Dance Styles

We have experience dancing and teaching in all the following dance styles:

Salsa

Like many other Latin dances Salsa has its roots in Cuba. The popular usage of the word "salsa" for danceable Latin music began in 1933 when Cuban song composer Ignacio Piñeiro wrote the song Échale Salsita. He conceived the idea after tasting food that lacked the Cuban spices. It was a protest against tasteless food. Salsa is danced to eight-beat music, with dancers moving on three beats, pausing (or tapping) for one beat, dancing for three beats, and pausing (or tapping for one beat). Salsa is incredibly popular throughout Latin America and around the world. Cuban style is sometimes referred to as a circular style, and is often characterized by the leader and follower circling around each other. The basic step in Cuban style is an open break - the leader dances the basic in reverse.

Salsa roots

During the time that the slave trade flourished in West Africa, natives used specific rhythms to speak to their gods. The rhythms came to the New World in the holds of the slave ships and in some cases the rhythms helped to keep the prisoner's hopes alive and kept them alive to the end of the journey. When the slaves were forced to adopt the Christian religion, they continued to call their own gods by using the drum rhythms. Most people who dance to Latin music today are not even aware that they are dancing to what started as religious music. In Cuba, many of these rhythms are still being used for religious purposes.

Rueda de Casino.

The Rueda (meaning wheel) originated in Cuba and is a really popular way to dance the famous Cuban Salsa known as Casino! Couples dance in a circle, with one leader calling a move, which all dancers execute. Most moves finish by changing partners in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction.

Danzón

Danzón, the national dance of Cuba, is both elegant and virtuoso. In its original form it does not feature any improvisations, unlike most other popular Cuban genres. A danzón has the following typical structure, which stems from European rondo. The classic danzón form was established by Antonio María Romeu, who introduced the piano in the format. It was further developed by José Urfé, among others, who added influences from Cuban son music to the style. Danzón developed in the second half of the 19th century, and has been an important root for Cuban music and dance until today. The precursors of danzón are the contradanza, danza and the habanera music, all of which have their roots in French music, that in turn was influenced by German and Italian music that arrived in Cuba via Haiti.

Son

Son is one of the most important music and dance styles from Cuba. It is the result of combining Spanish and African influences. It's a style that became popular in the second half of the 19th century in the eastern province of Oriente. The oldest known son is "Son de la Má Teodora", from about 1570 in Santiago de Cuba. It was played by small bands, using guitar or tres, maracas, güiro, claves, bongo, a marímbula and a botija. It combines the structure and elements of Spanish canción and guitar with African rhythms and percussion instruments of Bantu and Arara origin. In the 1940s Arsenio Rodríguez became the most influential player of son, creating the modern Afro-Cuban sound, The Son Montuno. He was especially influential incorporating improvised solos, toques, congas and extra trumpets, percussion and pianos. Son is considered as the root of salsa.

Mambo

The Mambo dance originated in Cuba. The fusion of Swing and Cuban music produced this fascinating rhythm and in turn created a new sensational dance. The "Mambo" was created by Orestes Lopez in 1938 and popularised by Perez Prado (The King of Mambo) who introduced it at the Tropicana nightclub in Havana in 1943. Other famous influences who introduced Mambo to the rest of the world include Beny More and Machito. Today Mambo is making a comeback and bringing a glimmer of paradise regained as the world again moves to its magical beat.

Cha Cha Cha

Cha Cha Cha is the newcomer of Latin American Dances. The name Cha Cha Cha is an imitation of the "rhythm" from dancing Cuban side steps. Enrique Jorrin came up with the first full-fledged Cha Cha in 1951 'Engañadora'. It's a cheeky, lively and flirtatious dance. It has a catch-me-if-you-can atmosphere, and is light and bubbly. It has a distinctive syncopation where 5 steps are danced to four beats hence the cha cha cha, one, two...Cuban Motion is an important aspect of this dance as well as maintaining quick compact steps.

Rumba

Rumba is the spirit and soul of Cuban music and dance. The fascinating rhythms and body expressions make it one of the most popular dances. It is a combination of three different rhythms: Yambu, Guaguancó and Columbia. Each one has its own story, feel, meaning and timing:
YAMBÚ: Slow, mellow, sensual and fluid. Represents when the couple first meets and get to know each other.
GUAGUANCÓ: The next stage, building up: the man making advances and the "vacunao" (movement which symbolizes his sexual conquest). The woman is seductive and provocative: she attempts to turn away and cover herself, and a game of passion and teasing ensue!
COLUMBIA: Historically danced only by men but very occasionally can be seen danced by women. This may be the most complex form of Rumba. In it, the dancer imitates ball players, bicyclists, cane-cutters, and a variety of other figures. The rhythm is more upbeat and driven. It is a free dance style allowing the dancer to demonstrate their style and ability to improvise and essentially "challenge" the others...

Conga

The Afro-Cuban Conga is a carnival-type street dance, done by a group of dancers. The name "Conga" refers to the Cuban drum and the basic steps are 1-2-3-Kick (or Bump) then repeat on the opposite side.

Merengue

Merengue is a fast-paced, lively, partner dance that comes from the Dominican Republic. Merengue music has two distinct beats and the dance is similar to walking, and therefore it is a very easy dance to learn. Although the tempo of the music may be frantic, the upper body is kept controlled and isolated - and turns are slow, typically four beats/steps per complete turn. Partners hold each other in closed position and do walks sideways or circle each other, in small steps. They can further switch to a double handhold position and do separate turns never letting go of each other's hands. During these turns they may twist and tie their handhold into intricate pretzels.

Bachata

Bachata is a romantic partner dance that originated in the Dominican Republic. The basic footwork is three steps in one direction followed by a hip motion and repeated on the other side. The character of the dance is achieved through sensual hip and body movements. The most recognizable aspect of bachata music is the use of an amplified guitar (either electric or acoustic).

Reggaeton

Reggaetón (also Reguetón or Reggetón in Spanish) is a form of dance music which became popular in Latin American during the early 1990s and spread to North American, European, Asian, and Australian audiences during the first few years of the 21st century. Reggaetón blends Jamaican music influences of reggae and dancehall with those of Latin America, such as bomba and plena, as well as that of hip-hop. The music is also combined with rapping (generally) in Spanish. Reggaetón has given the Hispanic youth, starting with those of Panama and Puerto Rico, a musical genre that they can consider their own. El General (born Edgardo A. Franco) is considered by some to be the father of reggaeton.

Yoruba

The Yoruba's Oyo empire collapsed in the early 1800's after decades of internal conflict and warfare with their neighbors. As a consequence, many Yoruba were sold into slavery and brought to the New World to work on plantations. Strong traces of Yoruba culture, specifically the worship of the orisha, can be found today in Cuba, Brazil, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago and other latin countries. Yoruba religious ceremonies were practiced and preserved in the cabildos of Cuba as the slaves seemingly synchronized their masters' pantheon of Catholic saints with their own pantheon of orisha. Another common name for this religion is Lucumi, a Yoruba word meaning friends. Lucumi is also the name given to descendants of Yoruba slaves in Cuba, as well as their music, dance and their Cubanized dialect of the Yoruba language.

Congo

Congo is a cycle of three different Rhythms: Palo, Yuka & Macuta Born out of an environment of Slavery, brought mainly from the 'Congo', in Africa.
Palo: represents a preparation for going to war, mixing herb poisons, fighting with poles, intimidation using the face in a similar way to the Maori Haka.
Macuta: A bouncy fun rhythm expressed in a lively party atmosphere. After work release of stress and break from hardship and the difficult lifestyle of slavery.
Yuca: The party continues.... featured the vacunao, a pelvic movement also found in Congo-derived dance styles elsewhere in the Americas, naturally drawing couples together, a very sensual and sexy dance.