SALSA PORTORICAINE

Style : SALSA PORTORICAINE

LES FIGURES DE PORTORICAINE

CrossBody , change main . check tour a gauche

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Cross-body	Basic
5,6,7	Cross-body, with right turn and hand pass behind back (so our right holds her right)	Cross-body
1,2,3	Sideways basic, lead follower into partial outside turn then check turn, by pulling her back to closed position.	Basic
5,6,7	Sideways basic, while turning follower	Inside turn (to left)

Pattern 2: Cross-body tour a gauche

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Cross-body	Basic
5,6,7	Cross-body, except lead follower to perform extra inside turn. Follower may have difficulty completing this turn in time. Leader can assist by circling follower in the clockwise direction, going against the direction of her turning and thus reducing the distance she has to travel.	Cross-body with extra inside turn (to left)

Pattern 3: Cross-body tour a gauche solo

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Cross-body	Basic
5,6,7	Lead follower into cross-body, then grab her right shoulder with left arm and lead her to perform full turn, releasing hold as she turns. A variation is to push follower with left arm on steps 1-3, then extend our right hand across our body to the left on step 4. These two movements give the follower turning momentum. On step 5, pull the right hand back and to the right, throwing follower into free inside turn. Another variation is to spin follower using our hands on her waist instead of on her shoulder.	Cross-body, with inside turn (to left)
1,2,3	Free-style (or perform a right turn of our own)	Continue turning
5,6,7	Free-style	Free-style

Pattern 4: Main croisee cross body shadow check tour a droite

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Cross-body, with firm right hand to right hand single hold	Basic
5,6,7	Cross-body, spinning follower into cuddle, leader to left of follower, her right hand on her right shoulder and holding her right hand. Check follower's turn with left hand	Cross-body, then extra 1/2 turn to left
1,2,3	Basic. Gently push follower forward on step 3 with left arm, to initiate outside turn	Basic (forward with right foot on step 1)
5,6,7	Sidestep to right, turning follower with right hand and performing 1/4 left turn of our own	1 and 1/4 outside turns (to right)

Pattern 5: Cross body avec multitours

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Cross-body, with firm right hand to right hand single hold	Basic
5,6,7	Cross-body, leading follower to continue turning to left, while starting to turn to left ourselves	Cross-body, then continue turning to left
1,2,3	Turn to left, circling follower counter-clockwise, and continuing to turn her	Inside turn (to left)
5,6,7	Turn to left, circling follower counter-clockwise, and continuing to turn her. Conclude with leader haircomb	Inside turn (to left)

Pattern 6: Check de tours interieurs (Peek-a-boo)

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break, then pull follower into inside turn. Single hand hold: leader's left or right to follower's right.	Back on right foot, then half of inside turn (to left)
5,6,7	Forward on right foot, checking follower's turn with free arm, then step back and lead follower to return to closed position	Turn back to right

Pattern 7: Multiple check de tours interieurs

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break, then pull follower into inside turn, using single hand hold: leader's left or right to follower's right. Release hold as follower completes turn.	Back on right foot, then half of inside turn (to left)
5,6,7	In-place basic. Check follower's turn with right arm, then gently push to cause her to reverse turn.	Half turn back to right
1,2,3	In-place basic. Check follower's turn with left arm, then gently push to cause her to turn again	Half turn back to left
	(the above 2 measures can be repeated)
5,6,7	In-place basic. Check follower's turn with right arm, then gently push to cause her to reverse turn. When she returns to closed position, take hold of her right arm and lead her into changes places with inside turn or some other pattern.	Half turn back to right

Here's a very flashy enhancement to the multiple checked inside turns. On step 3, leader dips deeply to left, bending left leg and keeping right leg straight. On step 4, he checks followers turn by using his hand against her thigh. On steps 5 and 6 he raises himself and, optionally, performs some sort of turn or spin as a followup

Pattern 8: Check de tours interieurs avec Hammerlock

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break into double open hold, then pull follower into inside turn, lifting right arm (follower's left arm) and depressing and twisting left arm (follower's right arm) so it bends behind follower's back in hammerlock hold. Be careful to keep follower's bent arm low, otherwise you may cause pain and injury to her shoulder.	Back on right foot, then half of inside turn (to left).
5,6,7	Forward on right foot, checking follower's turn, then step back and lead follower to return to closed position	Turn back to right

Pattern 9: Check de tour interieur avec enroulle a la taille

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break into single crossed hold (leader's right to follower's right). Pull follower into inside turn, depressing and twisting arm so that it bends behind follower's back in hammerlock hold. Be careful to keep follower's bent arm low, otherwise you may cause pain and injury to her shoulder.	Back on right foot, then half of inside turn (to left).
5,6,7	Forward on right foot, checking follower's turn, then step back and lead follower to return to closed position	Turn back to right

Pattern 10: Check de tour interieur a l epaule

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break into single crossed hold (leader's right to follower's right). Pull follower into inside turn, lifting arm to neck level so that follower's neck presses against our forearm.	Back on right foot, then half of inside turn (to left).
5,6,7	Forward on right foot, checking follower's turn, then step back and lead follower to return to closed position.	Turn back to right

Pattern 11: Change places with double inside turn

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break, then pull follower into inside turn. Single hand hold: leader's left or right to follower's right.	Back on right foot, then inside turn (to left)
5,6,7	Change places with follower as she continues turning	Another inside turn (to left)

It helps to precede a double inside turn by one or more peek-a-boos, to give the follower some turning momentum.

Pattern 12: Change places with inside turn, change places, outside turn with change places

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break, then pull follower forward into inside turn while stepping forward so as to change places	Inside turn (to left) and change places
5,6,7	Switch hands (right to right hold), then step forward, turning to left	Basic
1,2,3	Change places, lifting follower's hand over our head	Change places
5,6,7	Turn follower, while changing places, so that she performs 1 and 1/2 turns.	Outside turn (to right)

Pattern 13: Inside turn to neck wrap, leader haircomb while walking to step 3, free outside turn

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break to single hold (right hand to right hand), then pull follower forward into inside turn, lifting right hand so our right forearm rests against back of follower's neck, check her turn by grabbing her right elbow (which is sticking out towards us) with left hand	Back on right foot, then half inside turn (to left)
5,6,7	Walk forward	Walk backward
1,2,3	Continue walking, lift right arm from behind follower's head, move it behind ours, while maintaining hold on follower's right elbow.	Walk backward
5,6,7	Gently but firmly push follower's right arm down and to our left, causing her to turn (if you push up, she may hit other dancers in the face).	Free outside turn (to right)

Follower's arm must be relaxed in order for leader to have time to grab her elbow before she turns again.

Pattern 14: Crossed hold outside turn to cuddle, sidestep, outside turn

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break, enter crossed hold (right over left)	Basic
5,6,7	While maintaining both hand holds, lift right arm and turn follower, so that she passes under the raised right arm as she turns. End result is that follower is standing to left of leader, in side-by-side cuddle hold, with leader's left arm behind her back and his right arm across his front	1/2 outside turn (to right)
1,2,3	Sidestep to left, so follower is to right of leader, while maintaining both right and left hand holds	Basic
5,6,7	Release left hand, sidestep to right, turn follower with right hand	1 and 1/2 outside turns (to right)

To make the 1 and 1/2 outside turns easier: release left hand on step 2 and use it to gently push follower forward on step 3, so she starts the outside turn early.

Pattern 15: Crossed hold outside turn, leader left turn, outside turn, haircomb, free outside turn

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break, enter crossed hold (right over left)	Basic
5,6,7	Sideways basic, turning follower with both hands	Outside turn (to right)
1,2,3	Turn to left (half turn and change places, or full turn and no change places), maintaining double hand hold so that hands will be crossed with right over left	Basic
5,6,7	Sideways basic, turning follower with both hands	Outside turn (to right)
1,2,3	Basic, with follower haircomb using right hand (her left hand will be caught in the crook of her bending right elbow as we begin the haircomb)	Basic
5,6,7	Using hands on follower's elbows, turn her	Outside turn (to right)

Pattern 16: Double hold outside turn, change places, cuddle, sidestep, outside turn

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break, enter double open hold	Basic
5,6,7	Turn follower, maintaining double hand hold, which is now crossed	Outside turn (to right)
1,2,3	Step forward, turning to left, thus changing places with follower, maintaining double hand hold, which becomes uncrossed	Change places
5,6,7	Enter cuddle with leader on right side of follower	Basic
1,2,3	Step to left side of follower, maintaining cuddle	Basic
5,6,7	Release left hand and turn follower with right arm	Outside turn (to right)

Pattern 17: Double hold outside turn, leader right turn under follower's hands, leader haircomb

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break into double open hold	Basic
5,6,7	Turn follower with both hands. During turn, bring both of followers hands together and held by our right hand	Outside turn (to right)
1,2,3	Lift follower's hand and make right turn underneath.	Basic
5,6,7	Basic, while bringing follower's hands over our head in a leader haircomb.	Basic

Pattern 18: Outside turn to neck wrap cuddle, sidestep to choke hold, outside turn

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break	Basic
5,6,7	Push follower with left arm into outside turn, but keep arm down at neck level so she turns into a neck wrap. Perform half turn to right to enter cuddle, with leader to right of follower. Leader will be holding follower's right hand against her left shoulder.	Outside turn (to right) into neck wrap
1,2,3	Sidestep behind followers back, switch hands so that our right arm is now in front of follower and holding her right hand, which continues to rest on her left shoulder (almost like a choke hold).	In-place basic
5,6,7	Turn follower. To reduce the amount she has to turn, use left arm to gently push her on step 3 of the preceding measure and then sidestep to right and turn a quarter turn to left.	1 and 1/2 outside turns (to right)

Pattern 19: Outside turn, follower circles leader, free outside turn led by hip touch

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break	Basic
5,6,7	Sideways basic, turning follower.	Outside turn (to right)
1,2,3	Lift right arm over follower's right arm (which is held by our left arm), then use it as lever to cause her to continue circling	Walk forward behind leader
5,6,7	Use left hand against follower's left hip to lead her into outside turn	Outside turn (to right)

Pattern 20: Outside turn, follower circles leader with hand on neck, free outside turn, leader left turn

Steps	Leader	Follower
1,2,3	Open break	Basic
5,6,7	Sideways basic, turning follower using our left arm and her right arm. On step 6, use her stiff right arm as lever to pull her forward, using our right hand against her right elbow.	Outside turn (to right)
1,2,3	Step forward, then back, making room for follower to circle us. Hold onto follower's right hand with our right hand, so that it stays against our neck. On step 3, take hold of follower's right wrist with our left hand, in preparation for turning her.	Circle leader, keeping right hand against his neck.
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