You have seen the beautiful sexy dance on TV and would like to try it right away. Yes, salsa is beautiful, sexy and seductive. Matthew David Parker takes you through what you need to know about this passionate dance.
What are the origins of salsa?
Salsa originated from moves in Caribbean dances particularly in Cuba over 100 years ago.
What are the origins of salsa?
Salsa originated from moves in Caribbean dances particularly in Cuba over 100 years ago.
What are the main salsa styles?
There are two main styles of dancing with each style having variations.
- Los Angeles (LA) style – Also known as the in-line style. Couples do their movements while aligned in a straight line. This style is very good for dancing shows.
- Cuban style - Also known as the Casino style. There is no straight line. Rather, dancing couples do movements around each other with hand knots emphasized.
Which style is better?
It is best you learn both styles as you will get dance invites by partners doing the two dances on various occasions. The Cuban style is more relaxed and casual than the LA style which is more structured to show moves.
Which style is more difficult to learn?
The LA style is more demanding for ladies as they have to learn the “lady style”, and also master fast spins. The Cuban style may look relaxed but mastering making the moves while going round your partner could take more time to master than the straight line LA style.
Are there other salsa styles?
Yes. Other salsa styles apart from Cuban and LA styles are;
It is best you learn both styles as you will get dance invites by partners doing the two dances on various occasions. The Cuban style is more relaxed and casual than the LA style which is more structured to show moves.
Which style is more difficult to learn?
The LA style is more demanding for ladies as they have to learn the “lady style”, and also master fast spins. The Cuban style may look relaxed but mastering making the moves while going round your partner could take more time to master than the straight line LA style.
Are there other salsa styles?
Yes. Other salsa styles apart from Cuban and LA styles are;
- Rueda - Rueda is wheel in Spanish. Several dancing couples form a circle around a leading dancing couple that sets the pace of the dance
- New York style – Looks like the LA style to the inexperienced eye. The difference is that the first step goes with the second bit of the rhythm instead of the first bit.
- Colombian salsa – has very fast foot movements in the cha-cha-cha set. It is highly popular in the Colombian city of Cali also known as the Salsa capital
Some dance styles are also associated with Salsa. These include Bachata, Merengue, Kizomba, and cha-cha-cha.
How long does it take to learn?
You can learn the basics within a month or two depending on how regularly you attend dance lessons. Learning the different styles depends on how interested you are in improving your basics. With regular dancing you can be a master dancer within a year.
You can start this exciting journey at Matthew David Parker’s Lafayette dancing studio where he will have you dancing like a pro in no time.
