To start things out, lets answer the question: What are salsa shines? For both leaders and followers, salsa shines are an incorporation of leg/arm motion, body movement/isolation, spins, shoulder rolls, and hand styling into a dance routine. Basically, salsa shines are a way of stylizing and personalizing your dance skills. There are some musical artists & even dancers who believe that salsa is merely an off-shoot of the music, and not a complete and unified type of dance. However, there are indeed salsa steps and salsa shines which can be performed to the beat of salsa music. The popularity of salsa dancing is taking hold of New York City. Salsa is a dance that arose through Puerto Ricans, that combined Cuban-Afro elements, who generated their own style of dancing & music. Salsa is considered to be a highly sexy, romantic, and exhilarating.
Many elements exist within salsa music, it's a complex and rhythmic genre that serves as a very conducive backdrop for salsa dancing. Many salsa shines that accompany the music are also heavily influenced and dependent on the beats, rhythms, and lyrics. The fundamental salsa steps are pretty simple and not that difficult to understand. It's not necessary for you to be an expert to grasp the foundation of salsa. From the very basics, it's only a hop, skip, and a jump away to some sizzling salsa shines that will light up the dance floor. It goes without saying though that you'll have to practice frequently!
On2, or New York style salsa, consists of 2 measures of salsa steps, with 4 beats in each, totaling 8 counts. For the 1st count, keep your left foot in place. Some salsa dance teachers tell you not to move on the 1st beat, however, some people like tapping their foot in order to add some type of motion that signals the beat. This can also prepare you for the next step. For the 2nd beat, take one step forward using your left foot. For the 3rd beat, move back onto your right foot, shifting your momentum back where you started from. For the 4th beat, bring your left foot back next to your right foot... This will take you back into the same position you started from.
This series of 4 steps is called the basic forward movement. For the following measure (which also consists of 4 steps), you will travel in the exact opposite direction- backwards instead of forwards. This is called the basic backward movement, and you will step backwards and to your right. On the 1st step, your right foot stays in place. On the 2nd beat, take a step back your right foot and then for the 3rd step, move your weight forward to transfer your body over your left foot. On the 4th step, bring your right foot back up to where your left foot is (in the closed position you started from).
These salsa steps that move you out of the closed position are what salsa dancers call breaks. These breaks occur on the same count during every measure, regardless of what variations are happening in your dance or in the song. Breaks normally serve as a starting point for spins, turns, etc.
There are many styles of doing these basic dance steps and there are many ways to add some spicy salsa shines into the mix, but as long as you know the basic steps, adapting to the different styles and variations won't be difficult.
Salsa styles typically depend on the breaks and their location within the measure. Differences in Salsa styles also vary based on the musical rhythms in the song, and especially the town or region you're dancing. The salsa steps above are practiced in New York style salsa, or On2 salsa, since the 2nd (and 5th) beat is where the break is performed (you move forward on the 2nd beat). These Another style of salsa that breaks on the 1st & 4th beat is known as On1 salsa and it is danced throughout the western part of the United States, specifically Los Angeles.
Once you learn either On1 or On2 salsa dancing, it's only a matter of practice and creativity before you can start embellishing your style and working some salsa shines into your routine.
Another different type of the dance is Cuban Salsa. With this style the break is performed on the 3rd beat. The beginning 2 beats consist of body/hip motion with the feet in place. There are several other kinds of salsa as well, each with their own specific variations and regional differences. Salsa dancing is catching on around the world, not just because it's a sexy and alluring dance, but because it doesn't demand a lot of movement or navigation across the dance floor . Partners and dancers that take up too much room are viewed negatively.
Salsa steps are usually danced in some form of a partnership, where the leader is a man, and the follower is a woman. However, these are not solid boundaries and the roles may be swapped or modified based on the couple's agreement. When a couple is together on the dancefloor, they may start out in the closed position, with the leaders hand on the woman's back (near her shoulder blade) and the woman's hand placed on the leader's right shoulder. Typically, it makes sense for the leader and follower to share eye contact. Salsa is all about connection. Whether it be in the closed position or when both partners are grooving to the music without direct contact, there should always be an energy and harmony of connection: the leader, the follower, and the music must all be synchronized.
It is because of this connection that dancers can have their own unique style while still being in partnership with someone else (who also might have a very unique style). In this way, salsa shines can be used to heighten the intensity and performance of a dance while still maintaining that essential bond between dancers.
For more information on the topic of salsa shines, feel free to visit this helpful resource.
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