Breaking on 3?

Sagitta

Sagitta

Well-Known Member
Just wondering how many people out there dance salsa by breaking on 3? I am learning salsa from one instructor who breaks on 3 and another who breaks on 1. Since I've heard so much talk about breaking on 1 vs 2 I was curious at to how many people break on 3 or other beats then 1/2?
 
When i dance casino i sometimes break on three. It depends on the song whether i do it. sometimes it feels good and with other songs i does feel better to break on one.
 
I actually tried this out at a social dance I was at for a little while earlier this afternoon. It works for some songs but feels very odd for others. Youngsta, is the pattern in Holland the same as on1 but danced on3 to most songs? I'm curious, don't know if I've come across this...
 
Dancing on 3 starts out with a forward slow for 1-2 on the right foot, followed by 3-4 left right, 5-6 left foot back slow, 7-8 right left. Usually when I dance with people it's salsa on 1.
 
With very fast songs i use a sort of starting step. i put my weight on the right foot on 1 and then i break forward on 3. usually i dance to cuban music on 3 and to most other music i dance on 1 or sometimes i dance on 2 (have to get used to it ;) )
 
On rare occasions (a couple times during Oscar D'Leon songs, for some reason, if I remember correctly), I used to unknowingly break on 3 (instead of my usual 1) when I was taking private lessons. My instructor used to correct me, not because there was anything wrong with breaking on 3, she said, but because she wanted me to know waht count I was breaking on. She had another student who regularly broke on 3 and was fine with that. Also, she said that a lot of Latinos in this area seem to break on 3.
 
I've never like the feel of breaking on 3. But I have sometimes found myself doing it, because I got off beat. I usually try to play it cool and act like nothing has changed, and then try to find a way to sneak back to the 1 beat (ex. spin her about 3 times and then lead a break). :twisted:
 
I break on three!

People that dance Salsa are always talking about 'doing what you feel.' Well, when I listen to music, even non-dancing music, I tend to follow the bass-line. It just so happens that the bass-line moves me to break on three, much the same way American-style (box) rumba timing is.

I know I'm in the minority, because ladies tend to fight me on this. So, I break on one if they can't adapt.

If a really steccato mambo comes on, I break on two... I guess the only number I don't wanna break on is 4!

I actually don't even have to count... I just ride the song and do what I feel... the result seems to be 'breaking on 3.'
 
I usually break on 3 since casino is my style but lately I've seen many people who is beginning to break on 2 in my town. So it's not hard for me to break on 2 either. Now my question is, do you like better to break on 3 or break on 2? , whoever dances both ways. Personally I like breaking on 3.
 
I break on 1 (or 5 8) ) usually, but there are a lot of people here who mix breaking on 1 and breaking on 3 (or 7) ... I don't 'cause when I started learning Salsa I had a huge timing problem and thus had to practically learn it.

So I normally break on1, but I can easily break on3 as well.

I agree with those who said there are songs when it's easier to break on3. I've found myself doing it unknowingly and then realising it. But then again, there are songs when breaking on3 seems unnatural...
 
i do it sometimes with those who are flexible on the different beats (too few unfortunately) but, i think its easier for those who dance on1 to pick it up than picking up the on2.. maybe cause its another odd no. beat..? not sure ..
 
Sabor said:
i do it sometimes with those who are flexible on the different beats (too few unfortunately) but, i think its easier for those who dance on1 to pick it up than picking up the on2.. maybe cause its another odd no. beat..? not sure ..
Click to expand...

I'd agree with that, I think it has to do with downbeats, which I believe are 1,3,5,7... and these are the beats that the cowbell often counts..

Dancing on1 or on3 (or on5/on7.. ) you're emphasising the downbeats with the break, so transitioning to another 'downbeat' count is probaby easier. In theory the difference between on1 and on5 (or on3 and on7) should be purely defined by clave direction... but what I don't get is that to me, dancing on1 always feels more 'natural' than on5, irrespective of which way the clave is going. Don't know why, though.

on the flip side, 2,4,6 and 8 are 'upbeats', which I guess is why dancing on2 feels more 'floaty' than on1.

Anyway, for me it all depends on the song and my mood... sometimes on3 feels better than on1.. it has more of a 'driving' feeling. Sometimes not.
 
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