. Who cares. But on4.... give me some time to practice! :lol:

[ketchup]

ok so like I am officially LOST here!! I've never learnt all the terms in dancing :oops: all this talk of on1 and on2 is making me feel slightly ashamed for NOT knowing it.

Jamaicanspice, please do NOT feel ashamed!!

There are tons of great musicians who are not familiar with all those technical terms or even with musical notes. They don't need such things. I think that's great! 8)

I sometimes miss those good old days when only a very few cared about xxxx style, or dancing on xx beat etc. etc. This salsa craze all over the world may be good for us, but it seems to me that all those congresses, salsa schools, info on internet have somehow changed people's idea about "social" dancing. Maybe I am jealous of those people who are fortunate to learn in schools ---- but this whole salsa fever sometimes makes me feel inferior knowledge-wise. I feel as if I should be ashamed of not knowing everything and anything.

[squirrel]

exactly, ketchup! the very spirit of Salsa dance is sometimes forgotten! Salsa is not about competing and showing off... but people take it and make it similar to Ballroom... Ballroom is all nice, if you ask me, but TO WATCH! And excuse my opinion (hope nobody gets offence... sorry if you do, guys, that's not my intention)... but Ballroom dancing is dead! In the sense that it is designed for competitions and shows and you cannot just DANCE it socially! Unless, of course, you have your partner with you...

So many competitions... does winning a competition make you the best dancer? What competition should you win? In LA, in NY, in Toronto, in London, in Melbourne...?

Sometimes there are more competitions organised in the same city... sometimes even at the same time! Which one proves you're the best?

Even if you won a (or many) competition (s) can you dance with a Latina/Latino off the street, who learned when they were little? Can you lead any girl? Can you just interpret the music and forget about choreography...?

Again, sorry if I offended anybody... but to me Salsa comes from the heart, from the soul... and it has nothing to do with competing... :)

[Sabor]

so whats on 1 and on 2 and on 3 again..? :lol: :lol:

any one try on 2.5 before? :shock: .. :lol:

[borikensalsero]

On the 4 instead of the 1? I am picturing multiple R spins now... do you mean "instead of the3 or the 5"? I might be picturing something wrong?

Also, does this mean your steps are power 2 90% of the time when you are dancing with a ET follower? Or do you mean when you go out dancing, 90% of the time you dance with power 2 dancers? In any event it sounds very interesting. I have heard it is not very easy to find power 2 dancers in NY nowadays.... is it true? :?:


Sorry, I meant to say, "stop them on the 4 instead of the 5, or 8 instead of the 1"

When I dance a song I'll stay on power 2 the entire song, if I get off to go Eddie's on2 is because the girl can't compensate for power2. A couple of dances every few weeks or so I'll dance it E. Torres on2. As a matter of fact I was thinking on dancing all night Eddie's on2 tonight. But I just don't like the "stiffness" it creates.

Nope there isn't much truth to not finding power 2 dancers in NY City. There is a whole bunch of people that do power 2. My few top favorite dancers in NY city all seem to prefer to dance power2. At least whenever I see them dance they are doing power2.

[tj]

Again, sorry if I offended anybody... but to me Salsa comes from the heart, from the soul... and it has nothing to do with competing... :)

(psst... you're probably gonna upset the ballroom dancers around here!)

But I understand the point of your post. It's not about all the flash/trash, it's about the connection between you and your partner.

Unfortunately, ego's tend to get in the way far too often.

But hey, I think it's the exception rather than the rule, and most of the time we can all just enjoy the dancing for the sake of dancing.

[Genesius Redux]

Ballroom dancing is dead! In the sense that it is designed for competitions and shows and you cannot just DANCE it socially!

Tell you what, Sugar. Next time you're in Nashville, look me up--I shall dance social ballroom with you and I guarantee you'll feel alive. :wink: 8)

[vey]

I'm just curious on why On1 dancers want to learn On2, does it look better, does it feel better, I'm just wondering. :?:

The majority of people here in chicago are dancing on1 and that's how I originally have learnt it. But now I'd really like to take classes at a new studio, where they teach more advanced stuff and they happend to teach on2. That' s honestly the only reason why I'm doing it, I'm too "young" of a dancer to really distinguish which one is better or easier or ....

[tj]

I've been taught to dance On 1 and I live in Orlando which I think is a city where people dance mostly on 1 ( i have rarely seen anyone dance on 2) anyways I'm just curious on why On1 dancers want to learn On2, does it look better, does it feel better, I'm just wondering. :?:

Well, another reason is that it's good for you to know how to dance the various styles. Each dancer will have their own personal favs, and it's nice to be able to cater to everyone.

Plus, for me, since I'm moving to NJ, as Borikensalsero pointed out, 99% of the dancers dance On2! :shock:

[ketchup]

As a matter of fact I was thinking on dancing all night Eddie's on2 tonight. But I just don't like the "stiffness" it creates..

I almost forgot how it felt dancing on Power2, so I am not able to compare it with ET2 as to the "stiffness" or the smoothness now...

Since I started to be conscious about almost everything (timing, technique, etc.etc.), I have always been feeling stiff anyway :lol:

As for the number of Power2 people in NY, I am very glad to hear that. I just wouldn't like the idea of one style taking over one whole city.

Even if you won a (or many) competition (s) can you dance with a Latina/Latino off the street, who learned when they were little? Can you lead any girl? Can you just interpret the music and forget about choreography...?

I am not against competitions, and I want to be as good a dancer as I can be, but I don't think I will ever think about participating in any competition, for this very reason that squirrel has mentioned above.
Now, if there was a competition where you are supposed to dance with 10 different ladies, and each of the ladies judges you on how much she enjoyed dancing with you ------- mmmm scary thought :twisted:

[jamaicanspice]

I GOT IT!!!! :lol: I forgot that one of my salsa teachers works the same place that I do and she came in today so I asked about the steps and she demonstrated it to me so I could fully understand and so now I can say I am an ON1 DANCER!! :lol: of course that also means that now I can say with confidence that ON2 is not as easy as it looks....it's like Cuban salsa dancing...(that's the count cubans use when they dance if I'm not mistaken) and at present I have not fully learnt the cuban style. Will any of you guys be coming to Jamaica anytime soon ???

[Sagitta]

I find that the hardest part about dancing a different style, meaning breaking on a different beat, is a tendency to migrate to the style that one does the most often. I do on1 most often so if I don't concentrate I'm suddenly there!! :oops:

And as tj said, learning the different styles allows one to cater to the lady's preference. I know that I dance with a greater variety of people then some others. These look around and see, oh those people do La style and then just ask those people to dance. Me, I go and start dancing with a person. If LA style is not working I quickly switch to another style. And this is good as I don't like sitting down much. :) I'm actually having some evil thoughs here. :twisted: Too twisted to share. :)

[squirrel]

Sagitta you're soooo right... I've danced on2... but I'm used to dance on1... so anytime the guy would let me go and I did my shines... I'd go back on1 :oops: :oops: :oops: :roll: he would laugh at me... :)

[jamaicanspice]

Sagitta you're soooo right... I've danced on2... but I'm used to dance on1... so anytime the guy would let me go and I did my shines... I'd go back on1 :oops: :oops: :oops: :roll: he would laugh at me... :)

I am SOOOOO guilty of this too!!! :oops:

[DiAnAoN1]

Sagitta you're soooo right... I've danced on2... but I'm used to dance on1... so anytime the guy would let me go and I did my shines... I'd go back on1 :oops: :oops: :oops: :roll: he would laugh at me... :)

That happened to me on sunday :oops: I'm so used to dancing on1 that the whole dance felt a little off luckily he was a nice guy and we danced on1 after that song.

[tj]

I do on1 most often so if I don't concentrate I'm suddenly there!! :oops:


Whoa - where in NY are you again - Ithaca, wasn't it? Do most in your scene dance On1 or On2?

[youngsta]

I really don't have issues with the switch back issue anymore. This weekend was really the first time I got to dance on2 a lot and everything went smooth. I think the more you dance on the different timings the easier it is to stay with whatever one you started the dance on.

[Sagitta]

I do on1 most often so if I don't concentrate I'm suddenly there!! :oops:


Whoa - where in NY are you again - Ithaca, wasn't it? Do most in your scene dance On1 or On2?

Ithaca, with most dancing on1 and on3. I don't think anyone does on2. My problem is compounded by doing the followers part, so for on1, if I do th followers steps as a leader it is dancing on5, which I can do the basic in, but then it becomes really akward for moves. Just doesn't work.

I agree with youngsta that the more you practice the different styles te easier it becomes to stay on the one you choose to dance on.

[jamaicanspice]

well you see that's my problem...MOST of the people I dance with dance on1....it's not very often (rare actually) that I meet someone who dances on2....as for on3..WHAT IS THAT!! :shock: 8)

[Sagitta]

For a leader on3 means starting the on1 footwork, but left foot forward on 3.

For follower, it is right foot back on beat 3, instead of 1.


To get a feel for it step as a follower on your left foot for beats 1-2, then step back with your right foot on beat 3 and then continue with the same footwork that you do for on1. This means your slows are on 5-6 and 1-2 beats.

[tj]

I do on1 most often so if I don't concentrate I'm suddenly there!! :oops:



My problem is compounded by doing the followers part, so for on1, if I do th followers steps as a leader it is dancing on5, which I can do the basic in, but then it becomes really akward for moves. Just doesn't work.


And why doesn't it work? I'm not following (pun intended) your train of thought.

[ketchup]

I do on1 most often so if I don't concentrate I'm suddenly there!! :oops:



My problem is compounded by doing the followers part, so for on1, if I do th followers steps as a leader it is dancing on5, which I can do the basic in, but then it becomes really akward for moves. Just doesn't work.


And why doesn't it work? I'm not following (pun intended) your train of thought.

I think I understand the awkwardness that Sagitta feels when he dances on 5. (I am assuming he is talking about the way he feels the music, aside from the fact he is doing the follower's part). I really truely admire those people who can dance on 1 and on 5 (or on2 and on6 ) equally well. I used to break forward with my L on 2, instead of 6. And I am now trying to reverse it so that I would be able to dance more like NY people --- but it's just so hard. I feel so awkward especially when I am doing turns. :cry: :cry:

[salsachinita]

I really don't have issues with the switch back issue anymore. This weekend was really the first time I got to dance on2 a lot and everything went smooth. I think the more you dance on the different timings the easier it is to stay with whatever one you started the dance on.

:roll: Now would all of you on2 leaders come this way & give us some real practice.......? No one does it here :x !

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[borikensalsero]

Rules, more rules, rules we are taught to follow, knowingly or unknowingly to dance mambo.

Use them to get yourself started, to get in the world of mambo dancing, all I ask is to allow those rules to transform your reality of mambo. One day, we'll all look back and know that his part, her part where simply the rules we needed to get us going to learn that no rules were needed to feel the music within the dance.

Her 2 or 6 are just as good to me as my 2 or 6. The feel isn't different because the beats aren't accentuating nor ruling my dancing, it is a step further. The music's soul speaks, I listen and react, no predesposed thinking, there will never be a reasonable, nor logical way to truly feel, we can only feel, the job is that for the mind to control what we feel. Only then can we say the best we reasonabily can, what we feel. For the mind has taken hold of it, and told us what to or not to do/feel...

By pass the logical dos and don'ts of the brain and the 1 or 5 with the left forward will be just the same. They'll be equal to one another, only a need for control (EGO) over our actions on feelings can deem a wrong or correct, or a "feels" different. We are using our brains as tools to build walls instead of tools for understanding... I forget who said that, was it OSHO? Hmmmm, anyhow, know that one day, the fight for I need to step here or there on the 1, or 2, will become absolete, if it never does, you have never stopped thinking, hence, have limited your very own danceing... What separates the best from the rest isn't skill, but the true heart of passion..... A feeling we can't see, nor reason, but we sure can feel, be it how it feels to each one of us. It elevates us to the realms unfathomable by the mind...

[squirrel]

Wow! Borikensalsero, you have convinced me... you have the soul of a poet...!

[borikensalsero]

Wow! Borikensalsero, you have convinced me... you have the soul of a poet...!

:oops: :oops: :oops: Thank you so very much squirrel!!! :D :D

[jamaicanspice]

:roll: Now would all of you on2 leaders come this way & give us some real practice.......? No one does it here :x !

:lol: :lol: :lol:

DITTO THAT!! :wink: 8) :lol:

[SDsalsaguy]

:roll: Now would all of you on2 leaders come this way & give us some real practice.......? No one does it here :x !

:lol: :lol: :lol:

DITTO THAT!! :wink: 8) :lol:
Does this mean that I'm not welcome? :cry: :oops: :cry:

[borikensalsero]

:roll: Now would all of you on2 leaders come this way & give us some real practice.......? No one does it here :x !

:lol: :lol: :lol:

DITTO THAT!! :wink: 8) :lol:
Does this mean that I'm not welcome? :cry: :oops: :cry:

Yeap, I think that is what she means SD. hehe :nope:

[jamaicanspice]

8) @SD: you're welcome here anytime :lol:

[salsachinita]

Does this mean that I'm not welcome? :cry: :oops: :cry:

:friend: You are still my No.1........ as always :wink: !

*but we gotta sweet talk some to the on2ers don't we :wink: ....shhhh......*

[DiAnAoN1]

As a person who learned on1 first and then on2, i must agree with all that has been said.

It will feel very ackward at first when your dancing on2. It reminded me of the good ol' dayz when I was first learning to dance on1. I would step, think about what to do next, and then step again. Needless to say, I was very mechanical.

However, all u have to do is stickwith it and practice more and more. As the people bf mentioned, the more people you dance with it, the more you become accustomed to it.

One thing about the on2 phenomenon I like was the emphasis on dancing in slots. Most on1 teachers I had did not stress that (hell, LAstyle is all about being everywhere :) ) However, I prefer the tight and clean movement that on2 promotes.

Thats the way I felt today during my first on2 class (I'm visiting NY so I want to get comftorable dancing On2 before I go) I felt like I was learning all over again :( but my instructor gave me a cd that counts the beats so I'm gonna have lots of practice, she also emphasized the dancing in slots...I wanna get to a point where I can dance any style

[Sagitta]

Thats the way I felt today during my first on2 class (I'm visiting NY so I want to get comftorable dancing On2 before I go) I felt like I was learning all over again :( but my instructor gave me a cd that counts the beats so I'm gonna have lots of practice, she also emphasized the dancing in slots...I wanna get to a point where I can dance any style

A good goal to have, one that I share as well. That way you can dance anywhere with anyone. You can have that much more fun! :D