In the first part of my secrets to musical mastery I explained the importance on developing a strong foundation for understanding salsa timing and rhythm.
The first step to becoming more musical dancer is to learn to keep the correct timing. Learning timing is like the corner stone you are going to continue to build your salsa dancing on. However, the second secret to becoming a more musical salsa dancer is this: learn to recognize that there is a lot more to salsa musicality than timing.
Secret # 2 – Learn To Recognize The Mood And Types Of Salsa
If you want to become a more creative in your dancing and to be able to interpret the different moods and types of salsa you have to also learn to recognizes the differences. For example, first of all there are many different latin music that is often used under the umbrella term salsa. If you are reading this article, you probably already can recognize the differences between Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, and salsa in general.
But can you recognize the differences between Salsa Dura, Salsa Romantica, and Classic Salsa, for example? Or even better yet, what about the differences between latin jazz, mambo, bomba and plena, guaracha, son, afro-cuban rumba, timba, boogaloo, and pachanga.
All of those above mentioned music types often appears in salsa music. My point is that if the song that you are dancing to is Salsa Romantica are you dancing to it the same way than if the salsa song played is actual Timba? While Salsa Romantica is often much more, as the title gives away, romantic and softer, would it not make sense to interpret the mood of the music and dance to it differently than the very earthy and often playful sounding Cuban Timba?
After you have become adequate in your ability to keep salsa timing, learning to recognize the mood and different types of salsa is in my opinion the next best thing you can do when you want to become a more musical salsa dancer. The best way to learn these differences is to simply listen to all of the different types of salsa music and to develop your ear to them. Talk to a DJ and ask questions, take a live salsa musicality class, or purchase an on-line salsa musicality learning program. So the next time a salsa song breaks into an afro cuban section and plays some Guaguancó, for example, you will be able to recognize the music change and ultimately as you develop as a dancer, interpret that section in the song differently in your dancing.
But even if you are a great dancer with a beautiful afro-cuban body moment, unless you first learn to recognize the music changes in salsa, you will be limited in your ability to interpret the music with your body. Learning to recognize the different types and moods of salsa will not only make you a much more musical dancer, but you will also learn to enjoy the salsa music tremendously more as you dance.
Now that you have become aware that you can interpret each salsa song differently, you are will be ready for my next part to musical mastery, which is to become aware of the structure of salsa songs and how to interpret each section of the song differently as well.
