Dancing salsa to any music with the right beat and tempo is possible and very important when dancing socially. My first experience learning salsa dance was with reggaeton music. When I asked my salsa instructor why are we dancing to reggaeton music and not to traditional salsa music he told me that we can dance salsa to any music as long we can find the right beat.
Can you dance salsa to reggaeton music? Yes, you can dance salsa to reggaeton music. You can dance salsa to reggaeton music because reggaeton has eight beats in a bar and it has the right tempo. People mostly dance salsa to reggaeton music in salsa clubs. With nice body movements and the use of Latin beats, reggaeton can be a very nice addition to salsa dance besides traditional salsa music.
When dancing salsa to reggaeton you will be slowing it down and removing any sharpness you may have had when dancing to traditional salsa music.
Dancing salsa to reggaeton is slow, smooth, and requires more body movements into the dance.
What Is Reggaeton Music?
According to McGills, reggaeton is a form of dance music that became popular within Latin America at first and then slowly spread to Europe, North America, the United States, Asia, and Australia.
Fun Fact! Originally, Reggaeton gained popularity in Panama and then evolved to Puerto Rico.
Reggaeton is a mix of Latin music and hip hop, which is a nice addition to Latin dance styles such as bachata and salsa.
It is believed that the increased popularity of reggaeton will surplus traditional Latin music styles such as salsa music or merengue.
Reggaeton is based on strong body movements and is famous for exquisite body isolation and a combination of various moves.
People either love or hate reggaeton; there is no in-between. No matter on which side of the fence you are, you cannot deny that you can resist the catchy reggaeton beats.
Reggeaton has become so popular today that it seems there is a new hit every single day.
Reggaeton has appeared in the eighties and has evolved in 2000 thanks to the artists such as Maluma, Ozuna, Don Omar, Daddy Yankee, and many others.
Even if you are not a fan of reggaeton, you have likely danced to this type of songs on parties.
Can You Dance Salsa To Any Music?
When you are dancing salsa socially, you can dance salsa sequences to any 8 beats music and that has the right tempo and energy. Salsa is danced to two measures of four beats each making a total of eight beats.
- Traditional Salsa Music
Traditional salsa music has lyrics in Spanish only. Salsa music is based on a 4/4 time signature and is mostly phrased in groups of eight beats or two bars. Salsa music may sound busy sometimes. It means that there are lots of instruments are playing at the same time.
This is why many people who just want to learn to dance salsa socially prefer modern and commonly played music such as reggaeton at social events.
- Slow Romantic Salsa Music
Romantic salsa music tends to be less moving, especially for people who like to dance to a fast beat.
What Kind Of Songs You Should Listen To When Practicing Salsa?
People who are interested in learning salsa dance need to recognize the importance of consistent listening and practicing to music to learn salsa rhythm and find the right beat.
Pay attention to the following in the songs:
- Songs that are not too busy. Many traditional salsa songs sound too busy. This means that there are lots of instruments playing at the same time and overlapping with each other. Some songs may sound faster than they are. In reality, they are not, but the tempo may be deceiving due to the multiple layers of rhythms playing together.
- Songs that are not too fast. Some songs are very fast, so I would advise anyone just starting learning salsa to avoid these songs. Fast songs make it difficult to focus on the music while you are trying to focus on the steps.
- Songs that have clear instruments. It is important to choose songs that have clear and easy to hear instruments. This will allow you to match the steps easier.
- Songs that are regularly played on salsa social events. This is why it is important to know how to dance salsa to any song. When you go to a social event you cannot pick and choose songs. So, find the most popular songs that will set you up for success towards becoming a confident salsa dancer.
Benefits Of Dancing Salsa To Any Music
There are many benefits of dancing salsa to any music, including reggaeton. Once you know how to recognize and find the right beat, you will be able to dance to (almost) any song. This is important if you are in social settings and you cannot choose a song you like.
My first experience going out to a club for salsa social dancing was with reggaeton music. Although, for the first hour or two they played salsa music. As the night progressed, the music got switched to reggaeton.
I have felt the higher energy in the room instantly. It seemed that people were waiting for the reggaeton music to let it all out. I saw some amazing salsa dancers on the floor. Reggaeton music didn’t discourage them from dancing, but rather it fueled them to dance even better.
I know that for most professional salsa dancers, dancing to reggaeton is not acceptable but for people, like myself, who just want to dance salsa socially and have fun to the music we love, reggaeton is an excellent choice.
Final Words
I know that many salsa lovers will not agree with me but salsa dancing is all about having fun and dancing to music you love. Being free to dance salsa to any music, even reggaeton, will be beneficial to you, especially if you are dancing salsa socially. So have fun, find that beat, and dance!
