The Cuban and Miami styles are somewhat similar in that it is very much a man's dance with a repertoire of multiple allardes (a showy decoration with the hand, executed by the man, that resembles the gesture of combing one's hair) and hook turns. Although the Miami style has its roots in Cuba, it has evolved into a more refined and technically stronger variation of the Cuban style. For the most part, dancers in Miami and Cuba, in particular, possess a raw and easy style that most non-Latino dancers may find difficult to emulate. On a social level, very little demand for technique is placed on the follower in terms of spins, footwork or dips. In a closed dance hold the basic mambo step is danced with an option to break on either "1" or "3" depending on the dancers preference. Some dancers will often use a step called "Guapea" as their basic. In Guapea, the man reverses his basic mambo step (back left on "1" and forward on a slight diagonal on "5"). When in open facing position the follower's footwork, for the most part, involves a consistent rhythmic walk. Cross Body Leads are also danced in these two styles but tend to be more rotational than the linear CBL's in the L.A. and New York styles. The Cuban/Miami style can often be distinguished by some of the most complex arm maneuvers that may leave you wondering how possible or painful it may be for the follower to endure. Let's just say that the art of following this style of Salsa may not require complex footwork but certainly depends on the follower's ability to be very relaxed with light and limber arms. As a side note, it looks as though the Miami scene is changing. For the first time, on a recent trip to Miami, I witnessed several dancers engaging in a little of the L.A. Salsa thing - - look out Miami!

Casino Rueda is a dance style that originated from Cuba and has found its way to many cities worldwide. It is a group dance that requires dancers be alert and quick as they respond, in a synchronized fashion, to a designated "caller". This caller, typically a dancer in the group, orchestrates a series of moves using both verbal and hand signals that lead dancers through short combinations, some of which require a change of partner mid-dance. As for Casino Rueda, the styles between Miami and Cuba are very different. In Cuba the rueda moves tend to be somewhat technically unrefined and significantly more playful. For example moves like "Dedo con Derrumbe", "Pablito" or "Adalberto" don't require any technical knowledge for execution as they may consist of any combination of jumps, stomps, claps, vocal reverberation or even dramatic pauses within a simple pattern. Although technically undemanding, dancing a rueda, Cuban style, can surely put a smile on any face. The Miami style of rueda certainly incorporates some of these playful moves, however there is a significant amount of repertoire that requires technical knowledge of the dance. In either case, Casino Rueda is an exciting and fun alternative to "one on one" Salsa. It can certainly challenge a dancer's timing and retention skills as an experienced and knowledgeable rueda dancer may know anywhere from 150-300 patterns/calls. Alot of the patterns used in Casino Rueda can also be danced "one on one" as well and mixes nicely with other styles.

The New York style and L.A. styles are very closely linked. Both styles use the mambo step as a basic and are very slotted/linear in execution. New York has earned a reputation for dancing on "2" yet there are many New Yorker's who also dance on "1". There are two variations of the mambo step danced in New York, the contemporary mambo (a.k.a. Eddie Torres style) and the Palladium style. The Eddie Torres style is characterized by a continuous and smooth body rhythm and passing of the feet where the non-weight changing counts are on "4" and "8". The Palladium style is very much like the 1950's Mambo whereby the non-weight changing counts are on "1" and "5". Unlike the contemporary style, it can be very staccato (fragmented) in execution depending on the dancers interpretation and placement of the feet on counts "4" and "8". The New York style tends to have the most varied interpretation/ opinion of the basic step than any other style so I am providing you with my most basic explanation.

The Los Angeles style uses the contemporary mambo basic as well but typically executes this step by breaking forward on count "1". The L.A. and New York styles consist of the same core components that make up their incredibly diverse repertoire of moves. The main difference is their approach to styling, the ebb and flow of movement. For example, if you were looking into a window at a group of dancers from both L.A. and New York and could not hear the music to determine the count you should still be able to ascertain the style of choice for each dancer. The New York dancers certainly have a more composed, elegant, and smoother look and feel for the dance. The women in particular tend to reveal a sensual quality to express the intricacies of this dance. Unlike the subtle nuances of the New York style dancers, the L.A. dancers would perhaps catch your attention first with their incredible display of explosive and technically challenging roster of tricks. The execution tends to be crisp and sharp with a vivacious appeal. The L.A. men tend to really surpass the basic expectations of a good dancer with jumps, and flips, and splits, and spins, and…get the picture?

Another component of salsa dance that you will notice that seems to be a "must" for dancers interested in the L.A. and New York styles would be "Shines". In simple terms, shines provides an opportunity to abandon the role of lead/follow and do your own thing! Although this gives free reign to interpretation for both partners, consideration to harmony in movement should still be present. Shines are not common to the Cuban//Miami or the Cumbia styles of Salsa. Although the influence of shines may have come from New York, the dancers in L.A. can surely be credited with the evolution of shines in recent years. They bring to this component of Salsa dance concepts in Hip Hop and technical influences from Jazz. A truly dynamic fusion that will keep Salsa dancers challenged for many years to come.

The style in Toronto, as you have witnessed, is very eclectic. The dancers here have been fortunate enough to be influenced by many of the various styles of Salsa dance from around the world. Most importantly they have invested a momentous amount of time and passion into becoming some of the most superb Salsa dancers around.

Regardless of the dance style(s) you may choose to learn, the ultimate experience is to convey and to manifest what is learned into a purely emotional response to music.