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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SALSA
What actually is the meaning of the word Salsa?
Well if you Google just ‘salsa’ you are going to get lots of yummy looking recipes for a lovely tomato
based dip, great with tortilla chips! So, unless you’ve come here by mistake looking for a new recipe, we’re going to assume you’re looking for lots of juicy details about the world of Salsa Dance.
Why ‘salsa’? Some people believe the dance style got its name for its hot and spicy movements, while others believe that it refers to the dance’s large mixture of influences (similar to all the ingredients that make up salsa). Still others believe that the name was based off of a cry that musicians would shout to increase the energy among a crowd.
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Where Was Salsa Born?
There is much debate on the birthplace of salsa. While the movements and style originated from the Caribbean, it was in New York that salsa got its name and started to gain popularity.
As immigrants from Cuba, Puerto Rico Mexico, and South America came to New York, they brought with them their native rhythms and dances. Throughout the years, the music and moves fused and evolved into a number of popular dance styles, including the cha cha cha, rhumba, and salsa!
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Different styles of salsa that you can learn at our school:
New York Style Salsa (Salsa on2)
Rinus Cannegieter & Eva Plakwicz
Salsa music as we know it today originated in New York, and New York-style salsa is the style of salsa that originated there. New York-style salsa is sometimes called “linear salsa” or “linea” by dancers of other styles because it is danced in a line (or “in the slot”) similar to Hustle or West Coast Swing, from which it was influenced.
New York-style salsa is often referred to as “Salsa On 2” or “On2 Salsa” because the break step in New York style happens on the second beat of the music. On2 salsa was popularized by Eddie Torres, and on2 dancers argue that their style is more musical because it more closely aligns with the tumbao & clave, two common musical patterns found in salsa music.Salsa On2 has grown in popularity in recent years, and is a popular way of dancing for advanced dancers and at international dance festivals. Because of its similarity to LA Style Salsa, most On2 dancers can also dance On1, although they may prefer the former
LA Style Salsa (Salsa on1)
Johnny Vazquez & Erica Spirito
LA-style salsa is probably the most popular form of salsa dancing in the world. It is the style of salsa that is taught most broadly, and most dancers of other styles of salsa dancing will have at least some familiarity with it. If you want to learn the most broadly applicable form of salsa, LA-style salsa is a good choice.
LA-style salsa, like its name suggests, orginated in Los Angeles, California, and was popularized by the Vazquez brothers. LA-style salsa is danced in a line, similar to New York style salsa, but dancers break on the first beat of the music (on 1) rather than on 2. Many newer dancers find this timing more intuitive.
Cuban Style Salsa (Salsa Cubana)
Cuban-style salsa or Salsa Cubana is a type of salsa that originated in Cuba. Cuba-style salsa, unlike New York or LA-style, is danced in a circular motion similar to East Coast Swing, rather than in a line. The turn patterns in Cuban salsa typically are in a constant circular motion, with lots of hand tricks and movements.Salsa Cubana is often danced to a genre of music known as “timba”, which is a form of salsa music that is popular in Cuba. Cuban dancers also often incorporate Afro movements into their dancing, although this is increasingly a popular trend in New York and LA-style salsa as well.
Los DjS Timberos & Maikel Ortega
Salsa Rueda (Rueda de Casino)
Los DjS Timberos & Maikel Ortega
Salsa rueda, also known as Rueda de Casino is another type of salsa that originated in Cuba. “Rueda” in Spanish means “wheel”, and in salsa rueda a group of couples dance together in a giant circle, rather than as individuals.
In salsa rueda, there is one leader who calls out what move to do, and all the couples in the circle execute the move simultaneously. The moves are similar to those of Cuban-style salsa, and a salsa rueda dance involves a coordinated dance of synchronized movement, partner switches, and intricate turn patterns.
Why you shoud learn to dance salsa?
Salsa Dancing is fun, energetic, inclusive and helps with social skills, confidence and literally changes lives. Many students have made lifelong friendships and partnerships through Salsa dance classes.
Salsa dance opens up a whole new social life, it is hard not to become addicted. Salsa dance is a way of life, you will find yourself a member of a whole new social community, not just a dance school.
We look forward to welcome you in our salsa community/family.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BACHATA
What is Bachata?
Bachata is actually a more modern version of the amarque. In the 1990s, music in the Dominican Republic went through a change. The music became more modern; different lyrics, electric guitars instead of acoustic guitars and the music was influenced by other music streams such as hip-hop and R&B. In this way a much larger audience was drawn, making the music more mainstream in the Dominican Republic and shaking off its dubious reputation.
Wat is the meaning of the word 'bachata'
The meaning of Bachata is “a (disorganized) party or celebration”. The meaning is the clearest transition between amarque and bachata, but since joy and melancholy go together in the plates, the transition from amarque to bachata is not as clear as it seems from the text. Some think it is both the same style of music with two different names, with the name bachata currently winning.
Different styles of bachata that you can learn at our school:
Traditional Bachata
Within the Bachata, different dance styles or movements have emerged. For the average Dominican, Bachata is of course just Bachata and is still mainly danced on the spot, with extensive use of footwork. But with the advent of different styles, this original style of Bachata dancing has been given the name of Bachata Dominicana or also called the Bachata Authentica.
Bachata dance in the Dominican Republic was heavily influenced by a variety of dances, principally Bolero, Son, and Merengue and you can see each of their influences in the frame, the shape of the foundational steps, the footwork, body motion, lead and follow, rotations and moves.
Junior & Carolina
Modern Bachata
When Bachata conquered the world at a rapid pace in the 1990s, the original Bachata style changed under the influence of other dances such as Salsa. The Bachata is danced in a more sideways movement, especially in North America and Europe. A way of dancing in which it becomes easier to learn a simple basic step with a “1,2,3, tap” on the one hand, because on the other hand it is easier to apply twist patterns and dips from a sideways movement.
Ataca & Alemana
Sensual Bachata
And while the world is busy with the Bachata Dominicana (or Authentica) and the Bachata Moderna, there is a young man somewhere in the south of Spain who, after learning the Bachata basics from Bachata moderna, wonders what else he can do with this . It is the time when youtube and facebook have yet to be invented and so he invents his own moves which mainly stem from his own personal musical interpretation of the music. This young man is Korke Escalona.
Korke & Judith
You want to learn to feel smooth and confident and connect to your partner.
You want to experience the freedom and flow you see in others and be able to move your body to the music.
You want to feel sexy and energized and all of those amazing things.
Then you are on the right place. Our team will teach you.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT KIZOMBA
Although Kizomba is often grouped with Caribbean dance styles, such as Salsa and Bachata, it has a different background. This dance style has its origins in Angola where the dance originated in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The music based on Angolan Semba, Kompa from Haiti, Coladeira from Cape Verde and Zouk from the French Antilles came together to produce a slower and sultry rhythm. This amalgamation of musical styles demanded a new way of dancing. The dance movement became more romantic and sensual. Over time, this dance style has continued to develop with influences from other music and dance styles such as Hip Hop and Tango.
What is the Kizomba dance?
Kizomba is danced with a partner, one leading and the other following. Usually the man leads and the woman follows in elegant dance heels, but there are also women who lead and men who follow. Especially for the ladies there are many body rolls and the emphasis is on very feminine and sensual movements. During workshops for followers, you as a woman (or man) can learn more about the technique and beauty of these sensual dance moves. The embrace for Kizomba is quite intimate where you really hug your dance partner. Recent developments within the dance style offer more freedom to open and release the embrace and then continue dancing in an intimate embrace with your dance partner.
Different styles of kizomba dance:
Due to the different amounts of these four main flavours, as well as contemporary influences, Kizomba genre music has many sounds & styles. Some of the sub-genres of the Kizomba music umbrella include Cabo Zouk, Cabo Love, Ghetto Zouk, Afro Zouk, Coladance, Tarraxa, Douceur, Urban Kiz, and Kizomba Remix. As musicians emigrated from these aforementioned PALOP countries to Europe they were influenced by contemporary music (Pop, RnB, Hip Hop etc.). A new style of music was born, this music is known as Ghetto Zouk. You can dance Kizomba, Kiz Fusion or Urban Kiz to this music. Indeed Kiz Fusion & Urban Kiz evolved as dancers changed their Kizomba dance to suit the changes in this music. Dancers started playing with timing & body movement, while still maintaining the connection, & lead & follow aspects of Kizomba.
Kizomba (aka Authentic Kizomba or Kizomba Classic)
Kizomba (aka Authentic Kizomba or Kizomba Classic) is the most physically connected of the 3 styles. It is a very grounded dance, with the Ginga being created with each step being pushed into the ground. Kizomba is cruisey & feels very relaxing & enjoyable.
Kizomba Fusion
Kizomba Fusion takes the connection, weight transfer & movement of Kizomba & adds something from another dance. Dancers can play with the rhythm of the music & add new moves from other styles of dance, hence the name Kiz Fusion. Dances that people often fuse with Kizomba to create Kiz Fusion include Hip Hop, Semba, Bachata, Tango, & Salsa. It is still important to have the correct connection, weight transfer, & lead & follow technique for it to be Kiz Fusion, & not just “bad Kizomba” referred to by some as “Con Fusion”.
Urban Kiz
Urban Kiz was created by Curtis Seldon approximately 17 years ago in response to the continually evolving Ghetto Zouk music. Curtis fused Kizomba with his Hip Hop roots to express himself more fully to the music. Urban Kiz plays with the rhythm & highlights in the music.
As Curtis first danced Kizomba & Semba, the Kizomba basic moves are the same, and are danced physically connected. However Urban Kiz uses different weight transfer, so they look & feel different. Connection is still king in this dance & the flow of the energy between the dancers is just as important, albeit with a different feel to Kizomba Fusion & Kizomba.