Dancing On4 or On8?

Big10

Big10

Member
Have any of you ever seen that? I've seen a lot of Salsa dancing over the years, with various people breaking on either 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, or 7, but never on the 4 or the 8 -- until I ran across this YouTube clip today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3amaB417pI

I watched it a couple of times just to make sure that my eyes and ears weren't deceiving me. The leader starts off switching between the 2/6 and the 4/8, but at about 0:52 through the end, he sticks to the 4 or the 8. The conga is VERY pronounced on this song (or maybe it's just a result of the sound system), so I'm guessing that's why the leader wound up using it. Based on the description alongside the clip, apparently the leader is a teacher somewhere. Interesting....

Any thoughts?
 
Big10 said:
Have any of you ever seen that? I've seen a lot of Salsa dancing over the years, with various people breaking on either 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, or 7, but never on the 4 or the 8 -- until I ran across this YouTube clip today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3amaB417pI

I watched it a couple of times just to make sure that my eyes and ears weren't deceiving me. The leader starts off switching between the 2/6 and the 4/8, but at about 0:52 through the end, he sticks to the 4 or the 8. The conga is VERY pronounced on this song (or maybe it's just a result of the sound system), so I'm guessing that's why the leader wound up using it. Based on the description alongside the clip, apparently the leader is a teacher somewhere. Interesting....

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Sometimes when converting to flash the seound gets out of sync, maybe that's what's causing the appearence of him dancing on4. If he does that on purpose...lol, whatever. Musically speaking it makes no sense as 4 and 8 are neither strong nor supported or emphasized by the other characteristics of the 8 count dancer's measure. Personally I think he was just off beat.
 
4

Way before your time ( not mine ! ) when mambo first was introduced to A / M in 1941 or so, they initially began teaching on four, and then for reasons best known to them at the time, changed to two . The musical accents at that time were 2 and 4, unlike todays jazz influenced salsa with a downbeat emphasis .
 
Big10 said:
Have any of you ever seen that? I've seen a lot of Salsa dancing over the years, with various people breaking on either 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, or 7, but never on the 4 or the 8 -- until I ran across this YouTube clip today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3amaB417pI

I watched it a couple of times just to make sure that my eyes and ears weren't deceiving me. The leader starts off switching between the 2/6 and the 4/8, but at about 0:52 through the end, he sticks to the 4 or the 8. The conga is VERY pronounced on this song (or maybe it's just a result of the sound system), so I'm guessing that's why the leader wound up using it. Based on the description alongside the clip, apparently the leader is a teacher somewhere. Interesting....

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

A friend of mine told me about Papito Jala Jala last weekend. As he was in Puerto Rico this year during a salsa class he saw video footage of a basic step Papito uses sometimes breaking forth/back on 4/8 following the conga. Interesting basic step as he showed me. It was kind of going forth on 4 or 8, wiggle and back in the middle on 6 or 2. I am looking for Papito's video to maybe see that too.
 
tangotime said:
Way before your time ( not mine ! ) when mambo first was introduced to A / M in 1941 or so, they initially began teaching on four, and then for reasons best known to them at the time, changed to two . The musical accents at that time were 2 and 4, unlike todays jazz influenced salsa with a downbeat emphasis .
Click to expand...


So there you go. He's just a regular guy trapped in the wrong century :cool: .
 
Why can't you switch if you know what you are doing? If the conga is strong and you want to follow it more power to you, is what I say. As long as we don't ask the guy and he says he is dancing to the 1/2/3...I would say that he is on beat.
 
Sagitta said:
Why can't you switch if you know what you are doing? If the conga is strong and you want to follow it more power to you, is what I say. As long as we don't ask the guy and he says he is dancing to the 1/2/3...I would say that he is on beat.
Click to expand...


You can but since it's a partenered dance, that breaking on 4 might not be the followers thing. Maybe she doesn't feel it on 4, maybe she doesn't get it. When you shine, switch, do whatever you want. Dance on 1.41 if you want to. :raisebro:
 
englezul said:
You can but since it's a partenered dance, that breaking on 4 might not be the followers thing. Maybe she doesn't feel it on 4, maybe she doesn't get it. When you shine, switch, do whatever you want. Dance on 1.41 if you want to. :raisebro:
Click to expand...

I don't agree with the part about not feeling it a certain way. I understand that people have different interpretations of a song and she may not be used to dancing on a certain count. However, salsa, for the most part, is a lead/follow dance. As long as the lead is behaving properly by being on time, executing a clear lead and good floorcraft, then the lady should follow.
 
witchphd said:
I don't agree with the part about not feeling it a certain way. I understand that people have different interpretations of a song and she may not be used to dancing on a certain count. However, salsa, for the most part, is a lead/follow dance. As long as the lead is behaving properly by being on time, executing a clear lead and good floorcraft, then the lady should follow.
Click to expand...

In pragmatic terms you have somewhat of a point. But ...is that really what you want? I want energy, passion, enjoyment. And if she's not allowed to experience that because it's not her thing and the leader is too much of a jackass to realize it then that dance will suck. You just blew the opportunity to connect and have a fun, crazy adventure. In the end it's not a contest about who can lead and who can follow, it's about who can connect and have ablast of fun.

I had a revelation last week. I was watching some two guys dancing with a whole bunch of women, they looked good when dancing, original, but they lacked the technique that allowed them to flow. The result was that they were mostly NOT on beat and out of sync with their parteners. They were plowing through. But on the other hand they were compensating by being extremely playful, and being extremely energetic and funny. Those women were laughing and enjoying every single second of it. And I thought to myself you don't even have to be that good ..you just have to have the right attitude.

But no, that's not an excuse not to train. If you suck, train! Or I will laugh at you. Seriously I will. I will point and laugh. Cause I'm a jackass. That.
:)
 
englezul said:
You can but since it's a partenered dance, that breaking on 4 might not be the followers thing.
Click to expand...
Well maybe I'm dancing on 1 and she prefers on 2. same argument. That's why she follows and I lead. :p Hey when they start telling me I tell them you lead and I'll follow. (I'm always looking for opportunities to understand the other perspective.) Few take me up on that.

And I like 7.7777 Sounds better. ;-)
 
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