Spinning Tips and Secrets for Salsa Dancers Part 2

This article is the continuation of Part 1  in which I explain some basic guidelines needed to execute Salsa turns and spins in the manner international Salsa dance performers and competitors does. The following tips are not the only ways for turning or spinning. Everyone learns and applies the techniques that work for them by trial and tribulation.

Now I will elaborate on some spotting practice techniques most “Salsa Turners and Spinners” find to be very effective.

Spotting

One of the major problems many encounter is the inability to spot correctly. Spotting is the art of tricking the mind into thinking that the body is not making turns at all. It is the reversed process of what happens when you are seeing a movie: the pictures move so fast that your eyes trick your mind into believing that you are looking at a moving picture. Spotting can only be achieved if the mind thinks it is looking at the same focal point all the time whilst turning. To achieve this, you need to think of your body and your head as two separate units making different actions. The next step is to practice being obsessed with only one small point. You have to think about making a picture every time you look at the point you chose. The most important aspect of spotting is to ignore everything else whilst spotting.

Slow & Strict Practice Makes Perfect

1. Start by choosing a small point at eye-height directly in front of you and one over your left shoulder. Your target has to be small and having some distance from you. For example: the corner of a painting on a wall far from you or the corner of a window across the street. Look at the point in front of you, close your eyes, turn your head slowly to your left and open your eyes. Try to find the point over your shoulder with your eyes as fast as you can. Be strict to yourself. You will notice that it takes some time to set your eyes on your target. Now close your eyes again and turn your head back facing front. Open your eyes and find the target in front of you. Repeat the process, but keep turning your head SLOWLY.

With counting: close your eyes on one, turn your head on two & three, and open your eyes on four. Wait until your eyes are fixated on your “shoulder target” before going back to your “front target” whilst counting. Now, increase your speed GRADUALLY until you only count “1” between closing and opening your eyes. You are now whipping your head in quarter turns. You need to learn to whip your head fast without straining your neck or tilting your head.    

Do the same exercise, but choose a target over your right shoulder.

2. Repeat these exercises, but this time you only open your eyes to see the target in front of you.

3. After you master this, you want to practice spotting from one shoulder to the other whilst skipping the front target. Start slow and increase the speed gradually. After mastering this exercise in one count you are able to whip your head in half turns.

The Most Important Exercise for Spotting

Now the time has come to train your Eye Movement. You want to learn to keep your eyes fixated on your target as long as possible whilst turning your head. Repeat exercises 1, 2 and 3, but with your eyes wide open and keeping your eyes fixated on the spotting point until you feel you are starting to force your eye muscles and/or you are starting to loose focus. Stop your head movement,  turn your eyes as fast as you possibly can in the direction of your next target and finish your head turn. Think: “head – eyes – head”. Another good exercise is to just turn your head slowly from right to left & back whilst keeping your eyes on your target. You can also keep your head still and switch your eyes between two spotting point 45 degree right and 45 degree left in front of you. Be very disciplined and try to not see anything in between these two points!  

Conclusion

Your eyes have to be faster than your head, and your head has to be faster than your body. The proper order for turning or spinning is: body  – eyes/head (spot) - body. You can start by practicing this fundamental principle sitting in an office wheel chair and turning it around slowly. Practice spotting by keeping your head, back & neck straight, and by letting your eyes follow the target in front of you. Spot before the chair finishes one turn. Remember to keep breathing, and always stop when you are feeling uncomfortable or getting dizzy. Take a couple of minutes to rest before you continue the exercises.

Build on Success!

In the following clip Jazzy shows several spinning techniques at the end of his workshop held at Prague Salsa Festival 2005.

Stay tuned for the third chapter!