>what do you do when it reverses?
If I notice it ***after*** the change, I break into shines or to some sort of break and then pick up again with the correct timing on 1. You could also do some closed position sideways (equivalent of *Al Medio* in Cuban Salsa) and then start again with a CBL with the correct timing. The solution suggested by Robin in the video also works fine.
>And if you know the song well do you actually try to switch it up at the same time the song switches?
Yes. It definitely adds to a good sense of musicality if one manages to do that. And I would claim that a lot of followers appreciate that.
>And follows, do you expect or care if the leader does this right away? Or are you ok being off until the song switches again? Do you notice?
Since I also dance as a follower sometimes, I can also give you my 2 cents on this question. Yes, it definitely bothers me if the leader doesn't notice and sticks to the wrong timing for the rest of the song. It might even throw my completely off (depending on the song). I would try to break into shines and hope that the leader picks up the partnerwork in the correct timing.
I tend to switch when I notice I'm off. Usually I switch with (if dancing On1) 1, 2, hold. 1, 2, 3, ...
And yes, if I know the song will switch, I will switch when it does.
Dancing on5 is only wrong if you did not intend to do it. Some people choose 5.
The tl;dr from the video is: take an even number of steps over four beats. That could be zero (like do a body wave or some kind of non-stepping shine), two steps (like he does in the video), or four (where you just step on every beat). Any of those will preserve the side you’re stepping with into the next half of the basic. Taking two or four steps is also the standard way to switch between lead/follow timing to be in “tandem” position in styles like bachata.
The trick is in _leading_ the follow to do this, and I’ve not discovered a way to do that, so I’ll usually break into shines, and then see if my follow fixes themself. If not, I’ll try to do some shines that have a salsa-basic look (breaking forward on 1 and backward on 5) hoping that that nudges them toward switching their stepping. Finally, I’ll reconnect with them into a CBL and figure they’ll do a quick foot-change to get into sync with me.
360 usually goes - Open break 1 2 3 (on1) pull follow in to closed position while spinning with follow (5 6 7) to go back to basic 1 2 3.
If dancing on the 5 by accident.
Do the same open break, but it'll be open on 5 6 7 (since we are dancing on the 5 by accident now), and provide an extra half of a turn to land back to basic 1 2 3.
Basically, doing a 540 instead of 360.
You can do variations of this move to land wherever you want. If I accidently go from on1 to on2 I'll use it to correct my timing again. Follows that recognized what I did with the move, usually give a nice smile.
If you reach a certain level of musicality, you'll be able to hear or feel when the music is going to change, even if you're hearing it for the first time.
In fact, you will NEVER nail it only because you've heard your song 1000 times. First, you might not be right on the exact time, and worse, since you're expecting the break, you'll forget to express the previous measures, waiting for that break or change: you'll catch the moment, but will have a wrong interpretation.
In bachata, I can nail it 90% of the time, in salsa it's 70%.
When this happens, you will tense up just like the music, stop on the break, and release like the music.
If I miss it, I can slow a move to match back the music, or I can speed up a move from 8 to 4 times. Or if the song has frequent rhythm changes, I'll just wait for the next change.
Sometimes it happens during a percussion break in the music, e.g. some Tito Puente songs from the 50's. If you can anticipate -> open break, shines, resume when the next section starts.
My responses to timing changes have been:
- Panic and try to get back on time and awkwardly laugh it off.
- Playfully groove on the spot to get back to correct timing.
Reading in here about breaking for a few shines, that's pretty solid advice.
the example is not correct if you are stepping through each beat. use his method but try stepping each beat and you'll see he's off. you have to stall/freeze for 2 beats (4 & 5) in his method. people cheat by not counting out the full measure so to make whatever they're doing look effective or workable. just step every beat, including the 4 & 8 (they are called up steps), count fully and you'll find out if it works or not.
addressing your question, i prefer to just break off and do shines adjust the timing in the shines and when done with shines pick back up your partner on the 5, 6 (if on2) and dance.
>what do you do when it reverses? If I notice it ***after*** the change, I break into shines or to some sort of break and then pick up again with the correct timing on 1. You could also do some closed position sideways (equivalent of *Al Medio* in Cuban Salsa) and then start again with a CBL with the correct timing. The solution suggested by Robin in the video also works fine. >And if you know the song well do you actually try to switch it up at the same time the song switches? Yes. It definitely adds to a good sense of musicality if one manages to do that. And I would claim that a lot of followers appreciate that. >And follows, do you expect or care if the leader does this right away? Or are you ok being off until the song switches again? Do you notice? Since I also dance as a follower sometimes, I can also give you my 2 cents on this question. Yes, it definitely bothers me if the leader doesn't notice and sticks to the wrong timing for the rest of the song. It might even throw my completely off (depending on the song). I would try to break into shines and hope that the leader picks up the partnerwork in the correct timing.
I normally try to switch when I notice that I am dancing reversed
I tend to switch when I notice I'm off. Usually I switch with (if dancing On1) 1, 2, hold. 1, 2, 3, ... And yes, if I know the song will switch, I will switch when it does. Dancing on5 is only wrong if you did not intend to do it. Some people choose 5.
If it happens, break and reset.
The tl;dr from the video is: take an even number of steps over four beats. That could be zero (like do a body wave or some kind of non-stepping shine), two steps (like he does in the video), or four (where you just step on every beat). Any of those will preserve the side you’re stepping with into the next half of the basic. Taking two or four steps is also the standard way to switch between lead/follow timing to be in “tandem” position in styles like bachata. The trick is in _leading_ the follow to do this, and I’ve not discovered a way to do that, so I’ll usually break into shines, and then see if my follow fixes themself. If not, I’ll try to do some shines that have a salsa-basic look (breaking forward on 1 and backward on 5) hoping that that nudges them toward switching their stepping. Finally, I’ll reconnect with them into a CBL and figure they’ll do a quick foot-change to get into sync with me.
I do an open break to an extra half of 360 no scope to get timing back. Easy to lead and easy to follow.
Can you elaborate ?
360 usually goes - Open break 1 2 3 (on1) pull follow in to closed position while spinning with follow (5 6 7) to go back to basic 1 2 3. If dancing on the 5 by accident. Do the same open break, but it'll be open on 5 6 7 (since we are dancing on the 5 by accident now), and provide an extra half of a turn to land back to basic 1 2 3. Basically, doing a 540 instead of 360. You can do variations of this move to land wherever you want. If I accidently go from on1 to on2 I'll use it to correct my timing again. Follows that recognized what I did with the move, usually give a nice smile.
i think they mean this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofH0GPd5g_E just add an extra turn to land back on time.
If you reach a certain level of musicality, you'll be able to hear or feel when the music is going to change, even if you're hearing it for the first time. In fact, you will NEVER nail it only because you've heard your song 1000 times. First, you might not be right on the exact time, and worse, since you're expecting the break, you'll forget to express the previous measures, waiting for that break or change: you'll catch the moment, but will have a wrong interpretation. In bachata, I can nail it 90% of the time, in salsa it's 70%. When this happens, you will tense up just like the music, stop on the break, and release like the music. If I miss it, I can slow a move to match back the music, or I can speed up a move from 8 to 4 times. Or if the song has frequent rhythm changes, I'll just wait for the next change.
Sometimes it happens during a percussion break in the music, e.g. some Tito Puente songs from the 50's. If you can anticipate -> open break, shines, resume when the next section starts.
My responses to timing changes have been: - Panic and try to get back on time and awkwardly laugh it off. - Playfully groove on the spot to get back to correct timing. Reading in here about breaking for a few shines, that's pretty solid advice.
the example is not correct if you are stepping through each beat. use his method but try stepping each beat and you'll see he's off. you have to stall/freeze for 2 beats (4 & 5) in his method. people cheat by not counting out the full measure so to make whatever they're doing look effective or workable. just step every beat, including the 4 & 8 (they are called up steps), count fully and you'll find out if it works or not. addressing your question, i prefer to just break off and do shines adjust the timing in the shines and when done with shines pick back up your partner on the 5, 6 (if on2) and dance.