About Salsa On2
Salsa is a partner dance form that corresponds to salsa music.
Salsa music is a fusion of traditional African and Cuban and other Latin-American rhythms that traveled from the islands (Cuba and Puerto Rico)
to New York during the migration, somewhere between the 1940s and the 1970s, depending on where one puts the boundary between "real" salsa and its predecessors.
There is debate as to whether Salsa originated in Cuba or Puerto Rico. Salsa is one of the main dances in both Cuba and Puerto Rico and is known worldwide. -Taken from Wikipedia
Salsa On2 (also known as Mambo) is a style of salsa dance. Steps are closely connected to the "clave", the underlying rhythm of salsa music.
In salsa on2, followers "break forward" with the left foot on the 2nd beat and they "break back" with the right foot on the 6 th beat (salsa music is counted in cycles of 8 beats).
iFreeStyle.ca was created by two dancers (Caryl Cuizon & Angus Dirnbeck) who loved the feeling of dancing on2, so much so that they wanted to start a school in Toronto fully
dedicated to teaching, performing and promoting salsa On2. The dance school crew at iFreeStyle.ca is passionate about salsa On2 and look forward to sharing that with any student or dancer with an interest in learning!
The answer to this question depends on which segment of the Toronto scene to which you are referring. As of this writing, On2 is more common among beginner to intermediate salsa dancers.
As you focus your consideration more to the intermediate and advanced dancers you will find the proportions leaning towards the majority dancing On2.
Put simply, knowing how to dance different styles provides you with the opportunity to dance with more people. Just imagine your disappointment if you were to find out that someone you really want to dance with only dances a style with which you are unfamiliar!
No, salsa On2 is one of many styles of salsa. While many experienced dancers and performers prefer to socially dance On2, it is just a preference.
No. This is in fact one of many myths about dancing On2. Dancing On2 is no harder than dancing On1.
If you are used to dancing On1 (or some other beat) it can feel very different to what you are used to. Throughout the year we offer a workshop for On1 dancers called "From the 1 to the 2" to help On2 dancers transition what they already know On1 to On2.
The short answer is no. Although music is music (which means that there are the same beats whether you're dancing On1 or On2), some songs may "feel" better danced On1 while others "feel" better On2.
Salsa On2/Mambo is a style of salsa enjoyed by salsaholics around the world. It is the predominant style of dance in places like New York City, Puerto Rico,
and has expanded to major Canadian (i.e. Montreal, Vancouver etc.) and US cities, as well as centres in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas.
On2 dancers can be found everywhere!! If you've been dancing On1 for a while, you'll be surprised at how many dancers (including some that you already know) dance On2.
You just have to ask, or watch. You may be known as an "On1" dancer so others may assume that you want to dance On1. The easiest way to meet other On2 dancers is to take an On2 class and ask other
students where they go, attend to outings and you'll soon meet a whole world of On2 dancers. iFreeStyle.ca hosts On2 Salsa socials every other month to help connect On2 dancers from in and around Toronto. Check our events page for the next one!
