Connect the Clave Video Clip

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm coming out with more soon.

I like your avatar. What kind of shoe is it?

Nice website, by the way.

It's amazing how salsa danced it's way throughout all parts of the world.
 
Jammin'

Interesting.

The JAMBALAYA looks like a great event to attend.

Were you part of the event in the video clip of the month?

That couple was really burning up the stage.
 
I will be attending JAMBALAYA for the first time this year. I have heard great things about it and looking forward to it.

>>Were you part of the event in the video clip of the month?
Yes, I was at the event. These events are always great. The dancers are are apart of the the group "Team salsa", who are local to Wellington. You can read more about them here --> http://www.teamsalsa.org.nz/

New Zealand has some hot salsa action :-)
 
irmaxsalsa,
Nice video, thanks for the link. But now i'm more confused than ever about dancing on 2 and (on clave). Lets say you are dancing on 2 (i usually dance on 1, but learning on 2), since the clave doesn't hit the count you are stepping on (the 2.5 hit), what's the point of it, and how does it help you dance? I just came back from Puerto rico and spent a lot of the time dancing, and they emphasized dancing "en clave", but you can't really dance on clave according to your video if it goes on 2.5, you are still stepping on the 2, not on when you hear the clave. So not sure on which beat did they step in PR? whenever i got off beat the dancers would go ah, ah, ah..ah, ah to try to get me back on..but how would that even help me with them saying that to me? Maybe in NY they dance on 2, and in PR they dance on 2.5? I dunno..help
 
irmaxsalsa SPEAKS!

Interesting observation.

I shall explain... Hmmmmmmmmmm. This is difficult but here goes...

You can't directly count every beat in the clave and you can't dance directly to the clave.

It's a matter of blending the steps with it. There is no point to it. It's a matter of feeling. You can't expect to find the obvious answer easily. That is why this particular subject is so hard to explain as well as teach.

Dancing on2 is simply breaking your movement on the 2nd beat of the dancer's 8 count or the 2nd beat of the 1st and 2nd bar of the musical 4 count. Dancing on2 has nothing to do with the clave but a connection with the clave can be achieved. Dancing on2 is simply a term used by the general salsa public to define it's style.

When dancing on2 with the 3-2 Clave you will feel more of a connection with the 6th and 7th step than you would with the 1,2 and 3. It's because the 6 and 7 on the basic step connects directly with the 3-2 clave's last two taps. Please refer to the video again as I snap the fingers and count and dance at the same time.

The connection with the 3-2 clave is indirect as well as direct at the same time. It may feel uneasy at the first 3 taps and then you will feel a connection on the last two taps. You have to acquire the taste of feeling slightly offbeat and then onbeat at the same time. BUT KEEP IN MIND THIS IS DEFINED BY A MUSICAL TEMPO OR PACE. It's not as if the clave is going to all of a sudden change it's speed because it won't; depends on the musical arrangement. So take advantage of the musical pace and keep practicing with the clave because the clave continues tapping from the 1st beat of the song until the last beat of the song. It will be there for you whether you hear it or not. Make sure you listen to salsa songs that have an audible 3-2 clave. It's easier to follow. My next movie is going to involve testing your ability to hear the 3-2 clave in any salsa song.

I've been to PR myself and they are great on2 dancers. The Clave, whether it's 3-2 or 2-3, is in their blood. They are not following a predictable beat, they are FEELING THE CLAVE. I think it's amazing. Reason why they are chanting the clave to you is because it's a matter of feeling. They are not going count the basic step numbers outloud. lol

The dancer's in NY and PR are dancing on2, because they are breaking their movement on the 2nd beat of the dancer's 8 count. Are they dancing on clave? I think the dancer's from PR have a better grasp of it because they are sensitive to the music differently.

According to the great Patato Valdés:
"The clave can neither be given nor be bought. One is born with it, it is a question of feeling."
Quoted from Page 37 of the book "CUBAN FIRE": The story of salsa and latin jazz. Author: Isabelle Leymarie.

According to the great irmaxsalsa:
"I'm trying to teach the clave because people are trying learn salsa dancing and most people are born without the clave."

lol
 
WMV format

irMax SALSA movies are now viewable in WMV format!

We hope this alleviates all problems that PC users out there had with quicktime!

Enjoy!
 
Nice site seen you dancing before on internet

I started teaching salsa with the clave in about 2001 and found my students danced on beat better than when I taught with congas or bongos. Interpretation of music is difficult because most people will interprete it in their own way.
My query is: on son 2-3/ 3-2 clave, do you think there is a stonger pull or stronger lick of the clave at any point? and if so should that be interpreted in dancing?
 
Re: Nice site seen you dancing before on internet

spirit said:
I started teaching salsa with the clave in about 2001 and found my students danced on beat better than when I taught with congas or bongos. Interpretation of music is difficult because most people will interprete it in their own way.
My query is: on son 2-3/ 3-2 clave, do you think there is a stonger pull or stronger lick of the clave at any point? and if so should that be interpreted in dancing?
Click to expand...

tell you what I did, I took the sound of the clave being played by itself and put it through a music editor, I wanted to see how it looked like, in the graphic view that the editor gave. (I will look for the picture and post it), this was a 3-2 clave and you could definately see how the 3 was more pronounce, or louder than the other ones the spike was higher than all the others ones. So I think a case could be made that a more pronouce dance movement, could be ONE way, to represent this music event
 
I'm the clave!

It's open to interpretation no matter who you ask.

For beginner students it shouldn't be interpreted in the dancing because it will develop a dependacy. They need to dive into the mechanics of counting and staying in line with the tempo.

For advanced students that know the lyrics and all the musical breaks in many salsa songs, let them just flow with the music and see how they process.
 
Very interesting video - thanks for posting the link. I do have a query about the lady showing how to dance on1 though - she seems to step with her feet together on the 3 and 7, whereas for the on2 demonstrations she steps through? This makes the movement jerky (perhaps it's a subliminal way of encouraging everyone to dance on2). :lol:

However, I found the analysis of the clave useful - most of it I'd heard before, but seeing it gone through in such detail was certainly worth watching.
 
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