Does Corky Ballas have good salsa technique?

I think it boils down to what do you want your dancing to look like. I started out in a chain ballroom dance school looking to dance salsa. It was not the same thing I saw in the clubs so i left after 4 months of being "coached" to learn Mambo, Rhumba, the Tango, and Samba, the Foxtrot, and the Waltz. That was not what I was looking for. I found a studio that only teaches salsa and I hit the jackpot,but I always find myself referring to some of those ballroom characteristics: frame, sharpness,etc at different points in a dance.
It's like tea: sweetened or unsweetened;lime,peach,or lemon
 
Yeah, Corky is a "god" for ballroom... but Salsa really isn't a ballroom dance (that would be why salsa dancers can always spot a "ballroom salsa" dancer from a mile away)... besides, even if he is dancing Mambo, which is danced on the "2", he is dancing it on the "3"...
 
JennCPL said:
Yeah, Corky is a "god" for ballroom... but Salsa really isn't a ballroom dance (that would be why salsa dancers can always spot a "ballroom salsa" dancer from a mile away)... besides, even if he is dancing Mambo, which is danced on the "2", he is dancing it on the "3"...
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Jenn, welcome to DF!

Not sure what you mean in the last sentence Jenn, maybe you're referring to how the audio and video is out of sync (see Tony's post, post #2)... ? I assure you, as a world champion, Corky Ballas knows the "2" from the "3".

What you say is true--salsa isn't a ballroom dance, and shouldn't be danced as such, and since Mr. Ballas isn't doing salsa in the video, it stands to reason that it will look quite different.

The tone of this thread up until your post has been very positive, especially SD's post where he says this:

SDsalsaguy said:
Very good salsa dancers appreciate what very good ballroom dancers do, just as very good ballroom dancers appreciate what very good salsa dancers do. At the risk of sounding overly harsh, those who say otherwise (from either camp) tend to lack understanding, be insecure, or both.
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When we understand other styles of dance, and what they require to execute properly, it makes us better dancers, or at the very least, it expands our exposure to what else is out there, instead of keeping us in "tunnel vision" mode where we only see OUR style as good or valid. You seem to show that you have a pretty limited exposure to ballroom dancing when you talk about how 'easy it is to spot a ballroom salsa dancer.' Perhaps you could tell us the "correct" way to dance salsa, or even better, post a video of your own to "show us how it's done"?! I would love to see it... :-)
 
JennCPL said:
but Salsa really isn't a ballroom dance (that would be why salsa dancers can always spot a "ballroom salsa" dancer from a mile away)... besides, even if he is dancing Mambo, which is danced on the "2", he is dancing it on the "3"...
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Just to inform you ALL Salsa IS Mambo-- but not ALL Mambo is Salsa.

As much as " 3 " is concerned-- many, many P.Ricans break on 3---ya know -- the" people" that are given credit for its development , musically speaking, among other things .
And by the way-- salsa dancers can spot etc ?--- I.m B/room trained for longer than you care to know-- but in the Latino clubs in which I danced for multi yrs-- everyone, just about, thought I was Cuban ( no -- I dont look cuban, its my dance style ) and many always spoke to me in spanish !
 
Josh said:
Jenn, welcome to DF!

Not sure what you mean in the last sentence Jenn, maybe you're referring to how the audio and video is out of sync (see Tony's post, post #2)... ? I assure you, as a world champion, Corky Ballas knows the "2" from the "3".

What you say is true--salsa isn't a ballroom dance, and shouldn't be danced as such, and since Mr. Ballas isn't doing salsa in the video, it stands to reason that it will look quite different.

The tone of this thread up until your post has been very positive, especially SD's post where he says this:



When we understand other styles of dance, and what they require to execute properly, it makes us better dancers, or at the very least, it expands our exposure to what else is out there, instead of keeping us in "tunnel vision" mode where we only see OUR style as good or valid. You seem to show that you have a pretty limited exposure to ballroom dancing when you talk about how 'easy it is to spot a ballroom salsa dancer.' Perhaps you could tell us the "correct" way to dance salsa, or even better, post a video of your own to "show us how it's done"?! I would love to see it... :-)
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I apologize for the video counting, I found another video on google of the same video clip and the timing was perfect.

Actually, it's funny how you say that, because I love ballroom dancing, and I have been doing Ballroom dancing 5 times longer than I have been doing salsa dancing. I dance salsa On1, On2, Cuban style, street style, and I also know the syllabus of steps for salsa usually taught in the ballroom studios... If I go to a ballroom studio, I will happily dance Mambo.... but what I don't like is ballroom studios marketing what they teach as great for the clubs, because its not. It's a different atmosphere. Their technique and movement may look very nice in a large ballroom, but he/she will likely step on a lot of people in a salsa club, and probably make a lot of dancers upset. I think this is one of the main reasons that club salsa dancers tend to dislike ballroom salsa dancers... at least it's one complaint that I hear a lot of in my city...
 
JennCPL said:
but he/she will likely step on a lot of people in a salsa club, and probably make a lot of dancers upset. I think this is one of the main reasons that club salsa dancers tend to dislike ballroom salsa dancers... at least it's one complaint that I hear a lot of in my city...
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I see what you mean, and yes, this can be a problem!
 
Josh said:
Come on TT, that's quite a generalization... true in a lot of cases, but I think how much space someone takes up has far more to do with the person than the style.
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Josh-- , its more the norm than not .-- can only go by my experience .
 
Josh said:
Again, I'll reiterate though that it would be unfortunate for a salsa dancer to not incorporate some of the basic technique involved here, despite their opinion of the overall look, as it can drastically improve their dancing without in any way making it less "fluid"...
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Musique said:
But the girl has amazing legs. Her leg and foot action is ten times more interesting than those endless are-you-bored-yet turns.
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I loved the foot/leg action! Sadly, I see advanced/"professional" salsa teachers whose leg action or various stances look ugly, even when doing turns, at speed.

Even if the basic technique did not improve a salsa dancer's dancing, it would certainly improve how they look out there.
 
dance234 said:
There is no such thing as a perfect basic in a social dance. Not to say there aren't better and worse versions.

If you're looking for a model of someone who has the intellectual and physical ability+training found in the ballroom world, has very good teaching ability, and retains a foot in the social world, I would refer you locally (NYC area) to Jose Decamps. Cheaper and more available, Edgar Osorio.
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Yeah! Corcky is teaching perfectly by the book. Very good. When you see Jose or Edgar social dance it looks like they eat salseros for breakfast.
 
I think yes, maybe for the "nightclub" salsa folks, Corky is over dancing... and using more of the Ballroom technique that focuses on very precise movements... Where as the street/nightclub style is a bit more relaxed.

Plus, he is not talking about technique at all... he's just showing the basic Salsa/Mambo step and showing it correctly!
 
Corky was a champion International Latin dancer. International Latin technique is not the technique I prefer in Mambo dancing. For example, Corky's leg action has such a knee straightening, especially on the front step. I prefer Mambo technique as taught by prominent American Rhythm champions such as Jose Decamps or Tony Dovolani. International Latin technique has purged much of the original afro-cuban movement and style. American Rhythm has retained much of it.
 
I'm trying to find authoritative information on how to dance the salsa basic with perfect technique.
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The perfect salsa basic/dancer is very subjective and is also to be held within context. I prefer (to watch) a certain type of salsa dancer at the clubs, but prefer a different type of salsa dancer in comps/exhibitions. When out club dancing, my daughter really enjoys the great club salseros (with no b/l training), but when it comes to comps and exhibition, she prefers partners that have at least some ballroom/latin training.
Happy New Year, everyone.
 
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