Salsa City Forum » Salsa Music and Dance » Salsa Footwork

Continued from discussion on shoes.

Now you got me curious. I know classic latin training where they drill it into your mind that you land ball first. However, dances do evolve and I think Salsa has a more erect carriage than the old Mambo... I’m actually curious if the really good dancers step ball first. In particular, for the basic step or a cross body lead, does the woman step ball first on the third step (Count 3). Often we want the lady to delay coming forward for the crossbody lead so I’m curious how it’s actually danced? Take a look on the floor while your teachers are dancing.

Standing here doing the ladies’ steps (without heels), the basic mambo step (on 1) certainly feels better with the standard “ball-flat” footwork. But step 5 of the cross-body is more-or-less a normal stride so, thinking about it, I can see that this might sometimes be stepped “flat” or “heel-flat”.

I have a video of Elder Sanchez from Colombia (Is he still teaching?) where, when he’s dancing solo, he sometimes spins on his heel. In my opinion, it does not look good.

For anyone who doesen’t know the terms, “ball-flat” footwork is when you step with the ball of the foot touching the ground first, followed by the heel. In “heel-flat” the heel hits the ground first, like in normal walking.

Hugh

I experimented at home too and found myself stepping ball first mostly. I will watch the dance floor next time. I’m just curious. Of course, on the dancefloor, often partners are doing a lot of adjusting to lead and follow abilities. Let me know if you see anything else interesting. I have a few more questions I’ll open latter.

Cheers

I’ve had it drilled into me that the weight should be on the ball of the foot. There are some men in Cardiff (including at least one teacher) who dance “heel-flat”. Some of them are popular dancers but to me it looks sloppy.

It’s been a while now since I’ve stabbed anyone with my girlie heels. Of course, other people have on occasion foolishly impaled themselves.

Seriously, I was talking to a lady once who was at her first class and who was going on about how many times she’d been stabbed. I remarked that the longer I dance, the better other people get at not stabbing me. I’m not sure she got the point.

Yep. Take small steps. It’s the number-one tip for better salsa. The problem stems from the very beginning. Teachers of beginners’ classes tend to take huge steps for emphasis while demonstrating (no names, no pack-drill) and no one subsequently tells the students that to dance salsa properly you must take small steps!

Here’s a tip: get someone to video you free dancing. It certainly made me realise what Andy was talking about when he kept telling me to take smaller steps.

To correct it, either video yourself, or practise in front of the mirror: take what you think are reasonable steps with your eyes shut, then open your eyes and see how big the steps actually are. Keep repeating until you can get yourself taking small steps just by feel.

Another way I like to look at it focuses on movement of the center point of balance (for now think of it as a spot near your tummy). One foot is sending the center and the other foot is accepting the center. People who step on you often move there feet more than needed, and there center less than needed.

Try doing a break step and instead of sticking out a foot and falling onto it, use the other foot to press your center first and the other foot moves to receive the weight. In salsa you need only drive the center a few inches. Otherwise the fast music will defeat you.

The nice thing about this technique is that your feet tend to be “Under you” rather that attacking other toes.

Note: When women turn, the idea of feet under center is also useful.

Yeah. There was a point a few weeks ago where this just “clicked” for me and all of a sudden it felt as if my centre of gravity was just smoothly rolling over my feet. It feels good, very stable, and it needs a minimum of energy to maintain. When you turn or spin, the axis of the turn is vertical. I’m sure there’s still considerable room for improvement but for now I’m very pleased.

Also, less foot motion equals more body motion, although when you’ve got a body as substantial as mine I’m not sure that’s a 100% good thing. It stops you looking like you’re doing the hokey cokey anyway.

Elena

A woman who can drive her center around is a pleasure to lead. If you happen to have a bit more center than others, it never matters to me. In fact, you begin to actually feel the groove your partner is experiencing projected from her center through the hands to you. This ties back to our discussion of tension in the arms. Once you feel this center to center interplay, you have discovered how the arms should feel as well. Leading and following become much easier.