When you are dancing to Salsa, you will hear several of these Latin styles mixed together, old styles mixed with modern beats.

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A Fun History of Salsa Dancing!

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latin dance lessons near chandler arizonaIn this blog, we’re going to explore the lively and fun Latin American dance that combines mainly Cuban and Puerto Rican rhythms with elements of jazz, rock, and soul music….Salsa! The term salsa, much like the term jazz, is simply a word used to describe the combination of different rhythms used to make that certain, unique sound that we now recognize as salsa music.

Interesting fact: Although there is nothing known for certain, it is believed that the term Salsa was coined by a Venezuelan radio host named Fidias Danilo. It is said that he presented his music acts with the introduction: “A continueción escucharemos la salsa de…” (“Now we will listen to the salsa of…”) then adding the name of the next act. While this is the best known explanation for where the word salsa was created, very few people know why.

Thanks to the New York population of Puerto Ricans that migrated to the United States between 1915 and 1969, this wonderfully exciting dance has gained a following throughout the Latino and Non-Latino scene alike. It is more than just a coincidence that in this time period the interest in Latin dancing also increased throughout the world.  And since the 1970’s, Puerto Rico has claimed the music as its own and thus dominates the Latin music market still today.

Musically, salsa has its roots based in the African-Spanish musical rhythms of Cuba. With the following that African-American Jazz gained in the 1940’s, the two styles would eventually come together to blend a fusion of Latin and Jazz music.

Tito Puente is widely know as the first great salsa musician. He became a Big Band leader after a stint in the U.S. Navy and went on to organize his own band called, “Puente’s Latin Jazz Ensemble,” which has been heard by audiences around the world. Puente studied percussion in New York at the Juilliard School of Music, and throughout his time as band leader, he took salsa music to the next level by expanding the mambo section of his band and speeding up the tempo of certain rhythms. Hence the salsa music that we know today was born.

It’s amazing what you can learn when doing research on salsa dancing. A history abundant in fun facts and even better stories of its beginnings help you to appreciate the dance that much more. However, the history is even richer when you actually know and have experienced salsa dancing for yourself. What better way to understand something than to do it? If you’re reading this now, and thinking to yourself, “How can I learn more about salsa dancing? How can I begin my journey into this fantastic dance?”, here’s what you can do… First,  find a local dance studio near you, and begin taking beginner’s Latin dance lessons for adults. Next, be patient with yourself as you learn and grow. Latin dancing is not mastered overnight, but if you take your time and make the investment into Private Dance Lessons, you will absolutely get the results that you have always wanted.

It is worth everything you put in to it to experience the feeling that only dance can bring – especially salsa dancing. The music itself will make you feel so alive that you will find yourself with a healthy addiction on your hands in no time! Salsa dance lessons have other benefits too, like raised endorphins, which add to a natural good mood, and confidence, which helps all areas of life.

At Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona we have an exciting Latin dance program that will get you moving on any social dance floor before long. We’ll teach you in a way that is useful to your everyday life, and more fun than you could possibly know! Stop waiting and start dancing. If you live in Phoenix with us, give Dance FX Studios a call and let’s begin a new chapter in your life on the dance floor!

Spice Up Your Summer With Salsa and Swing Lessons

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salsa dance lessons mesa azTrying to figure out which dance you’d rather learn this summer between Salsa and Swing? Well, if you know anything about these two fantastic dances, you know that it would be incredibly difficult to try to choose just one! Why figure out which dance will bring you more joy when both dances are incredibly fun, exciting, and offer the perfect amount of challenges.

Most people would love to know how to Salsa or Swing dance, but they are afraid that learning these dances would be too hard. Not true! In fact, both Salsa and Swing dance lessons will turn into the highlight of your day, guaranteed! And, both of these dances are perfect for beginners, so if you are just getting started, you’re in for a treat! Now…let’s explore a little more about each of these thrilling social ballroom dances…

Let’s begin with Salsa, a popular Latin dance with mucho sex appeal and allure! This fun and sassy dance offers more than just cool steps. When you dance Salsa you get a feeling of passion and excitement that’s often unmatched by other dances. Combine that with upbeat Latin dance music and you’ll be unstoppable on the dance floor. Who knows, there may even be an inner diva or flirt that Salsa dancing will bring out in you! Discover how to Latin dance with Salsa dance lessons and let your inhibitions run wild.

Maybe Swing dancing is more your thing. No other dance gets the blood flowing like Swing dancing does. This dance is one that you’ll never want to stop getting better at, simply because it’s so useful! Not just in terms of where you can go Swing dancing, but with all variations the dance has to offer, you’ll be exploring Swing for a while. You could almost spend you whole life studying this dance and still not know everything that this amazing dance has to offer. That’s a good thing, of course, because you can keep progressing, rather than getting stale in your knowledge.

If you’ve never danced Swing before, its always a great time to start learning. Beginners Swing dance lessons will introduce you to the basics so you can see how fun and easy this style of dance really is.  If you’re looking to learn something new, or just pick up a new hobby, you absolutely couldn’t do better than learning how to Swing dance.

Maybe you’re and looking to learn to how to dance in general. Swing dance would be the best option for you – especially for men. Guys, imagine this if you would. You’re walking into a Country bar, and you notice beautiful woman sitting alone. The whole night she’s been watching all the other girls get invited to dance, and waiting patiently for someone like you to walk in. You buy her a drink and lead her to the dance floor where you begin to dance her feet off. What better way to be single in a big city than to be that person in all bars that wows the crowd with your awesome new dance moves.

Now that you know what you’re missing (dance, of course!!), pick a style of dance and go for it! The only thing left to do is to call your local adult dance studio near you and begin taking adult dance lessons. Whatever dance you choose to concentrate on, the good thing is that if do want learn both dances, you can! There’s absolutely no limit to what you can learn. Your fun awaits you!

Salsa dance lessons AZ

The Salsa Dance Evolution!

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Salsa dance lessons ArizonaIn researching the history of Salsa dancing, there are a few different opinions on the origins of what most of us consider one the spiciest Latin dances. One common opinion is that it emerged out of Cuba from a “Country dance” and found its way to New York where it was termed”Salsa” and then blossomed into what it is today. Another opinion is that Salsa’s origins come out of Africa, which explains why the movement is not up and down, but a low hip swaying glide forward and backward, because the movement was performed in the sand.

The New York dance scene coined the name “Salsa”, but it did not create the dance. The name Salsa, was actually a nickname for a variety music that hit the scene from several countries of Latin influence including: Bomba, Charanga, Danzón, Són, Guguanco, Cubop, Rhumba, Són Montuno, Guaracha, Mambo, Cha Cha, Guajira, Cumbia, Plena, Festejo and Merengue. Some of the Latin dance music was mixed and became Salsa while others maintained their original sound and dance style.

When you are dancing to Salsa, you will hear several of these Latin styles mixed together, old styles mixed with modern beats. Often new instruments and additional percussion was added to Colombian, Puerto Rican or Cuban rhythms. For example, Mambo came out of Cuba and is a perfect example of a music and dance style that evolved into a something new and maybe more exciting: Salsa!

No matter what the origin, we who dance and those who seek to learn to dance are happy that Salsa dancing is around! Salsa is a sexy, steamy and emotional dance and, exactly like some popular Country dances – Salsa can also be done in a line with a large group of people. How about the music?!? Is there any other music that catches your attention so quickly and then causes your body to open up and express itself more? Personally, I don’t think so!

Nicole Dekavallas, one of the owners of Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, would agree with me. Salsa is her go to favorite social dance- especially when she is “alone and in need of releasing stress”. She also “loves Salsa in particular because it’s wild and freeing. The freedom of expression and letting go, that is what does it for me. A stress reliever, lots of hips, it’s sexy! I am a Latin Dancer…that is what I do!”  Her other top Latin dance favorite that she shares with her husband Adam, is the Argentine Tango.

As you can see, Salsa was born from many different origins and emerged as one fun and worthwhile dance to learn. Since Salsa dancing is an amalgamation of so many styles of Latin dancing, it is a good way for a beginner Latin dancers to nurture their love for Latin music and dance.

There are many social dances to learn these days, from Swing dancing to the Country Two Step, Bachata and more!, Many of these dances emerged from combinations of other dances, which is what makes the evolution of dance so cool! Dance and music will always be changing, and that is a good thing in my opinion-especially when it comes to freedom of expression.

You too can be a part of this evolution by choosing to start taking social dance lessons for beginners today! See where your dancing journey takes you with Dance FX Studios’ New Student Offer and let the magic of dance fill your life with excitement.

Salsa Dancing…Get Addicted!

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istock_000004681092smallSalsa dancing can make you come alive! It is an energetic and fun dance that will have you wanting more. With private or group Salsa classes, you’ll be shaking your hips in no time!

THE SALSA BASIC: There are many different types of Salsa dancing but this month we will cover the basic steps for one of the most common styles. In Salsa dancing, there are four beats but only three of them are going to involve taking a step. You can also count out all eight beats, but similarly only six will have steps to them.

To start off, face your partner in closed position or hold hands. If you choose to hold hands, the leader (usually male) will hold his hands as if he were holding two cups and the follower (usually female) should put her hands within the top of his. For the first step, the leader should take a step forward with his left foot and the follower takes a step backwards with her right foot. The second step involves the leader taking a step in place with his right foot and the follower taking a step in place with her left foot. The third step is going to bring your foot back into starting position, so the leader should be moving their left foot back and the follower should move their right foot forward. The fourth beat is a pause so you do not have to move at all. That completes the first four counts.

The next four beats are similar to the first four, but they are just slightly different. The leader is going to step back onto their right foot for the fifth beat and the follower is going to step forward with their left foot. As you may have guessed, the sixth beat has the leader stepping in place with their left foot and the follower stepping in place with their right foot. The last actual basic step includes the leader stepping forward with their right foot and the follower stepping back with the left foot, so they are both back in starting position. Finally the last beat of the sequence, the eighth beat, is just a pause with no movement. That completes the last four counts of the Salsa basic.

Pretty easy huh? Well if you liked that little taste of Salsa dancing you should come on down to Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona. Dance FX Studios offers Private Latin Dance Lessons and Group Salsa Dance Classes. For more information about our private Salsa dance lessons, go to https://dancefxstudios.com/dance-lessons-mesa-arizona/ .  If you would like to take Group Salsa Dance Classes, you can find more information at https://dancefxstudios.com/dance-classes-mesa-arizona/ .

More On The History Of Salsa

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Salsa Dancing Tempe AZLet’s take a look at the origin of Salsa. It is more that just a Cuban dance; still, the dance’s origins and initial developments are credited to this location.

Many people think that the term ‘salsa’ is an all encompassing term to describe all Latin American dance styles… on the contrary! Salsa is a very distinct dance style, with different beats, styles and overall feelings than other Latin American creations. In fact, the term ‘salsa’ itself is not Latin American—instead it is rooted in New York.

Original salsa dancing was inspired by the Cuban music style, Son (a Spanish word which translates to mean ‘sound’). Son was quickly adopted as the dance’s working name. Later, a country-esque version of Salsa would arise as well. Along with its Cuban counterparts, such as the cha-cha and the mambo, Salsa was popular in the 1940’s.

The fast paced and beautiful movement drew in many people to Salsa. Its footwork has been danced to beat of piano, conga drums, and even the cowbell. Son music and dance are even what helped bring the drum into much of the mainstream music.

Today, Salsa has taken the world by storm with many different styles of the dance being created including, New York, Colombian, Rueda de Casino, Miami, and Los Angeles. Each of these different versions of Salsa typically has only a few changes in the timing for the basic steps which are used universally for the dance. As seen with many, many other dances, there’s not only one part of the world that falls in love with a dance as cool as the salsa!

You too can get in on the excitement that can be felt while Salsa dancing! Learn to dance Salsa in Mesa, Arizona at Dance FX Studios. We offer both private and group salsa dancing classes for you to enjoy.