LA style (aka on1)

As the name implies, LA style salsa was born out of Los Angeles, USA. It is a style that has borrowed extensively from other dance styles. It has been greatly influenced by Cuban and New York style salsa, jazz, swing and even ballroom. From these influences, the modern dancers of this style have further refined it to produce a distinctive array of turn patterns. The basic salsa rhythm is based on 8 measures. This is why we normally count “one, two, three, pause (4), five, six, seven pause (8)”. Most LA style moves are based on the “cross-body lead” move, where the man leads the woman across his body in a linear motion. LA style is exciting, elegant and sensual salsa, incorporating suave intricate footwork pattern known as “shines”. LA style salsa is one of the most popular styles around the world today.

New York Style (aka on2, aka Mambo)

New York gave birth to a unique style of salsa dancing. Along with the LA style, it is another style of salsa that is very popular. In New York, salsa is also known as “mambo”. This reflects the Origin of salsa dancing in New York City. One of the unique features of the New York style salsa is the “dancing on 2”. The basic salsa rhythm is based on 8 measures. This is why we normally count “one, two, three, pause (4), five, six, seven pause (8)”. When we start our first our first step on the first count, we call that “dancing on1” or “breaking on1” as is found in LA, Cuban and casino style. When we start our first step on the second count, we are “dancing on2” or “breaking on2” as is found in New York style. New York style salsa, Like LA style salsa also employ the use the “cross-body lead” technique and the use of intricate footwork patterns called “shines”. New York style salsa is a very sensual and exciting form of salsa dancing. It is one of the most stylish and is increasingly becoming more popular outside its birth place.

Salsa casino and Rueda de casino

Casino style is simply the Cuban style of salsa dancing. The “casino” name comes from where the style was originally developed. This style was formed at the casino Deportivo, a social club in Havana Cuba during the mid-20th century. Despite what many might say, casino style can be danced on any 1,2,3,4 beat. The dance moves are characterized by complicated arm movements. Casino is actually not a difficult dance to master. It is sometimes even easier to learn casino style salsa compared to the other forms if one has the right technique. Your basic footwork is a fairly simple walking motion(pausing at every fourth beat).

Rueda de casino translated literally means “circle of casino”. As the name implies, you can dance casino style salsa in a circle with 2 or more couples. Whilst there are many one-on-one moves, there are also a variety of cool moves that are done by the group. To summarize, Rueda de casino is where a group of salsa dancers join to form a circle (or wheel) and someone in the group calls out different dance moves for the rest of the group to follow and the group spontaneously performs intricate dance steps, combinations and even partner changes. If you add some groovy salsa rhythms, the result is a beautifully synchronized, exciting frenzy!!!

Cha cha cha

The Latin cha cha is a very famous ballroom dance. Created in Cuba, it contains African and Cuban rhythms that meld into a Latin beat. It’s characteristic counting, one-two-three-chachaCHA! Has made it famous. Cha cha cha requires very small steps because of its rhythm. The cha cha cha part of the rhythm is almost a chasse, or a series of small gliding step that touch the floor. It is danced to a 4/4 time, meaning there are four beats to a measure. The count is slow-slow-quick-quick-slow, and dancers turn whilst executing the steps. Cha cha requires a lot of hip motion, which is how dancers make it expressive. Although not as commonly seen as the other dance styles are in salsa clubs, cha cha is also an exciting, vibrant and sensual form of salsa dancing

Merengue

Although more commonly seen in fewer salsa arenas than salsa, merengue has gained our respect and deserves a mention. Merengue as a music (and dance) form, is most strongly identified with the Dominican Republic (and to some extents, Haiti where it is called the meringue). Its spread has been aided, in part, by the large numbers of Dominicans immigrating to the United States, bringing the merengue with them. The merengue, like salsa, is now recognized as a transnational phenomenon, spanning an increasing number of countries in an ever-shrinking globe. As of this writing, merengue outsells salsa by more than four to one in Latin America. Merengue choreography is as follows: Men and woman hold each other in a vals-like position and step to their side in what is know as "paso de la empalizada" or "stick-fence step". They can then turn clockwise or counterclockwise. This is called Ballroom Merengue (merengue de salón), in which couples never separated. There is also what is called Figure Merengue (Merengue de Figura) in which dancers also make turns individually, but never letting go the hand of the partner