The Different Dance Styles of Salsa

• Colombian Salsa is often referred to as Cumbia style. This style of Salsa is easily recognizable, as the patterns are very rotational/circular in nature.
  
  
• Miami style Salsa is somewhat similar to Cumbia style. It is very much a man's dance with various hand movements and hook turns. Very little demand for technique is placed on the follower in terms of spins, footwork or dips, but on the follower's ability to be very relaxed with light and limber arms.
  
  
• Casino Rueda is a dance style that originated from Cuba and has found its way to many cities worldwide. It is a group dance that requires dancers be alert and quick as they respond, in a synchronized fashion, to a designated "caller". This caller, typically a dancer in the group, orchestrates a series of moves using both verbal and hand signals that lead dancers through short combinations, some of which require a change of partner mid-dance. An experienced and knowledgeable Rueda dancer may know anywhere from 150-300 patterns/calls.
  
  
• The New York style and L.A. style are very closely linked. Both styles use the mambo step as a basic and are very slotted/linear in execution. New York has earned a reputation for dancing on "2" (male breaking forward on count "2"), while L.A. style breaks forward on count "1". The main difference is their approach to styling, the ebb and flow of movement. The New York dancers have a more composed, elegant, and smoother look and feel for the dance. The women in particular tend to reveal a sensual quality to express the intricacies of this dance. Unlike the subtle nuances of the New York style dancers, the L.A. dancers would perhaps catch your attention first with their incredible display of explosive and technically challenging roster of tricks. The execution tends to be crisp and sharp with a vivacious appeal. The L.A. men tend to really surpass the basic expectations of a good dancer with jumps, and flips, and spins…it is very fun to watch.

Another component of salsa dance that you will notice that seems to be a "must" for dancers interested in the L.A. and New York styles would be "Shines". In simple terms, shines provides an opportunity to abandon the role of lead/follow and do your own thing! Although the influence of shines may have come from New York, the dancers in L.A. can surely be credited with the evolution of shines in recent years. They bring to this component of Salsa dance concepts in Hip Hop and technical influences from Jazz. A truly dynamic fusion that will keep Salsa dancers challenged for many years to come.

The above are the five major styles of Salsa. While every style has its merits, there is no such thing as the "best" style. There are however personal favorites. It's up to you to decide which style is your favorite. Most Metropolitan cities including Toronto, Chicago, London, etc. have their own styles, which are a slight variation or a combination of the major styles. Indianapolis is behind them for about 5-10 years. We certainly have a lot to catch up.

As a beginner, learning multiple styles from the get-go is not recommended. Concentrating on one style will make you a better dancer faster. Different styles can actually confuse the dancer's timing, which is something beginners have enough problems with already. As an advanced dancer you may want to experiment with different styles, and see what "feels" better. That's when you start developing your own style. Maybe one day there'll be an "Indy style" and people can find us on the Salsa radar. Until then, we need to practice, practice, and more practice. Most importantly, don't forget to have fun dancing! That's what this is all about.