| Improving Your Spins in Salsa – Part 3 |
| Written by Azucena Perez | |
Gillian Murphy, principal dancer at American Ballet Theater
In the third part of this series we will learn how to prepare and take off for that perfect turn. Now that you have your feet properly placed and your posture optimally aligned, the actual task of turning is next. First, let’s go over one of the most important concepts of spinning: spotting.
SPOTTINGSpotting is a technique developed by the Italian ballet schools in the late nineteenth century. It is said that the Italians kept their spotting technique secret by practicing their pirouettes only in locked studios away from the competition. In simple terms, spotting allows the dancer to delay the rotation of the head relative to the rotation of the body by visually focusing on a fixed point (spot) at eye level. Spotting can help you speed up your turns, prevent dizziness, and conserve energy as you perform multiple turns. Thus, mastering spotting will be of key importance to achieving clean and effortless turns. I highly recommend you take a look at ballroomdancers.com’s site for a great visual of how spotting works. How To
TAKE OFFIn salsa, most turns are done en dedans, or inward, whereby the body turns toward the supporting leg. For example, if you’re turning to the right, your supporting leg will be your right leg. If you’re turning to the left, your supporting leg will be your left leg. In ballet and Jazz, it is also common to turn en dehors, or outward, whereby the body turns away from the supporting leg. When practicing salsa turns however, make sure you always keep your weight on the appropriate leg (en dedans), as explained above. Here is your preparation for a right axle turn: 01.Stand in dancer’s position with arms slightly below your chest. 02.Turn your body to the left 45 degrees and take your left leg slightly in that direction and away from your body. Imagine that you’re going to take a step with your left leg but keep all your weight on the right leg. Turning your body slightly away from the direction of rotation creates momentum and torque. 03.Find a spot in front of you and begin turning to the right. Think of initiating the turn with your back, especially the right side of your body, rather than your arms. Don’t use your arms to hurl yourself around. Hold them neatly in position and avoid overcrossing them in front or sagging the elbows. 04.Find your spot on the other side and finish your turn. Ideally you’d sustain your balance for an extra moment at the end of the turn before the working leg relaxes and your weight distributes evenly on both legs. Practice sustaining your balance before and after your turn to regain control. TIP: As you turn, relax the upper body and exhale so you can float through the turn.
CONFIDENCE IS KEY
Gillian Murphy, principal dancer at American Ballet Theater
Though for some of us spinning can be pure bliss, for others it may be a source of what we call “turn anxiety.” One thing to keep in mind is that none of us was born spinning. So as you practice, be really patient with yourself. Allow your body to make mistakes, and let it adjust to balancing on one foot while turning on its axle. Learning to spin with ease requires practice and time. Lots of practice, for sure. When it comes to spinning, your formula for success will look invariably like this: Clean Turn = Correct Technique + Practice + Practice + More Practice Having said that, you also have to know when to leave it alone. Lots of diligent practice is required, yes, but if you feel frustrated and even after sincere extra attempts you can’t seem to get that turn, then let it rest and resume the next day. Remember that a good turn should feel easy. In the next part of this series we will go over suggested exercises to strengthen your core muscles so you turn faster and with more ease.
Read: Improving Your Spins in Salsa – Part 1... Read: Improving Your Spins in Salsa – Part 2... Want to take a private lesson with Azucena? Click here for more info or to book your lesson(s).
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