Viva Salsa
Salsa has become the rage all across the country. In the Bay Area alone, a salsa aficionado can dance to live music seven days a week in a variety of clubs. But some people are afraid to give salsa dance a spin, feeling intimidated to even try. However, it really isn’t as hard as one might think; if you can follow a musical tempo and count to three, you’re good to go.
There is a good reason that salsa enjoys its current popular status: the music is infectious. It isn’t just the salsa beat, it’s the instruments themselves; they have cool names like conga, claves, timbales, and the guiro. And don’t forget about the good old cowbell.
Anyone can learn the basics of rudimentary salsa dance, which coincidentally is referred to the “basic step”. Beginners should start with music that has a slower tempo, to make it easier to keep time with the music. Although salsa music is played in a series of eight counts at a time, we only count in threes: 1-2-3 (pause 4), then 5-6-7 (pause 8). To keep things simple, start on the right foot, stepping it back and step right-left-right for the first set of three counts, then the left goes forward, left-right-left for the next set. Repeat.
That’s it for the first lesson, in a nutshell. Learning to hear the counts while simultaneously moving your feet is the most important fundamental to grasp, and it is a fun skill to acquire. Keep practicing until it becomes second nature, and then you can cut loose.
Viva salsa!
