NEVER say no to a dance, it can really knock someones confidence to be told no. Salsa Dancing is fun, energetic, inclusive and helps with social skills, confidence and literally changes lives. This can be more effective as everyone is starting together and moving at the same pace. The follower then steps straight forward on 5-6 and turns on 7-8, while the leader makes another 90 degrees counter-clockwise and slightly forward, coming back into the slot. The dancer breaks mostly On1. Our first recommendation is a pair of Jazz shoes. Lets talk about shoes. Some of the dances which have influenced or have been incorporated into salsa include mambo, cha cha cha, Cuban son, pachanga, swing, hustle, jazz, and Afro-Cuban rumba. Salsa training in Ecuador. This is most popular in Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico & other Caribbean islands. It can be danced On1 or On2, but when danced On2 the Leader tends to break forward rather than the Follower as in New York Style. This walkthrough video will help you learn how to salsa dance and provide you a series of salsa dance lessons that will teach you the basics steps to. The main difference between Miami-style Casino and Cuban casino is the diagonal back step. The six different styles are: New York style salsa, LA Style salsa, Cuban salsa, Rueda de Casino, Colombian salsa, and Salsa Choke. The key to salsa dancing is to focus on keeping the upper body still while moving the hips and feet. If you are waiting for a dance, wait on the edge of the dance floor standing up, look ready to be grabbed and taken on the floor. At the advent of the Television era this was bringing Latin music into the homes of many Americans. The origin of salsa dance is not a single, isolated event, but rather the result of the merging and blending of various cultural and dance influences. Most salsa music is played with one of the son claves, though a rumba clave is occasionally used, especially during rumba sections of some songs. Inside Colombia, however, is another matter entirely. Chapter 6: What to wear for Salsa Dancing. You dont need a partner to learn the basic steps of Salsa. Do not just march up to someone and grab them by the wrist and pull them to the dance floor. They are also an ethically run company and we recommend reading the About Us section whilst youre on their website. Taking elements from Pachanga & Boogaloo, Cali-style is fast and furious with extra flick & tap steps and lots of acrobatics. The difference from the original Mambo to the new Mambo On2 was the introduction of the break step by Eddie Torres in the 1970s whereby the Leader steps back their Right Foot on 2 and the Follower steps forward on their Left Foot forward on 2. New posts Search forums. It is also counted in bars of 4, like the music is written, not in the dancers measure of 8 counts as other styles. Traditional salsa dancing considers the man as the leader and the woman as the follower during the dance. It is heavily influenced by Afro-Cuban traditions and dance styles such as mambo, guaguanco and danzon. Steps are taken on beats 2,3,5 and 6,7,1. Each style of Salsa (New York, LA Style, On2, Cuban etc) will have its own list of salsa moves. In the 1990s American pop artists of Latino heritage were responsible for bringing Salsa like beats into a more commercial pop music arrangement. You can check out The Dance Guru'slist of 100 Top Salsa Dance Tracks here. You can also use a flannel or small hand towel to deal with excess perspiration. However, New York City became the forge for its transformation into salsa, beginning in the 1940s with the contributions of the orchestra led by Cuban migr Machito (Frank Grillo), which blended Afro-Cuban styles with jazz and big band approaches. It is a linear form of salsa, where dancers dance in a slot, similar to LA style salsa. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Essentially Salsa shines are dancing Salsa on your own. Salsa Dancing is fun, energetic, inclusive and helps with social skills, confidence and literally changes lives. This traditionally Afro-Cuban dance is a mix of cha-cha-cha, mambo, rumba and other popular traditional Latin dances and musical styles. Technology has also had a major impact on the salsa scene, with the emergence of online resources and instructional videos making it easier for aspiring dancers to learn the basics of salsa dancing. First you need to see who is available to you, The Dance Guru Recommended Online Salsa Courses, If you prefer the look of New York Style then you can enrol in Joel Dominguezs, And coming soon will be the complete guide to, Marcin from Krambo Dance explains this beautifully in , If you want to know the timing differences between the Basic mambo (forward and back) step in LA Style, New York Style, and Razz MTazz Style then checkout these, BeginnerSalsa Dance Steps - Cross Body Style, If youre a complete Beginner and cant wait to get started, then checkout this , Improver Salsa Dance Steps - Cross Body Style, Take a look at Marcin from Krambo Dance explaining his. Since then Johnny has taught all around the world showing how LA Style can be fast, furious and at the same time sensual and expressive with slower pieces. https://www.britannica.com/art/salsa-music, NPR - On Fania Records and the Music That Made It Matter, salsa - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Just sign up to our FREE Social Dancer Membership area to download your handy PDF copy for reading later. The actual shines themselves dont change, the only thing that changes is the direction of the Mambo step once the dancer comes back to dance the Mambo Basic. Salsa dance emerged in the Central American country of Cuba during the late 19th and early years of the 20th century. Melodic components of the music and dancers can choose to be in clave or out of clave at any point. Only say no if there is a genuine risk of injury by dancing with that person. The New York Style or Eddie Torres Style or Nightclub Style Salsa as it is often known, is characterised by the Tumbao rhythm played on the Conga drum. During the slave trade the Spanish nobles brought African slaves to Cuba, and with it came their African rhythms. Once you understand the basic principles of the rhythms of the Clave, cowbell, Montuno and Tumbao you will be able to train your ears accordingly. Corrections? Rickys co-star was Lucille Ball (his wife) who played Lucy. The term salsa also refers to a dance that is associated with the music. To truly accomplish a level, every move and technique should feel easy, natural and be executed with good frame, posture and timing. For a clearer picture, let's dive into how this dance came to be. Pioneered by bandleader Arsenio Rodrguez, the son became the framework on which was hung a wide variety of dance-oriented Afro-Cuban musical styles, from the bolero to the conga and from the rumba to the mambo. No-one wants to dance with a very sweaty person! Well the Spanish colonization of the Americas began in 1492 with Columbus and they began to expand their territories until it included Central America, South America, Mexico, what is now Southern states of USA and some Western states of USA including up to the South western part of British Columbia in Canada. It is no good knowing Salsa steps but not being able to execute them on time. In 1959 when Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba things began to change, and many more Cubans emigrated to New York. Some teachers offer a course of classes for say 6 or 8 weeks in which everyone starts at the same time and there is an agreed learning plan. Here are some more principles to keep in mind in considering dancing: Ecclesiastes 3:4 There is an appropriate time to dance (and, by implication, an inappropriate time to dance). Willie Coln | Salsa Dance Video, 7 Things You Didnt Know About Salsa Dancing, World Latin Dance Cup 2023 Dates Announced, Cha Cha/Salsa Dancing in Bogota, Colombia (La Candelaria). So why is this important? What's new. History of Salsa. Latin America took over Worcester nightclub 'Sin' on Wednesday 10 September, as the New Salsa Salsa company endeavoured to teach locals the moves that have grabbed the interest of Britain in. 3.) The elements of Cali-Style Salsa were strongly influenced by dances to Caribbean rhythms which preceded salsa, such as Pachanga and Boogaloo. Training in salsa can also improve your flexibility and strength, and learning new salsa movements is even good for your brain! There is a lot of emphasis on footwork in New York style, dancers will often separate from each other and dance shines, which are individual footwork patterns. The events bring dancers together to share their passion for the dance, build community, and share moves and tips. Many were very poor and often ended up in the poorest neighbourhoods of their adopted cities. Takeshi (@salsakesh on Instagram) is the founder of Salsa Vida and has been dancing salsa for over 15 years and is passionate about all things salsa. Whether you're on the dance floor or in the crowd watching others dance, you can't help but get lost in the magic of salsa. Learning at home can give you a feeling of security. Home. Band leader Don Azpiazu combined Cuban musicians and American singers in order to popularise his music. Sep 16, 2011 #1 Hi, I love salsa. Unlike other styles of salsa, however, New York style is danced on the second beat of the music ("on 2"), and the follower, not the leader, steps forward on the first measure of the music. The general etiquette is to wait by standing close to the side of the dance floor. This seemed to please the audience and a newer, faster, style of Salsa music began to develop with Columbian Salsa musicians. Salsa is a typical Caribbean dance, one of today's most popular dances worldwide. Well if you Google just salsa you are going to get lots of yummy looking recipes for a lovely tomato based dip, great with tortilla chips! They include various acrobats such as partnered flips to entertain with these jaw dropping stunts. In our comprehensive guide on this subject we show Ladies how to determine the correct height of Latin dance shoe based on their foot length, we help Ladies with how to choose the right shape, style and height of Latin shoe for the EXACT type of Latin dance they are doing. In high heels, most ladies will come down a size against their true street shoe size, however in a closed toe shoe you may need to order the same size as your street shoe size. Social Dancer Membership area for more cool stuff, CHECKOUT MORE BLOG ARTICLES ON SALSA DANCE HERE. History. Salsa dancing is an international dance that can be found in most metropolitan cities in the world. At one time these all fell under Spanish rule. The most expensive pairs of shoes, once youve included postage and packing, are still only around 32. These can appear more expensive initially but spending a longer, intensive period of time learning in 1 go can make a dramatic improvement to your dancing very quickly. Style Salsa with The Dance Guru here. In Chapter 1 we discussed how Salsa music and Salsa music artists developed Salsa over time from the merging of many rhythms such as Guaracha, Danzon, Cha Cha, Pachanga, Rumba & Mambo and these all combined to be known as Son. Different styles employ this syncopation differently. Alternatively, others use the conga rhythm to create a jazzier feel to their dance since strong "off-beats" are a jazz element. You'll know it when you see it! Salsa Dance was born out of the Mambo which was hugely popular in the USA in the 1950s. Dont forget you cannot wear a suede sole outside in the street, you must change into these once you are at the dance studio, and never get the soles wet. Many 1950s films began featuring Latin numbers and Cuban musicians were travelling from Havana to play in the music halls of New York. The dance style to compliment the music soon followed, with early pioneers such as Eddie Torres and Johnny Vazquez helping to formalize the steps and teach them through dance schools. There are several styles of Jazz shoes, with full or split soles and rubber or suede soles. ", "Most Popular Types of Salsa Dance - The Modern Dancer", "Longtime dance instructor talks salsa, both 'Cuban style' and 'Miami style', "So You Think You Can Salsa: Performing Latinness on Reality Dance Television", "On emotions and salsa: some thoughts on dancing to rethink consumers", "Moments of luxury: Hedonic escapism as a luxury experience", "Assembling tribes: An assemblage thinking approach to the dynamics of ephemerality within consumer tribes", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salsa_(dance)&oldid=1150699201, This page was last edited on 19 April 2023, at 16:59. It isnt fast or showy and there isnt much shift in body weight, the upper body stays reasonably still. It also has another more political meaning as at the time of Pinochet the economic advisors from, In the 1950s the New York dance hall the , Take a look at Eddie Torres and Robyn Lobe appearing in a show in the 1980s demonstrating, In the film Dirty Dancing, Patrick Swayzes character can be seen dancing a version of the Mambo in the scene , 1) New York Style Salsa (Eddie Torres, On2), The New York Style or Eddie Torres Style or, Nowadays it is hard to see Puerto Rican style in its purest form and it is often confused with New York Style, but here is, Some specific Afro-Latino movements pay tribute to the Orishas such as, 2007 World Salsa Champions Nilson and Deisy show us here just how, Several other dances have their origins in Salsa such as, Checkout this excellent post in Wikipedia for a great explanation of how, Salsa music can be particularly difficult for the, Musician Don Baarns has some excellent articles and tools aimed at dancers to help them find the beats in the music. Both however have Congas, Bass and Piano and the Clave as well as many other instruments. Salsa is the same, you must learn your basics, learn the rules, learn about leading and following principles and master these at the basic level before you move on. The Mambo Basic is the key basic or default step for Cross Body dancers. Over the years, many different styles of salsa dancing have evolved around the world. Some debate exists about the exact origins of the name "salsa". Spain began losing control of colonies in the 1820s and through the rest of that century. Although its international popularity crested in the 1970s, salsa retained an audience into the 21st century. Salsa is a Latin dance, associated with the music genre of the same name, which was first popularized in the United States in the 1960s in New York City. Salsa is a Latin dance, associated with the music genre of the same name, which was first popularized in the United States in the 1960s in New York City. New posts Latest activity. Heres a video of Nelvis and Noel from Baila Habana dancing Cuban Salsa. During Spanish rule many Spanish settlers came, as did the slave trade. You need to be able to move freely and open your legs without restriction, plus you need to keep your modesty and not have your underwear on show! This is particularly true of African descended Cubans. The best advice is to find something that will not grip to the floor but equally does not slide so much that you will slip over, something that will stay on your foot and not slip off, something that is flexible so that you can move your foot with ease and something light so that if you step on someone elses foot it reduces the damage that you do. [9] Festivals are held annually, often called a Salsa Congress, in various host cities aimed to attract a variety of salsa dancers from other cities and countries. The basic salsa dance rhythm consists of taking three steps for every four beats of music. It combines precision, speed, twists, taps, boogaloo, rock n roll, mambo and swing. It Has African and Caribbean Roots. Go. Beginners often dont realize that salsa isnt just one dance, there are actually six distinct styles of salsa that are danced around the world! In general, Salsa dancing is predominantly a couple's dance that includes close proximity and moves often described as sensual. The best thing to do is start with a Google search. Oh no, another definition: Sensual - Adjective Is Salsa Dancing Easy to Learn? So Bachata dancing or Salsa dancing, none of these are a sin. Take a look at this video of Eddie Torres(Mambo King and pioneer of New York Style On2) and Johnny Vasquez (Prince of LA Style On1) showing the same Salsa shine footwork. [11] Luiz Vazquez was the co-founder of Los Angeles's first salsa dance team, Salsa Brava. I think it would be a sin not to dance it. As an example of how a clave fits within the 8 beats of a salsa dance, the beats of the 2-3 Son clave are played on the counts of 2, 3, 5, the "and" of 6, and 8. According to data from Facebook, there are over 200 million people that like salsa dancing around the globe thats more than the next three popular dances (bachata, swing dance and tango) combined! Those are our seven salsa dancing facts you probably didnt know! It sounds like: "cu, cum.. pa cu, cum pa". Here, dancers circle around each other, reminiscent of East Coast Swing. It's usually done with a single partner, but subgenres can make way for a dance party involving a group of people exchanging partners. Salsa's tempo ranges from about 150bpm (beats per minute) to around 250bpm, although most dancing is done to music somewhere between 160 and 220bpm. If you are sat down all night and dont get a dance, dont complain. When men start Salsa dancing they will probably be wearing hard outdoor shoes which hurt when you tread on the ladies' toes, so getting a pair of Jazz shoes is a must have affordable option for your salsa dancing feet in our opinion! Salsa dresses and Salsa skirts can be worn by ladies, but generally ladies will wear leggings or skinny fit jeans. 05/31/2018. Understanding the structure of the music in Salsa is important for all budding Salseros, especially the leaders. There are however a few teachers that we personally support and feel that their teaching and breakdown methods are clear for students. Academic researchers have used salsa dancing as a productive research site in the social and natural sciences. Now, this time it was interesting because I was lazy and ended up typing just ' salsa ' in the search box. In 1898 the Spanish-American war occurred. 1990. the genre has experienced increased attention from mainstream American audiences who have invested significant resources in order to learn to dance salsa. The huge game changer was the founding of Fania Records by Johnny Pachero and Jerry Masucci in New York in 1964. Latin dance shoes for ladies come in many styles, shapes and heel heights. [10] Many of them are compatible with each other, but others are different enough to make dancing between dancers of different styles difficult. The 1930 song El Manisero (The Peanut Vendor) introduced US audiences to Cuban dance music and also started a Rumba craze which lasted in the o 1940s although the song is not technically Rumba. One of the most influential figures in New York style salsa is Eddie Torres (known as "the Mambo King"), who is credited with helping to formalize the on 2 salsa timing (based on mambo) and helping to popularize it by teaching it in dance studios in New York and through early instructional tapes. [1] [2] Salsa is a mixture of Cuban dances, such as mambo, pachanga and rumba, as well as American dances such as swing and tap . Here is a quick list of basic Beginner Salsa Dance Terminology and Salsa Dance steps you are likely to be introduced to when dancing Cross Body Style Salsa (Cross Body Style is the group term for the LA, Puerto Rican and New York style as they are danced across the body in a strict slot format): If youre a complete Beginner and cant wait to get started, then checkout this Salsa Dancing for Beginners video from Addicted2Salsa. But the principal of using Quick Quick Slow and stepping on all the different beats is the samein On1 style too. With the help of the internet it spread quickly to Europe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Salsa dance opens up a whole new social life, it is hard not to become addicted. You can have a chance to master the basic steps of Salsa in the privacy of your own home and then go on to find a Salsa dance class locally when youre ready. Some religious individuals believe that dancing bachata is a sin because of its association with sexual promiscuity and immorality. The dance is typically performed in a close embrace between partners, and often includes hip and body movements. Your guide to the salsa dancing lifestyle. What actually is the meaning of the word Salsa? New York style has been described as being more rhythmic than other styles as it is following the pattern of the drums rather than On1 style which is following the Bass or the melodies. Compared to going into a high street dance shoe shop where you will pay around 90 - 120 per pair we think this is good value, especially for the Beginner Salserso. It is usually danced On1, however in some variations it can be danced with the Leader On3 and the Follower On1 which makes teaching Cali style incredibly difficult. All these styles have their origins in Mambo. Salsa dancing originated in eastern Cuba, just over 300 miles away from Miami. The 1950s saw American Jazz musicians influencing Son music with the additions of horns, trumpets and bass. [citation needed]. Although the Spanish rulers were gone, their culture wasnt. Danzon subsequently evolved from the Contradanz as a slow and formal partner dance as seen here, but it was when the faster African syncopated rhythms were added (especially in the 1940s) we saw the emergence of the original Mambo. Going too high or too low in heel height can both be painful, as can not having enough support underneath your arch, especially if you dont have naturally strong arches. Salsa dance socials are commonly held in night clubs, bars, ballrooms, restaurants, and outside, especially if part of an outdoor festival. It has very little turn patterns and partners stay close in hold. Want to hear some modern, commercial tracks? New York style salsa emphasizes harmony with the percussive instruments in salsa music, such as the congas, timbales, and clave, since many or all of those instruments often mark the second beat in the music. That's exactly what we'll be looking at today with the . Remember the style of dance shoe is personal not only to how your feet feel in it but also what style of dance you will be doing. Especially well-known types of Salsa are New York Style (Eddie Torres), LA Style, Puerto Rican On2 (not New York On2), Afro- Cuban, Casino or Cuban Style, Cali and Miami. You must have the basic building blocks in order to learn faster. What emerged was actually the Santeria religion, a fusion of the African Orishas (Gods) and the Catholic saints. They are based in China but have been trading on the internet for years. Each percussion instrument has its own traditional Rhythm that you would hear in the Salsa music, whilst other instruments were free to explore the melody and add other flavours to the music. Many students have made lifelong friendships and partnerships through Salsa dance classes. This gave all Latin artists and opportunity to be represented formally by a Latin record label, in the 1970s Fania went from strength to strength and around this time Afro-Cuban music which was really Son became more widely known as Salsa and the dance styles were starting to emerge and evolve in different regions. The term salsa was first coined by Fania Records, a record-label founded by Dominican-born composer Johnny Pacheco and Italian-American lawyer Jerry Masucci in 1964. However, if your class is being held in a proper dance studio with a sprung dance floor they may actually ban street shoes in the studio, so its best to call ahead and check. Dancers do not shift their body weight greatly as seen in other styles. Salsa dresses and Salsa dance costumes are generally only worn for Salsa competitions or Salsa shows, not for normal classes or general social dancing. As the Cuban Salsa scene developed in isolation in Cuba after 1963, similarly the Columbian Salsa scene took its own path. (2) Circular Salsa: Cuban (Casino), Venezuelan (Dominican) and Colombian Partners dance around each other, and there is no fixed line. Plus find many more downloadable docs, music playlists and essential information for the Social Dancer. The Origin of the Name "Salsa" is a . When you are spun around remember a dress or skirt may rise up and expose your underneath. A major difference between Cali Style and Miami-style is the latter is exclusively danced on the downbeat (On1) and has elements of shines and show-style added to it, following repertoires of North American styles. Various Christian groups believe that dancing is either inherently sinful or that certain forms of dancing could lead to sinful thoughts or activities, and thus proscribe it either in general or during religious services. Some of the most famous Fania artists were Bobby Valentin, Celia Cruz, Charlie Palmieri, Cheo Feliciano, Eddie Palmieri, Hector Lavoe, Ismail Rivera, Joe Cuba, Johnny Colon, Johnny Pacheco, Lebron Brothers, Machito, Orchestra Harlow, Pete El Conde Rodriguez, Ray Barretto, Ruben Blades, Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez and Willie Colon to name but a few of the legends! 2.) LA (Los Angeles) Style developed more along the West coast of the USA, predominantly in LA but it reached a real height in the early 2000s after a Salsa competition was held in Club Mayan in L.A. Salsa dance is a way of life, you will find yourself a member of a whole new social community, not just a dance school. Columbus didnt really discover America, plenty of people already lived there and had done for centuries, but what Columbus did do was to pave the way for a massive influx of western Europeans to the Americas which would then go on to colonise the Americas under the Spanish Empire. The direct translation is the brick meaning to dance in a very small space, as the dancehalls were so crowded you could hardly move. [citation needed] It was codified in the 1970s. A key figure in Puerto Rican Salsa was Felipe Polanco who emphasised a unique 5 beat basic based on the 2 / 3 Clave rhythm, it involves sliding forward and back to hit the accents of the Clave. Dance can be a sin if the dancer or observer makes it one, much like praying to God in front of your friends to sound "Godly" can be a sin or eating too much is a sin of gluttony. Heres a Salsa timing track, taken from the Salsa Beat Machine that has the singer counting the 1,2,3 and 5,6,7 over the top of the Clave and Piano rhythms: Musician Don Baarns has some excellent articles and tools aimed at dancers to help them find the beats in the music. The original Mambo dance was faster and less rigid than Danzon. Its highly competitive with dancers flooding from all around the world to compete in Cali competitions. Jazz shoes don't have much support, not like a dance sneaker, but they do help you feel in contact with the floor more, allowing you to spread the weight over the ball of the foot. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Nowadays we refer to this as the Palladium Era. Frequently but not always up-tempo, or hot, salsa grew to incorporate increasingly diverse influences and performersfrom Panamanian activist-singer-songwriter Rubn Blades to Mexican American rocker Carlos Santana. Get more. You can learn to Salsa Dance Online with 9 times World Salsa Champion Oliver Pineda, who specialises in On2 style. The key instrument that provides the core groove of a salsa song is the clave. The distinctive sound of the accordion can usually be heard in Cumbia music. Steps are then taken on beats 2,3,4 and 6,7,8. The Dance Guru has been teaching Salsa Dance all over the UK for nearly 20 years. By Judy Cantor-Navas. 2007 World Salsa Champions Nilson and Deisy show us here just how fast and furious Cali style Salsa can be. Marcin is explaining these steps in the On2 style (where the break forward step is happening on 2). Historically, Casino traces its origin as a partner dance from Cuban Son, Cha Cha Cha, Danzn and Guaracha. Make sure you wear soft soled shoes that slip easily on the floor. In the 1950s the New York dance hall the Palladium hosted dances for all nationalities where Mambo was the craze, everyone went to the Palladium to dance Mambo! For example: Do not get caught up worrying about whether you are dancing On1 or On2. The Salsero has to remember to step forward on either 1 or 2 depending on which timing they are listening to. Please be aware of your personal hygiene. It developed largely in New York City beginning in the 1940s and 50s, though it was not labeled salsa until the 1960s; it peaked in popularity in the 1970s in conjunction with the spread of Hispanic cultural identity. The central feature is the footwork which has quick rapid steps and skipping motions called "repique". salsa, hybrid musical form based on Afro-Cuban music but incorporating elements from other Latin American styles. Cali Style Salsa originates from Cali, Columbia where everyone dances salsa!! Take a look at Eddie Torres and Robyn Lobe appearing in a show in the 1980s demonstrating Mambo in the style of the Palladium Era. Bachata is simply another way of processing emotions, building trust and connection and a method of expressing personal freedom, confidence and joy.