2012 dates and times are here!
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SALSA DANCE CLASSES 2012 !
Ok you asked for it ~now here is the line up for 2012 – classes for everyone! Once you register we will send you the location for the class ;)
Salsa Dance Level 1 : You will learn basic steps that can be enjoyed with any salsa song.
This is the casino salsa style, easy to pick up and fun to apply on the dance floor.
The classes will cover a different dance step each week and by the end of class you will be able to mix and match your dance steps to create a flow of different steps and basic turns/spins.
Dates: Wed feb 22nd , 6:30 - 8 p.m. 6 weeks (only $10 per person for 1.5 hours)
Cost: $120 per couple
SIGN UP ONLINE HERE (**No partner? Sign up on the interest list and we will try to match you up .) Please register before class date!
Latin dance night : Latin dance night : yes we will be organizing monthly dances so you can come out, practice and have fun at the dance nights. We will be offering 2 dance nights a month this winter. Next night is feb 11t!
Sign up for our news and to get updates on new classes and dance nights - click here
Testimonials " Salsa dance lessons are a great way to explore a different culture and a different style of dance. It is also a wonderful way to meet people and to connect with my partner! Thank you for offering such a wonderful, fun activity!"
"We wanted to thank Ory again for doing a great job.We had fun and were starting to feel the groove, and we're looking forward to whatever the two of you might have up your sleeve next!"
Ok you asked for it ~now here is the line up for 2012 – classes for everyone! Once you register we will send you the location for the class ;)
Salsa Dance Level 1 : You will learn basic steps that can be enjoyed with any salsa song.
This is the casino salsa style, easy to pick up and fun to apply on the dance floor.
The classes will cover a different dance step each week and by the end of class you will be able to mix and match your dance steps to create a flow of different steps and basic turns/spins.
Dates: Wed feb 22nd , 6:30 - 8 p.m. 6 weeks (only $10 per person for 1.5 hours)
Cost: $120 per couple
SIGN UP ONLINE HERE (**No partner? Sign up on the interest list and we will try to match you up .) Please register before class date!
Latin dance night : Latin dance night : yes we will be organizing monthly dances so you can come out, practice and have fun at the dance nights. We will be offering 2 dance nights a month this winter. Next night is feb 11t!
Sign up for our news and to get updates on new classes and dance nights - click here
Testimonials " Salsa dance lessons are a great way to explore a different culture and a different style of dance. It is also a wonderful way to meet people and to connect with my partner! Thank you for offering such a wonderful, fun activity!"
"We wanted to thank Ory again for doing a great job.We had fun and were starting to feel the groove, and we're looking forward to whatever the two of you might have up your sleeve next!"
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Background on the Cuban salsa dance style = casino
Cuban Salsa-Casino
how is it different and unique
by Boogalu Productions
Here is some ideas and concepts about what characterizes casino (what Cuban's call salsa) from other salsa styles. The idea is to provide some pointers for people wanting more information on this form and to suggest that casino is not just a cool style of dance moves, but an expression of a living tradition that is intimately related to the music, culture, and history of Cuba.
This list is not meant to be definitive, but a work in progress, and will be revised as we get input from the dance community.
Technique & Style
1) Posture - casineros dance with bent knees and slightly bend forward, not to erect. This is the basic position, ready for action. Football players and all sports people know this one.
2) In casino, couples dance very close together when they are in ballroom position in contrast to other salsa styles.
3) The basic step or holding pattern for couples is the guapea (the together and apart step), not the forward and back step, sometimes called the mambo step.
4) Because casineros dance with smaller steps, bent knees, and lower to the ground, they naturally generate good hip movement... that distinctive Cuban motion. They also are not shy in moving their bodies, shoulders, legs and feet from side to side and diagonal... a very Afro styling.
5) The direction of movement when couples are doing turns tends to be in a circle, not linear or in a slot.
6) A series of turns will often begin and end with a cross body lead known as "dile que no".
7) The general body movement in casino is often characterized by fluid combinations of turns between couples using a lot of arm work, with a minimum of spins or shines (foot or hand gestures).
8) Foot tapping during the dance pauses (step, step, step, pause/tap) is typical in casino dancing but a dancer may tap for some moves and not for others. Also when one dances faster, as in a lot of modern timba music, you don?t have time to tap.
Music & Culture Tie-Ins
9) In modern casino dancing, couples often break apart for a time to groove on their own when the music goes into a heavy percussion and bass breakdown riff. This is know as "despelote" (gyrating hips and arms) or "trembleque" (whole body trembling). This trend has connections with apart dancing typical in African dance, Afro-Cuban ceremonial dances, and American rock and roll. These forms are all related.
10) There is a tendency in casino dancing in Cuba for men taking the "star" role or showing off themselves instead of showing off the woman.
11) Cubans not only dance casino in male/female partners, but have forms that are communal such as:
• rueda de casino: several couples dancing in a circle with a leader calling the moves
• trios and cuartetos de casino: one man dancing with two or three woman
• casino suelta: many people line dancing with a leader calling the moves.
12) Casino dancing has moves and style influenced by the folkloric tradition in Cuba like rumba and orisha dance, as well as from other popular dances such as the son and mambo. For example, shoulder shaking and stylized footwork is very typical in casino as well as rumba.
13) Casineros in Cuba tend to listen to the music or their partner for ideas or inspiration about movement. They tend not to execute moves just because they know all kinds of great moves.
14) Turns and combinations of turns are usually identified by colorful Spanish names that characterize or describe the movement, for example: the call "setenta or 70" refers to a period in Cuba in the 1970's when casino dancing first started and when many of the moves were invented. Another fun name is the crotch to crotch move called "yogur" meaning yogurt... that implies its yummy good.
15) Casineros as well as Cuban musicians tend to listen to the "clave" (the 5 note repeated key rhythmic pattern) in the music, to orient themselves to the rhythm and timing.
16) Cuban dancers don't conceive of dancing or breaking on "1" or on "2". They use the terms - dancing "a tiempo" or "contra tiempo" (with time or against time) or dancing with "the melody" or with "the clave". Faster timba music is usually danced "a tiempo". Slower music like son is danced "contra tiempo". Dancers orient themselves to the "clave" in the music, or to specific instruments that play the "tumbao" (repeated rhythmic pattern accenting beats 2+ and 4) such as the bass or conga.
17) Cubans tend not to use a generic term like "salsa" to identify their popular dance or music. They distinguish between their dances as they invented many of them including: danzon, son, changui, mambo, cha cha cha, pilon, mozambique, conga, and casino. Many Cubans say that casino dance or timba music is just the modern style of Cuban son.
how is it different and unique
by Boogalu Productions
Here is some ideas and concepts about what characterizes casino (what Cuban's call salsa) from other salsa styles. The idea is to provide some pointers for people wanting more information on this form and to suggest that casino is not just a cool style of dance moves, but an expression of a living tradition that is intimately related to the music, culture, and history of Cuba.
This list is not meant to be definitive, but a work in progress, and will be revised as we get input from the dance community.
Technique & Style
1) Posture - casineros dance with bent knees and slightly bend forward, not to erect. This is the basic position, ready for action. Football players and all sports people know this one.
2) In casino, couples dance very close together when they are in ballroom position in contrast to other salsa styles.
3) The basic step or holding pattern for couples is the guapea (the together and apart step), not the forward and back step, sometimes called the mambo step.
4) Because casineros dance with smaller steps, bent knees, and lower to the ground, they naturally generate good hip movement... that distinctive Cuban motion. They also are not shy in moving their bodies, shoulders, legs and feet from side to side and diagonal... a very Afro styling.
5) The direction of movement when couples are doing turns tends to be in a circle, not linear or in a slot.
6) A series of turns will often begin and end with a cross body lead known as "dile que no".
7) The general body movement in casino is often characterized by fluid combinations of turns between couples using a lot of arm work, with a minimum of spins or shines (foot or hand gestures).
8) Foot tapping during the dance pauses (step, step, step, pause/tap) is typical in casino dancing but a dancer may tap for some moves and not for others. Also when one dances faster, as in a lot of modern timba music, you don?t have time to tap.
Music & Culture Tie-Ins
9) In modern casino dancing, couples often break apart for a time to groove on their own when the music goes into a heavy percussion and bass breakdown riff. This is know as "despelote" (gyrating hips and arms) or "trembleque" (whole body trembling). This trend has connections with apart dancing typical in African dance, Afro-Cuban ceremonial dances, and American rock and roll. These forms are all related.
10) There is a tendency in casino dancing in Cuba for men taking the "star" role or showing off themselves instead of showing off the woman.
11) Cubans not only dance casino in male/female partners, but have forms that are communal such as:
• rueda de casino: several couples dancing in a circle with a leader calling the moves
• trios and cuartetos de casino: one man dancing with two or three woman
• casino suelta: many people line dancing with a leader calling the moves.
12) Casino dancing has moves and style influenced by the folkloric tradition in Cuba like rumba and orisha dance, as well as from other popular dances such as the son and mambo. For example, shoulder shaking and stylized footwork is very typical in casino as well as rumba.
13) Casineros in Cuba tend to listen to the music or their partner for ideas or inspiration about movement. They tend not to execute moves just because they know all kinds of great moves.
14) Turns and combinations of turns are usually identified by colorful Spanish names that characterize or describe the movement, for example: the call "setenta or 70" refers to a period in Cuba in the 1970's when casino dancing first started and when many of the moves were invented. Another fun name is the crotch to crotch move called "yogur" meaning yogurt... that implies its yummy good.
15) Casineros as well as Cuban musicians tend to listen to the "clave" (the 5 note repeated key rhythmic pattern) in the music, to orient themselves to the rhythm and timing.
16) Cuban dancers don't conceive of dancing or breaking on "1" or on "2". They use the terms - dancing "a tiempo" or "contra tiempo" (with time or against time) or dancing with "the melody" or with "the clave". Faster timba music is usually danced "a tiempo". Slower music like son is danced "contra tiempo". Dancers orient themselves to the "clave" in the music, or to specific instruments that play the "tumbao" (repeated rhythmic pattern accenting beats 2+ and 4) such as the bass or conga.
17) Cubans tend not to use a generic term like "salsa" to identify their popular dance or music. They distinguish between their dances as they invented many of them including: danzon, son, changui, mambo, cha cha cha, pilon, mozambique, conga, and casino. Many Cubans say that casino dance or timba music is just the modern style of Cuban son.
A little more background on Salsa casino:
Cuban-style salsa, also known as Casino, is a form of salsa dance that originated in Cuba. Dancing Casino is an expression of popular social culture; Latin Americans consider casino as part of social and cultural activities centering around their popular music. The origins of the name Casino are derived from the Spanish term for the dance halls where a lot of social Salsa dancing was done in Cuba ...during the mid-20th century and onward.
Historically, Casino traces its origin as a partner dance from Cuban Son dancing, and its rhythmic body motions from Afro-Cuban Rumba heritage. Son is considered an older version and ancestor to Salsa. Son is danced on delay measure upbeat (contra-tiempo) following the 2-3 clave (Son Clave) whereas Casino is usually danced on the downbeat break of 1 or 3 (a-tiempo). Musically, the beats 1, 3, 5 and 7 are considered downbeats; whereas 2, 4, 6 and 8 are considered upbeats. Casino was popularized in the late 1950s as the Cuban Son received upbeat and quicker arrangements by musicians. Casino has a very independent development, free from external influences such as Puerto Rican and North American dances partly due to the effect of the Cuban Embargo.
Culturally, Casino is danced as an interplay between male and female gender and feeling the music ("Sabor") as its main ingredients. Much of the interplay of Casino style dancing is based on the broader Latin cultural context with emphasis on sexual interplay, teasing and everyday experience.
Geographically, in Latin America, Casino and its variants are danced in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Nicaragua. It is also highly popular in Europe and parts of Asia.
This style of salsa is relatively easy to learn and thus popular among beginners. However, to master Casino requires mastering the underlying dance influences such as Rumba, Son and Mambo. This takes a long time and is further compounded by lack of teaching materials in languages other than Spanish.
Casino can be seen at the Cuban Salsa Congress,[1] which bring dance instructors and authentic Latin musicians to many parts of the world. Today, there is a global re-emergence of Cuban Salsa due to:
1.The explosion of Timba,[2] a modern evolution of Cuban salsa music which is now considered the forefront of Latin big band music and orchestra arrangements with complex changes and innovations such as Cruzado Clave (Cross Clave) and rapid tempo differentials and dramatic innovations at every level of hierarchy from the tumbaos. See: Timba.
2.Original YouTube videos of authentic dancing from Cuban sources such as dancing in Havana and Santiago which was not accessible before the internet age due to the effect of the Cuban Embargo by the United States.
Cuban-Style Salsa Partnership Dance (Parejas)
Casino is danced in three points which makes up the circular motion as couple face each other in intricate patterns of arms and body movement. This is distinctive from the North American Salsa styles which is danced in a slot (two points) and linear positions as taught by the North American and European dance studios.
Casino has a strong basic step known as "Guapea" (lit. "Chill Out" by Afro-Cuban Community), in which the male lead put his left foot behind on the break, which is a contrast to the most common basic Salsa step in which the male lead places his left foot forward.
Casino styling includes men being "machisimo" and women being femininely sexy, with major body and muscle isolations, through the influence of Rumba dancing. During the dance, dancers often break from each other during percussion solos and perform the "despelote," an advanced form of styling in which the male and female partner get physically close and tease each other without touching through the gyrating of hips and shoulders while performing muscle isolations.
The major distinction of Cuban Salsa Styling is that male partners have tendencies to show off (following Afro-Cuban Guaguanco influence) under the guise of cultural behavior of males having to attract attention and tease females. This is the major point of differences between "Casino" and the rest of the Northern American Salsa as the North American Salsa ascribed to the ballroom adage of "men are the picture frame while women are the picture."
Cuban Solo Dancing ("Suelta")
Cuban-Salsa Solo Dancing ("Suelta") is dancing salsa without having a partner. It originates from stage singers and dancers who set up routines during orchestra and live performance. Dance singularly or in a group (usually male facing females on the dance floor) the movements are based on "a-tiempo" or "contra-tiempo" with intricate footwork and lively body movements.
Other forms of partner dancing
Other partner dancing styles include "Trios" or "Quattros" in which a male lead will dance with two or more female partners in each arm in in intricate patterns. There are also a "Trios" version in which two male leaders share a female partner
Intro Salsa Dance workshop
This session is designed for folks who want to try Salsa dance and/or and our students who have done Level 1 and want a refresher so they can sign up for Level 2. This workshop will include basic foot patterns and several turns.
Dates: Sept 16th 7-9 pm
Cost : $20 per couple
SIGN UP ONLINE HERE
No partner? Sign up on the interest list and we will try to match you up ;.)
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SUMMER CLASSES
You must pre register for the Level 1 or 2 sessions below ~ and yes we will have another dance night so you can try out your new dance skills all night long July 22nd! :
Summer Salsa Level 1: BEGINNERS 4.5 HR WORKSHOP
This is a beginner session - no experience required and open to all ages.
You will learn basic steps that can be enjoyed with any salsa song. This is the casino salsa style, easy to pick up and fun to apply on the dance floor. The classes will cover a different dance step each week and by the end of class you will be able to mix and match your dance steps to create a flow of different steps and basic turns/spins.
Instructor: Ory Jimenez
Dates:
Rossland :Sunday July 10th 3 - 7:30 pm
Christna Lake Aug 13th 3:30 - 8 pm
Location: Rossland (venue will be included in receipt)
Cost: $80/couple click here to register
Salsa Level 2 : ADVANCED 4.5 HR WORKSHOP
This program will take students with a understanding of the footwork to add more fun turns and sequences to their repertoire.
This level brings the Salsa to a new level of fun! This is a small class designed to allow for extended 1 on 1 instruction.
Instructor: Ory Jimenez
Dates: July 17th, 3-7:30 pm
Location: (Rossland venue location will be included in your reciept)
Cost: $90/couple (max 6 couples) click here to register
Program coordination: Amber
Testimonials " Salsa dance lessons are a great way to explore a different culture and a different style of dance. It is also a wonderful way to meet people and to connect with my partner! Thank you for offering such a wonderful, fun activity!"++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Summer Salsa Level 1 Classes WAITING LIST ONLY email us to register
This is a beginner session - no experience required and open to all ages.
You will learn basic steps that can be enjoyed with any salsa song. This is the casino salsa style, easy to pick up and fun to apply on the dance floor. The classes will cover a different dance step each week and by the end of class you will be able to mix and match your dance steps to create a flow of different steps and basic turns/spins.
Instructor: Ory Jimenez
Dates: Weds: June 29th, July 6th and 13th , 20th
Time : 7 -8:30 pm
Location: Rossland (venue will be included in receipt)
Cost: $120/couple
Salsa Level 2 Classes WAITING LIST ONLY CONTACT US TO BE PLACED ON LIST
This program will take students with a understanding of the footwork to add more fun turns and sequences to their repertoire.
This level brings the Salsa to a new level of fun! This is a small class designed to allow for extended 1 on 1 instruction.
Instructor: Ory Jimenez
Dates: June 24, July 8, 15th and 22nd 2011
Time: Friday 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Location: (Rossland venue location will be included in your reciept)
Cost: $140/couple (max 6 couples) click here to register
Program coordination: Amber
Testimonials " Salsa dance lessons are a great way to explore a different culture and a different style of dance. It is also a wonderful way to meet people and to connect with my partner! Thank you for offering such a wonderful, fun activity!"
"We wanted to thank Ory again for doing a great job.We had fun and were starting to feel the groove, and we're looking forward to whatever the two of you might have up your sleeve next!"
Spring Level 1
Are you interested in attending 6 weeks of salsa classes?
This is a beginner session - no experience required and open to all ages.
You will learn basic steps that can be enjoyed with any salsa song. This is the casino salsa style, easy to pick up and fun to apply on the dance floor. The classes will cover a different dance step each week and by the end of class you will be able to mix and match your dance steps to create a flow of different steps and basic turns/spins.
Instructor: Ory Jimenez
Dates: May 6th - June 10th, 2011
Time: Friday 6 - 7 p.m.
Location: (Rossland venue location will be included in your reciept)
Program coordination: Amber
You must register and pay before class date!
Cost: $120 per couple for 6 weeks
(**we will take a list of individuals hoping to be matched with a dance partner prior to start date here. if you already have a partner click below to register)
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND PAY ONLINE
