Don't Forget The Lyrics! - La Vida Es Un Carnaval

A true classic! In fact, this is one song that has probably accompanied many dancers in the beginnings of their salsa journey. Beautiful and cheery lyrics too!.






La Vida Es Un Carnaval
by Celia Cruz


Everyone out there that thinks that life is unfair,
Needs to know that's not the case,
Because life is beautiful, you just have to live it.
Everyone out there that thinks they are alone and that that's bad
Needs to know that's not the case,
Because in life no one is alone, there is always someone

Ay, there's no need to cry, because life is a carnival,
It's more beautiful to live singing.
Oh, Ay, there's no need to cry,
For life is a carnival
And your pains can be alieviated through song.

Everyone out there that thinks that life is always harsh,
Need to know that's not the case,
That there are just bad times, and it will all pass.
Everyone out there, that thinks that this will never change,
Need to know that's not the case,
The bad times will turn, it will all pass.

Ay, there's no need to cry, because life is a carnival,
It's more beautiful to live singing.
Oh, Ay, there's no need to cry,
For life is a carnival
And your pains can be alieviated through song.
For those that complain forever.
For those that only critisize.
For those that use weapons.
For those that pollute us.
For those that make war.
For those that live in sin.
For those that mistreat us.
For those that make us sick

Credits: lyricsmania Read here

Cat Muses - Cross Body...Line?

Gentlemen, are you doing a cross body lead on the dance floor or are you crossing the line? Ladies, what should you do when a gentleman's actions seem less than innocent?

Social dancing is a close contact sport. After all, we often have to get pretty close to our partners on the dance floor and in the spirit of really feeling the dance, try to "feel" the music and movements.

Respect for your partner is something I believe most, if not all dance schools, emphasize and reiterate in their classes. If that's the case, why are there still gentlemen who do not act as gentlemanly as they are supposed to?

Yes, I'm talking about the hands that shouldn't be where they are. Yes, the accidental brushing against the side of her breasts, the gentle "caress" of her waist. Since this tends to happen to ladies more than gentlemen, this post shall focus more on these occurrences.

Before the men raise their arms in protest, do know that ladies are aware that it isn't easy being a lead and accidents do happen. However, please do know this as well:

Ladies know when your touch is more than just innocent.

That means that gentlemen should NOT assume that they can do something funny and get away with it.

Sorry if I am coming across strongly about this topic because this is a very serious problem that kills the scene. I have heard of ladies who gave up dancing because they were so traumatized by misbehaving gentlemen.

Gentlemen, whether by accident or intention, have you ever been guilty of one of the following?

• Placing part of your hand along the side of her breasts in an embrace position or during a cross body lead type of move


• Brushing your hand along her waist in a non-innocent manner


• Running your hand up and down her back, hip etc


• Placing/brushing your hand on an inappropriate area eg her breasts, butt.


• Pulled a lady unnecessarily too close


• Kept a lady in a lock position, pulled up against you

This list does not try to be exhaustive but these are some common examples of what has happened on the dance floor before.

For a gentleman, how do you know if you are being rude? Most of the time, if you do not have the intention, it would not translate into actions such as those listed above. However, if accidents do happen, please do apologise. A simple guideline is not to do what you would not to a woman you respect because I repeat:

Ladies know when your touch is not innocent.

As for ladies, should you be a victim of such behaviour, please don't suffer in silence. After all, it is your own modesty at stake here. There are many wonderful gentlemen out there who are sincerely out for a good night of dancing only. Actually, most of them are so don't let such incidents tar the bigger picture of good, clean fun in social dancing.

It is important to take personal responsibility when these things happen. After all, it is harder for people on the side to see what's happening to you.

That being said, accidents do happen. However, if you are very sure that a gentleman is not being just accidental, here are some simple tips:

• Use your frame or your styling to put the offending hands in place. Personally I have swatted a few hands off my waist before (laughs)


• Give him a sharp look if he continues the offensive behaviour


• Tell him firmly if he ignores your hints


• Stop dancing and walk away if the situation goes out of hand

Some of the measures above may seem a little drastic so exercise discretion when you execute them. While it is good to give the gentlemen the benefit of the doubt, do exercise your rights when you are certain that a gentleman has crossed the line.

As for gentlemen, please do not use social dancing as an excuse to touch the ladies more than necessary. If you insist on getting your kicks this way, my advice to you is: Leave.

The reason is simple. The scene isn't that big so word does get around. A gentleman who does not respect ladies while dancing will earn a reputation easily. Don't be surprised if you find yourself alone one day with no lady willing to dance with you or leave you embarrassed in the middle of a dance floor halfway through a song.

Catherine is currently an instructor with En Motion Dance School. She believes social dancing should be enjoyable and enjoys dancing as a form of expression. Leave a comment (preferred!) or contact her at catherine@dance-en-motion.com

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Don't Forget The Lyrics! - Lloraras

And so this is a song about lost love.

Given how cheerful this song sounds, who would have thought it's a song about lost love?



You Will Cry
by Oscar De Leon

I know you don’t want me to love you
You’re always avoiding me somehow
I go this way and you go that way
The only thing I want from you
Don’t make me hurt no more, you see

Because of your ill behavior
You will regret it
You’ll pay a high price for all my suffering

You will cry and cry
And no one will console you
And then you’ll realize
How much lies can hurt

Then you’ll come to me
Pleading forgiveness
But my heart won’t remember you no more

You will cry and cry
And no one will console you
And then you’ll realize
How much lies can hurt

You will cry, cry and cry
Like the way I did
No one will understand you
All your wrong doings
You will pay for them
And I will live my live
The way I want
Go ahead, now I’m gone

Credit: Maggz Read here

Don't Forget The Lyrics! - Rebelion

Do you know what the lyrics of the song you are dancing to, really means?

by Catherine

So often, we dance to songs in Union without knowing what the lyrics really mean because unfortunately we did not grow up listening to Latin music neither is Spanish the first language for most of us.

So a kind friend of mine, who is a native Spanish speaker and actually grew up listening to the music we groove to at Union, agreed to help translate some songs and shed some light. This is the first of the "Don't Forget The Lyrics!" section in this blog. This has no relation to the TV show.

Please excuse any grammatical errors and so on...they were probably lost in translation *laughs*


This is a song that I believe most of you would have heard of and danced to. It has a joyous, almost celebratory tone to the music but wait till you see what the lyrics really mean.




Rebellion (Don’t Hit My Woman)
by Joe Arroyo


I want to tell you my brother, a little bit of the (1) black history, our history, gentleman

And it goes like this:

Uhh!
Says!

During the 1600’s, when the tyrant ruled
In the Cartagena streets, this story witnessed
When the african slaves arrived, chained
Kissing our land, perpetuous slavery

Perpetuous slavery
Perpetuous slavery

Say it, Salome

An African couple, and his Spanish master
Who mistreated them, hit his wife

And then, the brave slave rebelled
Taking revenge for his love
And you still can hear in the fields his cry
“Don’t hit my woman”

Don’t hit my woman!
Don’t hit my woman!
Hey man!!
Don’t hit my woman!
No, no, no ,no, no, no,
No, no, no, no, no, no

You respect my woman!
You still can hear it, hear it in the fields
No, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, don’t hit my woman


Translation notes:
1: Black history refers to the african slaves who came to america after the spanish conquest.
2: He actually says la negra, which literally translates into black woman, but in Latin America is used as a some sort of pet names men give to women (usually their girlfriends and/or wives)


Now, wouldn't you see this song in a slightly different light the next time you dance to it?

Thanks a lot to maggz, who took the time out to do this :)


Video credits: youtube rax2099 Read here

Bachata – A Dance of Bitter Sweetness

by Gary & Catherine


Bachata is a genre of music that originated in the rural neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic. It’s often characterized by romance, especially tales of heartbreak and sadness. In fact, the original term used to name the genre was amargue ("bitterness," or "bitter music"), until the term bachata became popular. Bachata, as a dance form, also developed with the music.

Throughout much of its history, Bachata music was frowned upon by the Dominican society and associated with rural backwardness and delinquency. Deemed as something for those from the lower social classes, there was a time when Bachata music was seldom played on the radio, and almost unmentioned on television and in print.

Bachateros were also barred from performing in high society venues - having to content themselves instead with gigs in the bars and brothels of the country's notoriously crime-ridden barrios. The music was influenced by its surroundings and many of the songs from this era spoke of drunkenness and prostitution, which only fuelled the cause of those seeking to brand Bachata as music for the ignorant and uncouth.

Despite its unofficial censorship, Bachata remained widely popular. By the early 1980s Bachata's popularity had grown to a degree that the media embargo began to crumble. Caving to popular demand, more radio stations began playing Bachata and Bachateros soon found themselves performing on television as well.

Bachata in the mean time, had begun to take on a more dance-hall sound: tempos increased, guitar playing became punchier, and call and response singing more prevalent. Bachata-style Merengues, or guitar Merengues, also became an increasingly important part of the Bachata repertoire.

By the early 1990s, the switch to electric guitar was complete, and the Bachata scene became dominated by two new young stars: Luis Vargas and Antony Santos. Santos, Vargas and the many new style Bachateros who would follow achieved a level of stardom which was unimaginable to the Bachateros who preceded them. They were the first generation of pop Bachata artists and received all the hype and image branding typical of commercial pop music elsewhere. It was also at this time that Bachata began to emerge internationally as a music of Latin dance-halls.

Today, Bachata is as popular as Salsa and Merengue in Latin American dancehalls.


Bachata the Dance

The dance consists of a four-step beat achieved with a walking Cuban hip motion, and a unique “pop”. The dance can be performed in two positions: open and closed, depending on the setting and mood of the partners.
Like Merengue, dips are not original to the dance and turns are done infrequently. The male leads the female with subtle communication using pushing and pulling motion on the hands to guide the direction in which to move or to hint on upcoming turns. The female may also provide communication using her left hand to indicate whether she is comfortable or not dancing in a closed position.


Dance Variations

Modern Bachata (Nueva bachata) is a new version of the traditional Bachata brought about through the younger generation of Bachata dancers. This style incorporates more free style moves. This involves intricate footwork: enchufles, lock steps, guapachas, slides, etc. The female, along with the male, will incorporate the footwork with a difference being in her isolated hip movements within the Cuban hip motion.

Bachata Tango (Bachatango) is a style of dance incorporating Tango styling. It is characterized by embellished kicks, dips, turns and long pauses generally used in Tango as well as other popular Latin Dances. This dance is performed in a very close position with fewer elaborated foot styling than Bachata due it's focus being more on sensuality. It focuses on overextended Cuban hip motion. The basic steps are the same 8 count as Bachata only that it produces a side to side motion, while occasionally moving back and forth. The “pop” count will be used to add elaborated sensuality and varied Latin dance styles. Although this dance has been used to dance to Bachata, it has evolved to being used to dance to Tango as well. It should be noted that 'Bachatango' is a foreign introduction and is unheard of in the Dominican Republic - Bachata's country of origin.


E.Motion Bachata

At En Motion, we have incorporated both open and close hold styles into our classes. Particularly, we incorporate a unique close-embrace hip leading technique where the connection of hips and body isolation movements are infused into the dance. This ensures control over both weight transfer and hip movement which help in ensuring synchronization of movements for both male and female (including the hip movement which is largely isolated in all other styles).

In addition, we have infused elements of many other different dance forms such as Tango, Jazz, Hip Hop and so on, into our syllabus. Another important component is the interpretation of different Bachata songs in a beautiful and artistic manner so that the dance may be felt even more deeply.

We term this affectionately as “E.Motion Bachata”.


Source: Wikipedia
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Music Room - Clasiqueando Con Rubén

The last song for 2008 - an Afro-Cuban All Stars classic.

by Eddie

Hi again!

How’s the festive season coming along? Lots of dancing and celebrating I hope. :)

As 2008 is coming to an end, I needed to find a song that people loved. You might find it familiar but you might not know the name. It's none other than *drum roll* “Clasiqueando Con Rubén” by Afro-Cuban All Stars. *warm applause from everyone* *Thank you. Thank you very much*

This song has a really great grand entry which comes to a stop. That is followed by a piano solo and when the rest of the instruments come together in the middle, it flows naturally and with grace. This is the kind of song which you can play in any kind of party to give that party a really warm feel.

What's even better is this song has a lot of accent hits and pauses which you can play around with your partner. Depending on what kind of instrument you like to hit. From trumpets to congas, you name it. It is obvious when the song is coming to an end as well and in any case, this song has 4 thumbs up from me.

Details of the song:

Title: Clasiqueando Con Rubén
Artist: Afro-Cuban All Stars
Album: A Toda Cuba Le Gusta
Year: 2007

Listen to Clasiquando Con Rubén here. Look for Track 9!


A Little Background

Some of you might know them. They were here in Singapore for Singapore International Salsa Festival 2007 and man did we have a blast that year with the band playing live and all. Overall it was an amazing experience hearing them live.

Juan de Marcos González was an important figure in the forming of the Afro-Cuban All Stars. Initially, while he was studying in university he co-founded the group Sierra Maestra in 1978 which had only the tres, trumpet, bass, percussion and vocals in the group. The group was formed to bring about an appreciation on Cuban son by the young and they were very much successful, recording fourteen albums in Cuba, touring Europe and Africa and winning various awards.

During the recording of the album “¡Dundunbanza!” in 1994, González met Nick Gold from London based record label World Circuits. It was during this time when Nick encouraged the group to expand their line-up to include piano, congas and a trumpet section in a tribute to the forties and fifties styles of Arsenio Rodríguez from Cuba. With both having the same understanding and establishing common ground. They took it a step further by having a bigger band recording featuring the neglected stars of this golden age of Cuban music.

González had long wanted to put a band together consisting of the old masters and the new generations of Cuban musicians. He had wanted the experience of the older generation combining with the energy of the younger ones and thus proceeded to find many of his heroes, many of them already retired from music such as singers Manuel Puntillita Licea, Pío Leyva and Raúl Planas, all in their seventies, legendary pianist Rubén González with his chosen bass player Orlando Cachaíto López to name a few. Thus Afro-Cuban All Stars was born.

Sources: theagencygroup.com
Please note that this article was compiled based on information from various sources. It is only meant for casual reading and while we try to ensure the accuracy of the information, please do let us know if you spot any errors.







Eddie is currently an instructor with En Motion Dance School with a deep interest in music and dance. Leave a comment (preferred!) or contact him at eddie@dance-en-motion.com
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Shanghai Rouge - En Motion's 2nd Birthday Party

En Motion presents


Shanghai Rouge



Be transported back in time as we step back in time to the dancehalls of glamorous old Shanghai, the "Paris of The East", in celebration of En Motion's 2nd birthday party. Join us for a night of social dancing, performances and fun come this December!


Date: 7 Dec 2008, Sunday

Venue: Victoria Theatre, The Terrace

Time: Doors open at 9 pm

Ticket Price:

Public $20
Member $18

Ticket Inclusive of free flow of drinks*

Dress Code: Old Shanghai Glamour


Come dressed in your best Shanghai glamour outfit for the night and stand to win up to $300 worth of cash and vouchers in total!

Tickets are limited** so get them today by contacting Gary at 9821 1744 or gary@dance-en-motion.com. Ticket sales close on 1 Dec 2008.

*Non-alcoholic drinks. While stocks last
** Only 250 tickets available. Tickets will not be available for sale at the door.

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Music Room - Fragilidad

A song that always has people asking "What song is this?"


by Eddie

Hey guys, how you doin’? Last month I recommended cheekiness in your dancing. This month I shall recommend melancholia. It’s none other than “Fragilidad”, the salsa version of the famous song "Fragile" by Sting.

Why do I mean melancholia? The lyrics translated into English:

If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
Drying in the colour of the evening sun
Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away
But something in our minds will always stay
Perhaps this final act was meant
To clinch a lifetime's argument
That nothing comes from violence
and nothing ever could
For all those born beneath an angry star
Lest we forget how fragile we are
On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are how fragile we are
On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are how fragile we are
How fragile we are how fragile we are


Listen to one version of Fragilidad here. Look for track 9!


You can tell that when listening to this song and reading the lyrics, it creates a melancholic feeling as to remind us on how fragile we, as human beings, are.

And that is the way, which you should dance to with your partner on the dance floor whenever the DJ plays this song. As dancers, we should learn to interpret what the song is trying to convey with our bodies, especially with our eyes. You can tell that a person is dancing differently and to the music just from his or her eyes. A tip for this kind of music: Some close hold partner work. =)


A little brief introduction on the singer and this song:



The Singer:


Early life

Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner was born in Wallsend, England to Ernest Sumner and his wife Audrey Cowell, a hairdresser. Early on, young Sumner's "best friend" was an old Spanish guitar with five rusty strings left behind by an uncle who'd emigrated to Canada. He later found a stash of vintage razzle's in a bush when delivering milk to the rear of an adjoining property. Gordon attended St Cuthbert's High School in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Later, he left the University of Warwick in Coventry, after only one term. During this time, Gordon would often sneak into nightclubs like the Club-A-Go-Go. Here, he would watch musicians such as Jack Bruce and Jimi Hendrix... artists who would later influence Sumner's own music. After jobs as a bus conductor, a construction labourer, and a tax officer, Gordon attended Northern Counties College of Education, (which later became part of Northumbria University) from 1971 to 1974 and qualified as a teacher. He then worked as a schoolteacher at St. Paul's First School in Cramlington for two years. His experiences there would inspire him to write two of the Police's most notable hits: "Don't Stand So Close To Me" and "Roxanne". Each was loosely based on one of his favourite books: Lolita and Cyrano de Bergerac, respectively.

From an early age, Sumner knew that he wanted to be a musician. His first music gigs were wherever he could get a job. He performed evenings, weekends, and during vacations from college and from teaching. He played with local jazz bands such as the Phoenix Jazzmen, the Newcastle Big Band, and Last Exit.


Origin of nickname

Sting has stated that he gained his nickname while with the Phoenix Jazzmen. He once performed wearing a black and yellow sweater with hooped stripes that bandleader Gordon Solomon had noted made him look like a bumblebee; thus Sumner became "Sting". He uses Sting almost exclusively, except on official documents.[citation needed] In a press conference filmed in the movie Bring on the Night, he jokingly stated when referred to by a journalist as Gordon, "My children call me Sting, my mother calls me Sting, who is this Gordon character?"


The Police

In January 1977, Sting moved from Newcastle to London, and soon thereafter he joined Stewart Copeland and Henry Padovani (who was soon replaced by Andy Summers) to form the New Wave band The Police. Between 1978 and 1983, they released five chart-topping albums and won six Grammy Awards.

Although their initial sound was punk inspired, The Police soon switched to reggae-tinged rock and minimalist pop. Their last album, Synchronicity, which included their most successful song, "Every Breath You Take", was released in 1983.

While never formally breaking up, after Synchronicity, the group agreed to concentrate on solo projects. As the years went by, the band members, particularly Sting, increasingly dismissed the possibility of reforming. In 2007, however, the band reformed and undertook a world tour.



The Song

Sting released “Nothing Like the Sun” in 1987, including the hit songs "We'll Be Together", "Fragile", "Englishman in New York", and "Be Still My Beating Heart", dedicated to his recently-deceased mother. It eventually went Double Platinum. The song “Fragile” was then the English version of Fragilidad.

During 2006, Sting collaborated with Roberto Livi in producing a Spanish language version of his cult classic "Fragile" entitled "Fragilidad" on the album Rhythms Del Mundo by Latino recording legends "The Buena Vista Sound" (previously known as the Buena Vista Social Club).

Sources: Wikipedia
Lyrics Credit: http://www.best-song-lyrics.info/s238327/artist-Sting/song-Fragilidad/







Eddie is currently an instructor with En Motion Dance School with a deep interest in music and dance. Leave a comment (preferred!) or contact him at eddie@dance-en-motion.com




Please note that this article was compiled based on information from various sources. It is only meant for casual reading and while we try to ensure the accuracy of the information, please do let us know if you spot any errors.
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Questions and Answers

A reply to a question from the last post. What does it mean to swoon a lady?
In a response to last month's article, someone asked what it means to swoon a lady. Honestly, there is no right or wrong answer to this. However, there are some things which do seem to pop up often whenever ladies talk about a fabulous experience they have.

Smile and make eye contact.

I am not talking about the plastered smile nor the creepy smile that sends ladies running off in the opposite direction. Smile sincerely and ladies would most likely smile back in return. Smiling = happiness. Easy enough yes? Ladies may be equally nervous too so smiling can go a long way into turning the dance into one that is fun and easy for both parties. Making eye contact is a sign of confidence and it shows engagement with the partner. Just be careful where you are looking!


Be a gentleman.

I can't say this enough. I have spoken to ladies who have revealed that they were totally swooned after dancing with gentlemen who made them feel like a woman. While that sounds a little abstract, they did mention about the gentleman providing a simple but clear lead throughout the dance while always taking care of her safety first. Like one lady put it, "I didn't have to think about anything at all. I just had to follow. Even if it was just a cross body lead turn, he would be there to catch me by the time I finished my turn. I felt very well taken care of."

Gentlemen also know how to keep a respectful distance from ladies and watch where their hands go. If the lady senses that the gentleman is being respectful, she would feel more comfortable with letting him into her space.

Conversely, ladies can spot a gentleman with questionable intentions instinctly and you can be sure, other ladies will know about it by the end of the night even if they have not danced with the man. I would suggest looking elsewhere if any gentleman had such intentions.


Be yourself.

Dancing is a form of expression. While there are moves, there is also room for personal expression. What may look stylish on another person may not be for you. As long as you play safe and nice, there is no harm in finding your personal style which may well become a trademark that ladies remember you for.

Have fun!

This is probably the most important point of all. Have good natured fun and your partner would have fun too. Ladies are more likely to feel swooned by a gentleman who's having fun and and including her too.

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Cat Muses - Fashion Etiquette

Dress to dance, not kill. Simple tips on how to dress to make social dancing a comfortable and safe experience for your partner and you.






by Catherine

Now before you get the wrong idea, I am not here to comment about how to look fashionable on the dance floor. I believe there are people out there who are much better at being the fashion police. Instead, here are some tips to make social dancing a pleasant and safe (yes, safe!) experience for your partner and yourself.

1. Dress Comfortably.

With all that hip action and tangling of arms in pretzel-like partnerwork, you would want to be sure that nothing gets in the way (e.g. a stiff shirt that would tear at the seams if you raised your arm) or out of the way (think wardrobe malfunction ala Janet Jackson style). Ladies, make sure your tops, straps and all are secure! Make that a double alert if you are wearing tube tops.

2. Bling Safely.

We all love to add some snazz to our outfits like we do to our moves but accessories can be hazardous on the dance floor. Here's a rough guide:

• Rings. Avoid wearing rings unless they are thin and smooth. Rings, especially those with stones protruding out, would likely scratch your partner's fingers in the midst of turns.
  
• Bangles & Bracelets. Bracelets with hanging trinkets may scratch your partner's face or get caught with clothing or hair. Bangles may fly right out of your arm or get caught with clothing. Hence, avoid if possible.
  
• Necklaces. Long hanging necklaces could give your partner a slap across the face so stick to necklaces that are short in length or closer to the neck.
  
• Earrings. Generally safe except for the really long ones that could get caught in ladies' hair which may result in a rather painful removal process.

The general rule is to avoid wearing anything sharp or could be potentially dangerous to your partner or yourself.

3. Beat The Heat (And The Sweat)

Social dancing can leave you breathless at the end of the night but it could also leave you with soaking wet with sweat by the time you step out of the club. While sweating may say how much fun you had on the dancefloor, it also says volumes about other things. Hence, try these:

• Invest in a deodorant. You have gotten all the right moves, the best smile and the sexiest styling imaginable so why let nature's natural odor response to sweat take away the smile on your partner's face? It is a form of courtesy to your partner as well.
  
• Bring along a towel or change of clothes. If you are aware that you tend to sweat more than usual after dancing, bring along a towel or change of clothes. Ever seen the gentlemen or ladies who walked into the club with one outfit and left with another? It's all in the name of making the dance more comfortable for your partner. Save the wet t-shirt look for the beach or a fashion magazine spread.
  
• Sexyback? While that back baring outfit is very sexy (oh don't we love to indulge ourselves and I am sure the men love it too), it can be a somewhat slippery and awkward experience for your partner when he goes into embrace or other positions that involve holding your back. Hence, look into the tip above or perhaps indulge a little less frequently? Keep that sexyback though!
  

The most important thing is to stay comfortable and dress safely. Outfits should enhance your moves and look on the dancefloor instead of impeding them or creating danger to yourself and others. Hope these notes help in making your social dance experience more pleasant for yourself and your partner!

EDIT 29 Oct 2008: Do read the comments for reader suggestions!

Catherine is currently an instructor with En Motion Dance School. She believes social dancing should be enjoyable and enjoys dancing as a form of expression. Leave a comment (preferred!) or contact her at catherine@dance-en-motion.com

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Feature Musician - Tito Puente

"Tito Puente is to Latin music what Beethoven is to classical."

Meet one of the greatest and most famous musicians in Latin music, Tito Puente. Learn about the story behind this legendary musician and his glorious career that spammed over decades with over 100 albums and 10,000 live performances around the world.

by Eddie & Catherine


"Tito Puente is to Latin music what Beethoven is to classical."
-Hector Rosario, Stereotimes, 2000

Tito Puente's name should be no stranger to any latin music lover or latin dancers.

Ernesto Antonio Puente, Jr. (1923-2000), otherwise better known as Tito Puente, Sr. was an influential latin jazz and mambo musician. So lengendary is his music that he has been acclaimed to be "El Rey del Timbal (The King of Timbal)", "The King of Latin Music" and "The King of Mambo".

He is best known for dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz compositions that helped keep his career going for 50 years. He and his music appear in many films including The Mambo Kings and Fernando Trueba's Calle 54. He also guest starred on several television shows including The Crosby Show and The Simpsons.

The Beginnings

Born on 20 April 1923 in New York City, Puente’s artistic talents first developed in the field of dance. In 1935, he and sister Anna became members of “Stars of the Future” a neighborhood artistic organization. On four occasions, Tito was honored for his exceptional dance ability.

After hearing a solo by Cuban pianist, Anselmo Sacassas, Tito began his musical education on the piano. Occasional tutors were Victoria Hernandez, sister of Puerto Rico’s legendary composer Rafael Hernandez and Luis Varona of the Machito orchestra who later would play with Tito’s orchestra. He also studied drums and idolized Gene Krupa. He later mastered the alto sax and was as accomplished on the vibraphone.

Puente then went on to work with Cuban pianist and bandleader Jose Curbelo beginning in December of 1939. Curbelo became his first music mentor and perhaps more importantly taught Puente the fundamentals of the music business. He then played with Johnny Rodriguez, Anselmo Sacassas, the musician that had inspired his piano study, and the great Noro Morales.In June 1942, he joined the Machito orchestra. Machito became Puente’s primary musical mentor. At one point, Tito left Machito to play percussion for the Jack Cole dancers.

Soon thereafter, he was drafted into the Navy and served in World War II. He played saxophone and drums with the band on the ship. He learned how to arrange music from a pilot that played sax. After 3 years, he was discharged with a Presidential Commendation for serving in nine battles. He returned to New York to work again with Curbello, Brazilian band leader Fernando Alvarez, featuring Charlie Palmieri on piano, and Pupi Campo. The GI Bill allowed him to study music at Juilliard School of Music, where he completed a formal education in conducting, orchestration and theory.

The "Cuban"

In 1949, Puente formed his own band the Piccadilly Boys. In the 1950s during the Palladium era, Tito Puente’s band was one of the top three orchestras in New York City, along with the orchestras of Machito and Tito Rodriguez. Mambo and cha-cha-cha were the rage at the time. At the height of his popularity, Puente helped to bring Afro-Cuban and Caribbean sounds, like mambo, son, and cha-cha-cha, to mainstream audiences (he was so successful playing popular Afro-Cuban rhythms that many people mistakenly identify him as Cuban). Dance Mania, possibly Puente's most well known album was released in 1958.

Puente later moved into more diverse sounds, including pop music, bossa nova and others before eventually settling down with a fusion of Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres that became known as "salsa" (a term that he reportedly disliked). He had strong leanings toward jazz which he “Latinized”. Puente later led two groups; an orchestra and a jazz ensemble. He continued to record both Latin jazz and straight-ahead Latin music with many different artists and his own bands.

Awards & Recognition

In 1979, he won the first of five Grammy Awards for his Homenaje a Beny Moré album which was a tribute to the Cuban singer Beny More. Other Grammy awards came in 1983 for On Broadway; 1985 for Mambo Diablo; 1990 for Gosa Mi Timbal; and in 2000 for Mambo Birdland. The New York Times chose Puente’s Dance Mania as one of the 25 most influential albums of the 20th century.

In 1990, Puente was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and awarded the "James Smithson Bicentennial Medal" in the same year. He was also featured in the 1992 film “The Mambo Kings”. He was then given the National Medal of Arts by then President Clinton in 1997 and recognised by the Library of Congress in April of 2000 as a Living Legend. These are but some of the numerous awards and honorary degrees that are too many to list.


The Eternal Legend

After a heart attack following a show in Puerto Rico, Puente had heart surgery in New York City, from which he never recovered. He passed away on May 31, 2000, just a few months after shooting for the music video of Calle 54.

Throughout his career, he had recorded more than 100 albums, published more than 400 compositions, won five Grammy awards, had over 2,000 arrangements to his credit and performed to audiences around the world in more than 10,000 live performances.


Recent Discography

Mambo Beat: The Progressive Side of Tito Puente (1994)
Mambo y cha cha cha (1994)
The Best of Dance Mania (1994)
Barbarabatiri (1994)
Tito Puente's Golden Latin Jazz All Stars (1994)
Top Percussion/Dance Mania (1994)
20 Mambos/Take Five (1995)
Fania Legends of Salsa Collection, Vol. 3 (1995)
Fiesta con Puente (1995)
Jazzin (1995)
Mambo Mococo (1949-51) (1995)
Mambos with Puente (1949-51) (1995)
More Mambos on Broadway (1995)
Tea for Two (1995)
The Complete RCA Victor Revolving Bandstand... (1995)
Tito's Idea (1995)
Yambeque: The Progressive Side of Tito Puente (1995)
Cha Cha Chá: Live at Grossinger's (1996)
El Rey de la Salsa (1996)
El Rey del Timbal (1996)
Special Delivery (1996)
The Very Best of Tito Puente & Vicentico.. (1996)
Greatest Hits (1996)
Jazz Latino, vol. 4 (1996)
Percussion's King (1997)
Selection of Mambo & Cha Cha Cha (1997)
50 Years of Swing (1997)
Tito Meets Machito: Mambo Kings (1997)
Cha Cha Cha Rumba Beguine (1998)
Dance Mania '98: Live at Birdland (1998)
The Very Best of Tito Puente (1998)
Timbalero Tropical (1998)
Yambeque (1998)
Absolute Best (1999)
Carnival (1999)
Colección original (1999)
Golden Latin Jazz All Stars: In Session (1999)
Latin Flight (1999)
Latin Kings (1999)
Lo mejor de lo mejor (1999)
Mambo Birdland (1999)
Rey (2000)
His Vibes & Orchestra (2000)
Cha Cha Cha for Lovers (2000)
Homenaje a Beny Moré. Vol. 3 (2000)
Dos ídolos. Su música (2000)
Tito Puente y su Orquesta Mambo (2000)
The Complete RCA Recordings. Vol. 1 (2000)
The Best of the Concord Years (2000)
Por fin (Finally) (2000)
Party with Puente! (2000)
Obra maestra (2000)
Mambo Mambo (2000)
Mambo King Meets the Queen of Salsa (2000)
Latin Abstract (2000)
Kings of Mambo (2000)
Cha Cha Cha for Lovers (2000)
The Legends Collection: Tito Puente & Celia Cruz (2001)
The Complete RCA Recordings, Vol. 2 (2001)
RCA Recordings (2001)
Puente caliente (2001)
The Best of... (2001)
King of Mambo (2001)
El Rey: Pa'lante! Straight! (2001)
Cocktail Hour (2001)
Selection. King of Mambo (2001)
Herman Meets Puente (2001)
Undisputed (2001)
Fiesta (2002)
Colección Diamante (2002)
Tito Puente y Celia Cruz (2002)
Live at the Playboy Jazz Festival (2002)
King of Kings: The Very Best of Tito Puente (2002)
Hot Timbales! (2002)
Dr. Feelgood (2002)
Carnaval de éxitos (2002)
Caravan Mambo (2002)
We Love Salsa (2006)


Sources: wikipedia, musicofpuertorico.com, stereotimes.com

Please note that this article was compiled based on information from various sources. It is only meant for casual reading and while we try to ensure the accuracy of the information, please do let us know if you spot any errors.

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Music Room - Mambo Diablo

A cheeky song with with highs and lows for dancers to play with. Listen to one of Tito Puente's most well-known hits: Mambo Diablo

by Eddie

This month, I would like to recommend a really nice song. It's called Mambo Diablo by Tito Puente.

If you like Jazz, you'll like this as well as it's a very groovy song. Personally I liked this artiste since I first started salsa. In fact this was one of the first few titles that I heard when I first started out dancing so naturally it left a deep impression on me.

Why this song? For one, if you are the playful/cheeky kind, this song will definitely gel with you as it has a cheeky flavor to it in terms of melody and beats. On top of that, this song has a lot of accents of highs and lows which allows you to hit the music when you are dancing.

Note that it's not always about turn patterns/variations in a song but dancing to the music.If you are just starting out, you might not be as adept in hitting the music as dancers who have been dancing for while but it comes along with practice. That is why I recommend this song so that you guys out there can learn to appreciate this song and artiste.

This song also allows a lot of room for playing with the music with your partner and ultimately, I'm sure your partner would enjoy dancing with you and remember you as someone who dances to the music if you learn to play with the music more.

Hope you guys like my recommendation for this month and see you guys on the dance floor.

Listen to and get Mambo Diablo here!

More about Tito Puente here.

Eddie is currently an instructor with En Motion Dance School with a deep interest in music and dance. Leave a comment (preferred!) or contact him at eddie@dance-en-motion.com

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Cat Muses - It's Not Just About Moves

Do you feel stressed out by having to remember moves for dancing? Do you find yourself constantly trying to learn new moves to impress the ladies? A lot of gentlemen seem to pay attention to moves, particularly turn patterns, in social dancing but are moves all there is to social dancing?

by Catherine

I notice some interesting occurrences while social dancing at times:

1) Gentlemen who would observe other gentleman dancing intently while trying to remember some of the cool moves executed.

2) Gentlemen who would apologize for ‘running out of moves’.

Now there is really nothing wrong with wanting to learn more moves. It’s really great to see that actually. However, whenever a gentleman apologizes to me in the middle of social dancing and for all reasons, for ‘running out of moves’, I get a big question mark in my head.

Why apologize?

I also notice how often gentlemen shy away from social dancing because of the thought of not having enough moves or feel ready to execute them and how sometimes gentlemen get stressed over moves. Isn’t it ironic to stay away from dancing just when doing more of it would actually help to advance more ease in doing it? Are moves really all there is to a fabulous dancer?

I may not be qualified to say what makes a fabulous dancer but from the perspective of an often appreciative audience, I would say a dancer who catches my eyes is one who captivates with his or her joy in dancing because end of the day, aren’t we all dancing to have fun and look good on the dance floor? For most of us, at least. Sure, the man with the intriguing moves captures attention but so does the confident man who his enjoying his dance and also having a great time with his partner.

If someone were to ask a lady for her most memorable dances, chances are she would reply “oh I liked dancing with him because the lead was so smooth”, “because he was so easy to follow”, “he really took care of me” and get this one: “because he made me feel like a lady.”

I remember something a teacher I respect and some fellow dancers said. In the absence of exact memory, it went something like: “Ladies may not remember you for all the complex moves but they certainly would remember if you hurt them.” While it is not exactly meant to be a commandment, it does say that it is important to take care of your lady. On a side note, it is something I personally believe in. Other ladies may beg to differ but I would feel more comfortable with a lead who leads comfortably than a lead who constantly tries complex moves with disregard for the lady’s safety. Of course, sometimes we do get our feet stepped on and the gentlemen can’t save us in time but I think most ladies are pretty forgiving. I can’t remember the guy who gave me a bruised toe nor the guy who left my elbow numb all night.

Social dancing, like most social activities, is meant to be social. This does not only refer to the setting in which we meet new people and dance with different people. Social dancing is like a conversation between two people. Instead of words, we have lead and follow. That being said, I also see one-sided conversations on the dance floor.

So what does this mean for the gentleman?

I am not discouraging gentlemen from learning new moves. In fact, it gives the ladies as much joy in being surprised by a new move as much as the gentlemen derive from executing it. Finding new moves allows one to explore new horizons in dancing. However, it isn’t everything to dancing. Social dancing is about dancing someone else so dance with your partner. I repeat, WITH your partner. The same goes for both gentlemen and ladies.

We call the women ladies and men, gentlemen. So all one needs to be a great lead is to be a gentleman-respect her personal space, take care of her and swoon her! Most people just want to relax and let their hair down for some fun so take good care of each other, watch your dance space, relax, have fun and have a great conversation!

Catherine is currently an instructor with En Motion Dance School. She believes social dancing should be enjoyable and enjoys dancing as a form of expression. Leave a comment (preferred!) or contact her at catherine@dance-en-motion.com

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Welcome to En Motion's Blog!

Welcome to En Motion Dance School's very own blog!

We started this to create a place where we can interact more with our students and keen dancers. This was meant to be a more casual place where we the folks at En Motion can share our thoughts about dancing, share music, tidbits and fun information with you guys.

We need your help to make this a fun place! And you can do so by:

- Leaving comments (don't we love them)

- Telling us what you would like to read about

- Sharing your own experiences with us (both the good ones and the ones that we can all learn from)

We would also love any recommendations related to latin street dances. We can't promise to include everything but we'll try our best! Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions or if you are too shy to comment here, do feel free to email the contributors for each section!

We hope to build this place up slowly over time so do pardon us for any areas lacking for now. Most importantly, we would love your interaction!

Always En Motion,
The En Motion Crew

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