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The word ‘Salsa’ makes most people want to get
up and dance! It is such fun to move to the beat
of this music. The great thing about salsa is
that just about anyone, regardless of age, can
learn it and the atmosphere is totally friendly.
That salsa is a major sensation is proved by the
fact that there are so many salsa clubs drawing
people with their infectious beat. You will see
people of all nationalities dancing together,
attracted by this wonderfully happy ambience.
So it is not very surprising that you would
like to take it up as a hobby, too. Learning
salsa is a great way to meet a lot of new people
and it is quite easy to learn. If you visit
clubs, you’ll find that quite a few of them
begin the evening with lessons for beginners and
those who already know to salsa. Salsa involves
rhythmic body movements and you will find that
once you get started, it can be very difficult
to stop!
Let’s Take A Look At A Bit Of Salsa History
Salsa is considered the national dance in
Puerto Rico and is similar to Mambo. Salsa in
Spanish actually means spicy flavor. Back in the
year 1933, Piniero, the Cuban songwriter penned
some lyrics after eating food that was not spicy
enough. Much later, in 1962 Jimmy Sabater
composed the Salsa y Beme, encouraging dancers
to add spice to their dance movements. The music
can resemble Afro-Latin rhythms. So as far as
the dance goes, it can be performed to various
rhythms.
You will find that there are various styles of
salsa – Cuban, Puerto Rican, Columbian,
Brazilian, New York Miami, Los Angeles style and
so on. All of them are great to learn as they
are simply a result of different teaching styles
with the dance form evolving through the times.
How Is Salsa Performed?
Salsa is performed to four basic beats
with three steps, with each step to a beat. The
fourth beat is special – and called a tag to the
earlier step or becomes a tap or kick, as a
highlight. You can either salsa in a single spot
or just move around dancing. The steps can be
from side to side or forward-backward and in
circles. Salsa can be similar to mambo, swing
and hustle.
Famous Salsa artists are Albita, Marc Anthony,
West End Mambo, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, the
Latin Explosion etc.
Apart from being a great way to meet new
people, salsa dancing is a wonderful social
activity and can develop good poise and
self-confidence. It is also great as a keep-fit
workout. Through dance, you can burn the same
number of calories as with swimming and walking
and cycling! It is also a great stress-reliever
and helps you relax.
Learning Salsa
To learn salsa, you could sign up for
private dance lessons where you can receive
personalized attention from trained teachers.
Group classes are also offered by many dance
schools where they teach you the basic steps you
need to get started. You will also come across
‘drop-in’ classes where you can go and learn
occasionally after which you get to practice
your steps with a partner if you wish. One great
thing about salsa is that you can dance with or
without a partner, and most teachers encourage
you to try different partners. Some teachers
hold series classes where you need to register
for about four weeks and you can build your
skills gradually.
Obviously private lessons are considered better
since you can choose the speed at which you want
to learn and you will also get the benefit of
your teacher telling you exactly where you need
to improve. Most schools will let you experience
a free introductory session before you make up
your mind. These could be more expensive than
group classes, so you can decide what suits you
best. Don’t forget to attend the workshops held
to give students a better understanding of the
techniques.
Salsa teachers will teach you both lead and
follow. This is generally ‘lead’ for men and
‘follow’ for women. Remember that women and men
learn differently with men invariably finding it
tougher to learn. Also, each individual has his
or her own learning rate.
Salsa Attire And Shoes
Salsa is fun and salsa is informal – so go ahead
and dress casually and comfortably unless you
are off to a party! It is best to wear something
that is smart, casual, cool and easy to move in.
As for shoes, preferably go in for leather soles
that are comfortable. Avoid rubber soles as
they can be tough to dance in. Women can wear
closed toe shoes as sandals or open ones could
be painful if a learner happens to step on their
toes! Try shopping for dancing shoes that are
light and flexible with non-slip soles.
You must master your basic salsa steps so that
you subconsciously perform them perfectly – only
then can you truly enjoy this hobby, as most of
the dancing comes from within you. You can,
however, hone your skills by practicing this
exciting dance form. Go ahead and check out the
extensive resources available to help you get
started. In our links page there are links to
lessons, so that you can develop your salsa
skills. There are plenty of instructional videos
and useful books that will tell you all that you
need to know about salsa. So, move to the
groove!
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sexy style, fast and
loud music, make for a great evening dancing out. There are a few basic
steps that can be learned easily online, just grab a partner and try
dancing in your own house (with the music provided of course). From
there you can practice in clubs around the country. Salsa is highly
recommended for everybody from couples to singles wanting to meet new
people.
