¡Salsa a la Cubana!
A Demonstrational Video of Cuban-Style Salsa Dancing
From The Source ...
Testimonials
Neal Watson from
Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND:
(the person who mainains the complete list of all salsa videos)
"This video is not in Salsaweb but it is a demonstration tape done
by Master Salsa Technician Eric Freeman
¡Salsa a la Cubana!: A Demonstration Video of Cuban style salsa
dancing
Note: PAL & NTSC format. Secure On-line ordering now.
Very good quality video. Good for rewinding to review the moves.
The video is classed as a demonstration video by Eric & although he
is right I must also class it as a advanced teaching video. Because most
of the video is shot full body it is easy to learn the moves the dancers
are using. I was using some of these techniques the first night I watched
this video. For beginners if you have a pause/ still advance on your video
machine you can learn the moves. Each couple is named plus the city
they come from. Most of the dancers are dancing on the 1 & 3 although
some dance on the 2. This video is really of STREET Salsa not Mambo. The
dancers all have an individual style ranging from classical Salsa steps
to Casino, disco, Columbia ( A form of Afro-Cuban Rumba) , etc. The
male solo shines are really interesting. The best moves for me were the
embracing/ enfolding turns.
This is my recommended Must have demonstration
Salsa video."
Fabio Boschetti
from Perth, AUSTRALIA:
"A gallery of masters in action. Eric made a definite step forward in
salsa video production. This is not only about figures, it is mostly about
style and creativity of real talents. Talents from the streets... this
is why it tastes of Cuba so much."
Rich Parish
from Romsey, Hampshire, UNITED KINGDOM:
"This DVD contains so many moves it's worth hundreds of salsa dancing
lessons.
I can now teach myself to at least dance salsa more like the
Cubans than the Europeans! I have to admit that this does cause some
partners some problems but others seems to find it more natural.
Once you get the feel of how the Cubans dance, the moves seem to just
flow more easily.
Ibert and Sunny put on an impressive show of salsa dancing. But
everyone's dancing was great. If you want explosive action Onoris seems
to be the man - he has some fantastic dynamic moves."
Karen B. from Seattle, Washington:
"Salsa a la Cubana is a great demonstration video. I’ve been dancing
salsa for five years and by now have accumulated many videos. While
each of these has helped my dancing in some way and I think videos in general
are a great supplement to lessons and practice, I’d recommend this video
over a lot of the others because it is so unique. First of all, there
is excellent dancing—especially by the last couple. All of the dancers
have interesting personal styles and many of the patterns and accents are
quite different from those on other videos. Second, I enjoyed watching
the men’s solo dances which are unique—very musical and with lots of personality.
Third, the contemporary Cuban music is great and different from the salsa
I’m used to hearing. Finally, the video has some nice personal touches.
Each of the dancers is identified by name before they dance, there are
conversations with some of the dancers, footage of band members singing,
scenes of some dancing in a club and a little glimpse of a street
scene as the credits roll.
...
I've watched the video again this morning before work--there are
so many special touches and nuances in the dancing. It's really a
great video!"
Jeanne Petrick
from Denver, Colorado:
"I watched your tape. I love it! The filming and clarity
are beautiful. The dancing is fantastic. It has the feelings I'm
really interested in. It's great.
...
Thank you for the interesting visit to the world of Cuban style
Salsa. This tape is a nicely assembled clear presentation and something
that you should be very proud of. I especially enjoyed Joel and Yaqueline's
interpretation of the dance. They are both very good dancers in their
own right and a well
balanced couple. I've truly enjoyed viewing their dancing.
This tape is definitely worth the investment."
Ed Bidinotto from
Boulder, Colorado:
"Wow! The video is great! Good job! You've totally
captured some of the best dancers I've ever seen. Cuban style dancing is
so drastically different but extraordnarily smooth and stylish. I
especially enjoyed the very last couple in black before you had the people
talking at the end of the video.... they were incredibly hot, sexy and
smooth. Wow!
I like the way you faded in/out with the camera and did the opening
with the malecon and city streets - anyone who has been to Cuba or is interested
in Cuban salsa needs to see this video. You've really captured the
heart and soul of cuban dancing.
Great job on the video. I'd love to see your equipment some day and
how you put it together. These Cubans were really hot!"
Sandy Gunawan from
Ottawa, CANADA:
"I received your video... and it's AWESOME! This is exactly what
I've been looking for. I went to Cuba last spring and this really captures
the style that I want to learn on my own here in Canada..."
Serge Kolelas
from Sankou Haitsu, JAPAN:
"It's all great. The dancers are great, the quality of image is great.
You made a good choice of dancers, especially the crazy guy ''ONORIS.''
The girls know how to move their bodies. I really liked the scenes
at the beginning (with Onoris's demo, the party with a live group, and
a Rueda demo.) Unfortunately for me, this part is very short.
Great job and I am looking forward to the next video."
Mark Dubois from
Quebec, CANADA:
"Your video arrived and was I impressed. It was amazing.
I watched in disbelief at the extreme talent. It is the exact guidance
and inspiration intermediate level "soon to be salseros" like me need to
see. I can't thank you enough for a job well done!
...
My favorite dancer was Ibert - wicked style!"
Edwin Hautus from
Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS:
"The Cuban video is great! The Cuban style of dancing is completely
different from anything else, yet it is so hard to define. The individual
dancers are all very different and particularly the men have their own
style, yet every one of them is unmistakingly Cuban. The video gives an
excellent oppertunity to study the Cuban style and at the same time steal
some very original moves.
Another thing I noticed again on the video is that the Cubans hardly
ever have eye-contact. I saw this in Cuba also - they are not really into
interacting with the partner. For some Cuban men, interaction consists
of 'dragging' the lady around the dancefloor.
OK, I have many more video sessions to go to figure out what it is
that I love and what it is I don't like about this way of dancing.
Anyway, you did a great job in recording this material."
Gerald Hemelmayr from
Linz, AUSTRIA:
"It's great! I was suprised and a litte bit proud :-) that many
of the figures I do know, but also there are many new variations and figures
that I want to learn from this video (especially from Ibert & Sunny,
Joel & Yaqueline, Onoris, .....)
...
El video me gusta mucho! Ya aprendi 6 de los vueltas mas interessante
(Joel y Yaqueline y tambien Onoris y Mileidis bailan unas vueltas que me
gustan mucho!) Me gusta mucho el estilo de Ibert y Onoris, de Joel
me gustan mas sus vueltas que su estilo. Eydel tiene un estilo interessante,
que tambien me gusta pero no para bailarlo yo.
...
This video is great! Although I already knew many of the moves,
I've learnd many new variations and some incredible new moves. The video
shows many different and interesting styles of facinating cuban dancers.
Each of the dancers have their own unique style.
For a beginner it is hard or impossilbe to learn from this video,
but for intermediate or advanced dancer, it is a good source for improving
style and learning new moves (hope you have a video player with slow motion;
I use a AVI copy of the video to examine compilicated moves frame by frame.)
I really like the cuban style of dancing salsa and cuban music."
Roman Virdi from
Zurich, SWITZERLAND:
"I received your video and I'd like to thank you very much!
It's great to have this style of cuban dancing on video to get some
new ideas. Most of all, though, it's the *style* which is so interesting
and so very refreshing after all that 'smooth ballroom type' salsa dancing
(nothing against all the Josie Neglias of this world, I just like the cuban
dancing because it seems more 'honest'. Watching the women start off with
an unsure expression on their face to eventually break into a big smile
after the guy pulls off some wierd moves is marvellous!) This video
has influenced my own dancing for the better.
"
Tommy Selggren
from Gävle, SWEDEN:
"I was wondering about the tune "Amigos" by Oderquis Revé y su
Changüí Mix. This song is so great and it would be great
if it is possible to buy it. And by the way, the video is so great, I have
already started to use some of the moves."
Usukuma Ekuere
from Alberta, CANANA:
"Excellent!!! Very well done. The visual was good and content was certainly
'loaded'. The dancers were well picked and they all had their unique styles.
The video is a must for all TRUE salsa lovers. I say true lovers because
the Cuban style is the unadulterated mother of all salsa styles. I agree
about the comments of Joel & Yaqueline being the best couple to watch,
especially because they dance contra tiempo (on 2). Great work Eric."
Osvaldo Martinez
from Sanford, Florida:
"Eric: I recieved the video a couple of days ago ... Let me tell
you, this is cuban casino dancing at its highest level ... I really enjoy
it ... The song "Amigos" by Oderquis Revé y su Changüí
Mix is one of the best dancing songs I've ever heard... Is it available
in CD?? Please, let me know if it is... The music in the first song was
not taped too good, it has a lot of static, but other than that, the video
was great..."
Issa Gorissen from
Brussels, BELGIUM:
"I want to say that you really did a good job. Most dancers you
choosed are awesome.
...
This tape will definetely improve my own style as a Salsa dancer
here in Brussels!
...
Anyway, Good job, Eric!"
Martin Blais
from Montreal, CANADA:
"If you haven't seen cubans dance yet, you just have to get this tape.
This is by far the most flavorous salsa tape I have ever seen. Spontaneous
moments of magic, 100% cuban-style. I just
love the attitude! It contains both elegant and street-style dancing (my
favorite), from some truly amazing dancers. You can see some dancers incorporate
columbia into their salsa, something tasteful rarely seen in America and
Europe. Of the three cuban tapes, this is the one that offers the most
incredible live action. In my opinion, this tape really puts in perspective
how you could apply what you will learn from the two other cassettes."
Noam Tsur from
Tel Aviv, ISRAEL:
"(Talking about all three Cuban tapes) ... Well a lot has changed since
I have seen these tapes. First I can say that the previews I downloaded
of those tapes actually blew me away. When I got the tapes and watched
they were even more exciting. The way it’s edited, first Fundamentals then
Advanced, is the best way to learn. When you see a professional Cuban dancer
do a simple “Exhibela” is simply OUTSTANDING. Everybody tells me I got
better lately. I saw these tapes after I already knew some intermediate
combinations in Rueda De Casino (Miami Style), so it actually influenced
me to actually DANCE the combinations and not just perform them without
any FEEL. I recommend it to anyone who is concern with his/hers Cuban style
Salsa & Miami Style. I watch the Demonstration tape every night I go
to sleep! Eric my friend, you’ve made one hell of a job creating these
tapes, they’re worth every $ spent on them. Bravo."
Marek Szumlas
from Leiden, THE NETHERLANDS:
"Your Demo Cuban style video is indeed truly amazing. It was you
who pushed me in the Cuban direction after our email exchanges about a
year ago. I feel really strongly about this, the non-Cuban styles
of salsa look like a parody to me now. I am reminded of when I was young
and did a lot of judo. First we did a lot of technical and rehearsed
moves -- that would be the European and American styles. Then we went out
there and fought real dirty sweaty judo -- that would be the Cuban style.
The trouble with the non-Cuban styles is that people from the same school
all
dance identically. Whereas in Cuba self expression is the key. It
seems to me, I just love it I mean, just look at those guys, everybody
is different. Now that's real dancing!!!"
Ariel Gabizon
from Jerusalem, ISRAEL:
"First of all I want to say you did a great job on the cuban style
demonstrational tape -- it had a huge impact on my dancing and my ability
to enjoy the dance and relate to the music through the dance. My first
impression of the video was disappointing as I expected to see a lot more
complicated rueda moves (in Israel (that's where I'm from) most people
mistake rueda or miami style to be exactly the same thing as cuban style).
But watching it again and again I noticed that it very successfully transmits
the "feel" or "groove" of the cuban dance to the viewer, and that, even
though I wasn't really practicing any specific moves from the tape just
watching it siginficantly changes the way I dance."
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