Mark & Karen
Best Salsa Ever on Strictly
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Thanks for all your replies. I loved Matt and Flavia's and Mark and Karen's too. They were great showy dances, but I still think they missed the club feel of salsa. I think there is potential to do an AMAZING salsa if they get someone who knows proper salsa, eg Brian, and someone who can dance it!
I had forgotten about Jade and Ian's - that one was good too!
Pamela was great at dancing it too. I actually think she and Brian would do a great salsa!
And there hasn't been one standout salsa this year!
I had forgotten about Jade and Ian's - that one was good too!
Pamela was great at dancing it too. I actually think she and Brian would do a great salsa!
And there hasn't been one standout salsa this year!
Originally Posted by bigstrictlyfan:
“I dance salsa and I'm always a little disappointed by the salsas I see on strictly. They are never like the salsa I see in clubs.”
“I dance salsa and I'm always a little disappointed by the salsas I see on strictly. They are never like the salsa I see in clubs.”
Yeah. Join the club.
Originally Posted by bigstrictlyfan:
“I think Brian and Heather's salsa in 2008 was the best choreography”
“I think Brian and Heather's salsa in 2008 was the best choreography”
Agreed.
Originally Posted by bigstrictlyfan:
“What does everyone else thin? Any other salsa fans out there?”
“What does everyone else thin? Any other salsa fans out there?”
John Barnes and Nicole Cutler's salsa is the only other dance that could be called a salsa.
All the others have been salsachachasamba things.
Originally Posted by DavidJames:
“Yeah. Join the club.
Agreed.
John Barnes and Nicole Cutler's salsa is the only other dance that could be called a salsa.
All the others have been salsachachasamba things.”
“Yeah. Join the club.
Agreed.
John Barnes and Nicole Cutler's salsa is the only other dance that could be called a salsa.
All the others have been salsachachasamba things.”
Welcome back.
Mark & Karen's all-time fave for me, and Matt & Flavia's great too. I take the point that they are more like 'salsambchas' but they were still great routines. 
However I really dislike the gymnastics and overhead lifts that seem to have crept into the 'salsas' recently, they just don't fit with the spirit of the dance for me. I thought Kara & Artem's last year would have been so much better without the acrobatics.
However I really dislike the gymnastics and overhead lifts that seem to have crept into the 'salsas' recently, they just don't fit with the spirit of the dance for me. I thought Kara & Artem's last year would have been so much better without the acrobatics.
[quote=DavidJames;55286335]
John Barnes and Nicole Cutler's salsa is the only other dance that could be called a salsa.
QUOTE]
How could I forget John Barnes and Nicole Culter's? Yes, that was another 'real' salsa.
I don't like the lifts that have crept in recently either - they are totally out of place. I supposed the pros are just trying to add the wow factor.
John Barnes and Nicole Cutler's salsa is the only other dance that could be called a salsa.
QUOTE]
How could I forget John Barnes and Nicole Culter's? Yes, that was another 'real' salsa.
I don't like the lifts that have crept in recently either - they are totally out of place. I supposed the pros are just trying to add the wow factor.
Originally Posted by bigstrictlyfan:
“I don't like the lifts that have crept in recently either - they are totally out of place. I supposed the pros are just trying to add the wow factor.”
“I don't like the lifts that have crept in recently either - they are totally out of place. I supposed the pros are just trying to add the wow factor.”
I did wonder about that. How often do you see someone grab someone and twirl them over their head in a club? it's like the fact that salsa is a club dance has passed them by. Also therefore not that popular in any salsa evenign I've been to is standing in front of your partner and simulating sex - due to the fact that the other person might decide to wander away from the lunatic opposite. It is funny when they do that though.
MDA and Flavia closely followed by Mark and Karen for me
But the one I enjoy watching the most and the only one that had me dancing on the settee at the time was Gethin and Camilla's Salsa
But the one I enjoy watching the most and the only one that had me dancing on the settee at the time was Gethin and Camilla's Salsa
Jason's salsa didn't look good last night. He was taking big steps which didn't help with the hip action and also made the arms harder to coordinate. I think it is hard after doing so much ballrom where you have to take larger steps to cover the floor to remember to take itsy bitsy ones for club based dances. He is a hard worker though. I hope they are working on this.
Ramps for me - Matt DA was good but no one has shown as much natural rhythm and joy in performance as Ramps.
It may not have been the most technical dance but that smile always takes me to a good place.
It may not have been the most technical dance but that smile always takes me to a good place.
Thanks for bringing up this topic, bigstrictlyfan.
I'm not a dancer, so I've always struggled to tell the difference between the salsa, samba and cha-cha. I don't know whether it's been a help or a hindrance that the three have morphed into the salsambcha that we see these days, but it's getting to the stage that the only way you can tell it's a salsa is if it's got lifts in it...
So thanks for educating me that Brian & Heather's salsa was a 'proper' one. I remember enjoying it, and enjoyed it on watching it again now - do you think having the right music makes a difference?
My favourite is Matt & Flavia's salsa, even more than Mark & Karen's - I think because Karen was just a tad OTT (how unlike her
), which spoiled it for me. Ramps, though, was fantastic.
I'm not a dancer, so I've always struggled to tell the difference between the salsa, samba and cha-cha. I don't know whether it's been a help or a hindrance that the three have morphed into the salsambcha that we see these days, but it's getting to the stage that the only way you can tell it's a salsa is if it's got lifts in it...
So thanks for educating me that Brian & Heather's salsa was a 'proper' one. I remember enjoying it, and enjoyed it on watching it again now - do you think having the right music makes a difference?
My favourite is Matt & Flavia's salsa, even more than Mark & Karen's - I think because Karen was just a tad OTT (how unlike her
), which spoiled it for me. Ramps, though, was fantastic.
Mak and Karen for me was the best I have seen
Honorable mentions to Tom and Camilla and also Gethin and Camilla
Ok his chest got a couple of points from me too
Honorable mentions to Tom and Camilla and also Gethin and Camilla
Ok his chest got a couple of points from me too
Originally Posted by peeve:
“Thanks for bringing up this topic, bigstrictlyfan.
I'm not a dancer, so I've always struggled to tell the difference between the salsa, samba and cha-cha. I don't know whether it's been a help or a hindrance that the three have morphed into the salsambcha that we see these days, but it's getting to the stage that the only way you can tell it's a salsa is if it's got lifts in it...
So thanks for educating me that Brian & Heather's salsa was a 'proper' one. I remember enjoying it, and enjoyed it on watching it again now - do you think having the right music makes a difference?
My favourite is Matt & Flavia's salsa, even more than Mark & Karen's - I think because Karen was just a tad OTT (how unlike her), which spoiled it for me. Ramps, though, was fantastic. ”
“Thanks for bringing up this topic, bigstrictlyfan.
I'm not a dancer, so I've always struggled to tell the difference between the salsa, samba and cha-cha. I don't know whether it's been a help or a hindrance that the three have morphed into the salsambcha that we see these days, but it's getting to the stage that the only way you can tell it's a salsa is if it's got lifts in it...
So thanks for educating me that Brian & Heather's salsa was a 'proper' one. I remember enjoying it, and enjoyed it on watching it again now - do you think having the right music makes a difference?
My favourite is Matt & Flavia's salsa, even more than Mark & Karen's - I think because Karen was just a tad OTT (how unlike her
), which spoiled it for me. Ramps, though, was fantastic. ”
I'm not bigstrictlyfan but without a doubt the right music makes a big difference but having a partner who knows how to dance real salsa is the most important and Brian was the only one. I hear Nicole knew how to do it too, I am not familiar with her dance.
I don't rate Mark and Karen's salsa as it is danced to a soca track not salsa but it is a good salsambcha I suppose.
Originally Posted by peeve:
“Thanks for bringing up this topic, bigstrictlyfan.
I'm not a dancer, so I've always struggled to tell the difference between the salsa, samba and cha-cha. I don't know whether it's been a help or a hindrance that the three have morphed into the salsambcha that we see these days, but it's getting to the stage that the only way you can tell it's a salsa is if it's got lifts in it...
So thanks for educating me that Brian & Heather's salsa was a 'proper' one. I remember enjoying it, and enjoyed it on watching it again now - do you think having the right music makes a difference?
My favourite is Matt & Flavia's salsa, even more than Mark & Karen's - I think because Karen was just a tad OTT (how unlike her), which spoiled it for me. Ramps, though, was fantastic. ”
“Thanks for bringing up this topic, bigstrictlyfan.
I'm not a dancer, so I've always struggled to tell the difference between the salsa, samba and cha-cha. I don't know whether it's been a help or a hindrance that the three have morphed into the salsambcha that we see these days, but it's getting to the stage that the only way you can tell it's a salsa is if it's got lifts in it...
So thanks for educating me that Brian & Heather's salsa was a 'proper' one. I remember enjoying it, and enjoyed it on watching it again now - do you think having the right music makes a difference?
My favourite is Matt & Flavia's salsa, even more than Mark & Karen's - I think because Karen was just a tad OTT (how unlike her
), which spoiled it for me. Ramps, though, was fantastic. ”
Yeah, I think the right salsa music makes a difference. For me proper salsa is more intimate, the bodies are closer together, steps are smaller, there's more partnerwork and body rolls than what you normally see on Strictly.
I just looked up 'salsa dance' on youtube and found this - this is what club salsa looks like!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M3am...eature=related
Originally Posted by *Jupiter*:
“There can be only one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM7bdESdOTA
<3<3<3”
“There can be only one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM7bdESdOTA
<3<3<3”
Its incredible how poor ANTON is in this!
Yes I remember enjoying Brian's salsa with Heather - if I remember rightly it was his first dance on SCD and I thought it was a a really good debut from him even though Heather wasn't perfect in it she did a good job for a beginner - the dance had a great, moody atmosphere to it........I also quite liked his salsa with Ali Bastian though it was a bit on the frenetic side.......why on earth was he dropped from SCD so soon - he was a great pro - good at ballroom and Latin 
I have to say my favourite is Matt and Flavia's though - full of style and verve. I enjoyed Flavia's salsa this year with Russell - ok it might not have strictly been a salsa but they both looked like they were having great fun
Other salsas I liked were from John Barnes and Nicole Cutler, Vincent's with Rachel and Natalie and Camilla's with Gethin and Tom and Karen's with Ramps
I have to say my favourite is Matt and Flavia's though - full of style and verve. I enjoyed Flavia's salsa this year with Russell - ok it might not have strictly been a salsa but they both looked like they were having great fun
Other salsas I liked were from John Barnes and Nicole Cutler, Vincent's with Rachel and Natalie and Camilla's with Gethin and Tom and Karen's with Ramps
Mark and Karen's. Don't care if it wasn't true salsa music, or wasn't club-salsa enough: it was still brilliant! And it always, always makes me
I have to agree with the OP. Brian and Heather's salsa was the first 'proper' salsa I'd seen on Strictly. The salsa dancer in our family fell off the sofa in surprise when they started dancing.
It would have been nice if Brian stayed. His presence would have made the others compete more to perform better salsas the way Flavia and Vincent being there keeps the quality of the tangos up.
Originally Posted by *Topaz*:
“Yes I remember enjoying Brian's salsa with Heather - if I remember rightly it was his first dance on SCD and I thought it was a a really good debut from him even though Heather wasn't perfect in it she did a good job for a beginner - the dance had a great, moody atmosphere to it........I also quite liked his salsa with Ali Bastian though it was a bit on the frenetic side.......why on earth was he dropped from SCD so soon - he was a great pro - good at ballroom and Latin ”
“Yes I remember enjoying Brian's salsa with Heather - if I remember rightly it was his first dance on SCD and I thought it was a a really good debut from him even though Heather wasn't perfect in it she did a good job for a beginner - the dance had a great, moody atmosphere to it........I also quite liked his salsa with Ali Bastian though it was a bit on the frenetic side.......why on earth was he dropped from SCD so soon - he was a great pro - good at ballroom and Latin
”
That's a question many people have asked but never got a satisfactory answer. Brian left Strictly in the shake-up of the pros last year. Why he was not kept on is a mystery especially as he had only been on the show for two years and his choreography was often praised.
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