Abajo

Abajo = "down" (or "under"). It is the guapea-family variant where, instead of breaking back away from each other, the lead calls the couple to step toward each other and down into the slot — a forward-driving basic that compresses the open frame before opening it again. The hands stay in the L-to-R hold throughout; it is footwork and direction, not a turn.

• Lead: Drive the "1" forward and down into the slot rather than rocking back; keep the L-to-R connection firm so the follow reads the change of direction.
• Follow: Mirror the forward step toward the lead on 1-2-3 — close the distance, then recover on 5-6-7; don't hold your ground waiting for a back-rock.
• Timing: A tiempo: forward/down on 1-2-3, recover on 5-6-7, repeatable over the 8-count.
• Common mistake: Defaulting to the back-rock of a normal guapea so the "down" never happens, or collapsing posture when stepping in.

A foundational casino opening footwork variant — the same guapea engine pointed forward. Lives in the social warm-up and as a connecting basic between patterns.