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Learn
Puerto Rican Style Salsa, Cha-Cha-Cha & Merengue.
Candela is a
salsa dance group which teaches classes right here in Karachi.
The instructors are from USA & Canada and have been dancing
salsa and other Latin dance styles for over 10 years. Learn
the hottest salsa moves from New York & Los Angeles.
The Original & Classic Salsa from Puerto Rico!
What you'll
Learn:
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Salsa
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Cha-Cha-Cha
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Merengue
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Bachata
(from Dominican Republic)
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New York and
LA Style Turns
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Foot Patterns
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Men's &
Ladies Styling
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Salsa Club
Dance Etiquette
1st
Introduction & Registration Class
An introductory
class will be held where students (couples only please) can get an idea of what will
be taught during the class. This will give everyone a chance to meet
and sign up for the class. All sign-ups will be completed on
this day and only those
genuinely interested in learning or dancing salsa will be
accepted. The entrance fee for this day will be Rs.
500.
Class
Schedule & Rates
NOTE:
Since the dance instructors are foreigners and mostly live
out of town, salsa class schedules will be announced privately
to everyone on our mailing at the commencement of the classes.
Please add yourself to the mailing list by e-mailing us at candela.salsa@yahoo.com.
Rates: Rates to be announced depending upon
venue. (6-week class. Plus, bonus classes if time
permits)
Class Schedule: 2 nights per week. 1 hour class with
one hour of open dance time afterwards.
Contact us via e-mail if you are interested and we will call you with the registration date and
time. Limited space available. First come, first called.
* Plus, each student gets a salsa music CD so you can practice
at home!
* Cold drinks & small snacks available.
A Little About Salsa Dancing
Salsa refers to a fusion of informal dance styles having roots in the Caribbean (especially in Cuba and Puerto Rico), Latin and North America. The dance originated through the mixture of Mambo,
Danzón, Guaguancó, Cuban Son, and other typical Cuban dance forms. Salsa is danced to Salsa music. There is a strong African influence in the music as well as the dance.
Salsa is usually a partner dance, although there are recognized solo steps and some forms are danced in groups of couples, with frequent exchanges of partner
(Rueda de Casino). Improvisation and social dancing are important elements of Salsa but it appears as a performance dance too.
The name "Salsa" is the Spanish word for sauce, connoting (in American Spanish) a spicy
flavor. The Salsa aesthetic is more "sabroso" than its ancestor, Cuban Son. Salsa also suggests a "mixture" of ingredients, though this meaning is not found in most stories of the term's origin.
Origin of the salsa steps
The dance steps currently being danced to salsa music come from the son, but were influenced by many other Cuban dances such as Mambo, Cha cha cha,
Guaracha, Changuí, Palo Monte, Rumba, Abakuá, Comparsa and some times even Mozambique. Solo salsa steps are called "Shines", a term taken from Tap dancing. It also integrates swing dances. Salsa can be a heavily improvised dance, taking any form the interpreter wishes.
Foundations
The basic movement common across most salsa styles is to step quick-quick-slow 2 times over two 4-beat measures (or 1 8-beat measure). Typically the quick steps are on beats one and two, and the slow step is actually a quick on beat three followed by pause or tap on beat four. That is you step left-right-left-pause/tap then right-left-right-pause/tap. Notable exceptions to this timing are Mambo, Power On2 and Colombian styles, which begin the three step sequence on beat 2; and Cuban styles, which may start the sequence on any count. New York Mambo is unique in starting on one and breaking on two - that is, instead of stepping forward on the first beat with your left, stepping in place with your right and then returning your left to where it started, you step in place with the left on the first beat, step back with your right and then return your weight to your left.
The Break Step is important in most styles of salsa. It serves two functions. First, the break step occurs on the same beat each measure and allows the partners to establish a connection and a common ground regarding the timing and size of steps. Secondly the break step is used in an open break to build arm tension and allow certain steps to be led. On which beat the break step occurs is what distinguishes different Salsa styles.
Common turns
The following turns are used in almost all salsa dancing regardless of the basic used or style employed.
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Spot Turn – either, or often both, partners turn 360° remaining in the same spot
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Extension – partners break in opposing directions to build arm tension between them. Often leads into a spot turn or an in-and-out.
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In-and-Out (Copa) - From a cross-hand hold (left over right), leader creates an extension, then pulls the woman in with the right hand while leading the left hand over her head to the other side of her, causing her to turn 180° to her left. The follower is then pushed back out, and will do at least another half left turn to return her to facing the lead.
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Cross Body
Lead – follower is led to opposite side of lead, causing them to swap positions in a counter-clockwise fashion. Exists in other Latin dances such as Cha-cha-cha.
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Reverse Cross Body Lead – same as Cross Body Lead, but couple exchanges positions in a clockwise fashion.
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Basket – A type of extension where the leader is behind the follower and holds the follower's arms wrapped around her shoulders while she breaks forward and the leader breaks backward.
Shines
Normally Salsa is a partner dance, danced in a handhold. However sometimes dancers include shines, which are basically "show-offs" and involve fancy footwork and body actions, danced in separation. They are supposed to be improvisational breaks, but there are a huge number of "standard" shines. Also, they fit best during the mambo sections of the tune, but they may be danced whenever the dancers feel appropriate. They are a good recovery trick when the connection or beat is lost during a complicated move, or simply to catch the breath. One possible origin of the name shine is attributed to the period when non-Latin tap-dancers would frequent Latin clubs in New York in the 1950s. In tap, when an individual dancer would perform a solo freestyle move, it was considered their "moment to shine". On seeing Salsa dancers perform similar moves the name was transposed and eventually stuck, leading to these moves being called 'shines'.
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