Womens Ballroom Salsa

Different Styles of Salsa Dancing

This article by DanceSalsaInToronto.com briefly describes the different styles of Salsa dancing that you will commonly find when you go to Toronto Salsa clubs for social Salsa Dancing.
 

There are many different styles of Salsa danced internationally.  The next time when you are in a Toronto Salsa club pay attention to different dancers and you will see that there are many different styles of Salsa being danced.  Some dancers will dance in a slot, some dance in a circle, some involve more body expression than others, and some styles have very complicated turn patterns.  The most common styles of Salsa danced in Toronto are all offered in our Salsa classes / lessons in Dance Salsa at Dance Salsa In Toronto.  Below is an explanation of the different styles of Salsa dancing being offered in our Salsa Classes at Dance Salsa In Toronto.  These differences will once again be emphasized as you progress in your Salsa classes / lessons with us.

Cuban Salsa

Dance Salsa In Toronto is one of the very few dance studios that teaches this style of Salsa in our Salsa Classes.  The Cuban style of dancing derived from Cuba which is debatably the origin of all Salsa styles.  This style that is being taught in our Salsa classes is illustrated through its expressive body movements for both the leader and follower.  With the added body movements even the basic Salsa step taught in your first Salsa class could be very pleasing to observe. 

The first noticeable difference in Cuban Salsa is that the leader starts by back breaking (stepping backwards) rather than forward.  This is precisely the first thing that will be taught in our Salsa classes.  As the leader is performing his basic Salsa step of backward/forward he is pushing the follower's hand while moving backwards and pulling the follower's hand while moving forward.  This movement creates a similar effect of an elastic band.  The follower will perform her Salsa basic by stepping back when being pushed and stepping forward while being pulled by the follower.  Since the leader is always back breaking on their basic, he will never have to think about back breaking on specific figures or turn patterns.  This will be illustrated during your Salsa classes, and once students understand the concept of this elastic effect, they will be well on their way to having a good grasp of the Cuban Salsa style.  

 

Cuban style Salsa dancers at times will dance according to the instrumental beats that are happening at the moment over performing turn patterns throughout the song.  The Cuban Style of salsa dancing occurs in a circular style the whole time.  Dancers of the Cuban Salsa believe that there is always continuity within the dance because of this circular motion.  One Salsa turn pattern or figure can easily lead into the next.  Some schools will try to incorporate Cuban Salsa figures into linear Salsa (slot style).  However, at Dance Salsa In Toronto the circular motion is kept and taught in our Cuban style Salsa classes / lessons. 

 

In this style of Salsa is that there are many intricate turn patterns with a lot of them being named after numbers and various cities around the world.  The structure of this style of Salsa is often faster than LA and New York making basic moves appears to be more advance.  The Cuban Salsa style is primarily more male dominated where you can see that the leaders of this dance are more expressive and most actions that occur within the dance are lead by the leader who is typically a male.  At Dance Salsa In Toronto, we ensure that that the students in our Salsa classes grasp the concept of lead and follow early on.  Memorized choreographies do not work well in social Salsa dancing with different partners whom you have never danced with before.    

 

Rueda de Casino (also known as Casino Rueda)

 

Casino Rueda Salsa Classes is almost identical to Cuban Salsa that derived from Havana (capital city of Cuba).  The only difference is that it is danced with a group of people in a circle.  During this dance one person is responsible for calling out the names of the Salsa turn patters/figures that everyone is to perform in synchronization.  Depending on the figure and the sequence that is being called, sometimes dancers may have to clap, tap, or even skip to the second, third, or more partners to continue the sequence.  The name of the Salsa turn patters/figures is normally called out in Spanish.  One will easily get used to the names of the figures very quickly in Casino Rueda Salsa classes.  This style of Casino Rueda will be  taught exactly like the real dance in our Casino Rueda Salsa Classes at Dance Salsa In Toronto.

 

In Casino Rueda Salsa Classes, students will get to know their classmates and develop relationships during their Salsa lessons a lot faster as there is constant rotation every 10 seconds.  Casino Rueda Salsa lessons is ideal to those individuals who are aiming for increased weight loss as there are a lot more movements and motions involved during the Casino Rueda Salsa Class.  Casino Rueda Salsa lessons is also more stimulating for the mind as it requires a higher level of concentration but yet being extremely fun at the same time.   

 

L.A. (Los Angeles) Salsa

Another popular Salsa style taught at Dance Salsa In Toronto.  This style of Salsa is the most popular style of Salsa danced in Toronto Salsa clubs.  This style of Salsa being taught in our Salsa lessons is a more relaxed version compared to Cuban Salsa.  There are not as much intricate hand patterns and is usually focused on the spins performed by the follower (woman).  Since this LA Salsa is heavily influenced by ballroom there are very few spins for leaders (men).  A lot of the figures and turn patterns in LA Salsa is borrowed and incorporated into this style from other dances such as Jazz, Ballroom, and Contemporary. 

 

The position exchange in LA Salsa occurs in a slot instead of a circle like in Cuban Salsa.  During your Salsa lessons when a turn pattern is taught where the leader and the follower have to exchange positions, the leader should end up in the follower's previous spot and vice versa as if you were in a narrow hallway or slot. 

 

Emphasis during our Salsa lessons will also be focused on shines (where the partners break away from each other to perform and express their individual moves and styles).  This allows both the partners to enjoy the music and take a short break from leading and following. 

 

Although typically not as intricate as Cuban Salsa, LA Salsa often appears to be very vibrant in its own way with advance turn patterns, multiple spins, and dips.  Despite the fact that this is the more common style of Salsa, at Dance Salsa In Toronto we will always emphasis on proper lead and following technique during our Salsa classes / lessons to not have students fall into the mindset of a memorized choreography.

 

New York Style Salsa (Salsa On 2 or Mambo on 2)

This style of Salsa is also popular when you go Salsa dancing in Toronto Salsa clubs.  These styles of Salsa being taught in Salsa classes appear to be a lot smoother and graceful. More emphasis is being put on multiple spins for the follower (women) in this dance.  Dancers will have more time to express their movements and more time is given by the leader (men) compose and execute his turn patters/figures. 

 

Since New York Style Salsa is slower it is important to emphasize body expression to fill the music.  This is strongly focused on in your Salsa classes at Dance Salsa In Toronto.  Generally students who express interest in New York Style Salsa often start with Salsa classes on 1 (LA and Cuban Salsa).

 Visit us at www.dancesalsaintoronto.com

About the Author

William Lu (Program Coordinator, Assistant Instructor)

William's background is in business management and IT. He is the co-founder of Call4PcHelp an IT consulting firm providing services to his GTA clientele.  His interest in Salsa dancing spawned in 2006 where he was invited to a party with a theme of Salsa dancing.  Not knowing how to even spell "Salsa", he immediately subscribed for a Salsa crash course 2 weeks prior to the event. Through many days of intense training he was able to lead a few basic turn patterns.  Due to his busy entrepreneurial work schedule he has departed from Salsa training until 2008.  Being passionate in martial arts, he wanted to find other activities that will complement his progression and passion in his martial arts training.  It is then he gave Salsa another try. 

 

At that moment he met his current instructor Yared Rodriguez.  His interest for Salsa spiked again after seeing how his teacher danced.  He was amazed at how Yared could make the simplest turn pattern looked really advanced.  He thought that the style of his teacher was spectacular as to how he can fuse various different styles of Salsa without being restricted by their "styles" using Cuban Salsa as the foundation.  Every turn pattern and body movement performed was in sync with the music that is being played.  It was at the moment where William's Salsa goals were established.

 

William is still training with Yared Rodriguez to date to continue to enhance his techniques in Salsa dancing.

 

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