A fun, flirtatious dance style, Salsa is perfect for those interested in taking their dancing out of the studio and into the club. There are designated Salsa clubs all over the city, and, even if you’re not one to hit the town too often, you are bound to have a fabulous time learning this style! Like some of the other styles, Salsa is varied and comes in more than one type– discover which is your favorite in a private session or one of our special six-week workshops!
You’ve heard of Carnival, right? This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Samba dancing. This style has a slightly different rhythm than many of the other styles and is full of energy! It can be danced solo or with a partner and uses its rolling action to deliver an ability to be supple with one’s body. It is inherently fun and exciting while still appearing effortless and relaxed– it’s a great style to add to your social or competitive dance repertoire!
The samba is among the most sensuous, energetic and hottest dance styles ever to emerge. It’s the national dance of Brazil although its roots can be traced back to Africa and Europe. The name is derived from the Angolan term ‘semba’, meaning an ‘invitation to dance. It was also a common term for dance parties held by slaves who were brought to Brazil from Africa. The dance features gyrating hip movements to rich and syncopated rhythms that have made it one of the most mesmerizing and infectious styles now envied and practiced by people the world over.
During the late 19th century, African slaves that landed in Brazil from Bahia incorporated several steps of the polka, maxixe and other dances popular in Brazil with their own traditional dances, which possibly gave birth to the samba. Rio de Janeiro is considered the birthplace of the samba, which is evident from the pomp and circumstance witnessed by thousands at the Sambadrome and millions around the world at the Rio carnival held every year before the beginning of lent. It did not take long for the samba to reach the United States when the legendary dancers Fred Astaire and Dolores Del Rio strutted their stuff in Flying Down to Rio. Carmen Miranda also mesmerized audiences when she danced the samba in ‘That Night in Rio’, the 1941 musical comedy.
Samba has a distinct rhythm that best highlighted by the musical instruments used and the happy, flirtatious and exuberance of the dancer. Many moves require a pelvic tilt action and rapid footwork in time to the intoxicating rhythms of the drums, which is difficult but not hard to achieve. Speaking of footwork, the basic footwork includes three-step weight changes with a knee lift led with alternating feet while the basic rhythm is a ‘quick, quick, slow.’ Watch any samba performance and you will notice the distinctive, dramatic climax where dancers throw back their heads and extend their arms out to the sides.
Salsa is another beautiful dance form often confused with the samba. It has its roots in the Caribbean and features a blend of African and European dances. Unlike the samba that can be danced solo or in pairs, salsa involves partners. While many renditions of the samba are impromptu, salsa has a number of basic steps performed by the partners throughout the dance routine, which gives it a unique characteristic. When it comes to music, the samba is more open to variety while the salsa can be performed to certain types of music.
© 2023 Arthur Murray Manhattan.
Dance Studios Near Me
Local SEO & Marketing by EveryMerchant.com
