What is the practicality of learning salsa in Cali or Cuba?
- Thread starter Sasha001
- Start date
Depends on where you live. In many European cities Cuban style (which arrived before linear styles) is still going strong. Glasgow for example is a 90% Cuban style scene.
reason ?.. because its CUBA !.. its the" home" of all the rhythms you will get exposed to, in their natural setting. If you are really interested in developing your dance skills, then Son should be on you list .
And, there are cubans who dance on "1" .
I have observed that in Cuban style there are three main timings 123, 1-34 and 234.
When I take a look at the break timing, some 123 dancers break consistently on1, others consistently on2 and a good bunch of dancers vary between 1 and 2. Most 1-34 dancers often break on3, but their break timings vary as well.
Just make the review even more clear fuzzy, not a few good Cuban dancers mix their foot timings.
The terms salsa on1 and salsa on2 can be used to portray linear forms, but in my opinion those two terms do not really characterize advanced Cuban style dancers well enough.
If you want to learn Cuban style you really should tour to the island and feel the variety of movements, rhythms and feelings.
When I take a look at the break timing, some 123 dancers break consistently on1, others consistently on2 and a good bunch of dancers vary between 1 and 2. Most 1-34 dancers often break on3, but their break timings vary as well.
Just make the review even more clear fuzzy, not a few good Cuban dancers mix their foot timings.
The terms salsa on1 and salsa on2 can be used to portray linear forms, but in my opinion those two terms do not really characterize advanced Cuban style dancers well enough.
If you want to learn Cuban style you really should tour to the island and feel the variety of movements, rhythms and feelings.
I gave a Son class on "2" this past week, to on "1" style dancers, with traditional style music, and some, more modern .
They were surprised how easy the transition was, and, they pretty much stayed on "2" .
What surprised me more.. they luvvved the music .
miércoles
Changui
Would have loved to have been able to take part.
We are dancing more and more Casino a contratiempo at our school of late and it's a lot of fun. To the older, more traditional son music (septets, more strings, a guitarra tres etc.) it makes a lot of sense; incorporating (corserving!) some of the more traditional figures and "desplazamientos" which are often ignored by a lot of Casino dancers.
No reason why you should be surprised they loved the music. The rhythmic cell of the clave and tumbao is still the driving force behind even the most modern "timba" and it's still what makes us want to move our feet.
tocatimba
Son
Have you been to Puerto Rico, Cuba, or Colombia? I've only been to Cuba so I don't really know what might be the value of the other places. The suggestion of going to Puerto Rico to learn rumba does surprise me. Of course there are good rumberos in many places (including New York) but I would think that Cuba would be ground zero for learning la rumba cubana.
miércoles
Changui
Try and take these questions at face value, i.e. not as a pot shot ...
Why would Puerto Rico be the place to learn "salsa", mambo and rumba?
Is "salsa" not a dance from New York. And the mambo you say is an influence is from the US too right? I know Eddie Torres and co. are of Portorican descent but surely the "salsa tradition" is from New York, right?
Wouldn't I be better in New York if that's the source?
Rumba? As in Cuban Rumba? As in Guaguancó, Columbia, Eleguá, Orishas etc.? In Puerto Rico? Seriously? OK, that was a little sarcastic.
bailar y tocar
Son Montuno
Good observation. If you are dancing with a Cuban caller in a rueda you go with whatever the caller is on. I've never heard it called 1-34 but if you referring to someone dancing 1 and 3,4 with the pause in the middle then I know what you mean and it is quite common in Cuba. Its almost the same emphasis as Son.
{oh wait, thats a different discussion in this thread}
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
If my priority was learning rumba, Cuba would certainly be my destination. But if I was in PR to learn salsa, and I felt I had the ability to expand my learning, I would also study mambo and rumba.
It's warm in Cuba and Cali in the North American Winter. That's enough for me. The exposure to Afro-Latin Music and Dance is just a bonus.
Yes, you can get world-class instruction and events in New York City -probably the best Salsa City in the World. But it's interesting to see
how it's done in its "cradle" (Cuba) and in Cali with its unique style and Salsa obsession. I've been to both and I will return to both again. IMO must-do's for a Salsero with the time and money to travel.
Add Puerto also. Much close to N.Y. style than Cuba and Cali. And just as high a level of dancing and appreciation for the Music.
Yes, you can get world-class instruction and events in New York City -probably the best Salsa City in the World. But it's interesting to see
how it's done in its "cradle" (Cuba) and in Cali with its unique style and Salsa obsession. I've been to both and I will return to both again. IMO must-do's for a Salsero with the time and money to travel.
Add Puerto also. Much close to N.Y. style than Cuba and Cali. And just as high a level of dancing and appreciation for the Music.
timberamayor
Son Montuno
I don't know a whole lot about the development of the dance when it arrived in the US, but from what I've heard it was quickly mixed with Latin Hustle and I suspect that has a lot to do with the differences in the movement, body motion and the aesthetic of in-line dance styles versus casino and son. And at this point in my salsa dancing career I think it's fruitless to try to say one style is superior to another. We all have our personal preferences which I think have more to do with our personalities than with any objective qualities of the music and dances. The most balanced people probably enjoy a little of everything
My personal taste is heavily Cuban into son, rumba, changüí and timba...not into reggaeton, bachata (except that one song by Buena Fe & Descemeer Bueno jajaja), merengue, cumbia or kizomba. But the original question was whether it's worth it to study in Cuba and Cali and I'd say if you want to get the "authentic" flavor then yes. Although there are excellent teachers of these styles outside of Cuba and Cali, you just can't reproduce the same atmosphere anywhere else. I always prefer the source...but many people don't have that opportunity and that doesn't mean they can't learn to dance these styles well or even enrich their dancing in areas where these styels are not commonly danced
[Mod]
The off-topic discussion about son/salsa/ET2/etc. has been moved to a new thread in the music section. This thread is about the practicality of learning salsa in Cali or Cuba. Thank you.
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The off-topic discussion about son/salsa/ET2/etc. has been moved to a new thread in the music section. This thread is about the practicality of learning salsa in Cali or Cuba. Thank you.
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Latin Hustle ( which I taught for many yrs ) arrived on the scene after , Salsa was already developed . Salsas evolution continued ,as LH died out .
And LH is more based on WCS, where as salsa took on board, many of the Mambo/Lindy/Bolero/ ECS, variations( with a couple of exceptions ) .
timberamayor
Son Montuno
OK. It was people from NY who have told me that.
So one question I have then is why did US styles become so linear when son and mambo are not? I mean they include a linear step but it is not the most common basic step.
/
But, mambo has a bunch of linear movements.. ya dont see them any more, unless its someone dancing that style (50s) .
As to why/what and or who made that change ? LA style is oft given credit for implementing something that, already had its foundation in 50s Mambo /