SALSA: Information for beginners
The word "salsa" literally means sauce, however in the dance world it is now generally accepted that it is the generic term for a musical fusion of Afro-Caribbean elements and in particular Cuban dances such as son, guajira, rumba & many more.
Salsa particularly when it spread to the USA, flourished from the mid-1970's onwards and spread to Europe where it has been popular since the 1990's.
Salsa steps/styles
The common styles are Cuban where there is more circling of each other more relaxed, less footwork and less spinning, and:- the slightly more common 'straight line' cross-body styles from Columbia and Puerto Rico but now known by the fashionable names of 'LA' and 'New York'. In contrast to Cuban there is more footwork, more spinning, and the directions you and your partner must face at the end of each move is exactly up & down the floor boards!
In the Latin music scene there are many different other rhythms played - Cha Cha, Son, Bolero, Mambo, Rumba, Bachata, and Cumbia to name a few, but sadly many have only minority following in UK.
By far the second commonest dance on the floor is Merengue - a dance from the Dominican Republic that is easy to pick up, but still can be danced badly. (Remember: no wrestling, and use apple-crumble cook’s fingers).
In addition, Merengue, for all but higher intermediates (who seek nothing but salsa all night long!) is not only thoroughly enjoyable in itself, but is usually a welcome rest for the brain from salsa, and is a recharge for more salsa! 20 mins later!
Salsa is difficult, but enjoy it, you are there to have fun. On the dance floor, at home, in your car, or just in your head, listen to the music as much as possible, sensing and practising the steps.
Simply moving, anytime, anywhere, in time to the’ exciting seductive and sensual latin rhythms’ (as the posters say!) will help both your dancing, your understanding of the complex music, and add to your mental and physical wellbeing.
A personal view: Salsa’s reputed sexiness and thrills come often from the sheer fun of dancing, moving or being moved by partner, and also moving your own body to the music.
Despite its image, it does not as practised here in the UK feature much really close dancing (like it or not!), and our European obsession with countless moves can have us attempting to perform intricate turn patterns that seem such a science, and can result in us often dancing what feels and can look like, a curious form of cavorting, - almost certainly far removed from a South American Saturday night.
BUT perhaps, because of the science and the quest for improvement, what makes it all work is an old-fashioned code of being asked for a dance, finishing the tune, then seeking another partner for the next tune and so on, that helps salsa in our culture to flourish.
It all helps us have a social, enjoyable (and often late!) evening out in a way that needs no other intoxicants than the music and in a social setting that none of us need fear.
Lastly is a table of findings (not necessarily the last word, but to make you think and tuck away for the future) from a poll of Glasgow dancers and their teacher, Sandra:
Good Leaders......
1/ Have good timing
2/ Give clear signals
3/ Don’t criticise
4/ Are confident
5/ Dance at the followers level
Bad Leaders……
1/ Have bad timing
2/ Are heavy handed
3/ Blame the woman
4/ Have floppy arms
5/ Doesn’t gage ability
Good Followers....
1/ Wait for the lead
2/ Don’t anticipate
3/ Have good finger control
4/ Don’t nag!
5/ Have concentration and eye contact
Bad Followers....
1/ Do their turns off time
2/ Have no arm tension
3/ Anticipate
4/ Grab
5/ Reposition their own hands
Benefits of doing Salsa & Latin dance
These are some of ways in which you could benefit from doing latin dance.
In terms of health and fittness:
- Loss of weight.. You can burn up to 400 calorries after an hour class
- Its a great workout for your whole body (especially the legs, hips and upper body
- Increases muscle tone ,flexibility and body control
- It enhance your physical endurance and range of motion.
- It a form of exercise with no harmful side effects.
In other general terms:
- Increases your general sense of welbeing and happiness
- Help to build self confidence
- Create greateer oppoutinities to have more fun, socialise and make new friends
- Helps to experience life in a more optimistic way.
Music:
Available from Amazon:
Salsa Celtica " Agua de la vida"
Beginners Guide to Salsa
I love Salsa (1 and 2)
Simply Salsa
Ultimate Salsa(3 CD Box Set)
Oxfam Salsa
Salsa Clasica
Roderick pays tribute to Sarah Broxholme's original idea as well as Sandra's
tips off Salsaholics (stolen without permission).
Compilations offer the best chance of securing variety of tracks for little cost, but often have older back catalogue tracks.
Buying a CD of just the one artiste you asked the DJ about, has its hazards too, as that one artiste CD may have only one or two good tracks…
Some compilations:
- I Love Salsa & More I Love Salsa, Manteca world music
- Beginners guide to Salsa (3 cds). And Beginners guide to Cuba (3 cds). Nascente label
- Salsa ! - The Essential Album 2xCd Manteca label
- Salsa Moderna, Vol 1 & 2. Nascente label (Vol 1 rec)
Music can be bought from shops - HMV Virgin or FOPP, or by internet from Amazon either Amazon.co.uk or their US site for wider choice, or- try a specialist new York site with a huge world of music and other tips out there:- ‘Descarga’ : http://www.descarga.com
Information about Salsa/Latin events
Strongly recommended is to visit the salsaholics.co.uk web site where events classes news chat, for the whole of Scotland can be found. Recommendations for and links to other sites UK and worldwide for music, for shoes, even video clips can be found.
E-mail nick.child@virgin.net to receive a regular newsletter about twice a month from Nick covering events and classes all over Scotland and even salsa’s ‘cousins’ such as tango and swing etc.
Regular local venues/events
Dundee:
Latin Quarter @ Sessions Lounge, Session St, Dundee, third Friday of month, 7.30-12. There are additional smaller events & weekly classes from time to time, and beginners socials, all for charity.
Info: e-mail salsaLQ@hotmail.com
Club Romano, West Wynd off Perth Rd, Dundee, last Saturday of every month throughout 2004 e-mail leigh@selvey74.wanadoo.co.uk
Perth:
Ambiente Salsa - Salsa Party Nights with Andy at Whispers Club, 40-48 Canal Street, PH2 8LG. last Friday of month 7.30pm-12mn, Phone 01738 446 442 or e-mail Andy elcapitan@argaty1.co.uk for more info. For more information on Ambiente, and burgeoning Stirling activity try Andy as above, or Denise - stirlingsalsa@yahoo.co.uk
Aberdeen:
La Rumba monthly at the Forum for info: lagranrumba@yahoo.co.uk
Further afield:
Weekends:
The choice is from hotel weekends from Leeds to London, Barcelona and Amsterdam, and to Bognor which hosts the largest and the glitziest UK event http://www.ukcongress.com ; but the friendliest and most approachable are the ‘Pontins’ weekends taking over holiday camps because of all those chalets and also - why else – because of the large ballroom, where dancing and all classes are included from Friday evening to Sunday 5am for around £95 For info go to http://www.clubcubana.com
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