What's so special about Cuban salsa?
Salsa dancing is like most everything else in life... it comes in almost as many flavors and styles as there are people in this world! Salsa dancing has roots from all over the Latin world, each people group adding their own unique flair to the core basic rhythm. Each of these styles offers a different flavor. Cuba is a country that was influenced heavily by Africa, and in particular Nigeria and Congo. This Afro-Cuban flavor creates a style of salsa dancing that is earthy, sensual, powerful, and heavily reliant upon improvisation and "feeling the music."
Salsa dancing in Cuba is called "casino" due to the fact that the style of music and dance steps were developed in the public halls, which were called casinos. The casinos no longer exist, but thankfully the music and movements didn't fade! Instead of dancing in the halls, the people of Cuba took the dance to the streets. Casino and Rueda de Casino are both very common dances in the sense that they are danced by everyone and anyone, at any time and in any place. Neighborhoods are filled with the sounds of music and dancing throughout the island to this day. This is not your formal suit-and-tie, high-heels and sequins style dancing! It is danced in streets, kitchens, parking lots, and on beaches. It is full of life, laughter, passion, and mostly the joy of community.
This sense of community, of being grounded, makes Cuban style salsa one that reaches deep in to you. Movements trace back to ancient African histories with modern twists and spontaneity thrown in to make it a truly exciting, never boring style of dance! This is what we choose to teach because this is what moves us, inside and out.
Salsa dancing in Cuba is called "casino" due to the fact that the style of music and dance steps were developed in the public halls, which were called casinos. The casinos no longer exist, but thankfully the music and movements didn't fade! Instead of dancing in the halls, the people of Cuba took the dance to the streets. Casino and Rueda de Casino are both very common dances in the sense that they are danced by everyone and anyone, at any time and in any place. Neighborhoods are filled with the sounds of music and dancing throughout the island to this day. This is not your formal suit-and-tie, high-heels and sequins style dancing! It is danced in streets, kitchens, parking lots, and on beaches. It is full of life, laughter, passion, and mostly the joy of community.
This sense of community, of being grounded, makes Cuban style salsa one that reaches deep in to you. Movements trace back to ancient African histories with modern twists and spontaneity thrown in to make it a truly exciting, never boring style of dance! This is what we choose to teach because this is what moves us, inside and out.
