THE WARM-UP: Basic Steps for Casino // "Cuban Salsa"

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A casino warm-up comprised of basic steps that you'll use everywhere in the dance. They emphasize stepping under your center in cadence, controlling your weight, and making clean pivots.
• 2-step
• paso de son
• back rocks
• back crosses
• walking and pivoting
• forward and back
• side step
• cross in front and back
• side cross
* * * Big thanks to PALO for the music! * * *
Song: "Al Monte" by PALO!
gopalo.com
gopalo
[used with permission]
Song: "La Habana Buena" by PALO!
gopalo.com
gopalo
[used with permission]
Song: "Araña" by PALO!
gopalo.com
gopalo

[@MessinaDance]

This is the warm up that I run every class through to get them walking and pivoting as those are very foundational steps in casino, especially regarding enchufa turns. The points of walking an pivoting are: 1. Aim to step underneath your center on the first step. The emphasize of movement should be on the second and third steps as you see in rumba and other afro-cuban dances. This also answers many questions such as "where do I step on the first step for dile que no, or enchufa, or vacila..." As a follow, if you aim to step so that you are not dictating where your center goes, the lead can act a force upon you that will cause you to move forward, or a little bit back, and if not... in place! As a lead, this will help your dancing to be more compact and allow you incorporate movement as well as dance to faster tempos. 2. Change the weight FULLY with each step. 100% of the weight should be on whatever foot is stepping. This helps with too many things to list but it is also the way the dance is supposed to look. 3. Save the pivots for the end (third step going into the 4th beat/pause) This will help give that relaxed feel you see in dancing as well as to help hold the pauses. 4. Practice facing the direction you pivot towards. Your feet and chest and face should all point in the same direction for walking and pivoting. You achiece this by spotting (looking where you're going) and engaging your core. Leave the weightless foot chambered at the ankle until you are facing the new direction so you don't get tripped up when the pivots are bigger. These are body mechanics that lead to a very confident look especially used by follows ENJOY!

[@alyssiamuhammad8033]

Messina Dance Company Amazing!! ♥️ You instruct very clearly and you make learning each progressive movements simple. Your videos are very engaging. Plus I am hear for these laughter moments!! Haha makes me feel like im actually taking an active class with you. I've subscribed to your youtube, my notifications are on and I follow you on Instagram @thatssoalyssia so Keep it up!! Im ready to learn!! Besitos.

[@MessinaDance]

@@alyssiamuhammad8033 Thanks for the kind words! I try to keep the videos moving toward feeling like a personal class, glad it's going in that direction. I don't see @thatssoalyssia on instagram, so hope you have my handle right - @MessinaDanceCompany - but either way, thank you for the support.

[@rosanasarmiento3755]

Very nice ! 👍🏻

[@lbafs1530]

Its not only want you teach but also the choice of music you play with the exercises. It just adds that extra motivating dimension. Muchas Gracias

[@MessinaDance]

🙏 thank u for watching and taking the time to share some kind words.

[@LakbayHulaNgSaliwNgBuhay]

We are beginning to be your fan!!!!

[@leventeczakoi]

An extremely delicate taste and selection of music... just wow...

[@MessinaDance]

🙏🖤

[@inemupung5058]

Sending you love from Lagos , Nigeria 🇳🇬. You are super amazing, your videos are very easy to understand, I’m a salsa newbie

[@MessinaDance]

Thanks so much for watching.... and for the love!

[@teresai1877]

By the way, I'm Nigerian and watching these dance videos especially the "rumba" hand moves, this seems so similar to ancient Ekombi dance of the Efik people of Southeastern Nigeria. As I was practicing especially the front/back cross steps, the spinning/pivoting, I thought, "Wow, this is like Ekombi!" The Efik are a minority group, so at weddings people love to invite Efik dancers to perform the Ekombi dance because it is so special and only the Efiks can dance it. (I'm Ibibio and we are closely related to the Efiks). Thanks for the great videos!

[@MessinaDance]

I'm going to look all the up, thank you!

[@NikaraTOP]

This is genius! I never learned so quickly! You are amazing! Thank You sooooo much!

[@MessinaDance]

Thanks for watching! I am glad it helped. Let me know what else you want to see...

[@dieguismama2330]

Bello tu, bello el baile papito!

[@teresai1877]

Amazing!!!!! Thank you so much. I always wanted to learn Cuban salsa and now I finally have. God bless!

[@MessinaDance]

This is a good start... check out the casino playlist when you have a moment.

[@LakbayHulaNgSaliwNgBuhay]

Wow!!!! I love you were able to devise this method of teaching. I am learning!!!! I have been teaching salsa for 20 years and wanted my students to start first learning the Son, Casino first.

[@yoshiSBX]

I can’t believe i didn’t come across these videos sooner - they’re the best! Clear to understand & fun to watch! I’ve been wanting to do salsa for half a lifetime & finally now it makes sense. Thanks!

[@rich5759]

Great warmup bro, my footwork is getting awesome!

[@Ikanant]

Candela! Pro video right here!! Nicely done 🤩

[@rob1966stone]

Okay this was great ready for the next. Feels like on 1 salsa to me so no problem so far. thanks!

[@TracyTheRed]

This warms my heart in such trying times. I will use this to be ready to dance again, whenever that may be.

[@MessinaDance]

There is no time like right now

[@thebruthaknownasp3882]

That was fun! It was a good sweat!

[@awithplus]

Hi there! I've seen you were talking about style preferences in your country. We are dancing Cuban salsa in Tomsk, Siberia 😁 Thank you for your job

[@MessinaDance]

Awesome! I have been shocked to hear where people watching from!

[@rud1gga155]

Hope youre dancing still

[@awithplus]

@@rud1gga155thanks! Unfortunately, since COVID entered our lives I with my partner left social dances. We were too scared to contact with strangers. Now we are looking for opportunity to join our classes again.

[@lauratangangco9930]

Awesome! Instruction is simple and fun. There's no way you won't learn how to dance. Fantastic!!!

[@MessinaDance]

Thanks for watching!

[@Ed-324_D]

i want to live there and dance with you all.....all my life - Bravo!

[@pilove30]

Really Awesome Instruction.... Totally sharing!! Love.

[@MessinaDance]

Thank you!

[@chiclayanito1971]

Thanks for all the master explanation, time & effort you put on all your videos. Greetings from the other side of the continente !!!! Keep up with your videos !!!! Kiitos paljon !!!!

[@samaval9920]

Starting from 1900s there we a ragtime music dance called Ragtime 2Step, while in late 1900s there was Nightclb 2 Step bothe use, 1 definition of step 3 steps, but older dance vocabulary, those dances used 1 travelling step (step), 1 close step (close), 1 travelling step ( step) = step close step, or, for short, 2 steps (drop the close. To (at least earlier) N American (& W or E? Europe dancers, fir example, Merengue, Corrido, etc. are called 1 Step dances. Thus may seem Illogical, but dancers in Global N have used thus since early 1900s.

[@SalsaAdonisSantiago]

I love your job , respect 🙏🇨🇺

[@MessinaDance]

Thank u bro

[@johnalbright7295]

Great stuff. Do you also do dance therapy?

[@marinabelyaevskova3489]

Hello! Thank you very much for all information and dance you are sharing!!! 🤩🥰💃🏻🕺🏼💃🏻🕺🏼 And can I ask the question..I went through the link with 29 videos, and after a few videos where separate combinations- they are not opening, they are saying that I need to be different type of member of your channel but there is no information what should I do to become that specific member- so I can open that videos too! Please, tell me if it’s still possible 😁🙌🏽🥰

[@leeedmunds2539]

I like your teaching style dude, nice and systematic!

[@MessinaDance]

Thanks! I try different approaches here and there, but glad this one resonated.

[@leeedmunds2539]

@@MessinaDance :) I've only checked out your beginners stuff, but look forward to more complexity later

[@Sara-nc8dn]

thanku soooo much 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@MessinaDance]

Thanks for watching!

[@kevinmurtagh3434]

I Enjoy your lesson

[@MessinaDance]

Thanks! More coming. Glad you enjoy :)

[@rimantasdanilevicius6754]

I really enjoing your videos. Thats crazy how good you are with explanations!

[@MessinaDance]

I appreciate the support!

[@clarisamedina5608]

Im so happy to found this video. Beautiful. Congratulations. And a lot of blessings I been trying so hard to see something like this step by step. Do you a have a school in new jersey. Or new york city

[@MessinaDance]

Thank you for watching.... check out Fuakata in New York for excellent casino instruction.

[@MrJeeves007]

Great videos and style. Your light brown shoes also seem light and smooth to turn in. What brand are they?

[@MessinaDance]

Hahaha... they're Timberlands!

[@Word_Wise_Woman]

Not a lot of Cuban style out here but I’m seeing more and more pop up in my hometown philly and some scattered in the south... surprisingly I haven’t stumbled across too many casino/rueda stuff in south Florida more specifically in Miami which has the highest Cuban population.... it’s kinda sad 😔

[@MessinaDance]

I agree about Miami ... But there are some people they're doing very good work in showcasing Cuban dance... was lucky enough to take classes with some of them. Most of what I share is stolen from @Carlos Ramirez. I'm happy to admit that, especially since he refuses to follow me on KZbin :P

[@Word_Wise_Woman]

Mmm I’m gonna look him up and research, thanks for the info ☺️.

[@MessinaDance]

@@Word_Wise_Woman he's the man :)

[@DJarry394]

L.A. here. Not planning to find as partner

[@kevinmurtagh3434]

What country are you in?

[@MessinaDance]

USA

[@Word_Wise_Woman]

Every time I watch your videos I questioned why the 🤬 I moved to California when the east coast had all the dance flavors I needed... I just didn’t have the knowledge yet 😪😓😩😫😖

[@MessinaDance]

That's really sweet... plenty of great stuff out there though, you will find it :)

[@Word_Wise_Woman]

Oh there is a very small community of rueda/casino out here, it’s just I would spend more time driving the commute than dancing to really partake in the festivities 😪.

[@MessinaDance]

@@Word_Wise_Woman maybe you need to start one where you're at :) I'll help however I can:)

[@Word_Wise_Woman]

Messina Dance Company it’s funny my boyfriend said the same thing but I only been dancing this style for less than 6 months. I started salsa on 1 just 3 years ago and my on2 is not as polished but casino feels more natural to how my body wants to move instead of forcing steps, counting etc. I would really appreciate it if I could get some guidance because its not just about the dance and music for me, it’s about the culture and the richness of it ya know ☺️

[@MessinaDance]

@@Word_Wise_Woman my email is [e-mail] Let's talk about what we can do!