As a dance teacher best known for my particular interest
in vernacular aspects of music and dance I am often asked to
clarify the difference between dances of similar origin, e.g.
Mambo and Salsa or Hip Hop and Streetdance.
In most cases the general answer is that dance forms, which
came about as a result of the natural reaction to the music
of the period and unrestricted by rules and regulating bodies,
are subject to the evolutionary journey of that particular style
of music…where the music goes, so the dance follows.
Take ‘Swing’ for example; the roots of Lindy Hop
(considered the Grand-Daddy of all jive dance) date back to
the early 1920’s and was created by one dance absorbing
steps from other contemporary social dances. This mutation process
usually occurs when dancers put together steps that they like
and which they feel fit the music. Personal or cultural interpretations
may further contribute toward the creation of new dance styles.
Adaptations of Lindy Hop include the Jitterbug, Rock ‘n’
Roll and Jive.
The fusion of two styles of popular music can also have an enormous
effect on social dance evolution. In the case of Salsa, the
combination of African rhythm and big band jazz is a perfect
example of what is arguably the most successful dance story
since the 1960’s…you can even buy it in a jar! As
a product of Son and Mambo, Salsa music is still subject to
change owing to modern and contemporary musical influences.
I recently received a phone call from a dance agency asking
me if I knew anything about a new dance craze called Reggaeton,
following a query they had received from a client requesting
a performance of this dance for a corporate event. On this occasion
I was only able to offer a brief knowledge of the music only,
as I was unaware of any established dance moves or basic foot
patterns relating to the music.
In case you were wondering, Reggaeton (also spelled Reguetón)
is a blend of Reggae, Dancehall and Hip Hop genres developed
in Puerto Rico in the mid 1990’s. It is rapped in street-Spanish
which gives it that Latin American touch…think Shaggy
meets Tito Puente and you’re on the right track. Although
Reggaeton has become a bit of a national obsession in Puerto
Rico and is creeping into the UK nightclub scene quicker than
you can say “Mr bombastic!” I haven’t yet
come across that one specific basic foot pattern worthy of release
to your weekly social dance class; in fact the way it is danced
in the night clubs of Puerto Rico may be the kind of thing frowned
upon by your parents! Saying that, following the way we all
tucked into the ‘forbidden dance’ – Lambada,
I suppose anything’s possible.
The club dance scene seems to be moving at quite a pace these
days and in our busy ‘dance teaching’ lives we sometimes
rarely have the opportunity to keep up with the latest social
dance developments. If you have any questions or queries regarding
current music or dance trends do not hesitate to get in touch
with the Club Dance Faculty and we will do our best to help.
