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Salsa

Salsa

Apr 05, 2023

 

History

Salsa is more than music. A movement born abroad and nurtured by immigrant communities in the heart of New York City, the uptempo, percussive and horn-driven music combined Latin and Afro-Caribbean rhythms to create the first pan-Latin musical genre

NY Style

  • On-2 or Mambo, Eddy Torres

  • Musician Examples: Celia Cruz,Willie Colon,Eddie Palmeiri,The Spanish Harlem Orchestra,Jimmy Bosch

  • Initially influence by Cuban dance, but with the embargo Puerto Rica dance was the predominant influence combined with Jazz.

  • Smooth, polished, jazzy sound.

  • Lead steps left back

LA Style

  • On-1 with influence of Ballroom dancers

  • flair, sexy and flamboyant with lots of dips, spins and drops

  • Lots of shines and performance orientated

  • Music: more varied, less jazzy.

  • Musician Examples:

SON Style

  • Son is a dance on true two .

Cuban Style (Casino)

  • Musical Style, Timba, influence by African rhythms, mixed with hip-hop, reggae in a Rumba style , Fast, Fun and Upbeat.

  • Danced on on-1 usually can also be dance true-2, on two is Son (Contra Tempo or true 2 or Clave Tempo)

  • Musician Examples: Los Van Van, Pupy Y Los Que Son Son, Maraca,Charanga Habanera, NG La Banda

  • Group Version is Casino Rueda, "Square Dancing for Salsa Dancers!"

Others Styles

Colombian, African, Puerto Rican

The Basics Rhythms

 

  • Counts represent steps in the salsa style. 123 567 based on 8 count start on 1

    • LA Style: . Lead step forward on 1 with left, follow back on 1 with right.1,2,3,_, 5, 6,7,_

    • NY Style Eddie Torres  . Lead step back on 1 with left, follow forward 1 with right. Timing is 1,2,3,_, 5, 6,7,_

    • Mambo Lead step back on 2 with left, follow forward 2 with right. Timing is ,2,3,4,,6,7,8

    • Cuban Style,

      • Guapea and Lead step back on 1 with left, follow back on 1 with right.1,2,3,_, 5, 6,7,_

      • Son Timing is ,2,3,4,,6,7,8

  • Count on true two is know as contratempio

  • Instruments, Clava, Tumbau Desc Clave ,Piano, bongos, congas, timbales, trumpet, trombone, claves, cowbell, maracas, güiro

  • Rhythms: Tumbau (congas) 4  and 8  , Clava 23, 56~7 (slight delay befor 7), cowbell 1, 3, 5, 7,  Piano full 8 counts. 

  • Think Small Steps, Explain Break Step is when you reverse momentum

  • Followers ready to take a small step back on one when waiting

  • There is a hand for most figures, not so much more advanced moves.

 

 

Instruments

Timing

On 1

On 2

 

True on 2 (Son , ContraTiempo)

 This is dancing on 2,3,4   and 6,7,8

This video describes how On 2 sometime turns in to True on 2 or Mambo, Son

 

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