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Salsa & Mambo Video Reviews

 

Jami Josephson


Latin body motion for salsa plus spins

Level: Beg-Adv

Style: On1, On2

Content: Technique, style, spins

General Comment: Like all DVDs from Jami this is a very professional production. It is a technical DVD, in which Jami shows basic dancing techniques, the ones which give solid foundation to any kind of dance and applies them to salsa. The result is something useful for the beginner dancer, to get things right straight from day one, to the intermediate dancer who may want to clean up a few things, and to the expert who may need some reminders for things he/she knows already but maybe forgets to apply regularly.

As usual, Jose explanations are very clear and so are the demonstrations. The camera view follows the details you need to focus on and all throughout the DVD you have the feeling you are learning something which doesn’t just apply to the latest styling fashion, but some solid foundation you will use for a very long time in your dancing.

The material covered goes from the very basic elements of salsa basic steps and proper motion for knees, hips and chest, to how to place your weight on your feet during the basic steps, to spinning technique, covering balance exercises, spotting, left and right turns, travelling turns and multiple turns, solo and with partner. Spins are discussed both on1 and on2. A useful reference also for salsa instructors.

Reviewed by Fabio of SalsaIsGood - Recommended


Jami Josephson & Jose deCamps


Open combinations

Level: Adv

Style: On1, On2

Content: Turn Patterns

General Comment: In salsa, as in tango, swing, rock’n’roll, etc, people tend to look at ballroom dancers with a bit of suspicion: they admire their technique but they often find it hard to share the dance interpretation. If you are one of those dancers you may look at this series from Jami and Jose with similar suspicion and by doing so, you may miss out on a little treasure, because I believe these DVDs are real value. Jami is a great dancer and a great teacher, with both ballroom background and very extensive salsa experience, she has mingled for years with all salsa masters, from all schools, and brings to us her salsa knowledge strengthened rather than diluted but her ballroom technique.

What I find most valuable for these DVDs is the neutral and objective way in which Jami analyses the different salsa styles in fashion today (LA, NY and old school mambo) and the way she presents and combines the elements of the different styles and the options you have: rather than being presented a mix of everything with no particular structure and knowledge, you will know what you do, why you do it and where it comes from.

The other part of the treasure, a real treasure, is Jose and Jami’s choice of turn patterns, taken, with due professional acknowledgements, from many of the salsa stars we all admire: you will be taught turn patterns from Edie Torres, Thomas from Santorico, SuperMario, Jai, Mario B, Edie and Al, just to name a few.. and they surely chose among the best turn patterns from each. Add to this that the teaching is spot on, both on2 and on1, with clear details on both leading and following, armwork and footwork, with no economy of material and time length, and you are left to ask what more you would possibly want from a DVD

Reviewed by Fabio of SalsaIsGood - Recommended


Advanced I (Silver) Salsa Syllabus

Level: Int-Adv

Style: On1, On2

Content: Turn Patterns

General Comment:This DVD is as good as the ‘Open Combinations’ to which I refer you for my comments on the overall style and approach used in this series. Rather than showing complex turn patterns, this DVD focuses on the ‘elements’ of contemporary salsa, which are the basic moves you need to know to attend any congress or established salsa club where people dance NY or LA salsa and not feel like an alien. You will lean Cross Body Leads, Copas, double turns, back turns, touch and go, and much more, plus variations on most ideas. The teaching is top class, with focus on all details for both the lady and man, camera views of arm-work and foot-work, and attention to the difficult passages. As I mentioned in the description of the ‘Open Combinations’, I particularly like Jami’s reference to the influences of different salsa styles (LA, NY etc), and how certain elements are executed differently according to the style. Each turn pattern is shown on2, then broken down on2, explained, shown on1 and then danced on1.

It is solid teaching: while in salsa given 10 teachers you will get 11 different explanations, what Jami offers, while not the Bible, is surely something you can trust. I recommend this DVD to students who need to learn these elements, to students who may know them already but need to consolidate them, as well as to the more advanced ones who may dance these already every night but may want a reference to go back to occasionally for a check.. not to mention all teachers of course, who can surely get 1 or 2 tips from Jami and Jose

Reviewed by Fabio of SalsaIsGood - Recommended


Advanced II (Gold) Salsa Syllabus

Level: Adv

Style: On1, On2

Content: Turn Patterns

General Comment: This DVD contains all the top quality features of the Silver volume and of the Open Combinations: excellent instruction, useful demonstrations, attention to all details, explanations and demonstrations on1 and on2 and precise dancing. It is sound, solid teaching, full of content and with no distractions that all DVDs should provide. Content-wise, the material is obviously more challenging than the Silver volume, as you might expect; these challenges are mainly represented by more spins for the lady, a few extra spins added for the guy and in general by the need to be quicker to execute more complex moves. Details, especially for the multiple spins and their lead, are provided with different options to highlight the difference between salsa styles; some of the moves are taken from the repertoire of established salsa instructors and are very nice. Top quality for both advanced students and instructors wishing to developed a consistent and meaningful syllabus: if you complete this DVD set and you are proficient at it, you will be able to dance at any congress with any partner. Excellent work.

Reviewed by Fabio of SalsaIsGood - Recommended


Salsa Shine Patterns Volume II

Level: Int

Style: On1, On2

Content: Footwork

General Comment: This DVD contains all the top quality features of the Silver volume and of the Open Combinations: excellent instruction, useful demonstrations, attention to all details, explanations and demonstrations on1 and on2 and precise dancing. It is sound, solid teaching, full of content and with no distractions that all DVDs should provide. Content-wise, the material is obviously more challenging than the Silver volume, as you might expect; these challenges are mainly represented by more spins for the lady, a few extra spins added for the guy and in general by the need to be quicker to execute more complex moves. Details, especially for the multiple spins and their lead, are provided with different options to highlight the difference between salsa styles; some of the moves are taken from the repertoire of established salsa instructors and are very nice. Top quality for both advanced students and instructors wishing to developed a consistent and meaningful syllabus: if you complete this DVD set and you are proficient at it, you will be able to dance at any congress with any partner. Excellent work.

Reviewed by Fabio of SalsaIsGood - Good


 

 

 

 

 

 

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