MUSIC = “The soul of dancing – The basis of dancing"
(How To Improve Your Dance-Like Abilities?)
As (understanding of) music is the basis of dancing, the soul of dancing, it is most important to listen to music as much as possible, as often as you can!
But… How to Understand Music and Follow The Rhythm & Beat?
Knowing fist what Instrument / Drumming are been use in Cuban Salsa Music is very important as to learn or taking a dance classes and to be able to dance to it on the dance floor..
Dancing to a Music is to follow The Beat and its Made of instruments that we Listen or Hear to in Salsa Music.. (No matter the Salsa style you are learning or taking lesson on).. Ahi na ma..!!.
The Most Popular Cuban Salsa Music Instrument are:
Clave – Congas – Timbalets – Maracas – Bongos,..Etc..
Clap, snap, tap, stamp, jump, move, groove, flow, rock, shake and feel free to dance to it in the way you like most. “Let the rhythm take you with it" Don’t be shy, salsa people are usually open minded and will help and laugh with you, rather than at you. Remember, every dancer was a learner at one stage!!!
Don’t worry if the moves/steps you do are “right" or “wrong", there is no such thing as “right" or “wrong" as long as you’re dancing (solo) to the music and having fun…
In a song try to hear/feel the different Instruments, the ups and downs and the musical story that every song has to tell. If you don’t understand spanish, you won’t be able to understand the textual story but like a dog understands intonations in the voice, you should be able to hear the difference between e.g. romantic, energetic, sad or happy lyrics, to name but a few.
Usually songs have a beginning, a climax, an end and often much more in between. There are breaks, solos, soft and/or rough parts in them. Try to dance soft to soft parts, go crazy to heavy parts but always let yourself be a mirror of the music. Try to respect and interpret different parts with different body motions.
(e.g. Clap louder or softer, step softer, harder, more or less rhythmical, stop & go when there is a break and try to respect the beginning the climax and the end of the musical story that every song has to tell. Do not screw figures in the intro of a song…)
Don’t overcharge yourself! It takes time to be able to hear, understand and interpret different parts/instruments of/in music but also don’t be afraid to start trying it out. Always keep in mind that salsa dancing is much more than just the technique of doing moves, tricks and figures. Otherwise you may become a great technician but not a dancer!!!
For more than 30 years, the name of Henry Fiol has been synonymous with the flavor and swing of Salsa’s “típico” or traditional branch.
Henry Fiol: singer, composer, percussionist, bandleader, producer, painter, and writer. Born in New York City where he has always lived. Father: Puerto Rican Mother: Italian-American, read more…
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Thank you – Merci – Gracias…!!