Cross-over between latin ballroom and salsa

[hopelessly_addicted]

Below is a question I have PMed SalsaWinnigeg after reading one of his posts regarding his history of dancing ballroom for 15 years and now only dancing salsa.

My exposure to salsa initiated from taking group Latin ballroom classes
4 months ago. I still go to those classes and have just started a private for salsa (the teacher dances more of cuban style). Heard from a person who's been dancing 3 years (Latin ballroom) that cross-over between ballroom and salsa is very hard and suggested that I should choose one or the other. Is that a fair suggestion?

Since I am a beginner in social dancing (or any kind of dancing in fact) and I have fun dancing both style, I'm in dillema... Would really appreciate an advice!

*SalsaWinnigeg responded:
First of all you shouldn't hesitate to ask this question in the forum, I'm sure you would get a lot of great advice from people there. You can just start a new topic in Salsa section, I'm sure many people would like to know answer to very same question you have.

Now back to your question...
It's a little hard for me to answer it.. I never really was in your exact situation, I danced ballroom for 15 years before trying Salsa, and my perspective now might be somewhat biased. Your friend is somewhat right.. It's not easy to cross-over from ballroom to Salsa, but only if you've been dancing ballroom for many years (like your friend or me). However, if you just started both (like you did), it should be relatively painless, in fact, if you're paying careful attention you'll be able to recognize major differences (and there are quite a few) in lead, posture, styling, etc. This should make you a better dancer in the end and give you your unique style. So I guess the answer is, no, you don't have to pick one or another, do both, in fact, do more different styles if you want (west coast, argentine tango, lindi-hop) if you like them. At some point you might have to concentrate on one of them if you decide to pursue it very seriously and practice 7 days a week. For now, however, you can safely enjoy both.

So.. what do you guys think? Thanks for the advice SalsaWinnigeg! Hope you don't mind me posting your reply

 

[Sagitta]

I don't see an issue with doing both ballroom and street latin. The important thing is to find what works for you. As SW said being able to do both has the advantage of being versatile.

Let me share the differences that I personally feel betwen ballroom and street latin. To me doing ballroom latin makes me feel competitive, like showing off. I don't get the same connection to the music that I do when I do street style and so for latin I don't really do ballroom. On the other hand I have incorporated some ballroom styling into my street latin now and then and have done the same between ballroom and social waltz in the past. To em it is about feeling. What images come to my mind and how I use that in my dance. Street I feel at home while ballroom I feel I am outside somewhere.

 

[hopelessly_addicted]

Let me share the differences that I personally feel betwen ballroom and street latin. To me doing ballroom latin makes me feel competitive, like showing off. I don't get the same connection to the music that I do when I do street style and so for latin I don't really do ballroom. On the other hand I have incorporated some ballroom styling into my street latin now and then and have done the same between ballroom and social waltz in the past. To em it is about feeling. What images come to my mind and how I use that in my dance. Street I feel at home while ballroom I feel I am outside somewhere.

I totally agree on what you just said. Ballroom is definately more show-offy but then agan isn't LA style quite a bit like that as well? I was first shocked to see instructors dancing LA style in club at first. The moves were very eclectic and attention grabbing.

Another reason for asking the above question was that, I find it hard to keep Latin and salsa separate.. for example, in my "Street latin" class (which is more akin to latin ballroom), some of the songs my teacher uses are the same as ones that club goers would dance salsa to, and so when I hear these songs, I just forget that I'm in a "street latin" class and start dancing like I'd do in clubs (my street latin teacher puts emphasis on having straight legs with knees locked whereas that's a big no-no according to my private teacher who dances cuban style)...

 

[delamusica]

I've been dancing int'l latin for a long time and just decided to dive into salsa a few weeks ago (everybody here just made it sound like so much fun . . . :wink: ), and personally I haven't had any major problems. I just have to go in with a mindset of being really ready to adjust to what all the "real" salsa dancers are doing. Of course, I'm not taking salsa lessons, so that might make a difference . . .

 

[Sagitta]

Let me share the differences that I personally feel betwen ballroom and street latin. To me doing ballroom latin makes me feel competitive, like showing off. I don't get the same connection to the music that I do when I do street style and so for latin I don't really do ballroom. On the other hand I have incorporated some ballroom styling into my street latin now and then and have done the same between ballroom and social waltz in the past. To em it is about feeling. What images come to my mind and how I use that in my dance. Street I feel at home while ballroom I feel I am outside somewhere.

I totally agree on what you just said. Ballroom is definately more show-offy but then agan isn't LA style quite a bit like that as well? I was first shocked to see instructors dancing LA style in club at first. The moves were very eclectic and attention grabbing.

Another reason for asking the above question was that, I find it hard to keep Latin and salsa separate.. for example, in my "Street latin" class (which is more akin to latin ballroom), some of the songs my teacher uses are the same as ones that club goers would dance salsa to, and so when I hear these songs, I just forget that I'm in a "street latin" class and start dancing like I'd do in clubs (my street latin teacher puts emphasis on having straight legs with knees locked whereas that's a big no-no according to my private teacher who dances cuban style)...

Again it depends on your reason for dancing, what street style you use, and even how your personality fits within the dance. I am not the show-off type and I don't really like LA style. My dancing style is more circular. I can dance a whole song doing the basic if I don't think that a follower will get bored. To me there are an infinite ways of expressing yourself by matching the music, doing just the basic. But that's me. I must say though that many people enjoy watching me dance when I am in the groove, so there must be something to what I do. I guess.

As for the locking knee thing I don't think that anything of mine is locked, at all. (Well my upper body is still a little stiff...)

 

[MacMoto]

My exposure to salsa initiated from taking group Latin ballroom classes
4 months ago. I still go to those classes and have just started a private for salsa (the teacher dances more of cuban style). Heard from a person who's been dancing 3 years (Latin ballroom) that cross-over between ballroom and salsa is very hard and suggested that I should choose one or the other. Is that a fair suggestion?

If you enjoy both, I don't see why you shouldn't or can't do both. You just have to be careful not to mix the two -- it may slow your progress at first, but I think it can be done. Once you have gained enough experience in both dances, you will be in a better position to decide if you can keep both up or need to drop in order to focus on the other.

Another reason for asking the above question was that, I find it hard to keep Latin and salsa separate.. for example, in my "Street latin" class (which is more akin to latin ballroom), some of the songs my teacher uses are the same as ones that club goers would dance salsa to, and so when I hear these songs, I just forget that I'm in a "street latin" class and start dancing like I'd do in clubs (my street latin teacher puts emphasis on having straight legs with knees locked whereas that's a big no-no according to my private teacher who dances cuban style)...

I dance LA and Cuban style salsa, which use different techniques, and mixing the two styles up has been a problem for me. You need to learn what you are required to do in each style and learn to switch between them instead of doing something halfway inbetween. You may need to exaggerate the differences somewhat at first. You also need to develop sensitivity to the lead of each style so you recognise and respond to it quickly. The problem of songs confusing you should disappear once you've learned this.

 

[squirrel]

Well, I agree to the above. Why not do both? Learn and dance ballroom in the specifical ballroom manner, with the proper lead, connection, frame, posute etc... and while you are dancingm socially, just adjust to the street style... it might not be so easy at the beginning, but you'll learn how to make the "passing"...
I have a friend, she's a ballroom dancer, first she competed in Int'l Smooth, then in Int'l Rhythm (currently) and she confessed she had problems adjusting at first, but now it is ok...

 

[SDsalsaguy]

I have a friend, she's a ballroom dancer, first she competed in Int'l Smooth, then in Int'l Rhythm (currently)...

Ummm, don't you mean Int'l Ballroom/Standard/Modern (before) and Int'l Latin (now)? Smooth and Rhythm are the American style counterparts to these two divisions but Smooth and Rhythm are definately *not* Int'l style... :?

 

[squirrel]

I guess I am ... as I am not into ballroom (and know practically nothing about it, except for the contests and shows that I saw) I am not familiar with the terms... thanks for correcting my mistake! :roll: :roll:

 

[SalsaWinnipeg]

I see you followed my advice and posted your question, hopelessly_addicted. Like I thought lots of great responses. This site is a really good resource for dancers.

 

[Sagitta]

I see you followed my advice and posted your question, hopelessly_addicted. Like I thought lots of great responses. This site is a really good resource for dancers.

And friendly too, so one should never hesitate, no matter how silly, or simple, or stupid, or... you may think it is...

 

[Tasek]

I do both ballroom and salsa (though much more salsa than ballroom), and there are definately similarities between the two that you can take advantage of when you cross over, things like frame, lead/follow dynamics, balance and much more.
However there are also some clear distinctions which you have to consider, the biggest one can be best explained when you look at how the different dances evolved, ballroom comes from a long and formal background and there you are striving to achieve certain set goals with regard to posture, stance, lines, movement in the different dances. Salsa is a 'street' dance which has no such standards to achieve and what you are striving for in salsa is a very dynamic partnership and high musical interpretation. There are also some small technical differences between the differences but those shouldn't be very difficult to deal with experience.
So most important is to remember that both dances strive for something different, and as long as you can make the mental switch between the two when you're dancing you should be fine.

 

[etchuck]

You should not fear doing club salsa with your ballroom. The one thing that may be different is the aspect of frame (to me), but salsa certainly is more "liberating" to me when I dance it. Not that I can't be so liberated with Latin or Standard either...

But I think Latin and salsa have a lot in common. More reason to practice your hip motion and the tightness of spins. If you decide to do American rhythm, the salsa steps will help tremendously with mambo.

I will also agree, ballroom/Latin has the advantage of having people get used to "performing" should you decide to go that way (i.e., competitions). Salsa doesn't do that quite as much. Swing does to an extent.