on merengue/bachata and the fun factor

[dessaix]

I know how to dance casino very well and enjoy dancing it when my partner knows how to follow it but lately I have been withdrawing more into the Merengue and bachata

I have a thing for close intimate dancing and I have a blast even though i'm not busting complicated dance moves. Salsa just seems so inpersonal lately..

any thoughts? :roll:

[Sagitta]

It depends on how you danec salsa and to what songs you dance salsa to. I would never describe salsa as impersonal. IMO too many of the merengue songs that are played are crappy ones, really crappy. Bachata is my favorite latin dance so I'm with you there.

[Danish Guy]

Have you tried to play with the casino moves, without a caller?
Testing your lead, and changing something to be more your flavour.

It’s fun dancing with the others in a circle, but it’s much more intimate to dance just with your partner.

[hobrien]

Oh wow Oh Wow ......I danced bachata for the first time the other day....... how come no one told me about bachata ...... all the wasted time .........!

Then again no one told me about Salsa either, I have been dancing Salsa for years....... before that no one told me either.

If you havent tried bachata god sake go out and try it. :bandit:

[Sagitta]

Oh wow Oh Wow ......I danced bachata for the first time the other day....... how come no one told me about bachata ...... all the wasted time .........!

Then again no one told me about Salsa either, I have been dancing Salsa for years....... before that no one told me either.

If you havent tried bachata god sake go out and try it. :bandit:

:o :shock: Well you haven't been following the bachata threads. I've been ranting about bachata for months now. :)

[dessaix]

well, ofcourse :)

i learned casino rueda and i can dance without a rueda

I am not sure how it is up north but the majority of the women at the clubs down here do not go to lessons or know the basics. I seem to only have alot of fun when my partner can follow well. maybe i should hook up with someone that knows how to so i can enjoy my self more when they bust out the salsa - instead of taking a gamble and asking a girl out to dance that i think MIGHT know how to dance casino. oh well..

[Genesius Redux]

I don't think salsa is impersonal either. I must admit I've never warmed to bachata, but merengue always seems to me just something to have fun and play around with. Most of my freestyle energy goes into merengue!

[hobrien]

Yes I wasnt really following the Salsa threads about Bachata :oops:

thats since it was just a word, like "stapler" and "marker" now it means so much more :P


:bandit:

[Sagitta]

I've danced casino with those who have never done it before, or done LA/NY style and they've followed with no problem.... :? :)

[dessaix]

beh i guess i'll keep working on it, it just does'nt work out for me.

practice practice practice ..

[Sagitta]

The thing about casino style is that it is momentum based. This is why I think it isn't that hard to get poeple to follow you. I do change the moves that I do based on whom I'm dancing with, though....

[Vin]

Maybe you need a change of salsa style. Or maybe you need to tone down your repertoire(seriously). As sexy as alot of the cool moves are whenever I felt salsa losing that intimacy I go back to the basic. Alot of it, it really does come back. For this reason I am really starting to like bachata, in fact I know nothing but the basic and I want to keep it that way.
Merengue, what to say about merengue, I am playing with it more but everytime I go out it seems like the songs get faster and faster. I actually see salsa as my fun dance, bachata and cumbia as my intimate dances and merengue as my dance with friends that don't dance salsa dance.

[cocodrilo]

I know how to dance casino very well and enjoy dancing it when my partner knows how to follow it but lately I have been withdrawing more into the Merengue and bachata

I have a thing for close intimate dancing and I have a blast even though i'm not busting complicated dance moves. Salsa just seems so inpersonal lately..

any thoughts? :roll:

Good thing you're getting into merengue & bachata! Nice, completely different styles, good music and a change from salsa. I know where you're coming from as I feel salsa can get a bit "impersonal" at times. All my latin buddies, not my salsa friends, LOVE those dances and dance them every opportunity they get! Some people I know in salsa just worry about the damn steps, what they've LEARNED rather than dancing what they FEEL! Merengue & bachata are so much more basic that it's easy to put your heart into it without worrying about the steps(unless of course you have a problem with keeping the beat!) Have fun! :D

[Sagitta]

I hear you about keeping the merengue songs for anyone. However, I believe that anyone can dance any song. Any follower who just relaxes and let's his/her feet go where they are lead. I've found this to be true and I've danced with many beginners of the "I've never danced in my life" variety. I do admit I compensate for what they miss out on to a certain extent. I'm not too sure what is meant by merengue and bachata being more basic :? The latin motion in bachata can be more intimidating then salsa as you have more time to articulate your body. And I agree about merengues getting faster and faster and faster.

[cocodrilo]

What I was referring to with merengues & bachata being more basic, I simply meant the number of basic steps. To dance salsa with just doing the basic for the entire song would be a complete bore, but it seems to work with bachata numbers(I don't see native latinos turning and twisting all the time through bachatas OR merengues, they are just swaying to the music & enjoying it!)...I picked up merengue after 5 minutes, yet it took me quite a bit longer to get the hang of even the basics of salsa. With the one-two beat, anyone can pick up a merengue and dance it right away. The hip movements can come later, but at least they're able to follow the dance!

[dessaix]

with merengue and bachata u just need to worry about your hip movement and style but there is almost no wrong way to dance it

salsa you have to worry steps and being on the same step as your partner and since it is momentum based if the lady is dancing her own song it becomes an effort to lead her properly although you probably could