Admin maybe you can move the posts regarding Salsa from the thread below to here:

Cali: Bars/Casas/Clubs: Kaliente Club

I don't want to upset FLhobbyer and the thread does seem to have deviated it bit from the Kaliente Club.

Hunter

Ok LM, see you in Medellin or some other City here.

Regarding Salsa in Colombia, LM is correct and most people in Colombia only dance the basic steps, their rhythm and timing is excellent though, because as Gator has pointed out many of them have dancing since they can walk.

Most people here have never taken a lesson in their life, just been taught those steps by family and friends. So if you join a salsa club overseas or in Colombia, you are going to know more than 99% of Colombians after a short while, although it will take a quite a while to get the real feel and rhythm of the music as the locals do.

There are people here who can do the more flashy Salsa and other types of dancing and occasionally you will see them in the clubs.

As LM says the whole point of dancing with a partner is to have fun and make a personal connection, so just trying is more than good enough with the girls.

Hunter

Hey Hunter, if you find a good Salsa school then please let me know. I am trying to find one in Sacramento or Minneapolis and nothing is coming up. All the searches on Salsa bring back Mexcian restaurants and dishes. I guess it is not that known here in West or Midwest. I would sure appreicate it if you keep me informed.
JKarp

jkarp, check out these links might get you headed in
the right direction
http://www.peoplewhodance.net/links.php http://cityguides.salsaweb.com/minnesota/minneapolis.htm

Ok jkarp, I heve no doubt I wil find one, I will post the address here when I do.

Hunter

Hi Hunter,

I just took salsa classes from Sundeluz Academia De Baile in Cali. National championship academy. $70,000 for 12 hours. The lead instructer is a hombre so swallow your ego. Cra 42C Y 26-125. Phone 334-9841. E-mail sondeluz@Hotmail.com.

Went to Clima Lake Sunday. A lovely lake next to the hydro electric dam up in the mountains. Lots of military nearby. I felt safe but would not stay in the area after dark.

Thanks for your help Taser, sorry to say there is no way that I can dance with a guy, I know many Colombians do at the dance schools, but I just can't do it.

I will check with him to see if he knows any female teachers.

Hunter

If you want to pick up some CD's of salsa music to bring back try one of the hundreds of coleccionistas. The guys and girls who work there know EVERYTHING about salsa. Most likely a good source to find instruction. One of the best, I am told, is Academia Son de Luz dance studio. It teaches traditional salsa, have been around for a long time and are located on Cra. 42C. You can also drop by the University of Valle in Cali, go the dance department and ask. Look for some basic things to learn like how not look stupid out there, how to do basic turns, and keep you partner interested on the dance floor, how to be fluid in your movements, "feel" the music, how to keep on rhythm, and do NOT worry so much about fancy tricks. (BTW, I have never mastered and of this advice. Most of the comments I hear are "Mira el gringo loco" but the effort keeps the wife happy.)

One thing you MUST remember! Females in Cali who are only six-moths old will dance better than you will after 15 years of learning. The wife said she and all other chicas from Cali are born dancing Salsa.

Thanks Gator, Taser recommend the same school, that will be my first stop after I arrive in my hotel.

Been dancing here in Medellin for 1.5 years now. Normally I do 6 hours a week, some weeks nada, other weeks 20 hours, my ritmo for salsa romantico is about 60% of the way there, for salsa pasada is about 80% of the way there, its why I am heading to Cali, to get them up to about 90%.

Basically I just plod along progresing slowly then when I feel like it I push the hours out and my ritmo and knowledge of more steps jumps.

Thats the plan for Cali, also I want a female teacher who I can take to a disco with me, because otherwise I normally don't have anbody to dance with, most girls only know a few steps and unless you realy fancy the girl, it gets a bit boring after a while.

Hunter

A word of caution on salsa lessons in the US...most of them will either be Cuban style (like you'll get in Miami...you dance on 1 and do lots of turns, cross-body leads, etc.) or either NY or LA style (which are really more Puerto Rican style...dance on 2, lots of footwork). None of this will go over well in Colombia. Colombian salsa is really more by pure feel. Partners tend to dance closer and do fewer and less elaborate turns. Blah blah blah, it's just worth noting.

LM

How are things in New York Lamuerte, don't think I will visit the US for any salsa lessons after your advice.

When you next in Colombia?

Hunter

Gator said "One thing you MUST remember! Females in Cali who are only six-moths old will dance better than you will after 15 years of learning."

Not very encourging but very very funny.

Its a funny saying that I have heard him say many times over the years, but not really true for anybody who takes more than a few lessons.

I thought everybody was a great dancer here in Colombia, but after a couple of months of lessons and a slightly schooled eye, you can then see most people are only OK dancers.

Hunter

Hey, they do salsa dancing or have lessons at Kaliente? Move along people! ;-)

B.player, who is living in Cali for a month, told me he went back to Kaliente to grab Nicole for another session in attempts to schedule a TLN in an outside arrangement (to avoid the 60.000 barfine... she has no cell phone). But he was bummed to find that she was away for two weeks. He said they sent her away to another place. I assume she's back at the Kaliente in Papayon, as the girls told me they can be rotated back and forth.

Lamuerte. is right the Salsa in Colombia is alot differant then here the states. It is alot easier to do, slower, less moves.
Before I went to Colombia I went to a few latin
clubs here in Dallas, after watching for a while
I'm thinking shit I can't do that. But once I
got to Colombia and had a few girls drag me out
on the dance floor I picked it up real fast.
As a gringo they know you can't dance,and are more then willing to teach you. As long as you
are willing to try.
Having a few drinks in you doesn't hurt ether.

Hunter, next time in Colombia will be to see my son, but I'll try to stop by Medellin on my way back to the US. I'll let you know for sure.

If you take salsa lessons in the US with the intention of dancing in Cali, here's what to do. Concentrate on the rhythm and timing more than the turns and flash. You won't need that stuff in Cali, but the girls tend to have excellent rhythm and can feel it (and will be impressed!) when you do as well.

Of course Hunter is right...just being Colombiana doesn't automatically make a girl a good dancer. But the whole point of dancing with a partner is to have fun and make a personal connection with your partner, which is all tied into how you make her feel when dancing with you. I think when dancing with a girl, it's not relevant to worry about how you look so much as it is to express confidence through the way you move...she'll love it.

LM

Hello all, I'm a newbie to CH and look forward to corresponding with many of you in the future. In the meantime, I feel like I can at least contribute some good info in regards to dancing Salsa. I am an avid Salsa dancer in the US, and without question, the most important thing you can do when first learning Salsa is to get a good understanding of the beat and rythym that Salsa is danced to. It's important to note that what most countries in Latin America refer to as Salsa, is not Salsa as we are accustumed to in the US, Japan, or Europe. I say most Latin countries because while in Buenos Aires last winter, I was pleasantly surprised to find a club where many of the locals were dancing on the 1 count (LA style). The style of dance that you will most likely see in Columbia and other latin countries is known as Cumbia, but referred to by the latin locals as Salsa. It is important to note that Cumbia is danced to the same beat as the Salsa we are accustummed to. My best advice would be to take a few lessons wherever your home may be, and tell your instructor you want to concentrate on the rythym of the music, as well as the timing of your footwork for a few basic steps. If you can get the rythym down, you will be able to dance just about anywhere. Also, note that the girl will enjoy the dance a lot more if you are smooth and have good rythym. Many people think that Salsa is about the flash and moves you can do. Not true, I know many women Salsa dancers who do not enjoy many of the dances they do with so called great Salsa dancers because the guy is not smooth when leading the gal. You can make a Salsa dance look great with just a few basic steps and letting the music move you. Also, when taking a lesson, many Salsa instructors will be familier with the Cumbia steps, so ask to learn Cumbia. Again, concentrate on the rythym of the music, a few basic steps, and learn to smoothly lead the girl in a way that makes her really enjoy dancing with you. If any of you would like some recomendations on some good Salsa music or some more advice, feel free to email me at happyfeet2004@yahoo.com.

Welcome Happyfeet, like the handle, nice to see another Salsa fan here. You can explain it far better than I.

Good write up, but one word of warning, do not use the word Cumbia here in Colombia with referance to Salsa.

In Colombia they dance two types of Salsa, Salsa Romatica and Salsa Pesada, Salsa Romantica is the slower of the two.

Cumbia is a totally differant dance, its a slower version of Porro.

If you don't know what they are you will have to go to Colombia, don't ask me to explain this type of dancing. Lamuerte and I were in a disco in Medellin in January where they dance a lot of Porro and Cumbia maybe he can explain the type of dancing for me.

Hunter

Hola Hunter, thanks for the advice. Looks like I'll need to find a couple gals from Columbia and have them show me a few steps. Nice to talk to others who enjoy getting out and mixing with the culture a bit, besides just in the sack. I'll be planning a two month exodus from the states to Venezuela and Columbia this winter, so if anyone wants to meet up, let me know; it's never to early to start planning. Chau for now.

That's right Hunter, cumbia and porro are related. Cumbia is slower, and both are considered somewhat antiquated in terms of music that you'd hear out in a typical disco in Colombia. Vallenato is much more popular than cumbia is amongst the younger crowd now, although many non-Colombians cannot tell the difference.

That said, I had a good time watching and picking up Porro in Medellin last January...and don't let Hunter fool you, he's a much better dancer than he lets on. There were some really hot girls in Medellin dancing Porro. I think it was just a matter of being in the right place on the right night.

Happyfeet, you're 100% right on the rhythm and timing advice. Doing a whole bunch of turns like an ass-clown will just make the girl think you're an ass-clown. Get the rhythm down right and you'll already be better than most.

Happyfeet also raises a point about the count. In Colombia, the girls naturally dance on the 1 count (although none of them could explain so...they just do it naturally). If you learn salsa with a New York style instructor, you'll be learning to dance on 2 instead of 1, which will become hard habit to break.

LM

Lamuerte and Hunter, thanks for the good points. Glad to hear the Columbian chicas dance on the 1; things just got easier for me in the Columbian dance dept. I'll be in touch with both of you at some point down the road to see if either of you are planning a trip to Columbia this winter. I'm 27, an experienced traveler, speak Spanish, like to dance with and spoil the ladies, and would like to spend at least a few days with people who know the country. If you can't make it, I'm sure I'll have a good trip report to post. Keep the travel bug alive and thanks again for the dancing advice. Chau.

Happyfeet I live in Colombia normally either in Medellin or Cartagena, but at the moment I am in Cali for 2.5 weeks, just done 2 hours of salsa in a school here, I would do 2 hours in the afternoon but I would rather go to a club tonight, so will forget the afternoon lesson.

Will leave the twice a day lessons for Mon -Thu.

Hunter

Hunter, give me more detail about the school. Name, location, price, hours, instructor, etc.

JKarp

One of many dance schools in Cali:

Orlando Lopez Uribe,
Calle 17 N No 9-29,
Barrio Granada,
Tel 668 1341
Cel 315 - 660 1714
e-mail danzayartes@hotmail.com

This one is 30,000 pesos per hour, for this you get a teacher and a dance partner, I go there for 2 hour sessions and I learn a hell of a lot in 2 hours from him and the dance partner.

You chose the hours, around any other lessons that he has.

He speaks some English as well.

In Medellin I pay 20,000 pesos to my proffesional dancer friends for a 2 hour session, but I would say Orlando is far better value for money than them.

There are approx 25 dance schools in the local directory in Cali, but most of them were not in good neighbourhoods or away from the hotel district.
I chose the one above because it is close to most of the hotels and I prefer to walk to the school than get taxis.

Saying that, many of the schools that the reception of the hotel called for me offered to send a teacher to the hotel. So that is another potential way of going, instead of going to a academia.

Hunter

Hunter, just want to get an update on your recent trip to Cali. I'm planning on spending a week or so there this winter and would like to hear about how things went for you. Are you planning a trip report? Chau.

Not much to say, I went to the dance school most days, I only went out in the evenings once on each weekend. I visited ChipChapi mall a few times and wandered around several neighbourhoods in the Northern part of the City.

If I din't live in Medellin I would choose to live in Cali.
But I will take weekly trips there a few times a year just for a change of scenary, so if you let me know a month before you go there, I may be able to arrange to be there the same time.

Hunter

Hunter - I may take some days out of my upcomkin trip - to hit Cali from MDE. How much does it niormally cost for a round-trip to tikcet MDE-CLO? I'm most likely traveling the "slow" days when not much action is happening in Medallo on Monday, Tue, and Wed.

If you book the flight with 14 days notice or more approx 330,000 pesos, less than 14 days is approx 400,000 pesos.

Hunter

Thx - I will call Avianca here in Miami, and pay for it in advance then. I'm hoping I am picking teh right days to go leave MDE, and see my non-pro in Cali for a few days.


Hunter, you are a LOT of help. Thank you for answering so many questions I have posted recently. I hope we can get together for some skirt chasing and Aguardiente when I get to MDE in Late August. Do you have any advice upon arriving in MDE airport (lines to avoid, tax forms etc)? I am flying directly from Miami.

Sure we can meet up for a beer or a coffee when you arrive here.

Never flown international into Medellin, I wouldn't think there would be much of a problem, it is not a busy airport.

I would just get off the plane as quick as possible and try and pass as many passengers on your walk to immigration, that way you should be at the front of any possible queues.

Time to go for a nap, off out dancing with Roberto tonight, he is bringing two girls with him, so I am reciprocating and bringing/meeting six at the nightclub.

Its a hard life.

Hunter

SALSA August 2006
This is the thread that caused me to check out CALI. My take on the Salsa is that it is just like the street salsa you would learn in any Carribben country but it is not NY fancy studio stuff.
I LOVED dancing with these girls. Down to earth, sexy and raw. Just pure Rumba, using every inch of thier sexy Calena bodies to titilate you. In my opinion it was really no different then the Salsa I have danced with Cubans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans or Colombians form other cities, etc.... but they do enjoy Salsa and I loved dancing with them.

You will also see a mix of Vallenato, Trance and Reggaton in most of the clubs.

BTW - My friend who does not dance Salsa really had fun and impressed the girls just by trying. We heard 'Ayi que lindo' so many times as he would grind away on the leg of his chica.

(Message edited by yoosin on August 15, 2006)

I've taken salsa lessons here off and on, but get so turned off by the attitude of everybody, they seem to think they belong on 'Dancing with the Stars' or whatever. It sounds like Cali is fun dancing, not some big competition

Furysys

I just got back from Cali. I went there for "La Feria".

My observation is this. In Cali they take there Salsa very seriously. But, it isn't the dancing with the stars shit that you see in the clubs in the states. The ones where the dance intructors from Arthur Murray come to dance until they get crowed out by the latin people. That ain't Salsa.

My advice is work on the basics, feel the rythmn and then find a nice calena to help you with the advanced steps.

I agree with the post from Yoosin. If you at least try, with the right chica, you'll be a big hit.

Good luck!

Hey, Columbiabob, thanks for the response. I think somewhere on this thread somebody mentioned to take salsa lessons in Cali, I'd love to do that. Unfortunately, it is my busy time for the business, and will be for about six months, but then will be able to take a month or so. I've got the basics, but then its US style, so I would imagine it will be a bit different. I like all dance music anyway. so will enjoy it. Oh, I'll try, for sure.