What is the difference btwn Salsa and Latin dancing?

Question

For college I am trying to figure out which gym class to take and the options include 'Latin Dancing' and 'Intermediate Salsa'. Is there a difference between Salsa and Latin dancing???

thanks in advance. :)

Answer 1

Salsa dancing is danced with some formal structure but allows a lot of improvisation. It is based on music that was developed in Caribbean countries of the western hemisphere and has 4/4 timing or 8 beats that are repeated. When a person dances Salsa they should be dancing on 6 of the 8 beats because two of the beats are holds (pauses). There are various patterns and moves to the dance and an intermediate course could mean different things depending on the teacher.

I would guess that the Latin Dancing class would probably teach you a little bit of Bachata, Merengue, Cha Cha, Salsa, maybe Cumbia and Tango. Both classes sound like a whole bunch of fun!!!  As another example, Merengue has a two-beat count, like marching 1,2, 1,2, ...

If you don't know much about any of the dances, maybe you would enjoy the Latin Dancing course first and then later you could move into a high-beginners course of Salsa. You should check out my homepage for Salsa, it has a lot of good links, check also my youtube group page:  www.jaxsalseros.com ;-)

Answer 2

Tito Puente once said, "Salsa is what you eat." But what he was referring to was that New York, on-two salsa is almost indistinguishable from mambo.

In American-style ballroom dancing, there are five major "rhythm" dances: mambo, rumba, bolero, (eastern) swing, and cha cha. Typically, others, such as samba and (western, or west-coast) swing are also taught.

In International style ballroom, there are five "Latin" dances, one of which (jive) isn't latin at all. The other four are: rumba (totally different from the American ballroom rumba), cha cha, samba, and paso doble. Again, other "social" dances, including mambo, may be taught as well.

Note that tango is classified as "smooth" in the American ballroom syllabus and "standard" in the International style, and Argentine tango is a totally different social dance, so it doesn't appear in any of the lists.

Confusing enough?

I assume you have no background at all, but that the "intermediate salsa" class will allow beginners. That can be a fun option, but if you take the Latin class, you'll learn several dances, and from that learning you'll be able to dance salsa as well.

Answer 3

Latin dance is a typr of dance associated with a culture. "The Salsa" is actually the name of a particular dance. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

International latin is whats competed world wide at ballroom competitions, it includes the dances.... Cha cha, rumba, samba, paso doble & jive. However the latin they are referring to may not be international latin, it could be more club latin or street latin, if so the type of dances would be the bachata, merengue etc

Salsa is pretty much a whole different style, there are salsa competitions out there, but in salsa you dance just one style. But in latin you dance a few different styles

International latin: http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=hIdJh7ztre...

Street latin: http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=dPwIsTanhz...

Salsa: http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=0w84Xb9xCC...

Hope this has been helpful!!! :o)

Answer 5

Latin dancing is a more general term. salsa dancing is a type latin dancing!

Answer 6

one is a food the other is a dance.... no not really salsa isn't a free of a dance