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Salsa with the Stars - New Moves on 1, on 2 & Cuban |
Volume 2IntroductionThis video is a demonstration that at times dreams come true. We always wanted to celebrate the richness and diversity of salsa. This time we do so with the help of some 40 international dancers, including some world renowned stars like Seaon the Stylist, Amanda Estilo, Ismael Otero, Griselle Ponce, Duplessey Walker, Troy Anthony and many more talented dancers. Never before have so many dancers collaborated in an instructional DVD series. Never before has so much talent, creativity, and salsa magic been collected into a single work. Never before have the best from all corners of the salsa world been brought together in 2 DVDs for you to learn from. Normally you have one teacher and 40 students. In this video there is one student, you, and 40 of the best instructors in the world, for you to choose from. Here is how the video works. You have 15 turns patterns organised into 5 routines. The turn patterns feature all the SalsaIsGood trademark ingredients: tricks never seen before, surprising ideas, unexpected solutions, a mixture of Cuban and NY elements. The routines are explained via the SalsaIsGood leading edge editing: parallel multiple views, slow motion, beat counter on every frame and vocal explanations. And here comes the best part!! The turn patterns are then demonstrated by our international guest stars. They interpret the turn patterns according to their salsa style. More importantly, they modify the turn patterns in their own personal way. You will see the very same moves enriched by Seaon’s sublime touch, by Amanda’s dazzling decorations, by Duplessey’s magic turns, by Griselle’s bursting energy, by Ismael’s arm tricks, by Troy’s knots, by Patrice’s intricate Cuban style, by Ana’s sensuous styling.... and all the others… we even have a rueda group! You will see how ‘they did it their way’, and from it, choose your way... No matter what you look for in a salsa DVD, you are bound to find it here. No matter what your taste, you will find plenty to impress you in these DVDs, Volume 1 and Volume 2. There is enough material here to keep you busy for months: not only the turn patterns but their endless variations. There are so many ideas for styling and personal interpretation with decorations from NY, LA, DC, Paris, Havana, Boston, Chicago, Houston, the Dutch Antilles and Australia. And you will even be entertained by some great music from Jimmy Bosch!! Don’t miss out on the most original, rich and diverse salsa DVD ever produced!!! Figure 8 Description. The guy leads the lady into a standard X BodyLead while he raises his right hand and turns right to meet her. He then ducks down, passes under her right arm, and comes up again. At this point, both dancers go into a back-to-back turn. Now he leads her into a basket, by walking around her and performing an embrace at the same time. Now they repeat the action again. This is possible because the guy releases and catches the hand hold with his right hand. Now, holding both hands he leads her into a X BodyLead with inside turn. He briefly raises his hand to allow her to duck, but immediately rests it back on her shoulder, automatically generating a check. The check is completed by 1 ½ under-arm right turns for the lady followed by his left turn into the resolution. Griselle & Josh. Another stunning interpretation from Griselle and Josh, who also enriched the figure with some very nice variations. Notice the double back to back turn. And this beautiful triple left turn which replaces the second basket. After the head duck, they complete the figure with this nice double change of position with check. Amanda Estilo. Another glorious interpretation from Amanda. Enjoy all the details of the foot work, the arm work, the body waves and the visual expression in the slowed down version. Jeffrey & Candice. Isn't it nice how Jeffrey and Candice's salsa is so rich with decoration and still looks so simple? Candice, how did you learn to move so nicely? Jeffrey, where did you learn to lead so elegantly? Don't miss out on the close up views. Patrice & Juliette. If you ever pass by Paris , don't miss out on Patrice and Juliet's classes, because Cuban salsa can hardly get any better. Admire another example of perfect conversion to Cuban style. And by the way.. they do have only 2 arms.. we checked!! Figure 9 Description. The guy leads the lady into a X BodyLead, raises both hands and walks around her. During a second X BodyLead, he throws her right hand with his left, checks her with his right hand at waist level, brings her behind him, and, without looking at her, leads her into two right turns. He then rests her left hand on his right shoulder, catches it with his left and turns to face her. Now, whilst holding both hands, he raises his left, and brings it down on his right side. This leads the lady into a X BodyLead with inside turn. He now catches right to left, and shows the lady into another X BodyLead with inside turn, while he also turns left into the resolution. Amanda Estilo. More great decoration from Amanda. Ladies, we recommend you don't miss out on her Ladies Styling video or her classes if you pass by NY! Griselle & Josh. If you think that dancing of this quality can be achieved only via endless rehearsals, think again! Because Griselle and Josh, like others, learned, interpreted, modified and filmed the 3 figures in less than one hour. As you see from the smiles it was a fun hour too! Griselle and Josh, it is great to have you with us!! You can learn more from Griselle with her video. Check the details coming up. Jeffrey & Candice. More Antillean salsa elegance. This couple have lived and taught in Holland and now dance in the Salsation dance group with Rudsel and Marysol. Like so many Caribbean dancers their movements are so easy, smooth and sensuous - they must have it in their blood!.. Seaon & Nari. Seaon, you dance so well. just notice the elegance, and the decorations. Seaon is not only a great dancer but also an excellent instructor. His videos are among the very best around. We have every single one of them and we really recommend them to you, for spinning technique, style and patterns. And BTW, Seaon is also an accomplished jazz singer, have a look at his web site! Nari from Korea is a rising star on the salsa scene and dances a typical LA style with sharp and precise styling. We have seen some clips of her acrobatics - amazing! Routine 4Figure 10 Description. The figure starts with a lady's right turn into an arm loop. The guy uses the loop to change hand-hold into a left to left and right to right. With the left on top, he leads a rotating X BodyLead and brings the lady's left hand on his shoulder. While still holding right to right he
Eric & Odaysis. Notice how, in order to convert this pattern into son style, Eric and Odaysis rotate clockwise, one around the other, for the entire figure. Odaysis, we wish you good luck for your dancing career in and out of Cuba It was great to ste al you and Eric from your world tour for one hour.. we had a great time.. Maria & Lee. We saw Maria and Lee performing and we were immediately impressed. Asking them to be in our video was then inevitable. Like a few others, they learnt and modified the figures in a jiffy, and before we knew it they were ready to film. They enriched the figure with a few ideas. First, by pushing Maria and forcing her to walk behind his back, Lee brings her in front at the end of the first XBL. He then leads a XBL on his right hand side, with 2 inside turns, which he completes with the arm loop. A nice idea Lee! Rather than using the hand loop to change hand hold, Lee instead unwinds it by leading another XBL on his right side and generates the reverse Hammer lock position by leading a travelling turn for Maria, once again on his right hand side. Another very nice idea! The figure proceeds close to the original until the end, when Lee adds a check into a copa. Very nice indeed. Duplessey, Andy & Adolfo. Here is a very fast and flashy, performance style, interpretation from Duplessey and Andy. Duplessey was one of the very first Eddie Torres dancers, and you may recognise her from Eddie Torres' videos and from the Latin Madness show. Here she dances with Andy from Los Soneros del Swing dance company based in Chicago . Y ou may notice how they shortened the figure, by removing the last basket, and how they enriched it with a few of Duplessey's trademark super-spins. Duplessey also provided us with a more informal and relaxed version, filmed with Adolfo from Mamboss Dance Company , which follows more closely the original version. Figure 11 Description. Here is our favourite. In crossed hands position, the guy leads a touch-and-go double right turn and then flicks the right hand and catches it again. Now he performs a basket, with the arms crossing in front of the lady. He releases the left, walks in front of the lady and offers the left again, which she takes. He brings her in front and leads a right turn. He turns ½ left, drops the left and offers the right. He gently pulls her in front again, leading an outside turn into a check. This action is quite unusual and will take the lady by surprise, so guys you need to lead it very clearly. Now the guy catches left to left in front of the lady, leads a double right turn into a reversed hammer lock. With the right hand, he leads a X BodyLead with double outside turn, into another reversed hammer lock and a comb, and the final rotating X BodyLead. Andres & Maria. Here is Andres. In typical Salsa Y Control style, his salsa is very rich and busy, with many decorations both in the body and foot work and the ability to take advantage of any available gap for a quick extra spin. It's really a pity that time allowed him to do only one figure in our video. A valuable contribution nevertheless. Lee & Maria. Lee and Maria did quite a remarkable job at modifying these figures by adding a few tricks and several interesting changes of direction. First Lee leads a XBL with outside turn, which is lead with a wide arm movement into a comb behind his neck and a change of hand- hold. Here is the first change of direction, and another XBL with outside turn, again lead with a wide arm motion, which goes straight into 3 right turns via a change of hand-hold. Watch it carefully, this is a very nice idea since the outside turns in the XBL allow Maria to flow smoothly into the 3 right turns, avoiding the usual check. Here Lee performs a check by changing hand hold behind his back and walks around Maria before the new XBL with outside turns. A number on further quick change of direction complete the figure. Duplessey & Andy. Well, if you like performances, you will surely be dazzled again by Duplessey and Andy. So much elegance from Duplessey, even at this fast pace, and we really enjoy Andy's energy and attitude. Notice how, after the first basket, Andy leads Duplessey into a XBL with outside turn, unlike Fabio who brings Anna in f ront on his left hand side. Andy then performs a drop, catch AND throw with his right hand, to catch left to left to execute this check before a new XBL and this emphatic drop. A very nice variation. BTW.. Here is an interesting story. Duplessey and Andy filmed without music, and we added both music and counting on top. While we were doing that we discovered that they kept the tempo exact ly to a 25th of a second.. amazing.. Figure 12 Description. In this figure the guy leads a X BodyLead with under-arm inside turn and then brings both hands up and combs with the right, while still holding the left. Now, very quickly , he swaps hands into right to right, lowers it, turns right and retrieves the lady's left from the comb. With the right hand down, he leads a X BodyLead with inside turn with the left raised and moves behind her. He then leads another X BodyLead with inside turn, which he checks on the shoulder with the right hand. After the turns he completes the pattern with a rotating X BodyLead. Eric & Odaysis. To respect Cuban style, Eric and Odaisis use an enchufle, rather than a XBL to reach the double hand comb. Rather than using a left turn to change hand hold, Eric simply releases his hand hold with the right and catches again. He leads a left turn into an embrace followed by a right turn into a hammer lock. In classic casino style he then goes into a pretzel while he ducks, and goes into this arm hold, called casate in casino jargon. Lee & Maria . Lee and Maria put their own trademark on this figure as well. Notice how, after the last check, rather than completing the figure, they add an extra XBL with outside turn, followed by two more right turns for Maria and one for Lee. Duplessey & Adolfo. And here is the more relaxed and cosy version of Duplessey's dancing, together with super elegant Adolfo. It is a pity that technical problems and time constraints did not allow Duplessey to provide us with better footage of this beautiful dancing. Routine 5Figure 13 Description. We love Cuban salsa and it can be seen from the choreography of this figure. The guy leads the lady into a right turn which is completed with an arm hook on the right. Then he releases his right hand and catches her right hand by passing his arm under her left arm so that the hand is quickly taken from inside the embrace . Similarly, he releases his left hand and catches her left from behind his right shoulder. Now the dancers swap positions. They then go into a X BodyLead with inside turn, which he checks into this tight embrace. After this he releases her left hand and leads her into another X BodyLead with inside turn, which he checks with the left hand while they face opposite directions . Next he leads 1½ right turns while he goes into a left turn and brings his left arm on his right shoulder. Now he performs a comb with his right hand and releases the hand hold. He leads the X BodyLead by gently pushing her on her left shoulder while his left hand rests on his shoulder so it unwinds automatically. Johnny & Maria. Very nice interpretation from Johnny from Salsa Y Control and Maria. They also learned the entire routine and filmed it in less than one hour. Notice how a series of XBLs with outside turn allow them to reach the same complicated hand hold as Fabio and Anna by swapping hand hold during the hook hold. Patrice & Juliette. When are you going to produce your own Cuban salsa video Patrice? Let us know, because we will be the first to buy it!! Rudzel & Marysol. Nice, tropical flavour in Rudsel and Marisol's salsa. Notice how, like Johnny and Maria, they also chose to avoid the complicated hand swap in the arm-lock and opted for the two XBLs with outside turns instead. They really look like they are enjoying themselves when they dance. Great to have you in our video Rudsel! DanceInTime & Bailatina. Turning a figure into a rueda move requires two ste ps. First, it order to respect Rueda tradition, a figure needs to be "cubanised". BTW, we have a video which explains how to do that in our web site if you are intere ste d. Second, a figure may need to be simplified and somehow shortened, since not all dancers in the rueda circle may be at the same level. Hadar and Barb achieved this by keeping the beginning and end of the original figure and replacing the challenging knots in the middle with some simpler turns and DileQueno. Figure 14 Description. Holding right to left, the guy leads a X BodyLead with inside turn, while, with a whipping movement, he throws the left hand of the lady up. He catches the same hand with his left and moves in front of her, which leads her into another left turn. Once in front of her he brings his left hand first down and then up to lead a right turn. He then performs a hand drop with his left, catches right to right, passes her left hand into his left and leads her into a left turn. Before she completes her left turn, he holds her by the waist and quickly rotates around her before the resolution. From the top view, notice how the guy performs an entire circle around the lady. Johnny & Maria. Plenty of decorations from Johnny, in particular in the footwork, as is typical of Salsa Y Control style. We like the busy, colourful approach of Johnny's salsa. Notice how he decided not to walk in front of the lady after the initial XBL. Rather, he keeps the standard man's position, from which he executes the hand drop and turns. I like the series of close, rotating XBLs at the end. Eric & Odaysis. What do you do when the Bar at Buena Vista show comes to town? You get the 2 leading Cuban dancers and invite them to be in your video, of course! Yep.. that's what we did. Dancing legend Eric Turro, the ma ste r of all Cuban dance styles including old style son choreographs the dance troupe for the show . The youngest of the group, 21 year old Odaysis, straight from Havana, dreams of making a career abroad as a dancer. They are a spectacular couple, with a repertoire of show tricks to keep you entertained for hours. Here is their very free, son inspired, interpretation of our idea. Rudsel & Marysol. When Rudsel dances, it looks to us as if he was playing, both with his partner and with the music. This is a natural skill we have admired since we met him years ago. We literally travelled the seven seas to go and film him and Marisol in Curacao . Curacao in the Dutch Antilles is an island full of dancing talent, music and many good salsa schools. You may consider a visit, especially during their annual Curacao Salsa Tour. Figure 15 Description. Here is a simple figure. The guy leads the lady into a X BodyLead with inside turn and then loops his left arm around her neck. From this position, he makes space for her and leads her into another X BodyLead with inside turn. After this he performs the loop around her neck a second time. After the second arm loop, he leads her into a third X BodyLead with inside turn, into a check. Here
They complete the figure with a X BodyLead. Johnny & Maria. This figure gives us the opportunity to say a few words about Maria ( is this sentence necessary? ). In a single afternoon in DC, within 2 hours, she learned and filmed 3 figures with Lee, 3 different figures with Johnny and one figure with Andres from Salsa Y Control. An inexhaustible and inspirational salsa machine! Eric & Odaysis. More old style son tricks from Eric and Odaisis, with these nicely executed plancias. You need to be in quite good physical shape to attempt this. This is true for both the guy and the lady who has to support him. Guys, never try this, unless the lady knows in advance and agrees to what you are planning. You may get intimate with the floor if you get this wrong! Notice how Eric decided to perform these series of arm loops on the right hand side, rather than the left, to maintain the traditional circular flow of Cuban figures. Rudsel & Odaysis. Rudsel, can you teach us to play like you do. It must be fun..
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