What’s in a good practice song?
Check out this blog post – http://www.pasodancestudios.com/2011/09/how-to-select-practice-music/

What Should I Do at Home?

Practice walking to music, plain and simple. The basic steps you learn in class need to–

1. Be on beat (Cuban or NY ON2)
2.  Feel great
3.  Look great

The action of walking to Salsa music is the atom from which the molecules of your dance will be formed.

Your walking action needs to be reflexive.

If your basic steps still require conscious effort, it’s best you get to practicing, because you ain’t quite ready for the big leagues.

NY Salsa Song List (Songs in no particular order of preference)

Smooth, elegant, with just a touch of funk to underscore that classic 70s Puerto Rican sound.

A good NY Salsa piece has very clean, easy to follow percussion, with a consistent bass line and full jazz sound to complement the smooth, powerful movements of the NY Style of Salsa dance. 

1.    Acid – Ray Barretto
2.   Arroz con Habichuela – El Gran Combo
3.   Yamulemau – Joe Arroyo
4.   Indestructible – Ray Barretto
5.   La Esencia del Guaguanco  – Johnny Pacheco
6.   Hong Kong Mambo – Tito Puente
7.  Aguanta La Lengua – Joe Baatan
8.  Linda Guajira – Mongo Santamari
9.  Con Mana Si – Sonora Poncena
10. Rompe Saraguey  – Hector Lavoe
    

Cuban Salsa Song List (Songs in no particular order of preference)

From the classic Son, to the modern day Timba, a good Cuban song takes your body hostage and compels it to move in ways that even you may not have known were possible.

The range of sound of Cuban music is as varied as the dances that come from the island itself. This list is by far only a smidgeon of what’s out there.

1.   Somos el Son de Cuba – Adalberto Alvarez
2.   Que Le Den Candela – Los Van Van
3.  Tabu – Leocuona
4.  El Carretero  – Guillermo Portabales
5.  Yay Boy – Africando
6.   Dacefo – Africando
7.  Guajira a Blanca – Bebo Valdes
8. Ya lo Se – Calle Real
9.  El Momento – Calle Real
10.  Locos por Mi Habana – Manolito Simonet

Afro-Cuban Warm-Up Song List

1. 1.       Download any song by Los Munequitos de Mantanzas

Interchangeability of Songs

There are plenty of NY Salsa pieces that make good Cuban practice songs and vice versa. When it comes to art and expression, nothing is set in stone. With that being said, many NY pieces make good all-around practice songs due to their relative simplicity when compared with the modern Cuban sound.

So feel free to mix and match from both lists when creating your personal practice list.

When facilitators use icebreaker at workshops, they use it for a purpose. They want to break the ice of the awkwardness, nervousness in the room and bring the best out of people by creating some sort of “surprising/refreshing” experience.

Have you experienced this before?

It may not seem pleasant at first but once you complete the activity, you realize that you enjoyed it more than you had expected, right? You feel more comfortable and relaxed afterward.

Applying this to dancing. Going to dance socials and live music events can be intimidating and nerve-racking, especially the first couple of times for many of us. It’s normal! We all experience this.

BUT! After you go through the “surprising/refreshing” experience(s), you will find yourself enjoying the socials more and more, each time you go.
What’s the trick? 

1. Make friends with the people at socials and events
2. Go out with your salsa friends from class and ask them to introduce you to their friends

The more people you know, the more comfortable you will be dancing on the dance floor.

Well, last time I checked, the cheapest way to purchase confidence is through repetition of movement.

This doesnt cost too much, so think twice before purchasing that 20 CD “Personal Power” set by Tony Robbins and wait until my book comes out and buy that instead.

But seriously leads, that feeling of confidence you are looking for is nothing more that faith in yourself.

This faith can come about two ways. The first way is blind faith. This is an extremely powerful thing and if your belief in yourself could pass a polygraph, you are all set. Unfortunately, this type of faith is extremely difficult to master. There is another type of faith based on experience. This faith takes dumb repetition. You have faith in gravity because you see it work everyday, you experience it, and you know its there.

Faith in your lead requires nothing more than doing it enough times until the point of reliance. From here, things will magically start to “work” more often. The more faith, the more lead. The more lead, the more faith. The more the more, the less the less.

Bottom line. Put your time in and worry about nothing. Don’t fret, it has no choice but to come. Its only a matter of time. You can’t change this.

And if you want a shortcut, repeat what you learned more often.

In summary, withhold all opinions of your movements until you have executed them a few hundred times in a row. Then come and talk to me.

To make a long story short, albeit oversimplified, select music that you enjoy listening to. This is of first and foremost importance, as often times we forget the enjoyment factor when either dancing, or listening to music.

The problem with putting enjoyment second, is that enjoyment and proficiency are quite intimate. In fact, they share the same bed quite happily.

Not that you can’t become good at something you don’t completely enjoy, but trust me when I say that there is no way in hell you will reach your maximum capability if on some level, you are not in love with what you are doing.

So…we want to be mindful about what Salsa music represents to us. If only a series of beats to help keep your steps on track, you are missing out, not only on fulfillment, but your own pure POTENTIAL as a dancer.

With that understanding out of the way, and internalized, let’s look at a few more technical factors in choosing music for our own personal  practice.

1. Enjoyment

Do I like the damn song? If not, just skip it. Keep your .99 cents for something that you appreciate on an artistic level.

2. Speed

Cha-Cha-Cha works well for getting warmed up and for developing the base technique underneath movements. If walking to a song makes you feel as if you are fast walking on a treadmill, you might want to shelf it. 140-160 beat per minute tends to be a good speed for smooth practice. Later, as your technique is solidified, you might want to get into the 190-200 range to burn your movement into reflex.

3. Complexity of Arrangement

Is the song so complex with irregularity and improvisation, that you have a hard time matching up to the beat? Smooth and steady is good when practicing new movements. Clean changes in the pattern of the song that are easy to follow can be fun. If the beat ‘changes’ too much and too often, you might wanna try something a bit simpler.

4. Instrumental Clarity 

Can you make out the double tones? Cowbell? Are the sounds of the each instrument distinct and clear?

Is the vocalist pouring sappy love lyrics all over the song, or is it a breakdown jam session that makes you want to move? Some songs have very clear elements that new dancers can latch on to, like the cowbell, conga or Clave. If the sound is too muddy or too dense rhythmically, you might want to move on.

5. Clave

Awesome when you can hear it. If not, don’t worry, it’s implied by everything else. If you don’t give a fart about implying Clave but want to hear it explicitly try some Cuban Son music, many if not most Son tracks have an audible 2-3 Son Clave.

6. Audio Quality 

Does it sound like it came fresh off of one of your grandpa’s LPs? Some songs were recorded way back in the days, and if a particular song sounds about as clear as IRS tax code, you might want to think twice.

Exceptions, Exceptions

Check this out. You can more or less poop on pretty much everything I just said if you really enjoy the song, period. Your enjoyment has the power to cancel out any problems, and your body and ear will simply adjust and step up their game.

There are incredible songs that break every one of the beginner library guidelines that I mentioned above.

And on another note, the more advanced you become as a dancer, the easier you tend to become bored with music. You will tend to crave a heavier more complex sound that caters to your now more highly developed ear and dancer’s intuition.

Artists That Rock for New Dancers

Despite what your girlfriend said, you can have your cake and eat it too. There are orchestras that are artistically compelling, while at the same time, awesome for beginner’s ears.

Here are my top six–

1. Africando 

2. La Sonora Poncena

3. Adalberto Alvarez

4. El Gran Combo

5. La Excelencia

6. Grupo Niche

And when you are ready to get a bit more sick with it–

1. NG La Banda

2. Maraca

3. Los Van Van

4. **Salsa Dura Era of 70s (To include Willie Colon, Ray Barretto, Cheo Feliciano, Tito Puente, and a slew of others from this Golden age of Puerto Rican Music)

5. Tiempo Libre

6. Maykel Blanco

I love watching you grow.

Extracting every bit of possibility from those who walk through our studio doors, gives me a sense of fulfillment and purpose.

Sometimes it’s funny to note the differences in the viewpoint of the dance instructor versus the dance student.

You see the seed. I see the tree.

You see your current stage. I could care less about the current stage, and ignore it almost completely. If you’ve grown enough trees in your lifetime, you know that there is a process which is as beautiful as it is infallible, and that is the process of natural growth.

Our approach is based on the belief that dance is already within you. We see you much farther along than you tend to see yourself. It’s just experience.

When you’ve grown enough trees, you trust in the process.

With the right learning progression and delivery of material, anyone can not only learn to dance, but enjoy it, and in some way, add a measure of improvement to their life.

Many of you who took your first steps at Paso can attest to the degree that social dance has enriched your lives, adding confidence, new friends, and at times…sanity.

What we do here at Paso, works. We set up the right conditions, and we let nature take its course.

The result?

Seeds into trees.

Read this article, “Play at Your Peak”,  from Yogajournal.com: http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/2657?page=2.

It’s four pages or so, but will give you tremendous insight into how Yoga can bring out the top performer (oak tree) that lies within you.

After that, go take a Yoga class. I love Sommer and Paul’s classes down at Triangle Yoga..they rock.

inside the acorn lies the oak tree

You can’t see, smell, taste, or feel that towering oak tree inside of the acorn.

According to any of your conventional senses, the oak tree doesn’t exist. You can break open the acorn and search until your face turns blue, but you won’t find it anywhere.

But the potential is there. And given nourishment, it will become an oak tree.

No belief is needed. Oak grows from acorn. Without hoping or wishing, it just does.

With the right conditions, growth is more or less imminent. Practice dancing, and you will grow. Enjoy dancing at an even deeper level and you will grow much faster.

From a beginner dancer to a proficient dancer, you are the same fundamental being from the moment you walked into the studio.

It’s never a matter of whether or not you can become an incredible dancer, but whether or not you are going to allow yourself exposure to the right conditions, so that you may realize what was already there.

What are we seeing?

In class, spend a good amount of time looking at ourselves in that huge mirror.

And as we align our bodies, check our posture, we look into the mirror. We see ourselves.

Maybe a little hunched over, maybe not. Tailbone sticking out or tucked in?

Sometimes it’s difficult, as human beings to truly ‘see’ our alignment when we are so used to walking and moving through the world in that very way.

In this week’s newsletter, I included the basic alignment checklist, with the benefits that an aligned body has to offer, such as improved circulation, breathing, and well-being.

Posture awareness is the key.

Check yourself when you are sitting in front of the computer, watching TV, washing dishes etc, and remember that proper alignment of the body in dance class should be a continuation of your own daily habits.

This ensures a natural appearance to go along with those smooth dance moves.

We’ve all heard everyone from our moms to The New York Times sing yoga’s praises. Fortunately, all this fad-y nonsense about yoga and deep breathing isn’t just, well, nonsense. Mom’s up to something when she says you ought to give it a try to improve your dancing.

Physical Benefits of Yoga for Dancers

With regular practice, yoga can improve flexibility, posture, balance, strength, and breathing. These are especially beneficial to dancers, who rely on all of these things not only in the classroom but also on stage and in contests.

Common yogic sequences like Sun Salutation, which incorporates deep breathing with flowing poses, allows dancers to stretch and warm up safely. Sun Salutation is particularly dynamic, raising the heart rate and improving circulation. Standing asanas (yoga poses) require balance and confidence and are therefore extremely beneficial for building leg strength. Meanwhile, seated asanas can stretch hamstrings and hips while strengthening the core, making them particularly good ingredients in cool-down routines.

Mental Benefits of Yoga for Dancers

It shouldn’t surprise any dancer to hear that regular yoga sessions would augment his or her art form. Less considered, however, is yoga’s ability to boost mental and physical confidence as well as connectedness with one’s body.

Yoga, by its very Sanskrit translation, points to psychological clarity. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a text dating back to 500 C.E., yoga is defined as “the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind,” as freedom from our daily anxieties and insecurities.

It’s only too easy for dancers to bring stress from work or school into a class. Moreover, due to the aesthetic nature of dance, many practitioners may be plagued by physical standards they struggle to meet, both in performance and in the mirror. Yoga allows us to appreciate our bodies for what they are, to appreciate the strength felt during a pose rather than how we look doing it. Yoga allows us to be present and connect with our bodies rather than judge them. This kind of confidence, as we all know, improves performance and makes the very act of dancing a lot more enjoyable.

Yoga Poses for Dancers

You may consider renting a yoga DVD, attending a class, or asking your instructor to incorporate yoga into warm-up and cool-down routines. The following asanas are especially beneficial to dancers.

· Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) opens your hips and lengthens your spine. Dancers who perform hip figure eights and isolations will benefit.

· Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose) stretches the backs of your legs and improves all traveling steps and footwork.

· Vrikshasana (Tree Pose) stretches the front portion of your body and opens your hips. It’s also great for balance; if you find yourself on one foot often, give it a shot.

· Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) stretches your legs while opening up the hips and chest. Hip shimmies and the like will improve with this pose.

· Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend) stretches the lower back, calves, and chest while strengthening quadriceps and hips.

Author Bio

Born and raised in North Carolina, Heather Green has worked as a fashion and beauty consultant as well as freelancing for various wedding, fashion, and health publications. She currently acts as the resident blogger for Online Nursing Degrees where she’s been researching nursing careers as well as the topic of men in nursing.

And no, I am not talking about the Axe body spray, although if there were a number 6 to this do-not list, I might be tempted to add it.

As we say, “it’s not a crime to be a beginner. However, it is a crime to look like one”.

Being a beginner and looking like one are two different things. Apply these 5 simple tips, and you will go a long way in looking, and more importantly feeling, like an old-school dancer.

5. Dance Floor Chatter

Social dance doesn’t mean to verbally socialize. A comfort-zone tool, and a staple in the newbie toolkit, dance floor chatter distracts you, your partner, and tends to make it painfully obvious you are new to your craft. Why not simply smile, and say nothing?

4. Looking Around While Dancing

The new dancers tends to feel slightly uncomfortable and may even look around to gauge approval or notice if anyone registered that mistake they made a measure ago. The old school dancer could really care less what those around them think, and rarely ever look to anyone for signs of approval/disapproval.

3. Step Size

In Latin at least, the new dancer almost always tends to take larger steps than what the situation dictates. Rather than deliberately shrink your steps and trying too hard, draw your awareness towards the size of yours steps, and notice when a horse’s back could fit between the space in your legs.

2. The Partner Safety Blanky

New dancers almost never break out into solo movement and almost always maintain a closed connection with their partner. But they rarely realize how good they look when they break free and bust out a few basics in place, with some simple body groove.

Don’t you know it takes processing power to dance with a partner? Dancing alone should be a release valve and an easy way of shining a bit on the dance floor. Trust me, you look far better than what you think..as long as you don’t…

1. Look Down

“And what are you staring at, young man?” Checking out her cool “necklace” is probably not the best way to make friends on the dance floor or appear like you’ve been around for a bit. Ladies, you provide a big chunk of the visual element…help please?

Looking down tends curve your spine, and send messages that you probably don’t want yourself to take note of.

You don’t need to gaze oh-so-deeply into her eyes a la nightstalker, but do take notice of her –people like to feel appreciated. And whatever you do, be highly aware of when that head falls down.

All of us have broken these rules at one time or another, and I might even find myself accidently checking out her “necklace”. And although looking down may have worked for Rodin’s Thinker, contemplating the mysteries of life will be the last thing she will assume you are doing.

Any and ALL of you can apply the five tips mentioned above, almost immediately. They require no training, excessive practice and are totally free.

Rinse and repeat.