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Salsa & Mambo Video Reviews

Omar Chocolate

Salsa 2, Learning to Dance at Home

Level: Beginner

Style: Cuban/Casino

Content: DVD with Salsa Dance Course and Videoclips with free Bonus-CD.

Basic Salsa Course (Basic steps and 11 Patterns): 1) Start; 2) Adentro; 3) No; 4) Paseo Cha-cha-chá; 5) Vuelta; 6) Enchufle y adentro; 7) Dile que no; 8) Prima; 9) Sombrero; 10) Vuelta con sombrero; 11) Contravuelta con sombrero; 12) Doble sombrero; 13) Doble vuelta; 14) Alicia; 15) Despedida; Videoclips: 1) Guarachandito; 2) Atrapado en tí; 3) Añoranza; 4) Quiero ser; 5) A modo de explicación; 6) Intrusa para amar; 7) 2 en 1 Cha-cha-chá y el Bodeguiero; 8) Vacaciones sin tí; 9) Nos vamos pa'la casa; 10) Milagro; 11) Sabor a Caney.

Bonus-CD: 1) Intrusa para amar (Bachata-Son); 2) 2 en 1 Cha-cha-chá y el Bodeguero (Cha-cha-chá); 3) Se me para el corazón (Salsa); 4) Añoranza (Salsa); 5) Atrapado en tí (Salsa); 6) Candela II Intro (Salsa); 7) Guarachandito (Salsa); 8) Parampan pan (Salsa); 9) Candela II final (Salsa); 10) Moliendo café (Salsa); 11) Bilongo (Salsa); 12) Nos vamos pa' la casa (Salsa); 13) Quiero ser (Salsa); 14) A modo de explicación (Bachata); 15) Intrusa para amar (Bachata); 16) Milagro I (Merengue); 17) Sabor a Caney (Merengue)

Available in many European languages with a choice of audio or subtitles:

General Comment: The video clips are typical music video clips with their standard sensuality and love story, which have more to do with promoting the CD and little to do with learning salsa so if you start with this section as I did you may be disappointed since you no doubt bought the DVD to learn salsa. It is entertaining nevertheless.. The salsa course is exactly as described - basic which for complete beginners is not a bad thing as there is a lot of repetition and a variety of dancers showing the same moves so you get a feel for how it should look. I found it a little strange in parts as the counting was 2-2-3 with the step on 3 which could be confusing if you live in a country where salsa is danced either on 1 or on 2. Each step is demonstrated by the man and then the woman separately without music (the silence is deafening!) and then they put it together as a couple with music. Some of the moves such as sombrero use variations which are not standard in the teaching of casino so that also may cause some consternation for beginners. Some of the femal dancers show "disco salsa" which is much more bouncy and with Western rather than Latin hip movements which will upset the purists. Nevertheless it may be of interest to beginners and the bonus CD to start your collection is surely a good thing.

Reviewed by Ally - OK

General Comment: This product comes with a music CD and a DVD containing some video clips and a basic salsa tuition. The idea is not bad. From the video clips you can see that Omar can dance, he has a nice swing and fluid movements. The dance tuition is fairly basic. He will show some basic steps and turns taken from the casino salsa repertoire. He dances on 3, which is fairly unusual in the western world, but not that uncommon in Cuba. You will learn how to execute basic right and left turn, Dile que No, a few arm work and variations. The lady’s part is shown by different female dancers. An ok video for a beginner. You would not want to buy this product merely for the dance tuition, but since it comes with a music CD and video clips you may consider it.

Reviewed by Fabio - Fair