¡Dale Mambo! A Perspective on Salsa Dancing

By Jason Harry

Whether your goal is simply to make sense of Salsa music, or to explore the world of Salsa dancing and improve your skills on the dance floor, this book is for you!  Here you will find a lot of useful tips and unique concepts that can help you make progress faster as you take your Salsa dancing to the next level!  Dance instructors can teach you the moves, but this book will provide additional Salsa dancing knowledge and musical insight that you probably won't get from a class. In fact, dance instructors may even find some fresh ideas and illustrations that can be used to help newcomers comprehend the world of Salsa dancing more fully.  Most importantly, it will help you to build a strong foundation for becoming a more complete Salsa dancer so that you can truly enjoy the music and have fun! 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jason Harry
• Release date: Jan 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386181965

Jason Harry

Jason Harry has been an avid fan of Salsa dancing and musicology for well over 20 years.  During this time, he has also had the privilege of dancing with countless partners from a variety of Salsa dancing backgrounds.  This has contributed to both a unique perspective and a sincere desire to share some useful insights that have been picked up along the way.  The author currently resides in Miami, Florida. Facebook/Twitter:  @salsagoals salsaforums.com:   Observer(JB)

Book preview

Acknowledgments

COVER ILLUSTRATION courtesy of www.canstockphoto.com.  Many thanks also to Angie of pro_ebookcovers for the cover page design.  I’m grateful to all of those dancers out there who helped me on my Salsa journey.  Thanks so much for patiently allowing me to practice and experiment on the dance floor.  I’m looking at you Emily, Deeana, Janel, Kristen, Stephanie and countless others.  Of course, a major shout out to Josh, Andrew and especially Nema!  Without them, none of this would have been possible.  I only hope to pay it forward.

1. Why Salsa?

SO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE your ability to dance to Salsa music?  Many around the world have the same goal.  In fact, the subject of Salsa dancing is huge, and the large array of techniques, tricks and styles in existence would take a lifetime to master. Thanks to the endless sources of information and innovation, there will always be something new to learn. 

Salsa music and dance have a very rich history in the United States and beyond.  The journey to become a complete Salsa dancer involves more than just learning how to dance.  It also involves an understanding and appreciation of the history and traditions that make up the entire Salsa phenomenon. 

The influence and popularity of Salsa music and dance is undeniable.  Though the foundation of this music was laid down in Cuba, its reach has undeniably expanded to every corner of the globe.  In fact, it is difficult to think of a country that does not have a Salsa dancing community, thanks to the popularity of Salsa Congresses.

What is a Salsa Congress?  It is like a convention where Salsa dancing aficionados of all ages, even children, are welcome.  It is a multi-day event where members of the Salsa dancing community get together for dancing workshops, competitions, performances, concerts and, of course, dancing.  Since the first Puerto Rico Salsa Congress in 1997, these annual congresses have become popular in almost every major country worldwide.  Salsa Congresses and Festivals are common in numerous major cities in the U.S. like Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Atlanta and Seattle.  However, they are also popular in countries all across the world like Norway, Japan, France, Turkey, Thailand, Poland, Greece and many, many others.

Most cities also have weekly or monthly Socials where Salsa dancers can get together for social dancing, or Salsa dancing intended for social participation rather than performance.  These Socials are not simply parties, nor are they like dance clubs.  They are far from either of those things, in fact.  Rather, they are a forum for dancers to improve by practicing what they have learned.  In fact, aside from classroom learning, this is a major way in which Salsa dancers improve their skills on the floor.

Due to this widespread international popularity of Salsa dancing, people of all ages and backgrounds want to learn.  Classrooms around the world are full of novices and experts alike, all anxious to master the latest Salsa moves.  For this reason, many people dive into the world of Salsa dancing in order to see what all the fuss is about.

Once the world of Salsa dancing is discovered, many decide to stay and explore.  In fact, Salsa dancing often becomes a lifelong passion for a lot of people. For many, it almost becomes like an addiction, albeit a healthy one.  Many dancers commonly seek out the elusive Salsa fix on a regular basis.  It’s difficult to define, but to me a Salsa fix is the feeling of euphoria that one attains while Salsa dancing.  It’s that feeling of satisfaction one achieves when the moves, music and a strong connection with your partner come together almost perfectly on the dance floor.  This can easily happen with other styles of dance as well, but the focus of this book is Salsa dancing.

Salsa dancing actually has a rare unifying effect on people.  It’s amazing when I see two people who can connect with amazing chemistry on the dance floor, even though they are from different continents and speak different languages.  In many ways, the process of learning to dance Salsa is like that of learning to speak a language.  Without a doubt, Salsa dancing is like a common language that allows people around the world to communicate with each other.  This is due to the fact that, despite their different national origins or cultures, they are united in their common love of the music and dance.

If you don’t believe me, check out some Salsa dancing videos on YouTube.  People are always taking video of social dancers at Salsa Congresses and Salsa Festivals around the world.  Many of these videos feature famous, internationally-known Salsa dance instructors and performers dancing with other people from diverse parts of the world.  There are far too many such outstanding examples of internationally-known Salsa dancers who fall into this category to name.  However, some of them are Terry Salsalianza Tauliaut of France, Fadi Fusion of Spain, Oliver Pineda of Australia, Adolfo Indacochea of New York and countless others.  In fact, I’m constantly discovering new dancers on a regular basis.

If you are a Salsa enthusiast like me, you’ve definitely come to the right place.  You recognize how huge the Salsa dancing phenomenon is and you want to become a part of it.  Of course, the most important part of the journey to becoming a Salsa enthusiast is the beginning, the foundation.  The purpose of this book is to share some helpful concepts that may help build that foundation.  Nevertheless, even if you already have experience as a Salsa dancer, you may find some fresh concepts and ideas to enhance your knowledge even further.

Naturally, these concepts are given from my perspective, so the focus revolves more around the role of the leader within the Salsa dance rather than that of the follower.  Throughout the book, I will discuss various aspects of Salsa dancing.  Some of these aspects come from years of research and personal experience.  Other statements reflect the personal conclusions that I’ve come to as a result of that research and experience.

I will try to clearly indicate which statements reflect these personal conclusions so that no one confuses them with established fact.  After all, the topic of Salsa music and dance can be divisive and often generates many different opinions and perspectives.  While some may find my personal viewpoints insightful, others might feel differently.  After all, some of the concepts which I present will be familiar to those with some level of experience dancing to Salsa music.  However, other concepts may represent an entirely new and unique perspective.  Regardless, I hope that you will be able to find something of value.

My personal Salsa journey started when I was first introduced to Salsa music.  I lived near the Washington D.C. area at the time, and my friends all danced Salsa using a very Cumbia-like step.  (Imagine how Bachata is commonly danced, then take the same basic step and speed it up to the tempo of your favorite Salsa song).  However, a few years later, I started to actually investigate the history and musical theory behind Salsa music.  This study into the musicology of Salsa was very insightful.

A few years later, I discovered popular Salsa-dancing for the first time.  There was a late-night television show called Vibe hosted by comedian Sinbad.  Every Thursday was Latin Night and featured Salsa dancers.  When I saw the Los Angeles-based Salsa team Salsa Brava for the first time, I immediately fell in love with Salsa dancing.  Up until that time, I had no idea that Salsa dancing had any kind of specific format which could be taught in dance studios.  Since no one in my area danced this style of Salsa, I sought out dance videos online. 

Ironically, my first Salsa dance video was Eddie Torres Teaches Salsa Nightclub Style by Eddie Torres Sr., the father of New York-style Salsa.  From that point on, I bought various videos and became a fan of both the Los Angeles and New York styles of Salsa dancing.  A few years later, I moved to Miami, Florida where all of my friends danced Miami-style Casino.  Therefore, I picked up a little of Miami-style Casino dancing as well.

Like many people, my goal is to improve as a Salsa dancer and I admittedly still have a lot to work on.  I’m not a Salsa dancing teacher by any means.  In fact, I’m still just a student.  In reality, you never stop being a student no matter how long you have been dancing.  Without a doubt, this has been a long journey for me and I am still on that road to becoming a more complete Salsa enthusiast. 

By no means do I consider myself an expert Salsa dancer.  In fact, I am nowhere near the level which I want to someday achieve.  However, I have learned and am still learning some concepts that may be helpful for others who, like me, want to become more complete Salsa dancers.  Thus, the purpose of this book is to share some unique and valuable insights that may be of benefit. 

These are definitely things that I wish I had known a long time ago.  They are also things that I still have to constantly keep in mind, for they don’t come automatically to me.  This is because many of these concepts and ideas weren’t initially part of my foundation for Salsa dancing. However, for those just beginning to explore the world of Salsa dancing, the concepts outlined in this book can certainly help you start off with a solid foundation so that you can progress very quickly.

I hope to cover a lot of ground with the information presented in this book.  Admittedly, there are other guidebooks out there with tips and tricks designed to help you become a better Salsa dancer.  Yet, this book aims to dig deeper and provide some of the mental tools and concepts which will help you to develop into a more complete Salsa enthusiast. 

Yes, although Salsa dancing involves physical skill, the required mental skills are even more important.  In fact, it is necessary to first develop a strong knowledge of Salsa music and dance in order to truly make progress on the dance floor.  This book is designed to help you gain that knowledge.  However, don’t expect to become an expert Salsa dancer simply by reading this material. 

In fact, I don’t think a beginner can truly learn Salsa dancing techniques just by reading a book.  Yes, you can learn valuable information from a book.  But can you really dance to the words in a book?  I doubt it very seriously. 

Rather, you dance to music.  This means that you need actual Salsa music in order to develop skill as a dancer.  Unfortunately, this book does not include samples of Salsa music for dancing purposes.  However, I will provide you with references and examples that will help you develop the skill needed to progress more quickly on the dance floor. Therefore, when I give you examples of songs and videos to refer to, please feel free to look them up online immediately.

Nevertheless, please keep in mind that this book isn’t intended to be a substitute for actual Salsa dancing instruction.  Salsa dancing instruction could involve formal lessons from a dedicated dance teacher.  Or it could involve informal lessons through the example of friends and peers.  However, this book is intended to give you some valuable concepts that can hopefully take your Salsa dancing to the next level. 

Admittedly, there are many books and resources out there about Salsa dancing.  These resources can provide helpful tips on social dancing etiquette and many other things.  While this is all good information, this book isn’t designed to simply rehash concepts that you could get elsewhere.  Rather, this book is intended to provide unique and insightful ideas that you may not be able to find anywhere else. 

Also, remember that this information applies mainly to social dancing.  A comprehensive examination of Salsa dancing for performance purposes is beyond the scope of this book.  This is because the dynamics of a Salsa performance are different from those of a social dance.  A performance is choreographed and requires you to connect with an entire audience.  However, a social dance is spontaneous, mostly improvised and requires you to connect only with your partner.

Therefore, before really getting down to business, we need to define some basic concepts.  Remember that Salsa music is incredibly popular worldwide.  But, if someone asked you to explain what Salsa music is, how would you answer?

For this reason, it is important to really understand the definition of Salsa music. If you really want to become a better Salsa dancer, it is important that you at least understand the music you are dancing to. If you’re reading this book, it’s likely that you can recognize a Salsa song when you hear one.  Hopefully you can also easily tell the difference between a Salsa song and another genre like Merengue or Bachata, because not everyone can. 

Admittedly, there is a lot of confusion when it comes to defining Salsa music.  What exactly is it and where did it come from?  Who is responsible for creating it?  How did it become so popular? 

There are many different opinions about Salsa music out there, and it certainly can be hard to accurately understand the issue when there are so many controversial viewpoints. Nevertheless, if you really want to become a more complete Salsa enthusiast, it is important that you understand the answer to those questions.

Salsa music has a rich history and many sources document the origins and musical theory behind the genre.  In fact, I started with The Salsa Guidebook for Piano and Ensemble by Rebeca Mauleón and I highly recommend it for an in-depth discussion of this issue.  Nevertheless, there are various sources that cover this topic. 

For example, there is a very comprehensive documentary called Yo Soy del Son a la Salsa (From Son to Salsa) which covers the development of modern Salsa music beginning with its roots in eastern Cuba.  Not to be left out, even Wikipedia has some fairly detailed information on the origin and history of Salsa music.  However, a thorough discussion of musicology is beyond the scope of this book, and it is not my intention to cover ground that other authors (who are much more capable than me) have covered previously.  However, some clarification is in order, so let’s get this out of the way before we move on.

2. ¡Que le Pongan Salsa!

WHAT EXACTLY IS SALSA?  Is it a rhythm?  Is it something you put on food?  There are many opinions on this issue.  When I was first introduced to Salsa music, I immediately became a fan.  But it wasn’t until a few years later that I started to actually research Salsa in order to understand it from a musician’s perspective.  Not that I consider myself a musician by any means, but it has always been my dream to play an instrument and participate in a Salsa ensemble.

I’ve learned that Salsa music is the result of an attempt to preserve and promote the Cuban rhythms that were popular in the United States before the 1959 Cuban revolution (and the subsequent U.S. embargo that was imposed on all trade with Cuba in 1962) effectively took Cuba out of the picture.  In the 1940s and 1950s, Cuban music was extremely popular in the U.S.  Cuban musicians would regularly travel to the U.S. and there was a strong interchange of musical influences between the two countries.  In the late 1940s and 1950s, venues like the Palladium Ballroom in New York City became a popular showcase for Cuban dance crazes like the Mambo, Cha Cha Chá and Pachanga.

However, once diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba fell apart, Cuban recordings were no longer played on the radio. Cuban musicians could no longer travel freely to the United States and vice versa.  It was as if a musical wall went up between the two countries.  When it came to promoting Cuban music in the United States, Cuba was no longer in the driver’s seat so to speak.  That musical collaboration between the two countries was over.

By this point, however, Cuban music was already extremely popular in the U.S. and around the world.  With such incredible popularity, there was no way people were going to let politics force them to stop dancing to hot Cuban rhythms like Mambo, Cha Cha Chá and Pachanga.  Therefore, along with some relocated Cuban musicians (such as Machito), many popular Puerto Rican musicians living in New York such as Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez stepped into this vacuum and continued to play the music that was already popular.  Since Cuba was no longer in the driver’s seat regarding their music here in the U.S., that role shifted primarily to New York, although Puerto Rico and other places contributed greatly. 

As time went on, these preserved Cuban rhythms were updated and modernized somewhat.  For example, the musical arrangements became slightly more aggressive and North American musical elements such as Jazz harmonies and chord progressions  were added to the mix.  This caused the piano accompaniment to become somewhat more complex and varied.  Influences of North American Pop, Rock and R&B" music were added as well.

Something else happened.  By the 1970s, the music came to be labeled as Salsa.  There is a