| Have you ever wanted to learn how to dance salsa | | | | Breaks In The Music |
| with great musicality? In this article I am going to spill | | | | Great salsa song from a dancers perspective is a |
| the beans on how to dance salsa with great musicality. | | | | song that has many hits and breaks to it. Hit can be |
| Musicality Tip # 1 - Recognize The Mood Of The | | | | high note of the horn or a beat of the drum followed |
| Music | | | | by a pause. |
| This is probably the easiest step you can take to | | | | This is where your knowledge of the salsa songs and |
| dancing with a better musicality. If you have been | | | | your intuition and ability to feel the music becomes to |
| dancing salsa for awhile you have probably already | | | | play as you become more in tune with the musicians. |
| count the music. Learning to count the music is one | | | | Contrary to what some believe, you don't have to |
| thing, but learning how to dance with great musicality is | | | | always know the songs to be able to interpret these |
| quite another. | | | | hits and breaks in the music. |
| Next time you hear a salsa song, ask yourself what | | | | Simply, start listening to salsa songs more carefully and |
| type of salsa music is it? For example, is it Salsa | | | | as you become more in tune with the music you will |
| Romantica or Salsa Dura? Is it jazzy mambo or does | | | | begin to anticipate the hits and breaks in the music. |
| it seem Cuban etc? | | | | Next time on the dance floor, simply try to anticipate |
| Learning to recognize the difference makes all the | | | | them and with practice you will become better and |
| difference in the world and should be your first step. If | | | | better at interpreting them. |
| you are dancing to salsa romantica, for example, it | | | | Musicality Tip # 4 - Learn To Dance Emphasizing The |
| might not musically make that much sense to go all out | | | | Lyrics Of The Song |
| with your craziest and fastest footwork and patterns, | | | | Listen to the singer. |
| but maybe simply concentrate more on the connection | | | | Another way to hit or break to the music is to listen to |
| with your partner and have a more relaxed and | | | | the beginning and the endings of the singer as he/she |
| "romantic" dance together. | | | | sings. |
| Or if you hear certain Cuban salsa with heavy | | | | Within the structure of the 1,2,3, 5,6,7 as the singer |
| emphasis on the core beats, musically speaking you | | | | either starts or stops singing, for example, you may |
| might be more inspired to dance On1 Cuban style | | | | want to accent or otherwise reflect that in your |
| instead of New York Style On2 and vice versa when | | | | dancing. |
| you hear some Latin Jazz, for example. | | | | Of course, if you also understand the lyrics you might |
| Musicality Tip # 2 - Learn To Understand The | | | | want play with that too and interpret the meaning or |
| Structure Of The Music | | | | message of the song also. |
| Every salsa song, regardless of their type, has a | | | | Musicality Tip # 5 - Remember, There Is No One Right |
| structure. Very simplistically speaking, without getting | | | | Way To Interpret A Song |
| too technical every song has an intro, middle, and | | | | At the end of the day art is subjective. We all have a |
| ending. Salsa songs tend to crescendo somewhere in | | | | different way of interpreting it. Don't let anyone belittle |
| the middle. | | | | you or make you feel less just because you might |
| In the intro, for example, if you hear only couple of | | | | have a different way of interpreting a song than |
| instruments augmenting the signer, e.g., you might just | | | | someone else. |
| want to start slowly. And as you hear the music | | | | Dancing with great musicality and learning to recognize |
| building up and crescendoing somewhere in the middle | | | | the mood and different types of salsa, to understand |
| you might want to save your more complicated turn | | | | the structure of the music, and to be able to anticipate |
| patterns or footwork to the part where the orchestra | | | | the hits and breaks in the music takes a lot of practice. |
| begins to go all out with all of its might. | | | | Just like with your first basic step, just take it one step |
| And again if the song descends in the end, you might | | | | at a time and before you know it you will be dancing |
| want to let your dancing reflect that and again end the | | | | with great musicality. And if you think salsa is fun now, |
| dance with a more relaxed ending. The point is | | | | believe me that is when it really gets fun:)! |
| become more aware of the structure and different | | | | And there you have it, five tips to learning how to |
| parts to a salsa song and let your dancing reflect that. | | | | dance salsa musically. I hope to see you on the dance |
| Musicality Tip # 3 - Learn To Recognize The Hits And | | | | floor soon. |
