Salsa Technique

[Srdjan]

Hello all, greetings from Serbia...My name is Srdjan.

I've been dancing salsa for 7 months now and I know a lot of combinations but I don't really know to move my body while dancing...Can you tell me pls which DVD's should I look or what exercises should I do to improve my body movement...P.S. I'm dancing Cuban Salsa...Thank you!

 

[GTO Bruin]

Hello all, greetings from Serbia...My name is Srdjan.

I've been dancing salsa for 7 months now and I know a lot of combinations but I don't really know to move my body while dancing...Can you tell me pls which DVD's should I look or what exercises should I do to improve my body movement...P.S. I'm dancing Cuban Salsa...Thank you!

Welcome to SF, Srdjan! I'd like to buy a vowel. (Wheel of Fortune joke. Disregard, cuz it probably doesn't air outside the US.)

Grace and Hugo Badillo have an excellent video series. The beginner DVD describes the mechanics of Cuban motion very well. There website is: dancingwithgrace.com They primarily teach LA Style On1.

 

[azzey]

Welcome to SF, Srdjan! I'd like to buy a vowel. (Wheel of Fortune joke. Disregard, cuz it probably doesn't air outside the US.)

Grace and Hugo Badillo have an excellent video series. The beginner DVD describes the mechanics of Cuban motion very well. There website is: dancingwithgrace.com They primarily teach LA Style On1.

Looks good, but isn't that video for NY/PR salsa though? Is it worth getting if you're already fairly experienced?

 

[azzey]

Hello all, greetings from Serbia...My name is Srdjan.

I've been dancing salsa for 7 months now and I know a lot of combinations but I don't really know to move my body while dancing...Can you tell me pls which DVD's should I look or what exercises should I do to improve my body movement...P.S. I'm dancing Cuban Salsa...Thank you!

I'm assuming you're a guy?

For Cuban Salsa I would recommend:

Janet & Rafael - Get It Right (only on Video).
salsafever.co.uk/products.asp?cat=56

Mueve La Cintura (has exercises in the last section for basic body movement and you can watch and learn from the way the dancers move)
boogalu.com/generic132.html

If you're a girl (or want to learn basic hip movement) I would recommend:

Body Talk by Iris de Brito
irisdebrito.com/merchandise.html

or perhaps it's not body movement you seek but Rumba to spice up your Salsa?

 

[GTO Bruin]

Welcome to SF, Srdjan! I'd like to buy a vowel. (Wheel of Fortune joke. Disregard, cuz it probably doesn't air outside the US.)

Grace and Hugo Badillo have an excellent video series. The beginner DVD describes the mechanics of Cuban motion very well. There website is: dancingwithgrace.com They primarily teach LA Style On1.

Looks good, but isn't that video for NY/PR salsa though? Is it worth getting if you're already fairly experienced?

Yes. The vids are not Cuban (casino) style salsa. I was really only referring to the part of the video that teaches the cuban/latin motion. But since this forum is read by a lot of dancers of various styles, I thought their videos may also be a resource to others as well particularly if they dance Cross Body On1.

 

[Srdjan]

I'm a guy

I'm looking for instructions on how to move upper body while dancing, because now I'm not moving in at all!

 

[Staged]

I'm a guy

I'm looking for instructions on how to move upper body while dancing, because now I'm not moving in at all!

I would look at Frankie Martinez's DVD. It's basically a video of what being in his isolation class would be like.

 

[pr]

Welcome Srdjan!

 

[Blaxican]

Burju's of Hacha Y Machete

 

[Srdjan]

I found some exercises here but I really have hard time doing one of them ...it's
1) push the chest in and out, holding the shoulders as still as possible

...I can't push my chests in and when I try to do it my shoulders roll forward and I push them out maybe only few mm ... Is there any other exercises that I can do to loosen up that part of body , or do you have any other advice?

 

[devane]

I just started Al's men styling 2.
I learning to do body waves. It's gonna take a lot of practice.
My back is gonna to be signicantly better or worse after this! :lol:

Don't expect instant results with body movement issues.

I'm a guy

I'm looking for instructions on how to move upper body while dancing, because now I'm not moving in at all!

I would look at Frankie Martinez's DVD. It's basically a video of what being in his isolation class would be like.

From what I've read and the trailer I saw for it, there's no explantion of the moves.

Burju's of Hacha Y Machete

Is it for guys?
What kind of things are on it?

 

[Mario2]

videos

Definitely Frankie and Burju. Frankie has no description of moves/ regular mistakes that people do etc. You can just watch and to correct yoursef in front of mirror/ video if you want to be precise.

Burju is more for ladies due to the part of applyed stylig in partnerwork but DVD has really lot of useful information/isolation exercises/ styling. I'd also try some afro-cuban video on your place... rumba/guaguanco/orishas... I havent seen any of instructioonal videos of these dances so I can't recommend. I've just heard of Tropical Gem's Rumba, which is in italian I believe. I took some of TG's rumba classes and they were excelent. Definitely try folcoric dances if you want to ad some natural feeling.

Take care

Mario

 

[azzey]

No disrespect meant to the the posters but.. LMAO about recommending Burju and Frankie for a Cuban casino dancer! :lol: :lol:

I love the way Burju moves (have danced cross body with her) but she's got a totally different style.

Frankie was one of my first models before I got into Casino but does not look at all Cuban the way he moves either.

I've been doing Cuban casino style for just over 4 years and trust me.. go for Mueve La Cintura. It has exactly the exercises you're trying to do demonstrated at the end. There is no explanation.. but you're not going to get that in the style you want unless you take private lessons anyway.

What the other poster said about it taking time is true though. Practice the exercises every day, learn some Rumba for additional spice and shake it every time you go out.

What I find works well is to do the exercises on the dance floor when dancing to Reggaeton. After half a year you'll notice a big difference.

 

[Mario2]

No disrespect meant to the the posters but.. LMAO about recommending Burju and Frankie for a Cuban casino dancer! :lol: :lol:

I love the way Burju moves (have danced cross body with her) but she's got a totally different style.

Frankie was one of my first models before I got into Casino but does not look at all Cuban the way he moves either.

sh**, I didn't finish reading an orginal post, just glanced on it...
you're of course right, no frankie/burju for that.
I saw frankie dancing his style on Cuba Te Lliama and it looked kinda wierd...

My apologies

Mario

 

[Blaxican]

No disrespect meant to the the posters but.. LMAO about recommending Burju and Frankie for a Cuban casino dancer! :lol: :lol:

I love the way Burju moves (have danced cross body with her) but she's got a totally different style.

Frankie was one of my first models before I got into Casino but does not look at all Cuban the way he moves either.

sh**, I didn't finish reading an orginal post, just glanced on it...
you're of course right, no frankie/burju for that.
I saw frankie dancing his style on Cuba Te Lliama and it looked kinda wierd...

My apologies

Mario

I am guilty too. Sorry.
Thee are elements of Burju's video that are definately for women( I.e. arm movements) ,but there are also a lot of moves guys could use as well. Shaka browns' movement DVD is along those lines as well.
i second that thought about Rumba. I take as manny Rumba classes as I can find and plan on purchasing the ones from boogalu.

 

[PielCanela]

well the guy does say he wants to move his upper body, and frankie, while yes not cuban, has some incredible exercises in his dvd which were of great help to me.

So I guess if you want to be true to cuba style. hmmm well they don't move their upper body that much, I see lots of hands and legs... so I dunno... I guess follow the recommendations from casion/cuban dancers.

but if you want to move your upper body, then you can't go wrong with frankie

 

[Sabor]

body isolations practice..

for me i got that when breakdancing back in the 80's..

so look for somewhere in your area that may give u isolation experience .. whereever that may be.. then isolate to the different beats of music using faster beats as u get better..

it takes time