Tag Archive for 'salsa'

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Salsa Dancing ‘Titanic’ Dance Move

Salsa Video Episode 1 : Salsa Titanic Options

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming! After such a long time we are back with a new season of the addicted2salsa.com video dance podcast!

First, we’d like to go on record that we are the first salsa podcast to be shot in High-Definition (hope it shows up on Wikipedia), so you can clearly see our footwork either on your iPhone/iPod or big screen TV. Second, this is our first podcast that we dance On2 as well as On1. Last, but not least – I’d like to introduce you to our new co-host Julie Merrill.

Today we will go over a few options on how to get out of a salsa titanic move. Enjoy!

The song used in the episode is “Philadelphia Mambo” by Los Gatos (originally by Tito Puente)

Published 4 years ago in podcast and videos. 13 Comments Tags: , , , , .

SantoRico Performs “Gangsta”

Stumbling upon youtube videos again, one of our friends found this great performance by the Santo Rico dance team. I may not have mentioned them in a while, but here is a great find. They are some of the most amazing spinners you will ever see in performances throughout the world. One thing to notice, for us technical dancers, is that the men have a very unique prep that is circular, compared to the ‘double-J’ prep to lead multiple turns. Regardless, this is a must watch video for us looking for inspiration.

As a side-note, they also offer online salsa classes for a fee over at bailasociety.com

Published 4 years ago in article and videos. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

San Diego Salsa Festival – See you there! [UPDATED]

San Diego Salsa FestivalWell, I know I haven’t written anything in a long time (you will not believe what my non-salsa has been up to), but time for an update. So, it happens that this month we have a double killer congress. First, we have the New York City Salsa Congress 2007 and the first ever (and super fun) San Diego Salsa Festival 2007. I am really looking forward to seeing some of the great dancers from all over the US (and World) to perform and social dance in San Diego. I think it is great for me, since this time I don’t have to pay for a hotel and can drive from my apartment to the venue easily…… I wonder where the addicted2salsa after party will at this year?

[UPDATE]

OFFICIAL PRE-PARTY
Thursday September 20, 2007
8:30 – 2am
SKIES LOUNGE (Four Points Sheraton)
$10.00 Cover
Free Lesson at 8:30pm

World Famous “SUPER DJ ROBBY” From L.A. will be playing the best: Salsa, Cha
Cha, & Bachata to kick the party off!

Orchestra: Salsa Caliente

Just confirmed “ORCHESTRA SALSA CALIENTE” an awesome band from L.A. to play on
SATURDAY NIGHT!

THE AFTER PARTY will be on SUNDAY until 3am here at the hotel in the main
ballroom.

Published 4 years, 4 months ago in Congress and event. 3 Comments Tags: , , , .

So You Think You Can Dance Recap – NOO!

Lauren Gottlieb - So You Think You Can DanceI just can’t believe it! My two favorite dancers out of the bunch got voted off. I was thinking I would at least have one of my favorites in the finals (well, maybe Sabra) but man – Pasha and Lauren! Feels like a nightmare and a bad “Laguna Beach” episode. I’m assuming you’ve been keeping up with the show, otherwise this will be over your head.

Now, “So You Think You Can Dance” is not really about America’s best dancer – its America’s favorite dancer. While Lauren was amazing and beautiful, I’m assuming what happened was that technically she wasn’t as masterful as Lacey or Sabra. Now Lacey is highly technically skilled, but come on! Her cousin Benji won last year’s competition! Fine. Sabra.. she hasn’t really connected with the audience yet. So Lauren had it tough – that’ s understandable – however, I think she brought a mix of both technical and flavorful dancing – especially in her personality. Even on complicated turns and patterns during some performances – she always smiled as she was having fun. Man, I’m happy to have that picture on that blog – Lauren, if you’re ever in San Diego… (whisper) call me! :-)
Pasha Kovalev - So You Think You Can Dance Now, for the biggest disappointment in my opinion. Pasha I thought was the BEST dancer hands down. I just kept yelling ‘What? What!!? You have got to be kidding me!!!’ to my TV screen. It reminded of the time when the results came in on how President Bush got re-elected.

Now, to be truthful, Danny is technically more skilled and his jumps are amazing. However, he has no personality! He’s too serious. Not fun to watch. Reminds me of reasons why I never joined ballroom clubs – people took themselves sometimes a little too seriously, to the point the fun part of dancing was removed. And Neil….. Neil, Neil, Neil – come on people! He does not come close – I think he just got lucky. I mean, he’s great at flips and tricks, but personality. He only started shining at the very end. Pasha was on top of his game from the very first dance.

Pasha brought an excitement back to performances. He made every dance his own, always acting, making faces – amazingly entertaining to watch. Whether it was jazz, hip hop, Broadway, salsa, or that freakishly weird 80′s routine… it was just so entertaining that made you want to dance. That type of effect is not found in many dancers. Sad to see him go, but I guess America has decided.

So, I guess my biggest bias is that I base dancers on how they make me feel. (Warm and fuzzy?). Personality. I think 50% of any performance is personality. Showing the audience how much more fun it is to dance it than watch it. So, I lost my bets this season (again).

But I wonder for those who do watch the show, who do you think should win this year?

Published 4 years, 6 months ago in article. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Salsa Dancing : Your Brain on Dancing

Salsa Technicals : Your Brain on Salsa I found this article very interesting…. it explains why at the beginning of learning salsa, its difficult to multi task your motor skills. This is also scientific proof of why learning to follow is much easier than learning to lead… Learning to follow requires the use of the sense of touch (which according to the published research – the brain can easily handle because it is directly connected to the motor processing part of the brain). However leading requires the images of the actions (planning and forming motor actions) be kept in the leads head followed my multiple motor skill actions – which the brain cannot easily do at the same time. (it has to keep track of how the leads feet are placed, timing of music, planning the next move, how the move should look, the follows feet, the hands to lead the move…etc). It says that the reason we are able to do this is because by forcing our brain to perform all these activities repeatedly, it ends up turning all these different tasks into just one. So as an example, crossbody lead – instead of thinking, ok, step forward, step side, open up, lead the lady across, and come back together on 7 and basic step… we just think – cross-body lead (so we don’t have to “plan” for a cross-body lead just let our muscles execute it) and our brain is then free to do ‘other’ things such as adding styling and flavor.

Article: http://whyfiles.org/shorties/220square_circle/
(And not for the faint of heart, here are the papers:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/dar12/Publications/Publications_06_w.htm )

“The experiment, published in the November/December Journal of Experimental Psychology, proved that the limitation is neither in the muscles nor in the part of nervous system that communicates directly with them, Rosenbaum says. “Instead, we have come to the idea that the source of the limitation is conceptual, it’s not in the execution.” When asked to draw a square and circle, “you need to keep those two forms in mind, and that’s hard for us to do.”

Touch input goes to a part of the brain called the somatosensory cortex, which is directly connected to the motor cortex, Rosenbaum explains. And apparently these two areas are happy to trace squares and circles without help (or hindrance!) from the brain’s intellectual center, the prefrontal cortex, which makes plans and carries them out.

So how, for example, do musicians do two things at once? “It turns out that very, very few people can carry out two differently timed activities totally independently,” says Rosenbaum. “If you sing while playing guitar, over time, you learn to think of them as a single task.”

Published 4 years, 6 months ago in articles and salsa technicals. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

Salsa Musique Fantastique!

Well, in this episode of our salsa dance video lessons we take a further look some old salsa classics thanks to Karlos (aka ‘Z’). We provide a little more jazzy selection for your enjoyment, so you can discover a variety of different salsa artists and styles. You might not like all the songs, but hopefully you’ll find some treasures that will make you want to get to know a specific artist a little deeper.

  • El Dulcerito Llego by Cuba L.A.
  • Cuando Te Vea by Tito Puente
  • Noche de Farra by Machito & His Afro-Cubans
  • Pica, Pica by Cortijo Y Su Combo
  • Que Sabroso by Jimmy Sabater
  • Swinging at the “M” by Bobby Montez
  • Wave by Willie Rosario

Please remember that if you like a song or an artist – please support them by buying their album or music. We play these songs for you to discover these artists that otherwise will be without exposure. Support salsa music! Thanks.

Listen to : Salsa Music 29 - Salsa Musique Fantastique!

Published 4 years, 6 months ago in podcast. 13 Comments Tags: , , , , .