the cuban salsa blog

If you are comfortable here, then Cuban dance may not be your best bet.

Have any of you ever read Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers: The Story of Success?

If not, well, shame on you.

It’s an amazing work, somewhere along the lines of psychology and sociology, that looks at factors -often counter-intuitive or overlooked- that contribute to high levels of success.

And lately, I have found myself wrapped in discussions on why certain people excel at dance and why others simply can not, or do not.

It got me thinking in about 100 different ways and directions. The resulting ideas became more complex than I ever would have ever imagined. Such a daunting project reminded me of two things: 1. I am no Malcolm Gladwell and 2. people like to read short blog posts.

So…writing about why some people succeed at dance might be a bit overkill. But opening up a discussion on some of the contributing factors of success in Cuban Salsa is definitely feasible -and you might actually read it!

Keep in mind that this is an anecdotal treatment of a complicated subject. It stems from years of experience teaching people from all different walks of life.

Let’s begin with preference. Generally speaking, you don’t succeed at what you don’t enjoy, right?

What type of personalities gravitate towards Paso and the Cuban style of dance??

The hippie.

Yeah, you know who you are. If you could take the joint out of your mouth long enough to practice, you might actually remember that turn pattern.

Because of the ‘free and natural’ approach to movement theory and an inseparable connection between music and body, both Paso and the Cuban style of dance are a cult hit for those who like to shop at Whole Foods, wear crystal deodorant, and pack guitars in the trunk of their cars.

The musician.

A disproportionate number of musicians have walked on through the Paso doors to learn Cuban dance. Many of them Latin or Jazz musicians. Why? I am guessing because music and the bodily interpretation of it, takes highest priority in our studio.

Music matters most.

This plain and simple truth which appeals to those who have developed a very intimate relationship with music and would love to have their body join in on the action.

The super creative type.

Physically or conceptually, nothing in Cuban dance is linear. Down to the way we twist ourselves up if only to find a way to get out, Cuban Salsa is a creative approach to the question of movement. Answers are not given, they are pointed to.

If you like to do your own thing, in your own way, you will love the creative license intrinsic to this form of dance.

It’s been said that in Tango, “imitation is the worst form of flattery”. I will apply this to Cuban Salsa as well. If you are hell bent on imitating your way to becoming a dancer, you will have a big problem with Cuban dance, period.

The introspective-new-age dreamer.

Finding yourself as a dancer takes some deep digging. Very early on we encourage dancers to find their own way of doing things, within the limits of basic fundamental principles.

There is a certain profound spirituality to both Cuban dance and  music. Because of its firm roots in Afro-folkloric tradition and religion, those who can see the spiritual significance of dance movement beyond steps, numbers and styling routines, will tend to gravitate towards the Cuban style.

Learning any dance is a journey. Ironically, one of the most socially infused dances, tends to lead you on the loneliest journey.

A journey that begins and ends with you.

The exception.

“Eduardo, I don’t fall into any of the prior categories.”  Well, then you are just weird.

But seriously, we get all sorts of types. And like I said before, this is anecdotal stuff at best. But after almost three years out here and teaching around 1000 students you tend to see a patterns form.

So what are you?

Would love to get some feedback on why you click with Cuban dance.

Salsa is great, but not that great.

It is a beautiful dance, a wonderful language that appeals to many, but in and of itself is only a tool for communication.

It’s the dancer that makes any dance look good, not the dance itself.

If Salsa snobbery causes you to spend all of your time staring at Salsa without even so much looking at another dance, you just might end up looking like a programmed bot hitting the dance floor and running through the gamut of standardized Salsa moves.

Now if Salsa is your first dance, and you’ve only studied for a short time, it’s cool. Sometimes it’s good to get a strong base in one dance form first.

But if you’ve been at it for a while and have never thought about cross-training in modern, ballet, African or any other form of dance, you may never get to see your true potential!

Ironically, the strength of Salsa in comparison to other dances is its sheer flexibility. The structure and general attitude of movement allows you to integrate almost anything, so take advantage of it!

Be mindful of Salsa snobbery guys.

You turn your nose up at that waltz or swing dancer and you miss out on new ways of traversing the dance floor, or styling your closed position. Watch other styles of dance, and don’t blink or you might miss something.

And if your Salsa dance has no real African accent to it, how can it even be called Salsa?

Just the other day I observed an aerial dance class. The way they were exploring movement in three-dimensions made my jaw drop. I was struck by the lines they were creating with their bodies…and I took note.

Watch out for inspiration, it could come from anywhere. Aim to become a dancer, not simply a Salsa dancer.

If you are a new dancer, don’t spend all day watching Salsa on YouTube. Spend time watching other forms of dance and draw inspiration from there as well.

Express yourself to the best of your ability, and keep your mind wide open to other forms of dance.