AT steps in Salsa routines?

[Twilight_Elena]

I was watching an Alex Da Silva video from the Mayan 2002 comp, and I saw his follow (I believe it was Liz Lira) do a pattern which I've seen in other variations as well at pro comps. It reminded me of the ocho (figure eight) in Argentine Tango so much it made me wonder: is this a salsa pattern I'm not aware of or is it an AT figure that salsa dancers have borrowed to enrich their routines?
And here's a linky to the video:
http://www.lasalsacentral.com/Videos/alex & liz prelim.mov

Twilight Elena

 

[africana]

yes Liz Lira comes from a tango background and incorporates that into her styling - very cool stuff 8)

 

[Twilight_Elena]

yes Liz Lira comes from a tango background and incorporates that into her styling - very cool stuff 8)

I didn't know that! Interesting stuff... I really liked her styling, it was very passionate and now that I think of it, it did remind me of tango in some ways. But I just loved her dancing with Da Silva. Very matching couple, if I may say so.
Does anyone know if this is common? I believe I've seen the ocho in other salsa dancers as well and wonder if it's a well known, sort of more "official" pattern.

Twilight Elena

 

[africana]

oh yeah that move is pretty popular, at least it used to be (these days styling seems to have gotten simpler, less flashy) but Liz still teaches some of those moves in her workshops including the leg flicks (not sure what they are called in AT) which I love! it's just amazing to watch her social dancing and being able to fit that all in with random partners

Yeah they do partner well together, beleive they won first prize on the dance TV show - 15 seconds to fame (?forget the name of it), worth $30k 2/3 years ago

 

[Twilight_Elena]

oh yeah that move is pretty popular, at least it used to be (these days styling seems to have gotten simpler, less flashy)

Actually, from what I see in videos, I'd say it's all becoming flashier every second! The fact that they're doing so many acrobatics is by itself flashy and, IMO, not what salsa is about. But let's not get into that.
From what I've realised, salsa has got hundreds of moves and patterns in addition to the fundamentals (basic step, DQN's or CBL's and so on). So it seems pretty logical to me that salsa dancers must have taken elements from other styles and incorporated them into salsa. Thoughts and examples on this? I'd still love some feeldback on the ocho.

Twilight Elena

 

[Sagitta]

Ochos or variants therof are done often enough around here. It isn't uncommon, but not as tangoey as Liz Lira.

 

[africana]

oh yeah that move is pretty popular, at least it used to be (these days styling seems to have gotten simpler, less flashy)

Actually, from what I see in videos, I'd say it's all becoming flashier every second! The fact that they're doing so many acrobatics is by itself flashy and, IMO, not what salsa is about. But let's not get into that.

you're talking about performances/competitions, I'm talking about social dancing. It used to be that almost guy expected the lady to "service" them at least once per song by spreading out his arms, holding the woman and waiting for her to do the ocho or some extended (attempt at ) ultra-sexy variation of the ocho/cross-cross move. fewer people do that now.

 

[Sagitta]

oh yeah that move is pretty popular, at least it used to be (these days styling seems to have gotten simpler, less flashy)

Actually, from what I see in videos, I'd say it's all becoming flashier every second! The fact that they're doing so many acrobatics is by itself flashy and, IMO, not what salsa is about. But let's not get into that.

you're talking about performances/competitions, I'm talking about social dancing. It used to be that almost guy expected the lady to "service" them at least once per song by spreading out his arms, holding the woman and waiting for her to do the ocho or some extended (attempt at ) ultra-sexy variation of the ocho/cross-cross move. fewer people do that now.

There is the famous titanic position.. We did talk about that a while back I think...

 

[Twilight_Elena]

It used to be that almost guy expected the lady to "service" them at least once per song by spreading out his arms, holding the woman and waiting for her to do the ocho or some extended (attempt at ) ultra-sexy variation of the ocho/cross-cross move. fewer people do that now.

What a pity... I adore that move! It's so sexy if done correctly...
Disclaimer: I've never tried it. :roll: And if people don't do it anymore, it's doubtful if I ever will!

Twilight Elena

 

[Alias]

Talking about social dancing (that is about improvisation and no routine, in a choreography it's easy to do anything):

You can go even further.
You can dance AT on salsa music (I've done it) (that is use the AT dance system on salsa music), adapting of course the way of dancing (the respective posture between the dancers being more as in the forward-backward slotted salsa basic step in place, the way of moving your body and your legs being more in the salsa way (for example with the salsa hip movement)).
Or you can just add some AT steps in cross-body-lead slotted salsa, this opens a lot of possibilities and variations aside the salsa basic steps.

You just have to find a partner dancing salsa and AT, and able to adapt and use one dance on the other music.
But are there many dancers with a correct or good level in both salsa and AT?

By the way who is dancing salsa and AT here on DF?

 

[Alias]

I was watching an Alex Da Silva video from the Mayan 2002 comp, and I saw his follow (I believe it was Liz Lira) do a pattern which I've seen in other variations as well at pro comps. It reminded me of the ocho (figure eight) in Argentine Tango so much it made me wonder: is this a salsa pattern I'm not aware of or is it an AT figure that salsa dancers have borrowed to enrich their routines?
And here's a linky to the video:
http://www.lasalsacentral.com/Videos/alex & liz prelim.mov

Twilight Elena

I forgot to thank you for the link (and I prefer .mov to .wmv).

It used to be that almost guy expected the lady to "service" them at least once per song by spreading out his arms, holding the woman and waiting for her to do the ocho or some extended (attempt at) ultra-sexy variation of the ocho/cross-cross move. fewer people do that now.

What a pity... I adore that move! It's so sexy if done correctly...

I've seen it (kind of) as part of a pattern in a partner salsa class (I avoid shines' class as I'm already a good improvising solo dancer, but you may even get some shines in partner class), as a leader I find it a bit frustrating to stay there without doing anything, I want to play with my legs too!

 

[Sabor]

the thing is.. patterns are endless.. u can incorporate any other dance ever invented or remains to be invented into salsa.. there is no limit.. the thing that sets (in my personal view) salser@s appart is their style/way of movement and unique chemistry.. this is not to be confused with stye as in on1 or on2 or LA, Miami or NY style here .. i'm saying the overall effect of motion and chemistry or feel that flows from it regardless of the timing detail or flashinness or circular or slot detail etc.. so a salser@ would in effect be prepositioned to take on any other movement and suck it up in his repertoire and produce the 'salsa effect'..

see salsa is a lifestyle, sort of a general multi-composed personality, not a certain set of patterns or moves.. its a spirit .. its musicality of your being .. attitudes baby.. some have it, some dont, some can learn, some cant.. as with everything else in life

 

[Sagitta]

Talking about social dancing (that is about improvisation and no routine, in a choreography it's easy to do anything):

You can go even further.
You can dance AT on salsa music (I've done it) (that is use the AT dance system on salsa music), adapting of course the way of dancing (the respective posture between the dancers being more as in the forward-backward slotted salsa basic step in place, the way of moving your body and your legs being more in the salsa way (for example with the salsa hip movement)).
Or you can just add some AT steps in cross-body-lead slotted salsa, this opens a lot of possibilities and variations aside the salsa basic steps.

You just have to find a partner dancing salsa and AT, and able to adapt and use one dance on the other music.
But are there many dancers with a correct or good level in both salsa and AT?

By the way who is dancing salsa and AT here on DF?

When I dance AT they say I'm dancing salsa, so I guesss I do it. I must get back into doing AT. I haven't done so for a while. I'm really getting into salsa. Next month I plan to start teaching 3 couples, and now I am leading a regular rueda practice on Saturdays, in addition to everything else. So it is salsa Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, plus practicing on my own. Makes it tough to do AT...

 

[Alias]

I must get back into doing AT. I haven't done so for a while. I'm really getting into salsa.

It's the same for me!
As I am still in my first years of salsa (Cuban Casino then (slotted) Mambo) I find it better to focus on salsa until I become a (really) good dancer (soon I hope, I just need some practice), the initial phase in learning and practicing a dance needing to be more intensive.
It's like a total immersion so I believe that even one AT night per week would distract me from salsa as it would involve me more in AT where I still have some way to go (exploring on embrace), on the other side I can go to some swing parties without any side effect as I already master the swing dance.

 

[Sagitta]

I must get back into doing AT. I haven't done so for a while. I'm really getting into salsa.

It's the same for me!
As I am still in my first years of salsa (Cuban Casino then (slotted) Mambo) I find it better to focus on salsa until I become a (really) good dancer (soon I hope, I just need some practice), the initial phase in learning and practicing a dance needing to be more intensive.
It's like a total immersion so I believe that even one AT night per week would distract me from salsa as it would involve me more in AT where I still have some way to go (exploring on embrace), on the other side I can go to some swing parties without any side effect as I already master the swing dance.

Oh. I've done salsa..in one shape or form since late summer 2003, I think. By this I mean I started taking lessons back then. I'm hoping that by the end of this year I will be comfortable calling rueda and teaching basic salsa classes. WE'll see.