What is Salsa?
Submitted by ssteph on Sat, 03/19/2011 - 17:19.
Big topic!
For those just starting out (salsa virgins hehe), salsa is a rhythm that was born out of Nigeria and Cuba. Salsa is any music played to an underlying rhythm played with 2 wooden sticks called the clave (cla-vay). There is salsa music (with sub-genres including son, guaracha, guaguanco, mambo, cha cha, guajira, bolero, rumba, cumbia, etc), and there is salsa dancing (with sub-styles including Cuban style, Puerto-Rican style, New-York style, L.A style, Columbian-style, pachanga, etc).
At Go Dance Mambo we teach a mostly New-York infused style, or cross body lead style, with some Cuban, some Puerto-Rican style. It is characterized by linear movement, and there is more distance between partners. The man even lets the lady go and they can enjoy shine footwork on their own during a part of a song. Even though there are only about 10 core figures, it has endless variations and definitely more spins. New-York is also based on checks, or counter movements and looks more hardcore. Cuban style is more circular, with repetitve figures or turn patterns, less checks, more flow, with more close holds and turns done together as one unit.
Even though we teach New-York style, we teach on1 and on2 mambo with the same style (it's more a feeling and foot pattern difference even though the timing and rhythm are the same).
Clips of people dancing New York style on1
Manuel and Lisa @our Sunday Salsa Social in Toronto
Clips of people dancing New York style on2 (we will call it the Eddie Torres style)
Eddie Torres & Griselle Ponce dancing mambo
Clips of people dancing Cuban style (this also has many forms...)
Come out and discover the world of salsa. There is always more to learn the deeper you delve!
It's a FASCINATING experience!
