SALSA TEACHING:
SALSA: CUBAN & LA
CUBAN STYLE
This style has been developing in Cuba since the 1950’s and is considered to be the original salsa.
In Cuban style dancers toe tap on beat 4 & 8 to keep rhythm. The foot that taps is the foot that moves next. Cuban in mainly danced rotationally as opposed to linearly. It is characterised be complicated arm movements and wraps and is influenced by the Salsa Casino Style, which is used in Rueda dancing.
An essential element is the Cuba step – also known as GUAPEA – which is used in Rueda – where the leader does a backward basic on 1 2 3 and a forward basic on 5 6 7. the follower does the same , thereby mirroring the leader.
LA STYLE Developed in recent years, this is a style of salsa much affected by Hollywood and by the swing and mambo dances. It is sometimes considered more a show dance. It is danced on 1 with the break forward on count one and is mainly cross body with “flashy” moves which can consist of tricks, dips and shines
BACHATA
Bachata is a form of music and dance that originated in the countryside and rural marginal neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic. Its subjects are usually romantic; especially prevalent are tales of heartbreak. The music is in 4/4 timing and is influenced by rumba and Son, while remaining of distinctive sound.
Derived from the Latin American tradition of guitar music, bachata emerged in the 1960s.
RUEDA
An essential element is the Cuba step – also known as GUAPEA – which is used in Rueda – where the leader does a backward basic on 1 2 3 and a forward basic on 5 6 7. the follower does the same , thereby mirroring the leader. Rueda is performed in a circle or Cuban Wheel, constantly changing partners with various moves. GREAT FUN!
MERENGUE
THE MERENGUE is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, and also to some extent, of Haiti, the neighbour sharing the island.
There are two popular versions of the of the origin of the Dominican national dance, the Merengue. One story alleges the dance originated with slaves who were chained together and, of necessity, were forced to drag one leg as they cut sugar to the beat of drums. The second story alleges that a great hero was wounded in the leg during one of the many revolutions in the Dominican Republic. A party of villagers welcomed him home with a victory celebration and, out of sympathy, everyone dancing felt obliged to limp and drag one foot.
Merengue has existed since the early years of the Dominican Republic. It is possible the dance took its name from the confection made of sugar and egg whites because of the light and frothy character of the dance or because of its short, precise rhythms.
By the middle of the nineteenth century, the Merengue was very popular in the Dominican Republic. Not only is it used on every dancing occasion in the Republic, but it is very popular throughout the Caribbean and South America, and is one of the standard Latin American dances.
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