Salsa question

[David Bailey]

(Non-salseros, feel free to turn off now)

So, I'm at my local salsa place last night, chatting to the boss lady, mainly whingeing about "this fast music people play nowadays", and she's telling me that, not only is Cuban style back, it's now called Retro Cuban, and danced even faster.

I then think "What??? I've spent 6 months trying to persuade myself that this New Yorker style really doesn't look dumb, and I've nearly got the hang of it - and now they've changed the rules? Again?"

Can anyone confirm / deny this Retro Cuban thing? Also, that whole name makes me feel very old... :tears:

I know, this is a Ceroc forum, but you guys know everything... Any comments?

[under par]

(Non-salseros, feel free to turn off now)

So, I'm at my local salsa place last night, chatting to the boss lady, mainly whingeing about "this fast music people play nowadays", and she's telling me that, not only is Cuban style back, it's now called Retro Cuban, and danced even faster.

I then think "What??? I've spent 6 months trying to persuade myself that this New Yorker style really doesn't look dumb, and I've nearly got the hang of it - and now they've changed the rules? Again?"

Can anyone confirm / deny this Retro Cuban thing? Also, that whole name makes me feel very old... :tears:

I know, this is a Ceroc forum, but you guys know everything... Any comments?

Turn coat go and find yourself a salsa forum....go on.....now! :mad:

I really don't know the answer can you tell! :flower:

[David Bailey]

Turn coat go and find yourself a salsa forum....go on.....now! :mad:
Oh, I did (www.salsamafia.com of course), but they're a bit bitchy over there, and I couldn't find an answer in the archives, crap search function...

There was a nice set of posts about West Coast Swing though... :)

[Andreas]

Not sure about 'Retro Cuban' but I did notice that over the past two months Salsa music got faster again. Sad thing really is that hardly anybody actually can dance to it. All that it means is that people are more often than not off beat.

My opinion on this whole thing is that people have too much trouble dancing to 'slow' music, hence they choose fast tracks. Another reason is the 'show factor'. They don't feel the music and simply focus on showing difficult moves to fast music. Do one dance, sit two out, do another one .... silly really. Perhaps also the bars have requested faster music to sell more drinks. :sick:

[JoC]

I had a look at a salsa forum too (different one), and it just wasn't the same, made us lot look like a bunch of softies (I'd rather stay among the softies).

Also heard Cuban mentioned a few times at my one and only salsa night last week, apparently the DJ was indeed playing a lot of cuban music, and the nearest and apparently only classes near to me are Cuban too. (Didn't hear retro mentioned but I probably wouldn't have been worth explaining the details to.)

So what is salsa if it's not Cuban?

[Anna]

Cuban is just one of the ways or styles you can dance Salsa..

kind of like.. okay a really bad example relating to MJ would be..

You can dance MJ so it looks latin... or so it looks bluesy... or so it looks rock n roll.. but no matter what style you give it, its still MJ.

The Cuban thing is a bit like that.. its just another way to dance Salsa. (that i assume orginated from Cuba?)

You can dance Salsa with a LA, NY, Cuban, Retro-Cuban, or Millennium flavour (to name a few).. Or you can mix a combo of all of them :D It's a bit like a buffet..

- Anna, Wannabe Super Salsera

[El Salsero Gringo]

I had a look at a salsa forum too (different one), and it just wasn't the same, made us lot look like a bunch of softies (I'd rather stay among the softies).

Also heard Cuban mentioned a few times at my one and only salsa night last week, apparently the DJ was indeed playing a lot of cuban music, and the nearest and apparently only classes near to me are Cuban too. (Didn't hear retro mentioned but I probably wouldn't have been worth explaining the details to.)

So what is salsa if it's not Cuban?My one line answer to that question is that Cuban Salsa goes round-and-round; New York/LA style teaches the cross-body lead in pretty much the first lesson, and you go backwards and forwards instead. It's less wiggly in the arms too, from what I've seen. But I'd love to hear a more detailed disambiguation between the styles from a Salsero who knows.

[Anna]

Where's Andreas when you actually need him?! :rofl:

Well.. NY Salsa is danced on 2.. LA Salsa is predominantly danced on 1.. but on 2 is becoming more popular.. Cuban is danced on 1.. LA is a lot flashier than Cuban.. ermmm anything else I can think of.. not at the moment no :cool:

[El Salsero Gringo]

Where's Andreas when you actually need him?! :rofl:

Well.. NY Salsa is danced on 2.. LA Salsa is predominantly danced on 1.. but on 2 is becoming more popular.. Cuban is danced on 1.. LA is a lot flashier than Cuban.. ermmm anything else I can think of.. not at the moment no :cool:I've been to loads of salsa classes in the UK calling themselves NY and none of them teach on the 2!

...although I suppose it's possible that what's called NY style here isn't what's called NY style in NY, for instance.

Where *is* Andreas when you need him?

[Anna]

REALLY..

but thats like.. the one main thing that makes NY different from the others.. weird..

they're probably just teaching you LA with some NY styling - I suggest you sue them :D

[JoC]

Well.. NY Salsa is danced on 2.. LA Salsa is predominantly danced on 1.. but on 2 is becoming more popular.. Cuban is danced on 1.. LA is a lot flashier than Cuban.. ermmm anything else I can think of.. not at the moment no :cool: :what: total beginner ladies don't need to worry about this sort of thing, right???

[David Bailey]

but thats like.. the one main thing that makes NY different from the others.. weird..
Well, from what little I know, over in the UK we have:
- Cuban: "spinny style" basically
- "New-York" - Cross-body style
- "On 2" style (break on 2)
- Columbian style: lots of footwork and twists with arm tension

(I appreciate names may vary!)

90%+ of classes in London are cross-body style, I believe.

But in the happening* clubs, as Andreas say, they're playing very fast music, which you can really only do Cuban to. I was just getting the hand of cross-body style as well. Bloody salsa and it's fashions :mad:


:what: total beginner ladies don't need to worry about this sort of thing, right???
Nah, it's just different salsa styles - unless you're being taught "On 2", which is slightly different to the others.

The other trouble is that most salsa dancers are massively inflexible, and massively unaware of this "musicality" and "interpretation" stuff.

Hmmm, maybe I should bitch about this on a salsa forum somewhere. After all, this forum doesn't take up much of my time... :rolleyes:

* Bear in mind that I know nothing of these happening clubs of which people speak, but that's what I'm told

[Mr Cool]

Not sure about 'Retro Cuban' but I did notice that over the past two months Salsa music got faster again. Sad thing really is that hardly anybody actually can dance to it. All that it means is that people are more often than not off beat.

My opinion on this whole thing is that people have too much trouble dancing to 'slow' music, hence they choose fast tracks. Another reason is the 'show factor'. They don't feel the music and simply focus on showing difficult moves to fast music. Do one dance, sit two out, do another one .... silly really. Perhaps also the bars have requested faster music to sell more drinks. :sick:

I agree almost nobody dances salsa to the music I fail to understand why they all seem to want to chase the music when if they danced to slightly slower latin music. It could be so good. Such a pity as there is so much good latin music to choose from. :waycool: :waycool: :waycool: :waycool:

[Lynn]

Well, from what little I know, over in the UK we have:
- Cuban: "spinny style" basically
- "New-York" - Cross-body style
- "On 2" style (break on 2)
- Columbian style: lots of footwork and twists with arm tension I would think of it in terms of the cuban going round while cross body is danced in a slot.

I think of cross body style as LA, it sounds like its called NY style over there. In NY it is cross body style but I heard it is danced on 2. Based on hearing a teacher (Susanna Montero) say that when she went to salsa clubs in NY everyone was dancing on 2 - no-one would dance with her on 1. She quickly learnt on 2!

Here both Cuban and cross body are taught and the keen dancers tend to go to more than one class per week which means they do both and tend to mix and match!

[Night Owl]

All sounds very technical
I`ve just spent the last year in salsa (cuban)classes being told to keep my legs straight and was almost there


now in ceroc i`m told to keep my legs bent lol can`t win
enjoying it tho

[Anna]

:eek: these "Salsa" teachers should be shot!!

Since when did you ever dance Salsa with straight legs?!?!?!?!?! :what:

- Anna, The Grim Reaper

[Night Owl]

and this teacher is cuban lol

her theory being she could dance all night

where as i with my bend legs would only last a few hours

also with leg straight and wieght on it its resting i suppose
where as me and my bent knees are carrying the weight all the time

and any way what do i know
i`m only a beginner really :tears:

[Anna]

But if you have straight legs you might as well be doing Mambo because the style straight leg dancing is going to give you isn't Salsa, its Ballroom Latin.. (Straight legs changeds the hip action and also restricts the movement that the rest of your body can be doing at the same time)...

Tell her to to watch out.. Anna's coming for her :devil:



- Anna, Princess of Darkness

[Night Owl]

I`ll take your word for that Anna

I`ll tell her if I see her again

Gonna concentrate on ceroc for now tho

New class starts soon 1st sept :clap:

so no straight legs for a while lol

[frodo]

But if you have straight legs you might as well be doing Mambo because the style straight leg dancing is going to give you isn't Salsa, its Ballroom Latin ...[/SIZE]
Aside from perhaps a timing difference though.

[Anna]

Not really, NY Salsa is danced on 2 and so is mambo

[Andreas]

I have been on a LONG weekend ... some time off for a change. Not all voluntarily. I visited my home town and had to find out that the local Salsa vanue had closed. So I could not get my dose of dancing as anticipated and desired.


As for the dance styles, that has been explained quite well before so I will give it a miss.

My opinion on the London scene varies a bit from DJ's, though. In my opinion it is very strongly Cuban and Columbian influenced. Cross-body style is not so prominent, compared to NZ, for example.


Regarding the music: I have done a bit of research over the weekend and have a theory of what is going terribly wrong in the Salsa clubs over here. This horribly fast music, in my newly acquired opinion, is not aimed at partner dance at all. They are 'rapping' the music up for mostly 'solo jiggling' like people do around here to Techno etc.. I listened to a few CD's of the new Cuban line of music. And most of those tracks are only about as expressive as a Trance track. Essentially you can dance to it with a partner but you'd normally not choose to do so. This is simply 'club music' and not dedicated dance music. And that is, what I believe, has been misinterpreted by people around here who just buy the music off the web rather than check out what is being done to it in Cuba.

I may well be totally off but from what I listened to it sounds quite reasonable. :flower:

[Andreas]

Not really, NY Salsa is danced on 2 and so is mambo

I doubt there is much of a difference to be found between the two. NY is a very 'posh' style.

[JoC]

I know, this is a Ceroc forum, but you guys know everything... Any comments?Still can't believe you were so blatant, though I now accept the cost of discretion at times may be just too high.

[David Bailey]

My opinion on the London scene varies a bit from DJ's, though. In my opinion it is very strongly Cuban and Columbian influenced. Cross-body style is not so prominent, compared to NZ, for example.

Bear in mind my knowledge of the London scene now is maybe 10% of what it was, say, 5-6 years ago. Especially central London... Most of my current salsa dancing is done in the sticks (North London / southern Home Counties), and the classes there are mostly cross-body oriented.

In the clubs I've been to, there seem to have been equal x-body and Cuban, but I've only been to maybe a dozen different clubs this year, again almost all in the sticks (Mambocity is about as central as I get :blush: )


{ music theory }
Excellent theory - but I think it's maybe just that "fast is the new black"? Salsa is way too subject to fashion....


Still can't believe you were so blatant, though I now accept the cost of discretion at times may be just too high.
:what: :confused: :what: :confused: and really :confused:
In case that's not clear - huh?

[JoC]

:what: :confused: :what: :confused: and really :confused: :) :rolleyes: :) :rolleyes: :)

[JoC]

Is there really no decent salsa forum to be found? Had a look at the salsa mafia site :sick: , we're spoiled over here :) but I'm going to need somewhere to vent my salsa questions, any recommendations? (I guess maybe not which is why salsa threads appear here from time to time... :rolleyes: )

(And tenuously linking to the original post, class I've just started was LA style but the teacher is going to cuba soon so said we could expect some cuban at some point, maybe this is her keeping up with the trend?)

[frodo]

Is there really no decent salsa forum to be found? Had a look at the salsa mafia site :sick: , we're spoiled over here :) but I'm going to need somewhere to vent my salsa questions, any recommendations? (I guess maybe not which is why salsa threads appear here from time to time... :rolleyes: )

(And tenuously linking to the original post, class I've just started was LA style but the teacher is going to cuba soon so said we could expect some cuban at some point, maybe this is her keeping up with the trend?)

The salsa forum on http://www.dance-forums.com is pretty good, and definitely closer in tone to this site than salsa mafia.

[Lynn]

Is there really no decent salsa forum to be found? Had a look at the salsa mafia site :sick: , we're spoiled over here :) but I'm going to need somewhere to vent my salsa questions, any recommendations? (I guess maybe not which is why salsa threads appear here from time to time... :rolleyes: ) I think its fine for salsa questions to be on here, along with other dance styles and all the other non-dance stuff. We have a a couple of NI salsa forums - both pretty quiet - but there is a Jive/swing section on both - not many posts though.

[David Bailey]

I think its fine for salsa questions to be on here, along with other dance styles and all the other non-dance stuff.
Does anyone think it's worth having a "non-ceroc dance" section? There are a number of people doing other dance styles - ballroom, latin, salsa, tango etc. - and it might be useful to have a place to discuss this stuff...?


We have a a couple of NI salsa forums - both pretty quiet - but there is a Jive/swing section on both - not many posts though.
Links?

[Andreas]

Does anyone think it's worth having a "non-ceroc dance" section? There are a number of people doing other dance styles - ballroom, latin, salsa, tango etc. - and it might be useful to have a place to discuss this stuff...?

There might be a reason to call for that if the posts increase dramatically but as it is at the moment, I'd not split it up just yet. Though, generally I'd also vote pro another section.

[JoC]

Must admit I'd prefer to stick to this forum if we're allowed a latin (et al) corner. I like you guys. :)

[Danielle]

just out of interest is anyone going on the salsa congress in bognor at the end of this month???? :waycool:

[Andreas]

just out of interest is anyone going on the salsa congress in bognor at the end of this month???? :waycool:

I chose to fly to Melbourne for one reason or another :whistle:

[Lynn]

just out of interest is anyone going on the salsa congress in bognor at the end of this month???? :waycool:Not going myself, as I don't feel my salsa is good enough - and I think a whole weekend of salsa would be too much for me. There is a crowd from NI going - and since its the weekend after Southport - some aren't coming to Southport this time. :tears: (But they will all be back at the next one!)

[Danielle]

Not going myself, as I don't feel my salsa is good enough - and I think a whole weekend of salsa would be too much for me. There is a crowd from NI going - and since its the weekend after Southport - some aren't coming to Southport this time. :tears: (But they will all be back at the next one!)

thats no excuse, we are doing both!!!!!! :D
I'm a bit nervous, have only had 2 salsa classes so have lots to learn, but my friends have promised me a dance or 2, and i know a couple of the teachers there who are really lovely and i can ask, but i do find salsa so much more intimidating than other dances :eek:

[under par]

but i do find salsa so much more intimidating than other dances :eek:

Its not the dance ITS THE DANCERS......not had great experiences at my couple of salsa classes. :mad: (at 3 different venues same attitude!)

Happy to see and take our money but that was the last smile we saw!!! :angry:

[Danielle]

Its not the dance ITS THE DANCERS......not had great experiences at my couple of salsa classes. :mad: (at 3 different venues same attitude!)

Happy to see and take our money but that was the last smile we saw!!! :angry:

yeah i know what you mean, i find it worse in london, generally the smaller venues in surrey etc are a lot more friendly, but still no where near as friendly as ceroc!!! If you wanted to learn you could always go to Vicktors class on a tuesday - i've only been once :blush: but he's obviously a fantastic teacher and its a small friendly group!! :hug:

[JoC]

Its not the dance ITS THE DANCERS......not had great experiences at my couple of salsa classes. :mad: (at 3 different venues same attitude!)

Happy to see and take our money but that was the last smile we saw!!! :angry:Then more of us must go and bring happiness and smiles into these places!!! :grin: (Unless you get thrown out for smiling...do you? :( )

[under par]

Then more of us must go and bring happiness and smiles into these places!!! :grin: (Unless you get thrown out for smiling...do you? :( )


Don't really want to learn it that much.....live and let live....I'll stay with the jivers and their happy pills :cheers:

[Andreas]

If there are enough people interested and we find a venue then I can teach you a few tricks, too - w/o the attitude :D

[JoC]

If there are enough people interested and we find a venue then I can teach you a few tricks, too - w/o the attitude :D
If you happen to hold such an event on a day such as Sunday October 2nd then I'm there if I'm there...to watch and admire if nothing else :yum: If was down there I probably wouldn't be able to wait that long though!

[Andreas]

If you happen to hold such an event on a day such as Sunday October 2nd then I'm there if I'm there...to watch and admire if nothing else :yum: If was down there I probably wouldn't be able to wait that long though!

I'll be in OZ from 22.09. till 09.10. So unfortunately would not be able to make that one.

[JoC]

I'll be in OZ from 22.09. till 09.10. So unfortunately would not be able to make that one.That's dashed inconsiderate of you!!! Still please do post when if you get the interest, there's always the sleeper train and the automatic cat feeder. :)

(Or maybe there'll happen to be an essential training course in London I simply must attend that day :wink: )

[Andreas]

That's dashed inconsiderate of you!!! Still please do post when if you get the interest, there's always the sleeper train and the automatic cat feeder. :)

(Or maybe there'll happen to be an essential training course in London I simply must attend that day :wink: )

Such excitement for 'buying the cat in a bag' :D

I will keep you posted :hug:

[David Bailey]

Its not the dance ITS THE DANCERS......not had great experiences at my couple of salsa classes. :mad: (at 3 different venues same attitude!)

Happy to see and take our money but that was the last smile we saw!!! :angry:
Yeah, salsa dancers are a miserable bunch (must be why I fit in with them). The salsa scene is much more up-themselves and much less sociable than the MJ scene.

I prefer the dance at salsa, but prefer the people at MJ. The obvious solution is for all us MJ-ers to learn salsa :)


yeah i know what you mean, i find it worse in london, generally the smaller venues in surrey etc are a lot more friendly
:yeah: Central London clubs are definitely super-unfriendly; almost nightclub levels in some cases. E.g. Ronnie Scott's... :sick:

[Lynn]

Yeah, salsa dancers are a miserable bunch (must be why I fit in with them). The salsa scene is much more up-themselves and much less sociable than the MJ scene. The salsa crowd here are more sociable than the norm then, they are a friendly crowd. If I go to a salsa night its to socialise - not to dance. The problem here is overcrowded, smoky dance floors. I can't honestly say I've ever really enjoyed a salsa night, for those reasons. I had high hopes once when I knew it was a good venue where I could wear my dance shoes - but it was so overcrowded people were setting drinks on the floor and I walked in a spilt drink (only water, but it made me very wary). And sometimes the music volume is too high to talk, the floor is too crowded to dance - so I end up leaving early thinking 'what's the point in turning up'? And if I can't go dancing salsa, then I don't see any point in going to classes. :sad:

[JoC]

Tonight's going to be my second 'freestyle'. Got two good lessons under my belt now (though was lead both times). Comfortable with mambo step, back step, side step, open step and getting better at mambo turn, last time survived salsa version of octopus and a closed (?) hold...what would you call it...bit like a waltz or polka but salsa??? and got the theory at least of the double turn. Do many people lead much more fancy moves than these?

[Andreas]

Tonight's going to be my second 'freestyle'. Got two good lessons under my belt now (though was lead both times). Comfortable with mambo step, back step, side step, open step and getting better at mambo turn, last time survived salsa version of octopus and a closed (?) hold...what would you call it...bit like a waltz or polka but salsa??? and got the theory at least of the double turn. Do many people lead much more fancy moves than these?

No, of course not!! ;)

Nah, if you practice those basics until they are second nature more difficult moves will fall into place w/o effort. It is the people that do not spend enough time on their basics that struggle with complex moves. :flower:

Once you are reasonably familiar with the basic steps practice turns and see how you can recover should you get off balance. Also try to 'trip yourself up' because that will improve your ability to stay on beat even if you miss a couple of beats due to such an incident.

don't worry about complex moves (just yet).

[RogerR]

Girls especially should note, The best salsa dancers are latinos, BUT they can be VERY posessive and fiercely jealous. I used to work at a London salsa club and saw girls in tears after dancing with the wrong man and being publicly humiliated perhaps assaulted by their latino squeeze who considered themselves exclusive owners.

[JoC]

No, of course not!! ;)

Nah, if you practice those basics until they are second nature more difficult moves will fall into place w/o effort. It is the people that do not spend enough time on their basics that struggle with complex moves. :flower:

Once you are reasonably familiar with the basic steps practice turns and see how you can recover should you get off balance. Also try to 'trip yourself up' because that will improve your ability to stay on beat even if you miss a couple of beats due to such an incident.

don't worry about complex moves (just yet).Can I just say regarding my daft question...it did get a wee bit more complicated :eek: !!! But I managed to hang in there much of the time thanks to some wonderful leads and concentrating really hard on LRL RLR LRL etc... I did miss plenty too though. Quite tricky getting the timing and pace of some spins, or rather the spin was okay, it was getting back into the rhythm afterwards that wasn't easy. But I was lead lots of lovely blocked travelling return type moves, various baskety things and cross body leads and lots more!

Can also finally distinguish meregue, cha-cha and salsa music. Good nights work all round. :)

I shall keep practising the basics.


Girls especially should note, The best salsa dancers are latinos, BUT they can be VERY posessive and fiercely jealous. I used to work at a London salsa club and saw girls in tears after dancing with the wrong man and being publicly humiliated perhaps assaulted by their latino squeeze who considered themselves exclusive owners. :what: No assaults in Dundee tonight I'm happy to report. :)

[Anna]

Girls especially should note, The best salsa dancers are latinos, BUT they can be VERY posessive and fiercely jealous. I used to work at a London salsa club and saw girls in tears after dancing with the wrong man and being publicly humiliated perhaps assaulted by their latino squeeze who considered themselves exclusive owners.

Tell me about it!! :rofl:

There are also a lot of latino scumbags in the Salsa scene (if here is anywhere to go by) who seem to think that just because they're latin, they can do/touch/say and generally get away with whatever they please. (Quite a nice contrast in image to what the MJ pervs look like though :rofl: )..

And that exclusive ownership is definitely true, I nearly got excommunicated last wknd when I told some of my regular dancepartners in the Latin community that I had been seeing one of the Lebanese guys that comes to Wildfire :eek: :mad:

- Anna's 100th Jubilee Post :cheers: Wahoooo :clap:

[JoC]

There are also a lot of latino scumbags in the Salsa scene Between the sleazy scumbags and the crazy psycho females that attack...you obviously need some latin fiest to survive!

Seriously though, how do you handle the scumbags?

(Incidentally so far I've mostly encounted lovely chaps and chapesses, I think...)

( :angry: :devil: :mad: practising fiest...)

[Andreas]

Seriously though, how do you handle the scumbags?

You keep stepping on their feet. The majority of those idiots is too vain to dance with somebody who does that :D Alternatively you can also gently dig your fingernails into their arms :whistle:

[JoC]

You keep stepping on their feet.Can do that :grin: ...not standing on the feet of the non-scumbags might be tricky though...

Alternatively you can also gently dig your fingernails into their arms :whistle:My nails are always short for dancing, I'm like a declawed cat, defenseless.

Just need to mention the aching salsa shins.

[Anna]

Between the sleazy scumbags and the crazy psycho females that attack...you obviously need some latin fiest to survive!

Seriously though, how do you handle the scumbags?

(Incidentally so far I've mostly encounted lovely chaps and chapesses, I think...)

( :angry: :devil: :mad: practising fiest...)

Well, with brute force and taking everything they say with a grain of salt..

The other night at a Salsa club, perhaps one of the sleaziest of that venue's latino scumbags asked me to dance.. i said yes cos he does nice merengue's.. I was wearing a miniskirt as the night was unusually hot.. Approx halfway through the dance he picked me up into a halfmoon (u know that upside down lift thing? yeah) so that his friend who was watching us dance could look up my skirt.. I struggled and when he put me down I said "No, don't you do that to me, no way *while wagging finger and clicking hoochily" and then slapped him across the face and walked off the floor..

Not only did I completely embarrass him infront of his friends, it just made him want to dance with me more :D .. But yeah, just make it clear that you don't take any sh*t.. The latino girls don't put up with it, many a time have I seen them treat the scumbags exactly how I did (thats why i did it) and so the sleazeballs respect them for it.

Treat em mean ;) ... The End.

[pawplay]

Have a look at www.clubsalsa.com.au/danceinfo all the styles are very individual but can obviously be mixed and matched, which may be why your getting confused. One way a friend explained salsa to me is on 2 (NY) is tantric sex, LA (on 1) is basic missionary and Cuban is multi orgasm time, god only knows where miami fits into all this? :wink: :whistle: :blush:

[JoC]

I struggled and when he put me down I said "No, don't you do that to me, no way *while wagging finger and clicking hoochily" and then slapped him across the face and walked off the floor.. :rofl: as you are the lady of experience around here I feel bound to follow your example :worthy: I sense a secret salsa persona developing that will require acting skills above and beyond any I've employed to date... (not wearing a mini skirt though :o ).

I wonder if the salseros of Dundee (hey does that have a ring to it or what???) are ready for the new salsera on the block, with new added hoochiness since last week...

[JoC]

I like Merengue, there I said it.

Still no scumbags to report.

[David Bailey]

I like Merengue, there I said it.
*Holds head in hands*

Andreas... it's too late... she's gone over. :tears:

[Anna]

I like Merengue, there I said it.

Still no scumbags to report.

I like Merengue too, I always have :D

[David Bailey]

I like Merengue too, I always have :D
I was going to make a sarky comment about liking the Macarena too, but it's all just too much ....

*David sits in a corner, weeping to see the corruption blossoming around him*

Oh, hell, I just can't let this go.

I have to ask: WHY?

Merengue is a dumb dance - there's almost no grace, style, rhythm - or for that matter moves or footwork. The music is (even compared to salsa!) repetitive, most men dancing it are using it as a booty call, and I've never seen anyone dance merengue and thought "Ooh, that looks good".

To quote the salsa mafia view on merengue (http://www.salsamafia.com/index.php?Load=Other_Merengue.html): "a salseros dislike of and disdain for Merengue increases in almost direct proportion to their competence at salsa"

I wouldn't go that far - it teaches you how to wiggle, since that's pretty much all it's about, wiggling. And it's useful if they play a merengue track (e.g. J-Lo's Let's Get Loud) in an MJ environment.

But apart from that, WHY?

[David Franklin]

To quote the salsa mafia view on merengue (http://www.salsamafia.com/index.php?Load=Other_Merengue.html): "a salseros dislike of and disdain for Merengue increases in almost direct proportion to their competence at salsa"

I wouldn't go that far - it teaches you how to wiggle, since that's pretty much all it's about, wiggling. And it's useful if they play a merengue track (e.g. J-Lo's Let's Get Loud) in an MJ environment. It also comes in handy if they play a merengue track in a salsa competition! :devil: (WSM 2004, for those who don't know what I'm talking about).

[Andreas]

I was going to make a sarky comment about liking the Macarena too, but it's all just too much ....

*David sits in a corner, weeping to see the corruption blossoming around him*

Oh, hell, I just can't let this go.

I have to ask: WHY?

I actually like it for three reasons:

1) It is a nice change from Salsa during a long nights dancing.
2) You can lead the girls through moves without that realising the complexety of those.
3) I like the liveliness of the music! It is always up-beat.

But one can easily get saturated with it, too. Though, three or four during a night make a nice change. :flower:

[David Bailey]

It also comes in handy if they play a merengue track in a salsa competition! :devil: (WSM 2004, for those who don't know what I'm talking about).
:eek: :confused: :what:
OK, got a link for that one? That sounds very weird to me...

[JoC]

Oh, hell, I just can't let this go.

I have to ask: WHY?For me so far...
Enjoy the wiggling.
It's fun.
Can be sexy depending on the moves (and partner)...(I'm gullible by the way :blush:, or perhaps I'm a lady using it as a booty call :devil: ).
Am not yet competent at salsa, makes me feel better after not being fantastic and provides occasional relief from concentrating furiously on R23*L67*.
:)

[JoC]

*Holds head in hands*

Andreas... it's too late... she's gone over. :tears:I could maybe be enticed back with some quality salsa leading.

[Anna]

I was going to make a sarky comment about liking the Macarena too, but it's all just too much ....

Excuse me, but WHAT is so wrong with the Macarena?!?! :confused: :D :whistle:

[Rhythm King]

Excuse me, but WHAT is so wrong with the Macarena?!?! :confused: :D :whistle:

You'll be telling us about the wonders of Las Ketchup next :devil:

[David Bailey]

You'll be telling us about the wonders of Las Ketchup next :devil:
Cheeky Girls, Birdie Song, Aqua... :eek:

[Anna]

Birdie song, big yes :D an all time fav! I think the first time I had the joy of dancing to that merry little number was my first year of primary school.. :D

Las ketchup, aqua and the cheeky girls... definitely not. :cool:

[LMC]

What about the locomotion?

Or that one I can never remember the name of where you all have to sit in long lines on the floor and pretend you're in a row boat?

[Rhythm King]

What about the locomotion?

Or that one I can never remember the name of where you all have to sit in long lines on the floor and pretend you're in a row boat?

Oops upside your head? Not really latino though:whistle:

[Rhythm King]

Birdie song, big yes :D an all time fav! I think the first time I had the joy of dancing to that merry little number was my first year of primary school.. :D

Las ketchup, aqua and the cheeky girls... definitely not. :cool:

Thought you were a Cheeky Girl, after what Gus told us :wink:

[LMC]

Oops upsied your head? Not really latino though
And the birdie song is? :eek:

(Thanks RK)

[Anna]

Thought you [B]were[/] a Cheeky Girl, after what Gus told us :wink:

Me? Nawwww.... :innocent:

I'm just a baby :D


And the birdie song is?

*birdie hand gesture* Na na na na na na na

*arm flap* Na na na na na na na

*Twist* Na na na na na na na

*clap clap clap clap*

:D

[David Bailey]

{ birdie song description }
:rofl:
I think LMC actually meant:
"What, you think the Birdie song is Latin then?"

But thanks for the explanation... :grin:

[Andreas]

I could maybe be enticed back with some quality salsa leading.

You are right DJ. She has crossed the line already. After such a short time. How EASY exactly are you, Jo? :rofl:



Las ketchup... definitely not. :cool:

Hey, what is wrong with the Ketchup song? :whistle: :yum:

[JoC]

You are right DJ. She has crossed the line already. After such a short time. How EASY exactly are you, Jo? :rofl:Ooooh...ummmmm....ermmmmm.... :blush: when it comes to being enticed to merengue...perhaps quite? (I'm sure that's what you meant :innocent: )