learning different styles at the same time??

J

jenn15

hi everyone!
I am new here and am looking forward to talking to all of you!

I have been a "recreational" salsa dancer for the past few years, but I really became interested after visiting Cuba last winter. I started taking lessons after my trip, and I have since become ADDICTED. I have searched through the forum, but I still have a few general questions:

- My current instructor says he is teaching NY-style but it is on1 (counted on 1-2-3 and 5-6-7)...is this possible or correct?
- I have recently started an LA-style class...how will this affect the NY-style stuff I have learned?
- What about Cuban style? Is it OK to learn LA and Cuban style at the same time)? How about learning LA and on2 at the same time?? I guess I just want to know if its bad to learn different styles or should I wait until I am advanced at one style before learning another.

Thanks for your input!!
 
jenn15 said:
hi everyone!
I am new here and am looking forward to talking to all of you!

I have been a "recreational" salsa dancer for the past few years, but I really became interested after visiting Cuba last winter. I started taking lessons after my trip, and I have since become ADDICTED. I have searched through the forum, but I still have a few general questions:

- My current instructor says he is teaching NY-style but it is on1 (counted on 1-2-3 and 5-6-7)...is this possible or correct?
- I have recently started an LA-style class...how will this affect the NY-style stuff I have learned?
- What about Cuban style? Is it OK to learn LA and Cuban style at the same time)? How about learning LA and on2 at the same time?? I guess I just want to know if its bad to learn different styles or should I wait until I am advanced at one style before learning another.

Thanks for your input!!
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Wow, aren't you the busy beaver, LOL. I can only say that it sounds like you are taking on a lot. I can't say whether its good or bad cause I don't know your capabilities, goals, what you have on your plate, etc. Some methods work well for certain people while others need a different approach.

As far as NY On1, I think there is such a thing. NY mambo/salsa is as much a style as what beat you break on, which is why breaking on the 2nd beat, in and on ifself, is not necessarily dancing NY On2. Some well-known On1 dancers, like Super Mario from London, for instance, incorporate some of the NY flavor into his On1.
 
Hi Jenn, welcome to salsa forums!!

To start, I have never heard of on one NY style salsa, but maybe someone wiser than I can shed some more light on that topic.

As far as learning different styles all at once, its awesome that you are doing this. However, i'm sure it can get confusing. You may want to start writing stuff down to try and keep things straight. I do not think it is "bad" that you are learning different styles - just difficult thats all (but are you up for the challenge is totally up to you).

Best of luck and welcome again to Salsa forums!!
 
After much reading, much watching, I think I've norrowed down what is meant by NY City style on1; Eddie Torre's body style (Not stepping sequence), done on1.

And... here I thought that they meant, the pre on2 style of dance done in NY City. Rumbaish, circular, cumbia settping sequence, etc... Hmmm

Welcome akbernier!!! God, I take one class every month and think is way too much for me. :?
 
Hi and welcome!

Reading all this, I was just wondering why there's such a compelling reason for you to learn so many styles in the first place. There's no hurry. Add them on gradually. After a while, you'll probably find you've developed your own characteristic mix of styles and don't care what style anyone says you're dancing. You won't find the need to be a purist and do one distinct, definite style at a time.

NY styles include more than just one. There's an NY On1 and an NY on2. Then to complicate matters, there are different sub styles popularized by some dancers.

What I'm trying to say is don't let the styles issue become so overwhelming that it interferes with learning and enjoyment. Styles will come along in their own good time.

Mala
 
I've learnt LA/PR, Cuban and NY all at the same time along with bits of Columbian and Miami. It's definitely harder to remember and practice all the stuff even if you have access to regular partners and social dancing in each style. I'm a lead though so perhaps this is not such an issue for you and depends on if you maintain a funky cuban body movement in your NY/LA/PR style.

At one insane time in 2003 I used to do 3 classes a week of Cuban and 2 of LA.
Learning all 3 does help to broaden your social dancing and eventually the quality will come and it will all make sense as well.

If you want to get really good in one style quickly though you'd be better off sticking with that style and then experiment with others styles later on.

I don't regret what I did.. but what a struggle! 4 years into my dancing and everything makes sense.. still working on the quality!

Right now the only classes I'm doing are an 8 week course in Cuban Folkloric, Rumba, Son and Cha cha cha with the renowned Raices Profundas dance company. I'm enjoying my dancing much more now and not stressing as I'm on a new upward curve and just having fun when I go out. 8)
 
I was an on1 dancer for about 7 months of my dancing career, and then I switched to on2. I realize the struggles that I had to endure any time I dance on1, my whole muscle memory would get compromise and I felt as if I had taken two steps backwards in my whole training every time I did it.

My advice sticks to one, choose the one that you prefer and get as proficient as you can Other ways you will know them all, but master none
 
thanks for the info everyone!

Based on the replies I think I'll stick to one or two styles for now, and add them on gradually. I think I'm concerned that after learning on1, it will be difficult to switch and learn on2...but I guess that's part of the fun!
 
Don't get too hung up on it -it's only emphasising a different beat after all and it's the guys job to do the leading...listen to the music a lot sometimes thinking about dancing on2 and sometimes on 1. A good ear for the music is always going to be your best friend when it comes to dancing multiple regional styles.
 
Learning on1 and on2 together vs learning one and then the other--I don't know whether the difficulty in siwitching later is any more than the difficulty of doing them together. In fact, in my opinion the switching will be easier because by then you will have a much deeper understanding of the rhythm.

mala
 
praecantricis said:
Don't get too hung up on it -it's only emphasising a different beat after all and it's the guys job to do the leading...listen to the music a lot sometimes thinking about dancing on2 and sometimes on 1.
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Good conclusion. After I started dancing on2 there are some songs that I almost can't keep myself from falling into the on2 timing, and other songs that just feel ridiculus on2.

I've noticed that many follows have no problems at all dancing with me on2 even if they've never tried it before, that is pretty cool. I had a hell of a struggle just staying on the beat in the very beginning :)

So, regarding the timing, try to find a lead that you can trust the timing on, then just relax and go with the flow! The shines you will have to handle on your own tho ;)
 
jenn15 said:
... My current instructor says he is teaching NY-style but it is on1 (counted on 1-2-3 and 5-6-7)...is this possible or correct?
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Do not worry about it. Both On1 and On2 (ET style) are counted 123_567_. the only difference is the shape of the step.


jenn15 said:
...I have recently started an LA-style class...how will this affect the NY-style stuff I have learned?
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It can only make you more flexible as a dancer.

jenn15 said:
...What about Cuban style? Is it OK to learn LA and Cuban style at the same time? How about learning LA and on2 at the same time?? I guess I just want to know if its bad to learn different styles or should I wait until I am advanced at one style before learning another.
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Not at all! I mean go for it! If there is anything that gives you a hard time in any given style, you will surely do it better in another. After all, there are more similarities between styles, than there are differences. If you really are as motivated as your post suggests, you will not just learn all of them quickly, you will be really good at them.
 
jenn15 said:
- My current instructor says he is teaching NY-style but it is on1 (counted on 1-2-3 and 5-6-7)...is this possible or correct?
Click to expand...
It's certainly possible. There is also a teacher in my area who teaches "NY on1". Do note, however, that NY on2 (ET style) also uses the count "1-2-3, 5-6-7" (as Nikka's already commented). The step directions of this style are different from on1 though (simply put, in ET style on2, you step in the same direction on the 1 & 2, not a rock step).

jenn15 said:
- I have recently started an LA-style class...how will this affect the NY-style stuff I have learned?
- What about Cuban style? Is it OK to learn LA and Cuban style at the same time)? How about learning LA and on2 at the same time?? I guess I just want to know if its bad to learn different styles or should I wait until I am advanced at one style before learning another.
Click to expand...
Learning NY-style on1 and LA (also on1) at the same time will not cause any confusion as the two styles have the same step pattern and timing. The difference is largely stylistic (LA: stretchy and flashy, NY: compact and intricate turns).

Learning on1 (whether LA or NY) and on2 at the same time will probably be quite confusing. Essentially, you will be doing similar things (cross-body based moves) at different timings. Then again, learning on2 after your brain has been hardwired to hear 1 is also quite confusing at first.

Learning Cuban style and cross-body based styles such as NY/LA at the same time can also be confusing as the basic dynamics are different. As long as you know the difference clearly and can keep the different styles separate, then there's no harm in learning different styles at the same time. If your area has a mixed salsa scene where all these styles are danced, then knowing them all obviously gives you the advantage of being able to dance with anyone (i.e., you get more dances -> you get better faster). You do need to be careful not to mix up different styles though. Cross-body leaders hate it when the follower doesn't have slot awareness; cuban style leaders find it painful to dance with LA-style trained girls who stops and waits in one spot (I speak from experience here :oops:).
 
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