Case Study 1: HALO™ turn for Followers, and hand change

Permutation 1.1
View the clip:

merengue_halo_follower_shoulderlevel_clockwise_ltor.avi (5.0 Mb)

Shirin and Nathan begin follower's right hand in lead's left. Two main elements are combined: a shoulder-level variant of the HALO turn for Followers, clockwise; and a simple hand change from lead's left to right.

Permutation 1.2
View the clip:

merengue_halo_follower_shoulderlevel_anticlockwise_rtol.avi (4.7 Mb)

Shirin and Nathan begin follower's left hand in lead's right. Two main elements are combined: a shoulder-level variant of the HALO turn for Followers, anti-clockwise; and a simple hand change from lead's right to left.

Permutation 1.3
View the clip:

merengue_halo_follower_waistlevel_clockwise_ltor.avi (4.0 Mb)

Shirin and Nathan begin follower's right hand in lead's left. Two main elements are combined: a waist-level variant of the HALO turn for Followers, clockwise; and a simple hand change from lead's left to right.

Permutation 1.4
View the clip:

merengue_halo_follower_waistlevel_anticlockwise_rtol.avi (5.3 Mb)

Shirin and Nathan begin follower's left hand in lead's right. Two main elements are combined: a waist-level variant of the HALO turn for Followers, anti-clockwise; and a simple hand change from lead's right to left.
 

Case Study 2: Orbit™ and HALO™ turn for Followers

Permutation 2.1
View the clip:

merengue_orbit_followers_halo_overhead.avi (6.9 Mb)

Shirin and Nathan begin follower's right hand in lead's left. Two elements are combined and executed simultaneously: a partial orbit (180°) clockwise, and a HALO turn for Followers anti-clockwise.

Permutation 2.2
No demonstration provided (i.e. try this one yourself)
Follower's right in Lead's right, HALO turn for Followers clockwise, anti-clockwise Orbit.

Permutation 2.3
No demonstration provided
Follower's right in Lead's left, HALO turn for Followers anti-clockwise, hands at waist-level, clockwise Orbit.

Permutation 2.4
No demonstration provided
Two-handed parallel hold, HALO turn for Followers anti-clockwise, Follower's right in Lead's left hand at waist-level, Follower's left in Lead's right hand at overhead-level, clockwise Orbit.

Permutation 2.5
No demonstration provided
Crossed handhold left over right, HALO turn for Followers anti-clockwise, clockwise Orbit.

What do the permutations feel and look like compared with each other? Although they might seem very different, remember that they are actually different forms of the same combination.

Some of the variables you could investigate in this case study are:

• Type of handhold - left, right, double, crossed
• Direction of orbit - clockwise, anti-clockwise, none
• Angle of Orbit - your choice of angle you'd like to rotate through
• Direction of HALO - clockwise, anti-clockwise
   

Case Study 3: Orbit™, and Neutral turn for Leads

Permutation 3.1
View the clip:

merengue_orbit_neutral_shoulderlevel.avi (6.9 Mb)

Shirin and Nathan begin follower's right hand in lead's left. Two elements are combined and executed simultaneously: a partial orbit (180°) clockwise, and a Neutral turn for Lead anti-clockwise, handhold at shoulder-level.

Permutation 3.2
View the clip:

merengue_orbit_neutral_waistlevel.avi (4.6 Mb)

Shirin and Nathan begin follower's right hand in lead's left. Two elements are combined and executed simultaneously: a partial orbit (180°) clockwise, and a Neutral turn for Lead anti-clockwise, handhold at waist-level.

Permutation N
No demonstration required
Now, think about which variables could be investigated, then generate permutations of your own.
 

Case Study 4: Orbit™, HALO™ turn for Followers, Neutral turn for Leads

Permutation 2.6 (Orbit, and HALO turn for Followers)
View the clip:

merengue_cuddlehold_breakthrough_follower.avi (4.5 Mb)

Shirin and Nathan begin in double-handed hold. Nathan raises his left hand (holding Shirin's right) to halo height, whilst retaining his right hand (holding Shirin's left) at waist level.

They both perform a HALO turn for Followers anti-clockwise; and a partial orbit clockwise. This causes the follower, Shirin, to become “wrapped” at the waist in the Lead's right arm. The resulting position where partners end up side-by-side, with similar orientations, the arm of one partner wrapped around the waist of the other, is called the cuddlehold.

There are standard two ways out of the cuddlehold:

1. the process could be reversed by performing a HALO turn for Followers clockwise; or
2. the partners can perform a breakthrough. This is achieved when the handhold of the wrapping arm is released, allowing the partner in the cuddle to break backwards through the cuddlehold.

In the video clip, Shirin and Nathan opt to perform a follower's breakthrough.

Components: double handed hold - Follower's right in Lead's left at overhead level, Follower's left in Lead's right at waist-level; a HALO turn for Followers anti-clockwise; a partial orbit (180°) clockwise; and a breakthrough by the follower. (Notice how similar this is to permutation 2.1)
 

Permutation 3.3 (Orbit, and Neutral turn for Leads)
View the clip:

merengue_cuddlehold_breakthrough_lead.avi (5.6 Mb)

Shirin and Nathan begin in double-handed hold. Nathan raises his right hand (holding Shirin's left) to halo height, whilst retaining his left hand (holding Shirin's right) at waist level.

They both perform a Neutral turn for Leads anti-clockwise; and a partial orbit clockwise (similar to permutation 3.2). Nathan “wraps” himself at the waist with Shirin's right arm, establishing a cuddlehold.

Shirin and Nathan regain their starting position by performing a Lead's breakthrough.
 

Sequence 1: (Some assembly required)
If we perform Permutation 2.6 and Permutation 3.3 in continuous alternation, we would have assembled a combination sequence:

merengue_octopus.avi (4.5 Mb)

In some circles, this sequence is called the “octopus” (arms everywhere), but you may find it being called something else by your friendly neighbourhood salsa teacher. This is a handy piece of dance vocabulary that is commonly used by new and experienced dancers alike.