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Social Dancing - Latin

coolpajames — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 11:07:22 +0800

History of Salsa Dance and Music

Salsa is not easily defined. What is Salsa? A sauce, a recipe, a dance? Who invented salsa? The Cubans, Puerto Ricans? Salsa is a distillation of many Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances. Each played a large part in its evolution.

Salsa is similar to Mambo in that both have a pattern of six steps danced over eight counts of music. The dances share many of the same moves. In Salsa, turns have become an important feature, so the overall look and feel are quite different form those of Mambo. Mambo moves generally forward and backward, whereas, Salsa has more of a side to side feel.

It is not only Cuban; nevertheless we must give credit to Cuba for the origin and ancestry of creation. It is here where Contra-Danze (Country Dance) of England/France, later called Danzón, which was brought by the French who fled from Haiti, begins to mix itself with Rhumbas of African origin (Guaguanco, Colombia, Yambú). Add Són of the Cuban people, which was a mixture of the Spanish troubadour (sonero) and the African drumbeats and flavora and a partner dance flowered to the beat of the clave.

This syncretism also occurred in smaller degrees and with variations in other countries like the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Puerto Rico, among others. Bands of these countries took their music to Mexico City in the era of the famous films of that country (Perez Prado, most famous ...). Shortly after, a similar movement to New York occurred. In these two cities, more promotion and syncretism occurred and more commercial music was generated because there was more investment.

New York created the term "Salsa", but it did not create the dance. The term became popular as nickname to refer to a variety of different music, from several countries of Hispanic influence: Rhumba, Són Montuno, Guaracha, Mambo, Cha cha cha, Danzón, Són, Guguanco, Cubop, Guajira, Charanga, Cumbia, Plena, Bomba, Festejo, Merengue, among others. Many of these have maintained their individuality and many were mixed creating "Salsa".

If you are listening to today's Salsa, you are going to find the base of són, and you are going to hear Cumbia, and you are going to hear Guaracha. You will also hear some old Merengue, built-in the rhythm of different songs. You will hear many of the old styles somewhere within the modern beats. Salsa varies from site to site. In New York, for example, new instrumentalization and extra percussion were added to some Colombian songs so that New Yorkers - that dance mambo "on the two" - can feel comfortable dancing to the rhythm and beat of the song, because the original arrangement is not one they easily recognize.

This is called "finishing", to enter the local market. This "finish" does not occur because the Colombian does not play Salsa, but it does not play to the rhythm of the Puerto Rican/Post-Cuban Salsa. I say Post-Cuban, because the music of Cuba has evolved towards another new and equally flavorful sound.

Then, as a tree, Salsa has many roots and many branches, but one trunk that unites us all. The important thing is that Salsa is played throughout the Hispanic world and has received influences of many places within it. It is of all of us and it is a sample of our flexibility and evolution. If you think that a single place can take the credit for the existence of Salsa, you are wrong. And if you think that one style of dance is better, imagine that the best dancer of a style, without his partner, goes to dance with whomever he can find, in a club where a different style predominates. He wouldn't look as good as the locals. Each dancer is accustomed to dance his/her own style. None is better, only different. Viva la variedad, Viva la Salsa! (Long Live Variety! Long Live Salsa!)

To those who are still new to Salsa, here's how it's done: -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86WY8KNe3YE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajVMhI747a4

[addedon]March 21, 2011, 4:39 pm[/addedon]History of Bachata Dance

Bachata a lovers dance, yet you do not need to have a lover to be dancing it. This dance is for those who is thicked skinned to look good, feel good and be good on the dance floor with anyone.

Bachata started off in the Dominican Republic where it was dance by the lower society and later was banned by the higher society as it was not a very reputable dance. Then one singer, Juan luiz Guerra started recording albums for Bachata it became acceptable internationally and had since took the world by storm.

I was one who liked to dance and was quiet reserved on what to learn. I used to frequent clubs and did free styling eventhough I was never really good at it. Then it started, I started taking up classes for Salsa and Bachata and found out that the ladies appreciate a guy who can dance and has not other motives other then just to enjoy the dance.

Through the journey I competed, performed, and then started sharing my passion and knowledge of the dance to all who are interested.

Bachata is simple to learn yet to master it you will have to put a lot of work into it. By understanding the fundamentals of the men being the Frame, providing the lead to the ladies the lead for them to SHINE. As my instructor always reminds me, "It's not What you do that matters, it is HOW you do it."

The other things one can learn from dancing will be leadership and teamwork. Where there can only be one leader in the team to make a dance stand out. Another point would be communication, clear communication. In the leading of a dance the leader would need to give clear and precise signals and leads for the follower to execute the dance and the follower will need to 'listen' to those signals and leads in order to have a great dance experience. Not just for themselves, but for those who are looking.

Dancing is now longer just a sport or just a pass time it is where we can learn life's lessons and use it in our everyday life to better ourselves.

To those who are still new to Salsa, here's how it's done: -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cehkSxOLNA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnnaJDA2-TI

[addedon]March 31, 2011, 9:45 am[/addedon]There's a party happening in Ampang, Dance V Me Academy this Friday from 8pm onwards.
There will be an intro class on Bachata, admission is free. Let's go guys!

Savings Options

coolpajames — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:02:53 +0800

Hey guys,

Seeing that nowadays we are facing savings issues: -
1. Don't save
2. Can't save
3. Is this the best interest rates to save

Would like to explore on what are the best savings options there are out there in the market and their mechanics, be it FD, Insurance or any other that I don't know of. Please focus on savings in the discussions as investment is a totally different ball game of making money rather then savings.

This is a sharing session, whereby it is for information only and non malicious to any industry or brand names. So please be free to share your knowledge.

I checked out, that there are a few: -

Sukup (??) lock in 3 years for 5% (annual or monthly?)

Public Bank's FD 4.88% interest returns - which i found it was more of a few bumps in the contract year of the FD. where mostly it's at 2.5% only and every 3rd month it will be raised till it reaches 4.88%. would say it stands averagely at 3%?

PruCash - in essence one gets 25% of what they have put in every 2 years and at the end of the contracted term receives a total payout of more then what has been put in. some what a 30 years endowment plan

Manulife - in essence about the same as pru cash but only pay 10 years and the contract will continue till one is 80 years old. one will only get the +/- 25% returns from year 10 onwards

HLA - is essence about the same as manulife but pay 12 years and start getting the returns from year 13, last till 85 year old.

Any others I missed out.

Salsa and Bachata

coolpajames — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:26:15 +0800

Hi Guys,

Sorry long time no post. Cos m now into Salsa and Bachata and wanted to ask any1 interested to join for classes?????

Salsa new classes for December (TBC)
Bachata classes are every Thursday 9.30pm
Bachazouk classes are every Friday 9.30pm

Classes are at Joyclub Dance Acabemy
Joyclub Dance Academy
No30A Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 1
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
60000 Kuala Lumpur

It is located above the Kodak Shop, in between Secret Recipe and Shakey’s Pizza

Or you can contact Me 016-2256386 or Jaxen at 012-3052847.

Both are social dances that you can dance anywhere as there are loads of Salsa clubs in town. Salsa is fun and if you know how to do it then it's sensual. For Bachata, only thing I can manage to explain about it is the songs revolves around either 'getting into' or 'getting out of' love the style I'm learning is very sensual and extremely different in Malaysia as we are the only studio doing this style.

[addedon]December 3, 2008, 5:04 pm[/addedon]Hi guys there will be FREE CLASSES for both Salsa and Bachata on 5th and 17th December 2008 at 8.30pm at the same place. Come and learn how to set the dance floor on fire!

Malaysian GoD Service

coolpajames — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 17:05:38 +0800

Too all you PC GAMERS who didn't wanna believe when i told you all earlier that I heard news that Malaysia will have their very own Games on Demand service go to

http://www.jumboplay.com.my/
and to make things better...it's only RM 19.99 a month.

This is legal and CHEAPER then buying pirated or even original CD/DVD. Ok la there are old games but so what, some of us still has 1st generation PC (ME!! ) and only RM 19.99 wat's there to loose rite....like u go waste parents money on 1 stupid cup of star bucks coffee when u get better price and quality from ur kopitiam...

Am having a ball playing Age of Empires II all over again, as well as Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time...cos can't find the CDs d.... :'(