This is an ábaco module for a bit more experienced dancers. All the Tumba Francesa variations include contratiempo, movements from son / cha cha cha. See explanation of the figures below.
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Tumba Francesa
Tumba Francesa > siguelo, se fue
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Tumba Francesa > cambia direccion
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Tumba Francesa complicado
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amistad
amistad complicado
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Explanations to the figures
| Tumba Francesa | The rueda figure Tumba Francesa starts with enchufla. Then there are 4 changes in a chain, and finally enchufla y quedate. Quedate means stay, so the figure has no partner change at the end. In the ábaco figure, the 4 changes are marked with diagonal son / contratiempo steps. The beginning and end of the figure follow the rueda figure, using enchufla and enchufla y quedate. Tumba Francesa is the same as enchufla y cadeneta, except when to end. In Tumba Francesa you finish with the fourth new partner, and in enchufla y cadeneta you continue until you meet your partner again, hasta la tuya (until your own). In enchufla y cadeneta, it helps if the caller gives a hint when finishing, adding the call se fue or similar. Tumba Francesa is a bit easier to follow in ábaco, just count to 4. |
| siguelo | Siguelo is a general call, used in various rueda figures. It means continue. Siguelo refers to the chain part in this rueda figure. In this ábaco it refers to the contratiempo part. |
| se fue | When siguelo (continue) is called, it is called off with se fue. This means that the figures now continues with the regular ending. |
| cambia direccion | Cambia direccion means change direction. In the rueda the dancers makes a turn and dance the other way (man goes arriba, ladies abajo). In the ábaco figure we make a parada, doing a step without shifting the weight. When we continue we are now on the men’s fottwork, stepping on left foot on 8. If cambia direccion is called again, in ábaco we repeat the parada, now with the left foot. Afterwards we are back on the original contratiempo steps, stepping on right foot on 8. It is common to end Tumba Francesa after one cambia direccion with an enchufla figure. To exit you need to step on 8 with your left foot to get into enchufla on right foot on 1. |
| Tumba Francesa complicado | This ábaco figure combines steps from son and cha cha cha alternately. The rueda figure Tumba Francesa complicado continues until it is called off, usually with dame una. This rueda figure is a bit advanced, and probably not very commonly used. |
| amistad | The footwork in this ábaco figure is referred to as cepillo, meaning brush. (There are several other variations of cepill in various dances, like mambo and cha cha cha.) Note that the ábaco finishes with dile que no twice, like the rueda figure, and a rotation at the very end. |
| amistad complicado | This ábaco figure is just slightly different than amistad, as is the rueda figure. Getting back for the dile que no, you need to step on 4 with you right foot. |
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