New York Style Salsa Dancing : All Turns in Salsa Dancing

[SmartAlx]

The way you organize the list of traveling moves appears to be geared towards the leader’s footwork. You mention Open Break, Back Spot Turn, and Crossbody Lead; referencing the leader. But you say that these are all of the turns for the girl. And you missed a few of the girls’ turns. So why not structure this in reference to the girls instead of for the guys?

[SmartAlx]

As I understand it, there are essentially 5 turns for the follower: the two non-traveling turns and 3 traveling 1 1/2 turns. But I don’t include half turns. You do. And that would bring the total to 7. But if you do include the 1/2 turns, I think you should also include the single traveling turns, which do have different steps. And on that note, the half turns can also be executed non-traveling with unique footsteps so that brings the total of non-traveling turns to 4.

[SmartAlx]

So, along with the 7 traveling turns, that brings the grand total to 11. (Wow! This is getting overwhelming. More than doubled my list of 5 turns.) The list can certainly be made this way and, in a way, it makes sense. It is complete.

Most of the 7 traveling turns can be executed with any number of different footwork steps for the guy; including: open break, CBL, or back spot turn. This is why I would structure the list and demonstration in relation to the girls, rather than for the guys.

[SmartAlx]

This is the comprehensive list of salsa turns: Non Traveling 1) Right Turn 2) Left Turn 3) Right Half Turn 4) Left Half Turn Traveling 3) Traveling with a half turn to the Left 4) Traveling with a half turn to the Right 5) Traveling with a single turn to the Left 6) Traveling with a single turn to the Right 7) Traveling with a 1 1/2 turn to the Right Traveling with a 1 1/2 turn to the left 9) Traveling with a 1 1/2 turn to left, starting immediately after her back break.

[SmartAlx]

You missed this last one. It’s usually executed with an open break but it could also be executed with a CBL. I call it a cumbia turn because it essentially starts with a cumbia step. The leader simply keeps the girl turning instead of sending her back, as he would in a normal cumbia step.

[SmartAlx]

Obviously there are also multiples like 2 1/2, 3 1/2, etc. but those can not be executed within the 8 count structure, so they require extra steps. All of these 1/2, single, and 1 1/2 turns to the left and to the right can be stepped out within the 8 count structure.

[SmartAlx]

*As a note, the basic Right Turn and Left Turns are also, in a way, traveling, in that they are not executed on a single spot. The only way to execute a motion on a single spot is to spin. But that’s a different move, and that move is not a turn.

[SmartAlx]

In point of fact, when executing the non-traveling turns, the dancer is moving forward and back. She is just returning to the same spot when she completes the move. With the traveling turns, she moves down the slot to a new spot. I think that’s important because when my students hear “turn in place” they often spin. Probably not important for this video, but I think it is important to understand.

[fuzmiq]

WEll, she's going forward first, so I would guess on2. You wouldn't do that on1.

[tristesse133]

Actually there is a difference even without music - the difference is where the "slow" step / little pause is. In BOTH on1 and on2, the rhythm is 123-567, so you don't step on count 4 or count 8. But in on1, the break (the step where you change direction from forward to back or vice versa) is on count 1, but in on2, it's on count 2. See? So in on1, the "slow" step is RIGHT before the break, but in on2, the "slow" step is followed by another moving step, THEN the break.

[tristesse133]

That said, I think they are dancing on1. Even though the title is New York salsa (usually on2) and stylistically it looks like on2, I still think it's on1. Watch the end of the right turn at 0:24, where you can clearly see her STOP then immediately break. That's on1.

[dahvee]

I suspect this couple dance "Palladium Style on2". Which is similar to on1 except everything is shifted back one beat. In other words the steps are on 234, 678, and the pauses are on 1 and 5.

Sometimes this is referred to has "Classic Mambo". It was the common way of dancing during the Palladium's heydey in the 50's. Ballroom mambo is still danced this way.

Modern night club dancing, esp in NY, is done the way described above. It is a more recent way of dancing popularized by Eddie Torres.

[italianluvah83]

nyc style= on 2....LA style= on 1

[dmcmanam]

except this clip has no music, they could be imagining to dance on1 or on2

[salsad]

is this salsa on1 or on2? - great video keep it up

[jayroo10]

well in this clip its irellevant as there is no music, on1 or on2 is where the couple decides to start dancing their first step with the music!!