Salsa City Forum » Salsa Music and Dance » The Music

Well, of course I’m not listening for the beat of the instrument itself because in most commercial salsa the claves are not actually played. But still—the other percussion instruments, the bass, the melody, the lyric... will all be “in clave” and that’s what I’m listening for.

Now and again a track will be played with an audible clave beat and that’s useful to check if my instincts are correct.

Felipe Polanco is the only person I know who teaches dancing to the clave, literally stepping on the clave beat. Not that hard once you get the hang of it, but it is very much like learning a different dance as the leads etc are all at different times.

He is an excellent dancer and can be seen on most of the West Coast Salsa Congress DVD’s. He’s also got a teaching DVD out.

With regards to a On1 or On2 dancer and the clave, it is less about stepping to the clave, (which other than the 1st beat we don’t) more about the tension that the clave gives to the music which allows us to play in way unique to Salsa.

A beginning dancer needs to be more concerned with dancing to the rhythm and stepping to and marking the beats. However an advanced dancer will become more interested in interpreting the music. Sometimes stretching or delaying a beat, following the melody or going crazy to a timbales solo. It is here that the clave starts to mean something to the feel of the music and the way you dance it.

Irregardless of what footwork structure is used it is only a framework on which to hang your picture of the music. It is the common ground with which we communicate with our partner. But as you both become more attuned the easier it is for you both to feel the different elements of the music together. The magic of partner dancing is when this happens with out thought, emotions guiding you both through the music. Watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing is magical because they create such beautiful pictures of their relationship with such effortless ease that you don’t even see their technique, just the moment of their relationship with each other and the music.

Rambling a bit here but I’m just trying to illustrate that the footwork is a base stucture and the clave gives us a tension that we can start to utilise as we feel it more. Sometimes we may hold a step longer between the 1, 2& or feel the demand of the 6,7.

It is the sheer variety of the rhythms in Salsa music that make it so cumpulsive and addictive. You have so many things to play with as a dancer, the 4/4 rhythm the 3/2 of the clave, or the drive of the cowbell 1,2,& - 3,4,&, - 5 etc.

Still rambling so I’m going to sign off here, hope that helps rather that confuses :)

I know we step on the 6,7 of the 3,2 clave as well... I meant to imply that On1 and On2 dancers don’t dance on clave in the absolute way the Felipe Polance does. I really should proof my stuff more before posting... :)

Just an addition, if you want to think of yourself as part of the band, remember like a drummer you can be doing more than one thing at a time. Your feet may be marking the 123 but your the rest of your body will emphasize certain parts of the music. A typical cuban move is the mans hand thrown up on the 4th beat on the clave.

Guys guys guys... stop bloody fretting about it and just dance!

Yeah it all helps but just listen to the music and feel it... and connect with ur partner... that’s the magic!

If people didn’t fret so much I think it would be far more enjoyable... just go with it and let it flow... dance with each other!

Even if ur both out of time and completely off beat but ur dancing together and it clicks its all good!

Quick recommendation for anyone who’s interested in the historical and social context as well as the technical details: Cuba and Its Music: From the First Drums to the Mambo, by Ned Sublette - fascinating (but long).