Cuban Girl i am sorry to say you are all wrong about the U.S. not having good dancer's. I am 70 years old and learned to dance the Mambo and cha cha cha on the streets of New York and at the Paladium and still can dance my rear end off, and there are plenty of other dancers from that era that can do so also. You say it is disoriented and that is true because everything now is "SALSA". No individual dances with steps unique to that dance. Go to any dance or night club where everythi ng is a remix and everyone does the same steps or wiggling and shaking to any kind of music played. The more you shake scream and gyrate the more people assume that you are a good dancer, HUMBUG No true defined steps to a certain type of music played. I have another post on this subject.
There is a simple trueism, if you want to be a good dancer and be able to feel the beat you have to dance on2. The style that is now so popular in Miami is "DANCING ON 2 NEW YORK STYLE, and there is a reason for that. I am talking real life dancing not competition dancing which is more acobatic and show and most of the time doesn't show or have the true feeling for the dance. As far as cuban beats Mongo sanatamaria, Patato Valdez, two of the greatest conga drum players and almost any of the oldtime latin bands will say on 2 is the way to dance. Not to contradict myself but the object is to have a good time, so any beat should suffice, but if you want to bring it to another level you have to learn to dance on 2. In fact many years ago ( about 1957)a dancer TYBIE brought a cuban style dancing of the cha cha cha back to the U.S. where you are on the balls of your feet and while dancing you are hopping without lifting your feet while you are doing 1,2 cha cha cha .It gives the dance another dimension and the pachanga was patterned after this type of step. Johnny Pacheco husband of Celia Cruz was a pioneer for the Pachanga. The gist is Ballroom or exhibition dancing is nice to watch but most people who love dancing to the LATIN BEAT are doing it because they love it not for show or competition and can relate to the basic steps that are unique to that dance. I was a professional dancer when dancing with a partner side by side was the style,and it was just great steps and rythum,and was every bit as intricate as exhibition dancing without all the acrobatics. It was something that the average dancer could attain with hard work.

RON/ Latin Rules


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