The sombrero is one of the world’s iconic figures in Cuban salsa, or Cuban casino. Simple enough, knowing a few key points and tricks makes this pass even more enjoyable.
Let’s take a step-by-step look at how to perform the sombrero pass, a pass that can be performed at beginner level.
Definition of the sombrero
To understand the meaning of salsa passes, it’s sometimes necessary to go through the translation process.
The sombrero (Spanish for hat) refers to the large-diameter Mexican hat, as the pass ends with a hat for the man and woman, and the arms of the two dancers passing over their heads.
The sombrero is one of the basic Cuban salsa passes, taught all over the world.
As well as being visually interesting, it’s also fun and helps you understand that the movement for the follower (often the woman) is the same as for the vacila or vacilala. It also teaches how to simply change places and move.
Cuban salsa sombrero steps
Here are the main steps in learning to do the sombrero…
Starting position :
Partners in open position, follower’s right hand in leader’s right hand.
The trick :
For the follower, these are the same steps as the vacila. The sombrero is a two-handed version of the vacila or vacilala.
The leader brings his right hand to the left hand at the top, initiates the turn, then the leader’s left hand takes the follower’s left hand from underneath before raising the arms. A change of position takes place here.
Hat:
Now that the partners have changed places, it’s time to make the hat, the sombrero, by passing both hands over the heads of the two partners.
Return to open position:
To finish the pass and execute the dilequeno, simply release the connections and perform a dilequeno normally to return to the open position.
Video of Messina explaining the sombrero pass perfectly:
Tips and tricks
- Variations: the sombrero can be performed as is, or doubled, as « sombrero doble ». There are other variations (abanico, etc.), but the doble remains the most classic.
- Hand position: the follower’s hands should always be within easy reach of the dancer, and the dancer’s arms are often illustrated as if on armrests, elbows slightly in front of the torso.
- Arms: the follower’s arms should always be in view, in front of him or her.
The arms go down a little before coming back up to make the hat, which is more dynamic than keeping the hands up all the way. - Movement: the follower doesn’t turn on the spot. Salsa is a walking dance! The movement is a circular change of place, with a turn.
- Tempo: 1-2-3 (partners exchange places and face the center of the rueda), 5-6-7 (partners raise their hands to make the sombrero hat).