A Step-by-Step Guide to Cuban Salsa

Dance has been an important part of rituals, celebrations and entertainment since before the birth of human civilisation. In the beginning, before we had written language to record things, the purpose of dance was often to tell stories and to pass them down to future generations.

The story of dancing in Cuba

In Cuba, as in ancient times, dance tells its own story. The passion and energy of Cuban dance reveals the strength and conviction of the Cuban people, determined to enjoy life despite 'la lucha' (the struggle) of living in a strictly regulated country where the average monthly wage comes in at around 400 pesos - less than 10.

The richness of Cuban music and dancing also tells the story of Cuba's melting pot of cultures. From the high-stepping flamenco brought by the Spanish settlers in the 15th century to the frenzied tribal dances of the West African slaves, dancing is in the blood of the Cuban people.

From the teenage girl in denim shorts to the cigar-seller on the street corner, Cubans are given to break into spontaneous dance steps. Furthermore, the people dancing on the streets of Havana are likely to be just as good as the professionals, because in Cuba dancing is simply a way of life.

The variety of Cuban dances

Cuba boasts a huge range of dances including classical ballet, contemporary, flamenco and folk dancing. But it is the partnered routines that appeared in Havana dancehalls between the 1920s and the 1950s - Salsa, rumba, mambo and cha-cha-cha - that can be seen in every Cuban bar, club and street. Of these, Salsa is the most popular dance internationally.

Since the name 'Salsa' (it's Spanish for 'sauce') was coined, Salsa dancing has exploded in popularity in Latin America and across the world. Salsa dancing classes are now hugely popular but to really get into the swing of it a Salsa holiday in Cuba itself is a must.

Tips for Cuban Salsa dancing

If you do take yourself on a Cuban holiday, you'll have the unique experience of watching Cubans Salsa dancing. It sometimes appears that by some genetic aberration they have been born with super flexible joints, defying physics to carry out all the complex manoeuvres they have integrated into the dancing. Their remarkable twisting body movements and natural sense of rhythm will dazzle you.

If you have the right technique, Cuban Salsa is easier to learn than many other forms of dance. The basic footwork is a fairly simple walking motion, pausing every fourth beat, and there are some six basic steps you can follow to make sure you're on the right tracks.

1 Relax

To dance Cuban Salsa well it is important not to rush, but to relax into the steps. Movements should be precise and deliberate in addition to being flowing and smooth.

2 Walk with purpose

Salsa dancing involves a continual circular motion. Couples walk around each other with an imaginary axis between them. This makes turns look smooth and effortless. Walking gives time to untangle your arms after each turn.

3 Have confidence in your lead

The leader (usually the man) should have constant tension in his arms, while his hands guide his Salsa dancing partner around the floor. There is no need to clamp onto each other's hands, only to use the right amount of tension to provide a leading signal.

4 Be flexible when following

In order to follow well, ladies should try to match the tension of their partner. The exception to this is when arms need to be relaxed and flexible to complete arm-twisting Salsa moves without injury!

5 Keep balanced when you spin

The key to all the spectacular spins in Salsa is not to lose your balance. One way to do it is by spotting while you spin - focussing on one spot at each turn - an age-old dance technique.

6 Use your body

In Salsa dancing, ladies should make use of their body and be sensual, playful and creative. This can involve some creative arm movements, going with what feels right and basically showing off a bit. Enjoy!

Emma Lelliott is the general manager of Captivating Cuba, an independent Cuba holiday specialist. With offices in Havana and the UK, Captivating Cuba can offer Cuban Salsa holidays to Havana as well as expert advice on holidays to Varadero and Cayo Coco and lesser known resorts such as Jibacoa and Trinidad.

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Minerals, Numbers, & Foreign Words

All cryptic puzzlers understand that compilers employ words cryptically to obtain their answer, and that they need to recognize those words for what they stand for - LOVE to yield the letter O; SPECIALIST to yield the common suffix ENT; COMPANY to yield CO etc . Many puzzlers built up a list of such words, as have I, with a glossary of over 800 such words.

Beyond such words, compilers often test your knowledge of Minerals, Numbers and Foreign Words so we'll now look at how you cope with such ruses.

MINERALS & ELEMENTS

You'll need to know the symbols for some common elements from the Table of Elements.
The symbol for LEAD is PB but isn't often used because the letters aren't often found in words, whereas the symbols for GOLD ie AU and for SILVER ie AG are commonly employed.

H for HYDROGEN, C for CARBON and O for OXYGEN also find favour. A few others that come in handy are FE for IRON; SN for TIN; AL for ALUMINIUM; CL for CHLORINE; NA for SODIUM and CU for COPPER. It's a good idea to have access to the Table of Elements which should show in most encyclopaedias.

Here are a couple of examples of how these symbols are used in clues:

"Silver has no saint in charge when it comes to disbelieving (8)"

ANSWER = AG NO ST IC

"Copper seldom found on some arrows (6)"

ANSWER = CU RARE (a poison used in blowpipe arrows)

NUMBERS

You need to know your Roman numerals especially

I for 1; IV for 4; V for 5; VI for 6; IX for 9; X for 10, though sometimes you need the letters io; XI for 11; XL for 40;

IL for 49; L for 50; LI for 51; IC for 99; C for 100; CI for 101;

ID for 499; D for 500; DI for 501; IM for 999, M for 1,000;

MI for 1001 etc

NOTE re THOUSAND: K as for KILO or G as for GRAND are sometimes used instead of M. You just have to see what fits.

And don't always expect these Roman numerals to be used in the accepted manner. Compilers use numeric licence as readily as they do literary licence eg

CLUE: 101599 sort of pride (5) ANSWER: CI V IC

Not fair is it!

Here are a couple of more straightforward uses of numbers in clues.

"Five get into a dance and celebrate (5)"

(Instead of 'five' the word 'quintet' could be used)

ANSWER: RE V EL (Here the dance is a 'reel')

"Queen takes in 51 people and then another 11 to make a potion (6)"

ANSWER: E LI XI R (Queen = ER)

NOTE: Sometimes no mention is made of a particular number but you may well be expected to know that a 'cricket team' = XI; a 'rugby' team = XV or that a 'crew' means 'EIGHT' (seldom VIII which is difficult to use in word building.

OFFBEAT NOTE: Sometimes the word 'number' needs to be interpreted as 'something that numbs' ie 'ether' or, less frequently, 'chloroform' and 'anaesthetist'

FOREIGN WORDS

You need to be a person of many parts to do cryptic puzzles, and one of those parts is to be a mini linguist. French words are the most commonly used eg;

To get the letters UN the clue may contain the words A FRENCH ie the French for the indefinite article A

Similarly the words THE FRENCH are seeking the letters LE or LA

The clue words FRENCH ARTICLE make you choose from LE; LES; LA; UN; UNE.
AND FRENCH is often used to get ET, which incidentally can also come from the word ALIEN
ON FRENCH is looking for SUR

Remember 'Sur la table' for 'on the table

EXAMPLE: " Enduring the French swindle (7)

ANSWER: LA STING

Then there are common French words such as TRES for VERY which may be used thus

"Pierre's very hand will result in an unlawful entry (8)

ANSWER: TRES PASS

Here you're expected to know that, to the Frenchman Pierre, VERY is TRES, and that one interpretation of HAND is PASS as in 'Hand me the salt please'

Nobody says that cryptic puzzles are going to be easy right??

Another device to indicate that you need to find a French word is the use of IN PARIS; IN MARSEILLES and so on

EXAMPLE: It's good in Paris as 500 grow older to get restraints (7)

ANSWER; BON D AGE

OTHER LANGUAGES

German words are probably the next most common foreign words to be used eg DER or DAS for THE; JA for YES; EIN for ONE, AN or A; DING for THING; etc

EXAMPLE: Indulge as the German comes after pot (6)

ANSWER: PAN DER

Just as we met PIERRE in the French words above, we meet FRITZ in German words. And words like IN BERLIN indicate that you need a German word

Two other common usages are:

THE ITALIAN to get IL

(For PIERRE as above read MANUEL and watch for words like IN MILAN)

and THE SPANISH to get EL.

(For PIERRE as above read MANUEL and watch for words like IN MADRID)

LATIN gets into the act too eg WITH LATIN is seeking the Latin word for WITH ie CUM

Getting into these foreign words may seem to be adding an extra layer of difficulty to cryptic puzzling but you'll find the more straightforward ones like THE, A, AND etc are enough to get you by.

It would be a good idea to have a French/English dictionary on hand. I personally have a series of the small yellow LANGENSCHEIDT dictionaries to cover most languages.

Well that's your lot for now. Here's hoping that some of the above broadens your cryptic horizons and eases your frustrations with our eternal adversaries, the compilers. Lots of luck.

Dick Honor is a retired publisher and self-confessed cryptic crossword tragic. He is the author of "Your Start-Up Guide To Cryptic Crosswords", a guide for those who believe that cryptic crosswords are beyond them. Dick provides beginners with simple language guidance, 450 practice clues with answers and a glossary of over 700 cryptic clue words.

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Tips for Going Clubbing for Men

Im just going to say it right now, I hate clubbing. The musics too loud, a lot of creepy guys are there, and people in my crew are always getting drunk. Not to mention that the club has its reputation as one of the hardest places to pick up women. However for all the negatives there are, I find myself going there every week. On a Saturday night, thats where all the attractive women on.

Clubbing is what separates the men from the boys. Youre either one of the guys dancing with women on the floor, or youre on the sideline with your Corona watching him. Its difficult, but definitely possible.

1. Whoever approaches the most, leaves with the most numbers

When it comes down to it, clubbing is really just a numbers game. Some women come to the club just to dance with their girlfriends (while dressing like they want every guy to approaching them). Its hard to weed out which girls are approachable and which are not. The best thing to do is to just grab your balls, and go for it. If you get rejected, then move on to the next girl. And dont take it personally or let it ruin your night. If you approach a girl, you have a 50% chance of success. If you dont approach, then you have 0%.

2. Its all about Social Proof

Not only do people judge you by what you wear, but they also judge you by who youre with. Whos more attractive: The guy with a few girls at the bar taking shots with them, or the guy with his friends standing near the wall checking out the dance floor? I always try to take females friends along when I can. I like to dance with them at the beginning because it lets me scout the area to see whos there, much better than walking around by yourself.

The majority of women that I meet are through people I already know in the club. After you start going there a while, youll get to know more people and start noticing a lot of the same groups go every week. When I enter I say hi to everyone I know, and usually they bring with them some friends. I get introduced and its game on, no need for the approach phase.

3. What to wear

Many clubs are strict when it comes to the way you dress entering the club. My friend gets in all the time for this one club wearing black converses, but he cant get into another wearing the same thing.

The safe outfit - Black oxfords, dark socks, dark jeans, a button up dress shirt (top 1-2 buttons unbuttoned and you can roll up the sleeves to slightly below the elbows).

You can get into any club wearing this and you wont look bad. But if you read my article on peacocking, then you know you wanna look a little bit different from the standard. Personally I like wearing a t-shirt with an interesting blazer.

I know this is common sense, but please take a shower and wear some anti-perspirant before you go out. Also put on some decent cologne because youre going to get close when you dance. My two favorites are Issey Miyake and Burberry Brit. If you dont have a cologne, ask a female friend to help you pick one out at Sephora or Macys.

4. Have a good wingman

Women are never alone in the club. The best targets in my opinion are when two girls are by themselves. You can approach them by yourself, but the girl youre with is not going to leave her friend to dance with you. Thats where having a good wingman can be helpful. Also wingmen can encourage you to to approach and help you rebound. I remember one time we had an approach go bad. Afterwards my wingman told me Man those bitches are ugly anyways, lets find someone else. We kept going and found ourselves even better women later.

The golden rule is whoever approaches the girls and picks them up, gets first pick. So dont be bitching about getting the fat chick if your buddy made the moves ;).

5. Dont drink too much

Self-explanatory.

6. Timeline

Approach -> Talk -> Dance -> Get her phone # -> Go somewhere with her.

You approach the women with whatever opener you have. You talk to her a bit and engage her. When a song I like comes on I tell her I love this songs. Lets go dance and take her hand to the dance floor.

The dance floor is something that comes with experience and hard to put into words. But basically you make small advances towards her and see what her limits are. Ive had success making out with women on the dance floor, but the majority of them just want to dance at this stage. After dancing I take her back to where my friends are and we all drink. Talk to her a bit more and get her phone number. The clubs usually close at 2 or 3am and I always go out and eat with my friends, so I will invite her along. After that the rest is up to you.

Clubbing can be intimidating for anyone thats going there for the first time. But like all things, youll improve with experience.

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Visit beawomanizer.com for more FREE articles on how to attract and seduce the women of your dreams.

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Could You Live The Life Of A DJ

So you love music and you want to be a DJ. Well before
taking the plunge there are some things you need to
know about how to become a DJ.

Since there is no such thing as a DJ school to teach
you the steps one of the first things you need to know
is that you need to be original and if possible new in
your talent and technique. Talk to other DJ's if you can
and find out how they broke into the business and get
some tips from them. See if they will take you on as an
apprentice so that you can learn.

A person that aspires to be a disk jockey needs to have
a lot a charisma because other than the music a really
good DJ that has appeal is what draws the crowds. So
develop a character personality that attracts crowds.
You need to know when to tune it down as well so that
you do not overpower and lose that attention.

As a DJ you have to be knowledgeable in all genre of
music, just knowing a few hit songs here and there won't
cut it. So you need to make sure to brush up on your musical
intellect by learning about all types of music. The way to
learn the music it is to listen to it...even if it is not
what you personally enjoy, a DJ has to know and have a
lot of music.

Now, you need to realize that being knowledgeable in all
music doesn't mean that you will play all music. You
will need to develop your own style as well. You need
to work on a certain niche of music lovers and be able
to entertain with the right music, whether it be rock, rap,
soul or house music.

You need to have good quality music, so if you are downloading
it from the Internet, make sure that you are using legal sites
to get it from so that you are getting the best quality.

Plan on either renting or possibly borrowing the equipment that
you will need until you are comfortable with being a DJ. The
last thing you want to do is spend a lot of money on expensive
equipment and then find you don't enjoy it as much as you thought you would.
Then ask some friends if you can DJ a party of two for them
for free so you can get your feet wet and see how the crowd
reacts.

An important key you need to remember is that you should
base the music you play on the crowd that you are entertaining.
In other words, don't play rap for a group of elderly
people and don't place bluegrass for a bunch of rockers or rappers.

Learning how to DJ can be a lot hard work as well as fun.
So get out there and make your way in the world of music
and don't forget to have fun while you're at it.

Top DJs don't just play the music they become the dance floor, when they move the crowd moves few other professions in the world can make you feel that buzz...do you want it... get the help you need at http://www.startdjing.com

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Is Tupac Shakur Dead or Alive?

This is ultimately the question I am most frequently confronted with - is Tupac dead, or alive? Personally, I believe It all comes down to how you see death, and what YOU believe.

To cut things short, in my honest opinion, I believe Tupac is dead. A lot of people breeze over that though, and thats what the problem is. By saying he is dead, we are suggesting he is no longer alive - he no longer physically exists. But just because he doesnt exist as a physical form, a solid being, doesnt mean hes not here, right? Through Tupacs touching lyrics and music, he reached out to us, and communicated with us. Thats what he was best at. As long as we still listen to his music, his words, he will still touching us and communicating with us. So even after Tupac passed away, his music still remains - his essence still burns in our hearts. Remember, this is just what I believe. Death is a concept, depending on how you interpret it and what you believe, you may think differently. It will be great to hear your thoughts and opinions on this.

So why the Seven Day Theory? One thing Tupac was known for, was his intelligence. No, I dont mean he had outstanding grades at school. A lot of people mis-interpret the word intelligence. Knowledge is what is what one knows. Intelligence is ones ability to know. Tupacs ability to understand was immense. Just by listening to his lyrics, you can tell he was a deep thinker. He was a sensitive young male, who tried so hard to understand why things happened. But unfortunately, when trying to understand death all one is faced with is pain, and anxiety. Tupac wasnt necessarily scared of dying, but of being forgotten.

A lot of people are worried about death, but really I think they are worried about being forgotten. So many memories just erased in an instant. The only possible remedy would be to engrave those memories and stories into his songs, and then create a mystery which baffles the world for years to come. It makes sense doesnt it? Tupac was so intelligent, he would have had the ability to predict this. He would have known by leaving so many clues and hints in his lyrics, and by creating the Seven Day Theory, the world even to this day will be listening to his words in hope.

If this idea was true, it would explain just about everything - apart from the actual shooting itself. Now assuming Tupac died on September 13th 1996, we are left with two possibilities: Tupac was murdered, or he planned his death. Once again, your thoughts are welcome on this. But my personal opinion, is that Tupac planned his death. For someone living in such pain and suffering (according to his lyrics), it wouldnt be hard to give in to death, if it meant he would be perceived as a legend for decades to come. Tupac once said in an interview that he shouldve blown his brains out a long time ago. It is clear that he wasnt afraid to die, and so maybe he was willing to exchange his life for a piece of history.

Remember, this is just what I believe. Everyone has their own thoughts and views regarding Tupacs death. Maybe he is chilling on an island somewhere smoking a blunt. Or perhaps he really was murdered straight.

This article was written by Luke Kirk. To learn more about Tupac Shakur, visit Luke's website: Tupac Shrin

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How to Get Your Hands on the Latest Zune MP3 Downloads

Make the most out of the trendy Zune media player by getting your hands on the latest Zune MP3 downloads. It's quite easy to get these download files since the net is cluttered with Zune download sites. You can even use your creativity and use MP3 resources other than the internet.

In order for you to manage your Zune MP3 downloads easily, you need to have Zune software. Zune software enables you to manage and import your files to your Zune media player. Zune software also has burning, ripping, and converting capabilities which you will find a lot useful.

Searching online is one of the easiest ways to get a hold of the latest Zune MP3 downloads. One of the best places to go to is Zune Marketplace. This is a websites that asks for a reasonable subscription fee and also uses the Mircrosoft point system. The Zune Marketplace offers unlimited download choices for its members, so why not have a go at it?

Of course, there are other websites that merit a second look, too. Among the websites online that have managed to hedge itself into one of the top spots is Zune Pro. If you want the latest in MP3s, you can get them at Zune Pro. It has a huge database that gets updated regularly so you are sure to stay on top of the music trend.

Z Downloads is also one website that has managed to stay on one of the top spots. This is a great place to get other media files aside from Zune MP3 downloads like movies, games, and cool software. Visit Z Downloads for a hassle-free download.

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You don't have to rely on the internet to get your hands on great MP3s for your Zune media player. If you have Zune software, you can just equip your Zune media player with your favorite audio tracks. First you'll need to rip them, convert them to a playable Zune format, and transfer them to your Zune player. You can then enjoy listening to your favorite audio tracks all day long.

You can learn more about the greatest websites to go to for the latest Zune MP3 downloads when you visit my blog.

Learn how you can download music for Zune for your player instantly.

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Piano Lessons With Frederic Chopin

Frederic Chopin was alone among the great composers in that he made his living almost entirely from teaching piano.

During the period around the 1840's he was the most famous piano teacher in Paris, largely because he was also one of the most famous and beloved composers in the world.

His roster of students contained many great and good pianists, among them Mikuli, who became the editor of Chopin's printed piano music.

Chopin taught at home in a lavish, well appointed studio. It contained two pianos: one beautiful Erard grand, on which the student played, and a small cottage upright, at which the master sat and demonstrated.

The master instructed his students to seek out and play only the finest pianos, as he thought playing on inferior instruments ruined a good finger technique. His emphasis at first was on relieving the tension found in many students' hands.

He began at eight in the morning and taught all day. This was because, as he said, "All those white gloves cost money." He was a dandy and fastidious dresser, and traveled only in the highest echelons of Paris high society, where he was in constant demand both as pianist and personality.

To the talented student, he was both inspiring and confusing. Giving great advice was his stock in trade, but one student pointed out that, "The master is so confusing. He demonstrates how I should play, but every time he plays a piece, it is completely different!"

To the untalented, he could be cruel. Many of his students were titled young ladies of very high social standing but little talent who took lessons from Chopin because they could afford to and because it conferred social status to study with such a great master.

But his assistant, Mikuli, noted many times when these rich young ladies would be reduced to tears and run away in horror because the master had criticized their playing most harshly.

Rich or poor, at the end of the lesson the student put their payment in gold on the mantelpiece, while the master discreetly turned his back.

Great masters do not tarnish their hands with money.

By John Aschenbrenner Copyright 2000 Walden Pond Press. Visit http://www.pianoiseasy.com to see the fun PIANO BY NUMBER method for kids.

John Aschenbrenner is a leading children's music educator and book publisher, and the author of numerous piano method books in the series PIANO BY NUMBER.

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