Today, we're doing part 1 in a series called back to basics. One of the most common moves in salsa is the cross body lead. As much practice as we get on this, it's incredible how often beginner and intermediate dancers get this wrong.
This one move is the building block of so many other moves in salsa dancing. The goal of the cross body lead is for the leader to bring the follower from one side of the line to the other. Remember, in LA and NY style dancing, we dance back and forth on a line. If the leader is facing north and follower south on a straight line, by the end of the cross body lead, the leader is now facing south and follower north.
For the first 4 counts, the leader should be getting off the line. Now that the follower has an unobstructed view, she can dance across the line on the next 4 count. By the end of this 8 count of dancing, the two have switched positions.
Common Leader Mistakes
1. NOT ENOUGH PRESSURE - When you lead this move in LA style, you step forward on the 1. By that 4 count, you are off the line and ready to push the follower across the line on 5. The problem is that this pressure on the 5 count (on the left shoulder) is almost always TOO LIGHT. It should be clear to the follower that you want her to move across the line and this is how you do it. I have an exercise I make my students go through. I tell them "give 100% of your strength to try and push the follower across the line." I know they won't do this. But what they will do is apply what they think is 'too much pressure' which is still often times a bit light. Leaders have to get used to being less timid with the pressure they apply on the lead. Strong, firm, but controlled is what you are going for here. Without clear force on the 5 count, it's a crappy lead for the CBL.
2. IGNORING '1 FOOT RULE' - A lot is going on during that 5 count. Not only are you pushing the follower across the line, but you are stepping too! When you step, you should never be more than 1 foot away from your follower. When you do this move, notice what the max distance is between your two bodies at any time during the move and this should not exceed 1 foot. If it does, you are doing it wrong.
3. BAD ANGLES - The cross body lead is a series of parallel and perpendicular angles. You start parallel to your partner. Then you go perpendicular as you step off the line. Then you go parallel as you get back on the line and back into basic step. Remember to go perpendicular when you are off the line, not a weird 45 degree or some other junk.
4. NO RUBBERBAND - This is the toughest mistake to correct because it comes with time. To get a nice lead across the line, it should feel like you and the follow are a rubberband stretching (but not breaking!). This stretching happens with your arms. A fully locked and extended arm = breaking. A 90% extended arm is what we are going for here to provide a nice stretch. So on the 4 count you are beginning to stretch out this arm to that 90% and then you push the follower across on 5.
Common Follower Mistakes
1. BACKLEADING - Ladies, you are smart. I get it. But in salsa, getting smart will get you into trouble. I know you know that I know that you know a cross body lead is coming. But let's play a game where we pretend we don't know what move is coming next. You need to stay there and wait for the leader to give you that push across. Otherwise, don't move. This will train the leaders. I often hear women complain about bad leaders. There are only bad leaders because the followers haven't trained us :)
2. BAD ANGLES - When the leader sends you across on 5, you are stepping directly across the line. Followers will sometimes try to turn around (from south to north) on that 5 count. This is premature and will mess up the move. Make sure you don't start moving your orientation on the line from south to north until the 6 count.
Spending time getting the cross body lead automatic will pay off in spades. It's arguably the most common salsa move besides the basic step. Get to know it, learn it, love it. And no matter what your skill level, keep learning it. I just took a private class with Magna Gopal and we spent 15 minutes of the class going over, you guessed it, the cross body lead :)
