Travelling Steps:
When you boil it down there’s only a few things you can do on a dance floor. Stay static, rotate, go somewhere and a few miscellaneous bits and pieces.
Travelling is part of the ‘going somewhere’ group.
To move across the dance floor we can either take small or big ones. I call small steps shuffling, and the big ones travelling steps.
Definition of Travelling:
A large step across the floor on any beat in any direction, but they must follow the rule of travelling.
Because travelling steps are numerous and used in every regional style, it's useful to identify and master the mechanical properties so we can easily master new moves that have similar properties.
Well Known Moves that include a travelling steps:
Cross Body Lead (f5), Dil’ Que No. (f5) Open Break (f1), Copa (f3 f5), Gupea (f2 f3 f6 f7),
Around the world (f2 f3 f6 f7), Paseala (f2 f 6)
[ The f before the number refers to the eight count as started on the leaders left foot e.g. f5 = Right foot of the leader and left of the follower. ]
When a follower travels across or around the leader, the travelling step must be the follower's leg nearest the leader.
If this rule is broken, during the travelling step, the follower swings in towards the leader, which in terms of body language is overtly sexual. When tested on followers who have no dance experience, they consistently say this felt ‘wrong’ and following the rule felt ‘right’.
I know of no travelling moves that break this rule.
The Travelling Event:
A travelling step may be in any direction and on any beat as long as it also conforms with the rules of Footwork Sequence* and Travelling.
During the beat that the Travelling step takes place, the leaders communicates that a travelling step is to take place, in what direction and how far. The follower needs to receive this information and react accordingly.
The leaders communication i.e. his lead has to be at the very beginning of the beat so the follower can complete it within the beat.
There is always the temptation to start the lead before the beat that the travelling step is on. Often this has no consequence but will often provoke the follower to travel on the earlier beat which may break the rule of travelling and feel uncomfortable.
Preparation:
For travelling steps there is no prepstep or hint that a travelling step is about to happen.
It is necessary to ‘connect’ i.e. gain the full attention of your follower before the sequence starts. Without this connection the lead becomes an ambush and is uncomfortable and hard to follow.
The Lead:
To lead a travelling step simply push or pull the follower in the direction of travel.
It’s almost the same as if you are sliding a cardboard box so that across the floor.
The important difference is that the travelling step is led with connection and consideration. The leader accelerates the follower working with her body movement. The follower will find it intuitive and easy to follow. This allows for a wide range of variations and interpretation of the move.
Anticipation:
Often the moves using travelling steps are very prone to anticipation.
Please be aware that anticipation of travelling step is probably the greatest cause of injuries in salsa.
When the follower regularly anticipates, the leader loses confidence that the follower will react to variations in length or position. His reaction to this is to usually ‘dumb down’ and avoid complex moves. If followers want the best from their leaders, they must master anti-anticipation.
How far to travel:
Each follower will have a comfortable range of travel based on confidence, gait, floor conditions and shoe type. The leader can work within this range leading either more or less than average to achieve the variation.
Cross Body Lead:
The most common travelling step by far, is the CBL which mechanically is identical to the Cuban Dil’ Que No. They both are first beat travelling steps on the 2nd bar i.e. f5 *2
For leaders- Expanding and varying your repertoire of travelling steps is an very easy way to make a leader's repertoire interesting and dynamic.
For followers- Being able to follow any travelling step in any direction is a mark of excellence. The skill of attention, connection, balance, reaction and dynamic movement all have to be mastered.
Tips:
When leading from partner hold, lead with the hand behind the followers back rather than pulling with the joined hands. The lead is much clearer and the joined hands can correct and var the move.
Followers - I recommend that your travelling step ends with your toe touching the floor before your heal. This prevents twisted ankles when wearing heels and looks elegant.
Imagine you are travelling to a stepping stone. This modifies the travelling step movement and require the follower to control their momentum once arrived, which prevents a large uncontrolled step on the next step.
*1: Rule of Footwork Sequence- Salsa is based on a series of steps and pauses that is continuous and seldom broken. Left Right Left Pause, Right Left Right Pause
Preparation:
For travelling steps there is no prepstep or hint that a travelling step is about to happen.
It is necessary to ‘connect’ i.e. gain the full attention of your follower before the sequence starts. Without this connection the lead becomes an ambush and is uncomfortable and hard to follow.
The Lead:
To lead a travelling step simply push or pull the follower in the direction of travel.
It’s almost the same as if you are sliding a cardboard box so that across the floor.
The important difference is that the travelling step is led with connection and consideration. The leader accelerates the follower working with her body movement. The follower will find it intuitive and easy to follow. This allows for a wide range of variations and interpretation of the move.
Anticipation:
Often the moves using travelling steps are very prone to anticipation.
Please be aware that anticipation of travelling step is probably the greatest cause of injuries in salsa.
When the follower regularly anticipates, the leader loses confidence that the follower will react to variations in length or position. His reaction to this is to usually ‘dumb down’ and avoid complex moves. If followers want the best from their leaders, they must master anti-anticipation.
How far to travel:
Each follower will have a comfortable range of travel based on confidence, gait, floor conditions and shoe type. The leader can work within this range leading either more or less than average to achieve the variation.
Cross Body Lead:
The most common travelling step by far, is the CBL which mechanically is identical to the Cuban Dil’ Que No. They both are first beat travelling steps on the 2nd bar i.e. f5 *2
For leaders- Expanding and varying your repertoire of travelling steps is an very easy way to make a leader's repertoire interesting and dynamic.
For followers- Being able to follow any travelling step in any direction is a mark of excellence. The skill of attention, connection, balance, reaction and dynamic movement all have to be mastered.
Tips:
When leading from partner hold, lead with the hand behind the followers back rather than pulling with the joined hands. The lead is much clearer and the joined hands can correct and var the move.
Followers - I recommend that your travelling step ends with your toe touching the floor before your heal. This prevents twisted ankles when wearing heels and looks elegant.
Imagine you are travelling to a stepping stone. This modifies the travelling step movement and require the follower to control their momentum once arrived, which prevents a large uncontrolled step on the next step.
*1: Rule of Footwork Sequence- Salsa is based on a series of steps and pauses that is continuous and seldom broken. Left Right Left Pause, Right Left Right Pause
*2: f5 refers to the foot work count, also known as the 8count.
f5= 123_ (5)67_
In musical terms f5 is the 1st beat of the 2nd bar.
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