I got invited out salsa dancing today, so I decided it was time to take a lesson. I found this amazing studio that offers private lessons for all of $7 an hour. I absolutely adore my teacher, Fernando. He’s older and well wizened, all of 5'4, and extremely good natured.Apparently I swing dance enough to absolutely obliterate my salsa form, so we spend a lot of time working on the basic steps. Fernando is hilarious because he gets impatient, and is prone to yanking my body back into the correct position, or hitting my hips or knees back to where he wants them. While this may sound harsh, it’s exactly what I need to form the appropriate muscle memory.
The lesson proved essential, because the salsa scene here is hardcore. The weekend starts on Wednesday. All the locals and extrajaneros end up at the same three or four clubs. At the club we went to there was a group lesson, but they didn't actually teach any of the steps, since almost everyone knew them already. They just turned salsa steps into a crazy combination line dance and electric slide. The guys here are equally hardcore. Absolute gringa hunters. Fortunately, when they get too aggressive, Fernando will usually step in.
2 comments:
When you are talking about swing dancing, are you referring to Lindy Hop?
I read somewhere about how a couple of swing dancers going went to Mexico and danced Balboa there at a salsa dance, and people commented that they danced very well salsa.
Balboa (one of the dances in the swing family) can look essentially the same as salsa, once you get to an advanced dancing level.
I dance both Salsa and Swing, and yes, the posture is different, and the rhythm in the body as well because of the music, but the steps feel pretty much the same to me.
I'm interested in what you mean by your original post. Lemme know.
I´m referring to East Coast style. For me, and I´m no expert, the steps translate simply. It´s the form that gets me.
My teacher here emphasises the importance of staying upright, and having flat feet all the time. When I swing, I tend to curve my back more, bend forward and back at the hip, and turn on my toes.
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