Our Move of the Month (October 2009) is an adaptation of a rueda de casino move to partner salsa dancing. A great way to increase your repertoire of partner salsa moves is to learn rueda moves and then understand how to adapt them. And you can also enjoy dancing rueda when you get a chance.
Salsa Dance Tip 8-09
Research has shown that self-actuated movement is important for brain acuity.
The improvisational and movement aspects of salsa dancing are good for
your brain as well as your body. If you dance with your partner with a
nice connection (see our many blogs and podcasts on the Salsa
Connection), it is also great for your social and personal life. The
ambidextrous movement of our new “Encore Dancing”™ provides further
benefits. And salsa dancing is fun fun fun! By Sam Gill
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Salsa Dance Tip 6-09
Performance, Competition, and the Salsa Connection.
Recently I’ve seen several salsa competitions and performances and I’ve been in a few performances as well. One thing that I have been closely watching is the connectedness of dancers when they are doing planned or choreographed salsa dancing. I notice that even quite a few advanced dancers give up most of their connection when performing to simply do parallel movements. I think that the audience feels the results of this, sensing that the dancers are not connected or don’t have that desired partner chemistry. Those dancers that I love to watch are those who clearly have all that yummy connection stuff going. One doesn’t get the salsa connection quickly or easily; it requires high repetition with careful observation and attentiveness. Those who develop it will likely keep it when they do performances and competition. And dancers and their audiences will really feel the difference.
Sam Gill
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Salsa Dance Tip 5-09
The Salsa-Challenge approach to learning salsa is based on our discovery that all salsa moves are comprised of just ten basic elements. To learn these ten elements, and the many basic variations for each, with solid technique, which is also excellent style, is key to establishing a strong foundation in salsa dancing.
The Salsa Connection, the art of partnering. Is the other fundamental to the Salsa-Challenge approach. Learning the many factors involved in creating the Salsa Connection and building the embodied skills required to connect with your partner is essential to smooth sensuous beautiful salsa dancing.
The Salsa-Challenge approach gives equal attention to leads and follows. It is useful for advanced dancers as well as dancers new to salsa. The Salsa-Challenge method helps leads remember moves and combinations with ease. Salsa-Challenge is a great tool for advanced dancers to “steal” moves they see on the dance floor.
By Sam Gill
Salsa Dance Tip 3-09
Salsa style and technique are fundamentally based in posture and presence. Posture is closely related to body image and self-confidence. Good posture depends on body awareness, balance, and core (abdominal) strength. It has been shown that to do the work to improve posture actually creates enhanced body image and self-confidence. It also improves all salsa dance elements, especially, partnering and turning. Dancing salsa with good posture and presence is not only beautiful, it also enhances body image and self-confidence. Any postural and core strength work—Pilates is an excellent method—is a great complement to support improving your salsa dancing skills and it will contribute to your entire well-being. Guys, this is for you as well!
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Salsa Dance Tip 2-09
Women, if you are looking for a relationship, dancing may give you great clues about a guy.
How physically comfortable is he and how does this correspond with your own physical comfort levels?
How interested is your dance partner in making a salsa connection with you?
My guess is that if he doesn’t connect with you in ways you can experience on the dance floor, he’ll likely not be able to off the floor. If he blames you for his dance mistakes … you’ve learned something important about him. If he shows off his dance moves and pays no attention to you … you’ve learned something important. If he assumes you know nothing and proceeds to constantly instruct you … you’ve learned … You get the point.
A social dance relationship reveals loads about a person and how they will approach other social and personal relationships. This is why I think dancing is actually a pretty great place to meet and get to know people.
From Salsa Connection Blog Series by Sam Gill
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Salsa Dance Tip 1-09
Last year in Puerto Rico I enjoyed watching a couple salsa dancing. They were stylish and connected and really fun to watch.
As I watched them, trying to pick up some pointers and some moves, I began to realize that a cross body was the only move they did. They didn’t even have all that many variations, but they had loads of style and connection.
I’ve remembered them and begun to appreciate more deeply that beautiful salsa dancing isn’t created by the variety of moves, but rather by the technique (which also means style) and variety of even one move. Recently I began teaching combinations that rely principally on a the cross body move to explore and demonstrate this appreciation. I think it would be valuable for all salsa dancers to simply focus for a while on one basic move (the Salsa Challenge system identifies 10 of them) exploring its potential variations and understanding how to connect with your partner through this move.
From: Sam Gill
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Salsa Dance Tip 10-08
For Dominicans bachata dancing, developed from merengue, is all in the movement of the hips and the connection with the partner. Few Dominicans do fancy “moves,” but rather enjoy one another’s presence. My tip is: while it is fun to learn some bachata moves, give this Dominican style of dancing bachata a try, after all, this is where this dance comes from.
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Salsa Dance Tip 12/09
The rueda move known as dile que no is the same as a cross body move in slot partner dancing, yet with both dancers facing the same direction. Dile que no is the move that most reveals the skill and experience of the rueda dancer. Great dile que no style has a great salsa connection with a push out of the follow on the 4 count with both dancers facing the center of the rueda without rushing the follow’s walk across on 5, 6, 7. Build great skill and technique for your dile que no so you’ll most enjoy dancing rueda.
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Salsa Dance Tip Sept 2008
While dancing salsa be sure to make eye contact with your partner. This helps establish a connection with your partner and can improve the quality of your dance together. For more on eye contact and the salsa connection read the Salsa Connection blog series by Sam Gill and listen to SalsaTALK podcast #4
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