Rueda Hand Signs (Part 32) El Uno

El Uno (meaning “The One”) is one of the many Cuban salsa moves that are named after a number. While there are many such moves that have no deeper meaning and are simply given their name sequentially, due to a lack of a better description, el uno is one of the few numbered moves whose name is more meaningful. In isolation this may not seem obvious but it is apparent particularly when comparing this move to another move referred to as “El Dos”. In El Uno we spend one entire 8-count in Parte El Brazo Con Dos Manos whereas in El Dos the same sequence is performed for 2 8-counts (as well as switching the position of leaders and followers). It is therefore the duration of Parte El Brazo Con Dos Manos, which is the key element of these two moves, that is responsible for the name.

El Uno starts by a Parte El Brazo Con La Mano Derecha for the first 3 steps at which point the leader picks up the follower’s left hand with their own left hand before going back to the original position. Keeping both hands, the leader does an Enchufla amd brings their right hand over the follower’s head while at the same time keeping their left hand low to finish the move by bringing both hands over both heads similarly to the end of Sombrero.

In terms of footwork El Uno is effectively an Enchufla Doble Y Quedate. It is therefore important that the steps are executed as such and no shortcuts are taken. In fact, one of the most common mistakes with this move is that dancers often do not turn properly to face each other when holding both hands in Parte El Brazo Con Dos Manos but the more they turn the better this move looks and feels and it is easier to maintain eye contact.

The hand sign for El Uno consists of the leader pointing their index finger upwards to signal the number one.

Confusion (Part 1)

Confusion is probably my favourite aspect of Cuban salsa and it is central to the way Aimi and I run our dance school. It is something that entirely changes the dynamics of dancing and separates Cuban salsa from any other form of partner dance I have learned. It is something that can catch you completely by surprise when social dancing and make the dance so much more interesting. It fundamentally changes the relationships between leaders and followers and makes performances even more exciting as spectators no longer understand who is leading whom. Additionally, it makes dancers significantly better in their original roles as well as becoming more respectful to their partners as they learn how it feels to be in their partner’s shoes.

The idea of confusion is that leaders and followers switch places such that the leader becomes the follower and vice versa. This can be done for the duration of an entire dance or even more interestingly, the roles can be switched multiple times within one single dance.

There are many variations in the way this move is done and various schools know this move under different names but the fundamental idea is always centred around leaders and followers switching roles which adds a component to Cuban salsa that is unheard of in more conservative dance forms.

Whichever method is ultimately chosen for leaders and followers to switch places, there are two distinct structures that can be seen within the schools where confusion is taught: Some schools teach this move in such a way that the leader initiates and leads confusion until the point where they become the follower themselves. Other schools will insist on the fact that it should be the followers that decides on when Confusion is executed such that the leader loses control 4 beats earlier than in method 1. While on the surface this may not seem like a big difference, the implications are significant. At Tiempo España Dance Academy we have adapted the second method as we believe this to be the key in making this move meaningful both in terms of the dance itself as well as the culture it fosters. This will be outlined in greater detail throughout the rest of this blog series.