Salsa dance (New York Style)
Encyclopedia
New York-style salsa is a night-club style partner dance. Like LA-style salsa, it is danced in a line or "slot", with the follower traveling along this line while the leader remains relatively in the same place. This is in contrast to Cuban-style salsa
, which is not restricted to be dance in a line, and has a tendency to involve more circular traveling between its partners. Unlike LA-style salsa, NY-style is danced with the "rocking" or "breaking" step on the second beat of the music, not the first.
These two developments create a fusion of a new salsa music and dance genre, different than its Latin American and L.A. Style counterparts.
Musically, the old Mambo (Mambo Tipico) is fused with New York Jazz and Swing to create a new salsa genre but retaining much of its original percussion. The addition of new musical instruments such as xylophones, jazz saxophones and steel drums added new melody to the evolving genre.
In New York Style the tempo and timing of the dance is strictly On-2 (based on delay tempo, on the first slap on the tumbao / conga).
Dancers around the world often integrate elements and repertoire from New York into their Salsa routines due to New York Style's advanced motions and routines.
Many also refer to this style as "Mambo" since it breaks on 2nd beat of the measure. However, there are other dance forms with more legitimate claim to that name; see (Mambo
) The accompanying dance to the original Mambo, popularized by Perez Prado
which greatly influenced New York big band development was actually not a pure partnership dance. Due to its immense popularity, some of the original mambo steps were incorporated into the ballroom and New York Style curriculum, resulting in the 3rd Mambo Tipico steps (Spanish : Pati-Pami) became the first basic foundation step of New York Style. Subsequently, the L.A. Style of dancing also followed suit by incorporating the same foundation as its basic step.
The etiquette of New York Style is strict about remaining in the "slot" and avoiding traveling dancing in a sandbox area with a lot of spins, turns and styling. There is greater emphasis on performing "shines" in which dancers separate themselves and dance solo with intricate footwork and styling for a time—suspected origins from Swing and New York Tap.
New York Style dancers are typically very serious about the musicality and timing of their dancing. To satisfy their tastes, "socials" are often held that cater to almost exclusively playing Salsa Dura
(lit. "Hard Salsa") and Descarga (lit. "Jam Session"). This is mid-to-up-tempo salsa with an emphasis on percussion and band orchestration rather than the vocals.
The longest-running social in New York is the Jimmy Anton social, which is held every first, third and fifth (if there is a fifth) Sunday of the month.
New York Style is danced by dedicated communities around the world and is also found in New York Salsa Congress and many dance congresses around the world.
One of the most famous schools of New York Style is Eddie Torres Latin Dance Company, founded by New York Salsa legend Puerto Rican immigrant Eddie Torres who is responsible for codification of the New York Style curriculum, and subsequent offspring such as the Santo Rico Dance School. and ABAKUÁ Afro-Latin Dance Company
Casino (salsa dance)
Cuban-style salsa, also known as Casino, is a form of salsa dance that originated in Cuba. Dancing Casino is an expression of popular social culture; Latin Americans consider casino as part of social and cultural activities centering around their popular music...
, which is not restricted to be dance in a line, and has a tendency to involve more circular traveling between its partners. Unlike LA-style salsa, NY-style is danced with the "rocking" or "breaking" step on the second beat of the music, not the first.
History
There are two distinct developments of New York Salsa as a music and dance genre:- Primary original evolution from Mambo era when Cuban music was introduced to New York due to influx of migrating Cuban dissidents and Latin migrants during Pre/Post Cuban Revolution in the 1950s and 1960s. This era is known as the "Palladium Era". At this time, the music and dance was called "Mambo" or "Rhumba" -- connoting the general term without being specific. The most famous dancer during this era was Puerto-Rican descendant Pedro "Cuban Pete" Aguilar, also known "The King of Latin Beat".
- Secondary evolution during the late 1970s, Latin migrants, particularly Puerto Ricans, contributed to the New York Salsa development during the "NuYorican" era of Héctor LavoeHéctor LavoeHéctor Juan Pérez Martínez , better known as Héctor Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican salsa singer. Lavoe was born and raised in the Machuelito sector of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Early in his life, he attended a local music school and developed an interest inspired by Jesús Sánchez Erazo. He moved to New York...
which greatly popularized salsa as a term and modern Latin music throughout the world. Salsa superstars were "discovered" during the era, such as Ray Baretto ("The Godfather") and Celia CruzCelia CruzCelia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums...
("The Queen of Salsa"). There are also salsa artists that transcend both periods, notably the legendary Puerto Rican Tito PuenteTito PuenteTito Puente, , born Ernesto Antonio Puente, was a Latin jazz and Salsa musician. The son of native Puerto Ricans Ernest and Ercilia Puente, of Spanish Harlem in New York City, Puente is often credited as "El Rey de los Timbales" and "The King of Latin Music"...
("The Mambo King").
These two developments create a fusion of a new salsa music and dance genre, different than its Latin American and L.A. Style counterparts.
Musically, the old Mambo (Mambo Tipico) is fused with New York Jazz and Swing to create a new salsa genre but retaining much of its original percussion. The addition of new musical instruments such as xylophones, jazz saxophones and steel drums added new melody to the evolving genre.
In New York Style the tempo and timing of the dance is strictly On-2 (based on delay tempo, on the first slap on the tumbao / conga).
Dancers around the world often integrate elements and repertoire from New York into their Salsa routines due to New York Style's advanced motions and routines.
Many also refer to this style as "Mambo" since it breaks on 2nd beat of the measure. However, there are other dance forms with more legitimate claim to that name; see (Mambo
Mambo (dance)
Mambo .In the late 1940s, Perez Prado came up with the dance for the mambo music and became the first person to market his music as "mambo". After Havana, Prado moved his music to Mexico, where his music and the dance was adopted. The original mambo dance was characterized by freedom and...
) The accompanying dance to the original Mambo, popularized by Perez Prado
Perez Prado
Dámaso Pérez Prado was a Cuban bandleader, musician , and composer. He is often referred to as the 'King of the Mambo'.His orchestra was the most popular in mambo...
which greatly influenced New York big band development was actually not a pure partnership dance. Due to its immense popularity, some of the original mambo steps were incorporated into the ballroom and New York Style curriculum, resulting in the 3rd Mambo Tipico steps (Spanish : Pati-Pami) became the first basic foundation step of New York Style. Subsequently, the L.A. Style of dancing also followed suit by incorporating the same foundation as its basic step.
The etiquette of New York Style is strict about remaining in the "slot" and avoiding traveling dancing in a sandbox area with a lot of spins, turns and styling. There is greater emphasis on performing "shines" in which dancers separate themselves and dance solo with intricate footwork and styling for a time—suspected origins from Swing and New York Tap.
New York Style dancers are typically very serious about the musicality and timing of their dancing. To satisfy their tastes, "socials" are often held that cater to almost exclusively playing Salsa Dura
Salsa dura
Salsa dura, also known as salsa gorda, describes salsa music from the 1970s, which emphasizes strong percussion and horns over vocals. This is in contrast to salsa romantica, from the 1990s to the present.- External links :...
(lit. "Hard Salsa") and Descarga (lit. "Jam Session"). This is mid-to-up-tempo salsa with an emphasis on percussion and band orchestration rather than the vocals.
The longest-running social in New York is the Jimmy Anton social, which is held every first, third and fifth (if there is a fifth) Sunday of the month.
New York Style is danced by dedicated communities around the world and is also found in New York Salsa Congress and many dance congresses around the world.
One of the most famous schools of New York Style is Eddie Torres Latin Dance Company, founded by New York Salsa legend Puerto Rican immigrant Eddie Torres who is responsible for codification of the New York Style curriculum, and subsequent offspring such as the Santo Rico Dance School. and ABAKUÁ Afro-Latin Dance Company
See also
- Salsa (dance)Salsa (dance)Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
- Salsa dance (Cali Style)Salsa dance (Cali Style)Cali-Style Salsa, also known as Colombian Salsa, is based on geographical location of the Colombian City of Cali. Cali is also known as the "Capital de la Salsa" ; due to salsa music being the main genre in parties, nightclubs and festivals in the 21st century.The elements of Cali-Style Salsa were...
- Salsa dance (Cuban Style)
- Salsa dance (LA Style)Salsa dance (LA Style)L.A. style is danced on 1, in a slot, with a measure of easiness and adaptability to it. It is strongly influenced by the Mambo, Swing, Argentine Tango and Latin Ballroom dancing styles. L.A. style places strong emphasis on sensuousness, theatricality, aerobics and musicality. The lifts, stunts and...
External links
- Video of NY-style social dancing at Japan Salsa Congress 2010
- Video of social dancing at New York's famous and long running Jimmy Anton social
- Video of Eddie Torres introducing himself
- Video interview of Eddie Torres where he talks about how people danced in New York back in the 1960s and 70s.
- Mambo On 2: The Birth of a New Form of Dance in New York City - an article on the development of North American style salsa, particularly New York style.
- Salsa Dance: Latino/a history in motion - an academic article on salsa dancing.