…energy flows.

I like that. I think it’s so applicable to so many things that when I stop and think about this simple saying, it brings a smile to my face as well as reminding me to keep my attention where it requires to be.

What does this have to do with dance? Well, Laura and I have seen people go against the flow of movement within the Salsa/Mambo dance so often, that it has become a major point bought up in our classes.

We could, in a another post, discuss the merits of dancing in a slot vs. NOT dancing in a slot, but I’ll save that one for another day. I simply wish to throw my support for slot based dancing as an effective tool for social dancing that is compact, flexible and orderly while keeping both people relatively safe. That being said, if we were to dissect a cross body lead (CBL), the most commonly used move in slot based Salsa and Mambo dancing, we will begin to see a diabolical habit rear it’s ugly head more often than not.

For example, in a CBL, the guys basically opens up the slot and the lady goes through. Simple, ya?

Buuuuuuuut lets look at the name of the move shall we:

Cross BODY Lead.

Give you any clues? If we can agree that a CBL opens energy to allow the follow to go from point A to point B, then we too should move with the energy and focus our attention in the appropriate direction, no?

What usually happens is a lead will slingshot the follow through the slot, back away, then chase while then pulling the follow back to him. This particular situation is not conducive to leading comfortably and certainly not mindful of our partner. I challenge you to dissect the way you currently execute a CBL and see if you add any energy to the movement that is counter to the original intention.

Do you?

Leads, go back and look over some of your favorite pattern to lead and begin to self correct with the idea that you should move in harmony with the energy of the movement, and in turn, your follow.

Follows, check if you don;’t do things which pull your lead away from the energy of  his movement…yes, you gals can sometimes do that.

Sometimes, it’s a new idea which will cause us to reflect on how we do things.

Try this today, I think it will have a really positive effect on your dancing!

Please let me know your thoughts about energy and movement in the comments below, I’d love to hear them.

To your dancing,

_del