Salsa vs. Hip Hop

Although salsa and hip hop are both forms of dance; there are many things that make them different. It's really up to you and your preference to style. Would you like to be with a partner showing off more fluid, sexy movements to upbeat music? Or would you rather be an independent dancer allowing a little bit of your own style to show through? This is the difference between salsa and hip hop:with salsa, you need a partner and there are certain steps that you must do to make the dance successful. In hip hop however, most of the dance is done independently and you don't have to follow the choreography exactly. But what makes both salsa and hip hop two of the more exciting styles of dance is their upbeat music and quick, sharp movements. Attitude and expression are both necessary in these styles of dance and is for people who are strong willed and typically very passionate about music and dance. So before you make up your mind, I suggest you try a class in both. After you do so, your body will tell you which is for you because you can feel your comfort level relax or tighten during each class. Then, once you've decided, you can study further into your desired course and compare and contrast each form for yourself!

What To Do Before You Dance

Just like exercising, dance is a type of rigorous activity that, if not careful, can cause injury to your body. That is why I'm here to remind you the importance of stretching before and after you dance. It may sound simple and obvious, but you'd be surprised to know how many people do not stretch and get hurt because they forgot this simple task. The first thing you need to do is pick out appropriate attire that allows you to move as well and shoes that allow you to dance freely. Yes, if you do not wear clothing you can move around in or put on hazardous shoes, like baggy pants and loose fit sneakers, you can injure yourself. No one wants to explain that the reason they sprained their ankle was because they tripped over their own pants or fell out of their shoes! Second, take the time out to stretch all of your body. You can start with your upper body. Reach your arm up and bend your body to one side then the other,cross your right arm across your chest and hold it there with your left hand then switch, also you could swing your arms around in big, wide circles. Those are just a few arm warm-ups. Now, for your legs. This can be done by reaching over and touching your toes, lunging, squats, and sitting on the floor with your legs apart and reaching to grab each foot. (this may be difficult for a few people so go as far as you can and with practice you'll soon make it to your toes!) Putting on your favorite tunes can help you become motivated to stretch as well. There are many other stretches out there so don't be afraid to find them out! Go to a yoga class one day, observe fellow dancers, or even throw in some of your own moves that you believe are affective. Now that you're nice and warm, you can begin dancing. But don't forget when you're done to do a quick cool down. Just do some deep breaths, reach up to the sky, bend over and touch your toes then pull your legs into your chest. Cool down streching can help your muscles relax and also help reduce the risk of sore muscles, so it's worth a try! And there you have it, some simple steps that will keep you safe and less likely to pull a muscle during your dance experience.

Assignment 3: What Ballerinas Really Feel on Pointe

Have you ever watched a Ballet performance and seen the graceful, almost effortless work of a ballerina on pointe? You might be thinking, "What is pointe? I may have seen it before if I only knew what that term meant." Well, pointe is a type of dance where a ballerina wears special ballet slippers that allow her to arch up on her foot all the way until she is literally standing on her toes. To us, it sounds extremely painful, but when you watch them perform this dance you would never guess there was any pain afflicted onto the dancer. This, however, is the secret behind pointe. It actually causes tremendous pain, but the dancers train themselves to endure past the pain and strengthen their toes so they are able to make the graceful movements you see in their performance. It is very important that you are with a professional instructor while usuing pointe shoes so they can teach you the proper technique. If you are new to pointe and are trying to use them alone; serious damage can be inflicted permanently on your toes by using them incorrectly. Using a dance bar to hold on to helps beginner dancers with support while learning to lift onto your toes. When dancers become serious in pointe most of the time they get blisters and bloody toes from the rigorous work. This is when they wrap their toes with tape, put extra stuffing at the bottom like paper towel, llambswool, or toilet paper just to get even that much more cushion. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of bloody, broken, and bruised feet to get to the professional level performance ballerinas are at. So the next time you see the flowing movement of a ballerina remember, it didn't come easily.