What is Tassie Salsa?

Cuban salsa is a street latin dance with its origins in Cuba and the Carribean. It is a flowing, sensuous couple dance with complex intertwining of arms, rhythmic hip movements and best of all, music that just doesn't let you stop dancing. Tasmania's salsa scene is very active. We are a group of friends who come together to dance socially, conduct weekly classes and perform locally around Hobart. There are regular classes and workshops for all levels. Apart from the stimulation of dancing to an exotic beat, salsa gives us the chance to get some aerobic exercise, learn to move our bodies in new ways, learn some funky turn patterns, and meet new people in a non threatening way.

RUEDA CASINO! What is Rueda? Rueda means "wheel" in spanish. Also called Salsa Casino, Rueda is a circle of dance couples lead by one dancer who calls out names of set dance moves. Together they dance that sequence, often with a change of partner around the circle. Rueda becomes a fast paced jungle of complex turn patterns, dizzying partner changes in all directions and is great to watch but really, really fun to do.

History and Style.

Without much doubt, Cuba was the breeding ground for modern day salsa. Salsa, of course means sauce in spanish, and we've all heard the jokes about corn chips tonight too? The dance itself developed closely with the music and paralelled it's evolution. From the 1950's the traditional Son style of dance mixed in with Mambo, Cha-cha, Rhumba plus the input of Hispanic and African styles. Characterised by a set of two bars of three steps then a pause, salsa has a rhythmic asymmetry that locks in with the syncopated music based around a strong rhythm section. The fulcrum of the music is the the clave rhythm (key) which is often merely inferred, locking the son bass piano or tres montuno to the timbales, congas, campana, maracas and the brass or string section.

Cuban salsa is characterised by the cuban open step or Guapeo, where partners move apart and come together. This forms the basis for the Rueda (wheel) dance where people dance in a circle as a group rather than dancing as a couple. It involves following pre-learned moves called by a leader - usually involving the passing of partners. It can be a complex, spontaneous, fast moving and exciting dance to participate in and watch. Another characteristic of Cuban style of salsa is the rotation around each other, often with twists and turns that seem like they may well tangle, yet still with a sensually evocative hip movement and closeness typical of latin dance.

For more history of salsa, try these links:
salsaroots.com
google search
Wikipedia on salsa, timba,
latindance.com

History of Salsa in Hobart

Local band "Caravan" started in mid 1997 at the old Bavarian Tavern - know as the Bav Tav days (now the Pickled Frog backpackers on Liverpool street). In 1998, David started to teach salsa, to the sounds of salsa influenced band Caravan with the help of Gaia (from Argentina) and Ella. By 1999 or 2000, Gaia took over the running of Salsa with Ella, Tim and Fernando, moving to The Cow on Murray Street. Live music was replaced by DJ music by David and others. She ran 6 week block classes as well as a beginner class on the Thursday night. In 2001 the move was made to The Venue in Salamanca - an attic space with wooden floors and bare rafters.

In 2003, Gaia returned to Argentina and Nik took over the running of salsa. He ran weekly classes at Battery Point, Adult Ed workshops on Saturdays and a beginner and intermediate class on Thursday night. Under the guidance of Andrew James, Son del Sur was formed, an 8 piece salsa band based on the cuban charanga style. They played at the Queens Head and at the Republic Bar, giving the salsa community a live band to dance to.

By 2004, John, Imma and Fernando joined running salsa bringing a lot more variety to teaching styles. The core group started arranging social functions and trips to Melbourne at Viva Dance in Fitzroy. In 2005, Salsa was renamed Salsa de Locos, and moved to the Queens Head in North Hobart. Currently Salsa de Locos has a healthy variety of teachers - and is active in performing, teaching and throwing parties. The band Son del Sur has morphed from the original group to add more brass, and they continue to play in North Hobart.

The Venue, Wooby's Lane Salamanca 2003