Surprise, surprise - despite the recession, the SF yearly salsa congress was fairly well attended. This year it started early on Wed night at Roccapulco with Pepe y su Orchesta, but the word did not spread out and it was light. However, the official opening night at Cafe Cocomo on Thursday was packed as usual with many regulars and visitors alike. This club - the dancers' favorite - has a world-wide reputation and is considered one of the best in the country.
Last year, it rocked with the best music of the congress and this year it did not disappoint either with Tabaco y Ron from LA. NG2 from Puerto Rico sounded great - very professional and polished, but it fell into the frequent caveat of Latin bands: songs that are too long and/or too fast for dancing. Ditto for Andy Montanez. Montuno Swing sounded better than in clubs with varied tempos and even added one of my Tito Puente faves. Between the famed concert bands and good dance groups who respect their audience and their needs, which ones would you choose? Would you pick any live band over good DJ music?
DJ Fred did not repeat his all-time best night from last year, but he "reserved" a few great tunes for the late night "dancers" crowd. (During the congress isn't it all dancers' crowd?) Each DJ has his own idea about what works and when. Some think the general club patrons don't appreciate the same music as the dancers do and stick to monotonous string of songs repeated week after week. The enormous popularity of Fania All-Stars all over the world with all kinds of audiences do not seem to convince them that good music is enjoyed by all. Others, unaware of numerous complaints, think congresses require "speedy Gonzalez" music to maintain energy. Some DJ's don't seem to realize they "create" audiences by attracting the crowd that enjoys their selections and chasing away those who don't. DJ Lobo (who would not crack a smile even when complimented) came up with a compromise when he had his chance at the end of the congress Sun night. His medium tempo selections were "popular" enough yet had the appealing mambo beat for those of us who prefer it.
Congresses are best for meeting out-of-towners, watch and experience new styles, patterns etc. However, this year I was just as happy to see local dancers who are so busy rehearsing in their respective groups they are too tired for social dancing. If in previous years one could detect a gap in the skill level between locals and visitors, now it's only a rare star whose repertoire of patterns is so rich you can't help noticing. This year it was Sam Mr.Sleek from London who caught my attention. Despite his misleading nickname (given to him for his smooth style) he did not strive to showcase himself with top-notch pretty ladies, he stood quietly in the corner waiting for the never-ending stream of girls asking him, and he danced with everyone (unlike many salsa "luminaries" who suddenly need to go to the bathroom, lose contact lenses, get broken legs etc. to dance with you, but get instantly cured by a pretty and well-known face.) Sam will be teaching in California until March and might be able to come back to SF in Feb. if anyone is willing to invite him for workshops. http://mrsleekdance.com/index.php?page=about
There will be no show and competition reviews this year, instead, let's talk about a few key issues and determine the ingredients needed for a great performance. In this country, if you got money, you should be able to get anything your heart desires including a stage performance whether you're ready for it or not. Who cares? The audience forced to sit through amateurish efforts of aspiring dancers who lack technique, inspiration and creativity. Yes, they work hard and we all appreciate it, but dancing takes years of rigorous bone-breaking training that's evident in truly professional performers. You would not trust your surgery to a resident doctor, why art should be any different? Ok, ok, nobody died from a bad performance - not yet anyway. :-)
However, there are solutions. So You Think You Can Dance producer repeatedly states they're not looking for the best dancer, they're looking for the most popular one. A few years ago the swing dancer Benji Schwimmer won even though he lacked the technique his competitors had. What's his secret? Creative choreography, choice of music, humor and performance skills.
There are plenty of examples in salsa as well: Los Callejeros from Utah pick an interesting song, create original choreography to the music, add humor and costumes to illustrate it and voila - a memorable routine even without head-turning tricks and polished technique. Newly created Montuno chose a 50's song in salsa (Mr.Sandman) in 50's school theme and costumes in its presentation. Canadian trio Salsa Rica established themselves as a unique group with non-conforming salsa dancing and nobody is telling them "it ain't salsa". (The efforts of an LA group trying to copy that formula was pitifully inadequate) Seaon always comes up with unique ways to entertain not to mention Al and Edie who perfected salsa showmanship to the incomparable level.
What makes all of them memorable? Already mentioned creative choreography, choice of music and performance. When we watch a stream of presentations with similar patterns, similar moves, similar tricks and similar costumes year after year, technique alone - no matter how good it is - becomes boring. Why Junior and Emily and Dave and Zoe did not proceed to finals in America Got Talent? Because no matter how incredible they are at what they do, they're still a "one trick pony" and will benefit from creative approach to their skills that can be utilized in a variety of ways. It's great to watch them once, but more is needed to sustain interest in a multi-level competition. After proving themselves in spinning and arm pretzel patterns, J&E can slow down and showcase their dancing.
It seems that most salsa performers create their choreography then choose the song that fits or simply pile up pieces of different songs without any regard as to how they fit together. Al and Edie paid professionals to do their mixing so the music score was flawless.
At the congress, there were a few incredible, grabbing your attention intros into the routines that were abruptly cut and followed by a mediocre song, you wonder why they would not just follow though. It shows lack of patience or low importance value given to the music which, together with creative choreography, can make or break the performance. It is doubly important for dancers whose technique is not perfect.
Ideally, the process should be reversed: one would spend time and effort choosing an interesting song with intricate arrangement that allows for play and interpretation and never a standard played in clubs to death. (Maybe a new specialty in music selection should be created). Why not search beyond established collections - so much mainstream music was arranged in salsa it will be an enriching experience. Seaon and his Latinization of M.Jackson should be an inspiration.
Secou chose a vocalized jazzy samba by Brazilian singer Tania-Maria - not a mainstream fave, but still very danceable as his group proved it to be.
If your choreography skills are limited, there are professionals to consult or other dances to watch: after all "salsa" means just that - a collection of various styles that were created by somebody at some point and that can be enriched by mixing in new and exciting moves. (Claims "it ain't salsa" come only from those who are limited in their creativity.) Then you choreograph the song you selected respecting its flow and reflecting its breaks. The styling should be adapted to the music as well: if your style is smooth, don't pick a song with many breaks that demand knife-sharp accents. Most importantly, experience shows that in fast complicated routines many tricky moves often go unnoticed, but creative choreography with a few well executed accents - even pauses - will go a long way.
It boils down to how serious you are about your performance. If you just want to get on stage to catch your 5 minutes of fame and lukewarm applause does not bother you, fine. But if you are determined to get to the top, you should be willing to spend the time and effort required, admit you cannot do it all and hire professionals if necessary. Besides getting classes and privates in dancing, salseros would benefit from expanding their horizons by taking lessons in other dances, music and choreography.
Media moguls are finally waking up to the dance craze following the trends rather than setting and predicting them as they should. The inexcusable misrepresentation of salsa in Dancing with the Stars and in general ballroom community must stop misleading the public. It's time salseros break that glass ceiling, rise to the occasion and represent what real salsa is all about.
DIP (dance in peace)
BOOGIE BY THE BAY.
In the past I made short forays into other social dance forms. Tango scene proved to be hard to crack. Lindyhop became my second passion. It was time to explore the West Coast Swing.
First of all, I got to admit to my initial prejudice. My first brief encounter with WCS was not very positive. How could they name the dance “swing” when it has nothing to do with the original music term designating a jazz rhythm wildly popular in the 40’s? WCS uses modern pop or blues music, the dance looks more like hustle or salsa and they call it swing? So its dance origins do come from swing dancing, but now it looks more like a subdued hybrid of lindyhop and salsa. Leaving behind the complicated salsa rhythms and its “foreign” content and forgoing lindy’s wild energy and old jazz music WCS attracted folks who felt more at home with contemporary beats and smooth styling. (For more info on the dance’s origins go to http://www.tngsdc.org/faq.php ) As a result, the scene is a reverse of salsa and lindy. Whereas those two attract predominantly young crowd, WCS dancers under 30 were a minority (at least at this event).
Boogie by the Bay (BbB) is the name of the WCS annual convention (they don’t call it “congress”) and it includes the smaller lindyhop division as well. Unlike West Coasters, lindy dancers are keen on reviving and preserving – as mush as they can - old and forgotten dances such as jitterbug, shag, charleston, balboa and others. They painstakingly searched old movies and videos to find and compile dance clips from bygone eras. This friendly and tight community survives thanks to its volunteers who organize numerous events and facilitate exchanges with lindy communities in other cities and countries. The free weekly dance at the Golden Gate Park, Lindy in the Park has recently celebrated its 9th anniversary.
Just like lindyhoppers, west coasters are very well organized. Sponsored by The Next Generation Swing Dance Club, a non-profit organization run by volunteers, BbB is held at the Hyatt Regency SF airport with 2 dance halls for workshops, competitions and dances. Advanced full tickets are $110 and include complimentary full dinner, pizza party for dancers under 18 and a coffee break with snacks. The club decided to forgo live bands due to cost and complaints about inconsistent dance music.
Besides workshops, BbB’s main attraction is Jack&Jill competitions of various divisions including Masters (dancers over 50). It seems most attendees don’t mind large chunks of time taken by the competitions leaving little time for dancing that is scheduled between competitions and late into the night. No shows either, just a few non-competitive presentations between competitions.
Salseros compete with partners of their choice, with the song they selected and routines they created. They are judged only on the quality of execution. West Coast dancers are judged primarily on their social dance skills: ability to connect with an unknown partner and music interpretation among others (for more details: http://www.tngsdc.org/bbtb/2005/?p=rules ) The only controlled part is a division they sign up for so that beginners would not compete with champs. There’re also Strictly Swing divisions where you can choose your partner, but not the music and no choreography. This emphasis on social dance skills forces competitors to work on different qualities. In a choreographed routine most dancers fail to hide a mistake – that’s not what they practised. In a spontaneous dance when mistakes are bound to happen, improvisation is the key: you make it part of your dance. These “mistakes” then become special creative features that wow the audience.
Here’s just one example. A follower was late coming out of a dip. So rather than be late trying to catch up (something everyone would notice) she simply broke down her rise into short spurs of movement corresponding with the music beat and gradually appearing from under her partner’s arm – simple but very impressive.
These skills are not acquired overnight of course, but swing dancers are taught improvisation and music interpretation along with their regular dance instruction so by the time they reach advanced levels they can improvise and interpret any song. Granted, they might both know the DJ’s selection, but they still need to coordinate their responses. Seeing advanced and champs divisions changed my mind about WCS. Their technique was so impeccable, so natural and smooth it made me forget my impression of mismatched style and music in WCS.
Like in salsa, most WCS dancers appear to go through motions, too reserved to express their passions. But some, like Sheena and Tatiana, are full of life and playfulness as well as a few guys who are not afraid to humor everybody (including judges) and have fun. Lindy Showcase division included 2 guys who came out on the floor in style – arm-in-arm, took off their top shirts and put it...on the head of a woman judge, then danced their funny and creative number executed to perfection! They took 3d place.
Some divisions do allow choreographed routines. Once again, the dancers’ jaw-dropping technique AND creativity in music interpretation blows your mind. WCS top dancers – all of them - have that flowing quality in their movement that makes the most complex patterns look like liquid butter, but in flawless timing. It’s totally mesmerizing!
The 2 video versions of the event will be coming out in 6 weeks. It costs more than the event itself though. One includes short takes of workshops as well as the competitions ($135 for VHS) The cheaper version ($100 for VHS and $115 for the DVD) will include all competitions (Contact www.imagesinmotion.com ) You’ll recognize some salsa moves, but also many swing creations that are easily adaptable for salsa. To bypass the expense, our aspiring choreographers would benefit from “googling” both lindyhop and WCS videos.
Would I attend again? Absolutely, if I find a generous dancer like John Woodruff who performed and competed (4th place in Lindy Showcase) and was still willing to dance with a “nobody”. However, just like in other social dance circles WCS has its share of “stars” who judge an unfamiliar book by its cover (or is it because you know salsa, Angel?)
West Coasters are welcoming everybody. They started events including not only lindy “cousins”, but salsa dancers as well. There’re yearly celebrations of New Year’s Eve in Palm Springs and Reno Sensation in April. Both combine swing and salsa and many of our own Bay Area salseros and instructors attend both events.
Why bother with other dances if we have fun in salsa? Because it opens our minds, expands our horizons, enriches our experiences and promotes unity not only through salsa, but beyond.
DIP (dance in peace)
First of all, I got to admit to my initial prejudice. My first brief encounter with WCS was not very positive. How could they name the dance “swing” when it has nothing to do with the original music term designating a jazz rhythm wildly popular in the 40’s? WCS uses modern pop or blues music, the dance looks more like hustle or salsa and they call it swing? So its dance origins do come from swing dancing, but now it looks more like a subdued hybrid of lindyhop and salsa. Leaving behind the complicated salsa rhythms and its “foreign” content and forgoing lindy’s wild energy and old jazz music WCS attracted folks who felt more at home with contemporary beats and smooth styling. (For more info on the dance’s origins go to http://www.tngsdc.org/faq.php ) As a result, the scene is a reverse of salsa and lindy. Whereas those two attract predominantly young crowd, WCS dancers under 30 were a minority (at least at this event).
Boogie by the Bay (BbB) is the name of the WCS annual convention (they don’t call it “congress”) and it includes the smaller lindyhop division as well. Unlike West Coasters, lindy dancers are keen on reviving and preserving – as mush as they can - old and forgotten dances such as jitterbug, shag, charleston, balboa and others. They painstakingly searched old movies and videos to find and compile dance clips from bygone eras. This friendly and tight community survives thanks to its volunteers who organize numerous events and facilitate exchanges with lindy communities in other cities and countries. The free weekly dance at the Golden Gate Park, Lindy in the Park has recently celebrated its 9th anniversary.
Just like lindyhoppers, west coasters are very well organized. Sponsored by The Next Generation Swing Dance Club, a non-profit organization run by volunteers, BbB is held at the Hyatt Regency SF airport with 2 dance halls for workshops, competitions and dances. Advanced full tickets are $110 and include complimentary full dinner, pizza party for dancers under 18 and a coffee break with snacks. The club decided to forgo live bands due to cost and complaints about inconsistent dance music.
Besides workshops, BbB’s main attraction is Jack&Jill competitions of various divisions including Masters (dancers over 50). It seems most attendees don’t mind large chunks of time taken by the competitions leaving little time for dancing that is scheduled between competitions and late into the night. No shows either, just a few non-competitive presentations between competitions.
Salseros compete with partners of their choice, with the song they selected and routines they created. They are judged only on the quality of execution. West Coast dancers are judged primarily on their social dance skills: ability to connect with an unknown partner and music interpretation among others (for more details: http://www.tngsdc.org/bbtb/2005/?p=rules ) The only controlled part is a division they sign up for so that beginners would not compete with champs. There’re also Strictly Swing divisions where you can choose your partner, but not the music and no choreography. This emphasis on social dance skills forces competitors to work on different qualities. In a choreographed routine most dancers fail to hide a mistake – that’s not what they practised. In a spontaneous dance when mistakes are bound to happen, improvisation is the key: you make it part of your dance. These “mistakes” then become special creative features that wow the audience.
Here’s just one example. A follower was late coming out of a dip. So rather than be late trying to catch up (something everyone would notice) she simply broke down her rise into short spurs of movement corresponding with the music beat and gradually appearing from under her partner’s arm – simple but very impressive.
These skills are not acquired overnight of course, but swing dancers are taught improvisation and music interpretation along with their regular dance instruction so by the time they reach advanced levels they can improvise and interpret any song. Granted, they might both know the DJ’s selection, but they still need to coordinate their responses. Seeing advanced and champs divisions changed my mind about WCS. Their technique was so impeccable, so natural and smooth it made me forget my impression of mismatched style and music in WCS.
Like in salsa, most WCS dancers appear to go through motions, too reserved to express their passions. But some, like Sheena and Tatiana, are full of life and playfulness as well as a few guys who are not afraid to humor everybody (including judges) and have fun. Lindy Showcase division included 2 guys who came out on the floor in style – arm-in-arm, took off their top shirts and put it...on the head of a woman judge, then danced their funny and creative number executed to perfection! They took 3d place.
Some divisions do allow choreographed routines. Once again, the dancers’ jaw-dropping technique AND creativity in music interpretation blows your mind. WCS top dancers – all of them - have that flowing quality in their movement that makes the most complex patterns look like liquid butter, but in flawless timing. It’s totally mesmerizing!
The 2 video versions of the event will be coming out in 6 weeks. It costs more than the event itself though. One includes short takes of workshops as well as the competitions ($135 for VHS) The cheaper version ($100 for VHS and $115 for the DVD) will include all competitions (Contact www.imagesinmotion.com ) You’ll recognize some salsa moves, but also many swing creations that are easily adaptable for salsa. To bypass the expense, our aspiring choreographers would benefit from “googling” both lindyhop and WCS videos.
Would I attend again? Absolutely, if I find a generous dancer like John Woodruff who performed and competed (4th place in Lindy Showcase) and was still willing to dance with a “nobody”. However, just like in other social dance circles WCS has its share of “stars” who judge an unfamiliar book by its cover (or is it because you know salsa, Angel?)
West Coasters are welcoming everybody. They started events including not only lindy “cousins”, but salsa dancers as well. There’re yearly celebrations of New Year’s Eve in Palm Springs and Reno Sensation in April. Both combine swing and salsa and many of our own Bay Area salseros and instructors attend both events.
Why bother with other dances if we have fun in salsa? Because it opens our minds, expands our horizons, enriches our experiences and promotes unity not only through salsa, but beyond.
DIP (dance in peace)
THE MASCULINE MYSTIQUE
This tongue-in-cheek piece is MEANT TO ENTERTAIN not preach so please accept it as such and don’t get offended
I kept postponing this article unsure how the sensitive salseros would take it. But now Arnie won the recall race in spite of his “bad boy” reputation. Many women voted for him disregarding, or maybe even thanks to that info. Ever wondered why? Watch “The Man Who Loved Women” shot by the legendary French director Francois Truffaut in the 60s. (NOT the tacky Hollywood remake with Burt Reynolds). This classic not only will answer your question, it will give you insights into the female psyche and serve as a short-cut manual to the ladies’ affections.
After all, the French are internationally known for their creative and intricate courtship of women. Read classic French novels or watch “Liaisons Dangeureuses” if you’re not a reader. They created such gems as “behind every great man there is a great woman”, “man is the head and woman is the neck that turns the head”, “there are no ugly women, there are women who cannot take care of themselves” and countless others.
How do Americans fare in the romance domain? Lets’ just say that centuries old tradition of kissing the lady’s hand, well known and accepted (even if not used) all over the civilized world, gets prime-time attention in American media where the French president’s kiss planted on Bush’s wife’s hand gets played and replayed, analyzed and commented upon ad nauseum.
Before you rush out to find that movie (it ain’t at your corner video store, try Le Video or other foreign film collections) finish this article first.
Like the title? I borrowed it from a feminist book written back in the 60s or 70s: The Feminine Mystique. I haven’t read it, but I liked the title so much it even prompted me to come up with my own take on the opposite sex in the mini-world of salsa.
I sympathize with poor American males: the feminists’ attempts to kill all expressions of “ladies first” etiquette are undermining their feeble attempts to show cavalier attention. No wonder many are confused.
Here’s a secret, guys: all ladies, even the devout feminists, like your non-intrusive attention, even if they don’t show it. That’s at least one reason why salsa clubs are filled with refugees from the outside world thanks to its more traditional values where women can flaunt their sexiness and secretly enjoy the guys’ gawking.
The dance itself is a mini-relationship. From the moment you choose your prospective partner to the dance of glances, facial expressions and touches to its (hopefully) painless conclusion – it’s a perfect mini-rehearsal for your more serious endeavors with the opposite sex.
And now, after this prolonged prologue, back to our main topic. This one is for the ladies. Correct me if I’m wrong, guys, but the most sensitive (and hidden) salsa male preoccupation is his self-image, sometimes even only on a subconscious level. This is true for many gentlemen at large, but one can observe particularly expressive examples in dance clubs. Some are too embarrassed to venture on the dance floor afraid of being laughed at; some are too shy to ask ladies for a dance; some would ask only inexperienced dancers. These sweet guys avoid the limelight to protect their fragile self-esteem. Even some obnoxious types often hide their shattered self-image with offensive behavior.
Then there are a few who, albeit for the same reason, crave the attention and try to display their true or perceived prowess at any opportune moment. They would dance only with top-notch (ideally young and sexy) partners who would attract the viewers’ attention and by extension make THEM look good. God forbid the follower makes a mistake. These sensitive souls take it personally and worry about others’ reaction – after all, according to the cavalier male indoctrination, leaders are responsible for the flawless performance (?) One German questionnaire asked men what they are afraid of most. The answer: women. How many salseros would admit or even realize that?
How do we deal with these “flower children”? Understanding of his sensitive nature would help protect his ego and avoid resentment. Unless we never want to see the guy again, we better abstain from any form of criticism. Some innocent comments might be taken negatively as well. On the other hand, compliments will go a long way. After all, their purpose in life is to make us happy (right?) and if we smile and thank him for something he’s done well (come on ladies, there must be something) he’ll feel like a hero. Even if you say,” wow, you didn’t step on me today!” (All this psychological mambo-jumbo is derived from John Gray’s many books or videos such as “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus”. So if you don’t agree, argue with the author, he lives in Marin)
Luckily, there are many more great dancers who are secure enough to be outgoing and assertive without being rude or vindictive. They learnt to accept rejection without taking it personally (we all need that skill sometimes) and they are not worried about how they look on the dance floor. They enjoy dancing either in crowds or alone and that confidence helps them improve, experiment and attract more partners.
Salsa dancing allows men to feel in charge, they like the control of the lead when they can do what they want with you (or so they think). So let’s relax and melt in their hands, let them feel they are “the head” if that makes them happy. It’s enough for us to know what and who really makes them “spin”.
DIP (dance in peace)
I kept postponing this article unsure how the sensitive salseros would take it. But now Arnie won the recall race in spite of his “bad boy” reputation. Many women voted for him disregarding, or maybe even thanks to that info. Ever wondered why? Watch “The Man Who Loved Women” shot by the legendary French director Francois Truffaut in the 60s. (NOT the tacky Hollywood remake with Burt Reynolds). This classic not only will answer your question, it will give you insights into the female psyche and serve as a short-cut manual to the ladies’ affections.
After all, the French are internationally known for their creative and intricate courtship of women. Read classic French novels or watch “Liaisons Dangeureuses” if you’re not a reader. They created such gems as “behind every great man there is a great woman”, “man is the head and woman is the neck that turns the head”, “there are no ugly women, there are women who cannot take care of themselves” and countless others.
How do Americans fare in the romance domain? Lets’ just say that centuries old tradition of kissing the lady’s hand, well known and accepted (even if not used) all over the civilized world, gets prime-time attention in American media where the French president’s kiss planted on Bush’s wife’s hand gets played and replayed, analyzed and commented upon ad nauseum.
Before you rush out to find that movie (it ain’t at your corner video store, try Le Video or other foreign film collections) finish this article first.
Like the title? I borrowed it from a feminist book written back in the 60s or 70s: The Feminine Mystique. I haven’t read it, but I liked the title so much it even prompted me to come up with my own take on the opposite sex in the mini-world of salsa.
I sympathize with poor American males: the feminists’ attempts to kill all expressions of “ladies first” etiquette are undermining their feeble attempts to show cavalier attention. No wonder many are confused.
Here’s a secret, guys: all ladies, even the devout feminists, like your non-intrusive attention, even if they don’t show it. That’s at least one reason why salsa clubs are filled with refugees from the outside world thanks to its more traditional values where women can flaunt their sexiness and secretly enjoy the guys’ gawking.
The dance itself is a mini-relationship. From the moment you choose your prospective partner to the dance of glances, facial expressions and touches to its (hopefully) painless conclusion – it’s a perfect mini-rehearsal for your more serious endeavors with the opposite sex.
And now, after this prolonged prologue, back to our main topic. This one is for the ladies. Correct me if I’m wrong, guys, but the most sensitive (and hidden) salsa male preoccupation is his self-image, sometimes even only on a subconscious level. This is true for many gentlemen at large, but one can observe particularly expressive examples in dance clubs. Some are too embarrassed to venture on the dance floor afraid of being laughed at; some are too shy to ask ladies for a dance; some would ask only inexperienced dancers. These sweet guys avoid the limelight to protect their fragile self-esteem. Even some obnoxious types often hide their shattered self-image with offensive behavior.
Then there are a few who, albeit for the same reason, crave the attention and try to display their true or perceived prowess at any opportune moment. They would dance only with top-notch (ideally young and sexy) partners who would attract the viewers’ attention and by extension make THEM look good. God forbid the follower makes a mistake. These sensitive souls take it personally and worry about others’ reaction – after all, according to the cavalier male indoctrination, leaders are responsible for the flawless performance (?) One German questionnaire asked men what they are afraid of most. The answer: women. How many salseros would admit or even realize that?
How do we deal with these “flower children”? Understanding of his sensitive nature would help protect his ego and avoid resentment. Unless we never want to see the guy again, we better abstain from any form of criticism. Some innocent comments might be taken negatively as well. On the other hand, compliments will go a long way. After all, their purpose in life is to make us happy (right?) and if we smile and thank him for something he’s done well (come on ladies, there must be something) he’ll feel like a hero. Even if you say,” wow, you didn’t step on me today!” (All this psychological mambo-jumbo is derived from John Gray’s many books or videos such as “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus”. So if you don’t agree, argue with the author, he lives in Marin)
Luckily, there are many more great dancers who are secure enough to be outgoing and assertive without being rude or vindictive. They learnt to accept rejection without taking it personally (we all need that skill sometimes) and they are not worried about how they look on the dance floor. They enjoy dancing either in crowds or alone and that confidence helps them improve, experiment and attract more partners.
Salsa dancing allows men to feel in charge, they like the control of the lead when they can do what they want with you (or so they think). So let’s relax and melt in their hands, let them feel they are “the head” if that makes them happy. It’s enough for us to know what and who really makes them “spin”.
DIP (dance in peace)
WHAT A GOOD DANCER MAKES?
Ever thought about it? No, not just “oh yeah, that’s a good dancer, cause he/she looks good on the floor. Am I milling dance sweat here? Perhaps, but here are some grains of thought for you to do your own brain milling.
Recently we had 2 competitive events: a Jack&Jill “professional” contest at Cocomo and a group competition at Roccapulco.
First of all, how do you define the word “professional”? Having a linguistic education and a non-native English, I was diligent, I sank my teeth in a dictionary and dug up one of several definitions of the word:” Engaging in an occupation as one’s profession or life work for gain”. Given the sorry situation where powers that be are reluctant to pay for salsa performances, local salsa devotees define SOCIAL DANCE INSTRUCTORS as professionals. In that case, we should look at the “professional” contest at another angle. Should we judge the couples’ performance skills, social dance skills or teaching skills? As a performer, you need some kind of stage presence, that elusive je ne sais quoi that is obvious in every step you take, even in the way you walk out on stage. It makes you stand out in a group and comes only with years of professional training. As an instructor, you need to teach your students to lead and follow any partner and that presumes that instructors themselves can dance and look good with everyone (at least, theoretically).
In those Jack&Jill pairings most dancers did not look too happy with each other. (Rodney The Salsagang Man, the organizer of this successful event and one of the judges, had his own very private fun watching them) Oh sure, it’s easy to dance with your partner who knows your moves, your style, your leading and following habits etc. etc. Plus you spent months and years practicing together. But when you’re pitted against another dancer (in this case it was even easier – your partner was another professional) that’s when you expose your skills (or lack thereof) as a social dancer as opposed to a performer.
You can learn a routine, practise it for hours and even look good doing it, but in social dancing that pesky leading and following thing gets in the way and needs different set of skills in order to adapt to different partners.
In the group competition where the music is chosen, the choreography is created and the training are done well in advance, we can determine a variety of things including the originality of choreography, the performing technique, the energy and, most importantly, the passion of salsa which resonates most with the audience. If these categories were not grouped together we would most certainly have different winners in each one of them.
The group leaders’ role is crucial here. They do most of the work including the biggest part of all - training dancers. Obviously, if you’re lucky to lure advanced dancers your work is almost done. But to start with beginners or even intermediates and train them to become performers – that’s a true accomplishment for an instructor and a group leader.
So far (at least in the recent years), Bay Area did not produce salsa groups winning international competitions. But each one of our local talents deserves an award for dedication. Most dancers work or go to school full time. Even so, they find time and effort not only to dance in clubs for fun, but also to spend hours practicing their routines; they pay for their costumes as well as group fees for their privilege to be a dance group member. What do they get out of it? A chance to improve their dancing, to perform in front of an audience, friendship with other group members and just plain old fun.
What is it that makes a dance troupe a winner? Professional judges might have different answers from audience members. What’s more important to you? Smoothness, flashy moves, technique, musicality, choreography, innovative patterns, sexy costumes, passion? Whether you thought about it or not, it’s probably all of the above. Your choice of a winner would depend on which of these are more important to you personally.
Our groups collectively have it all. Mambo Romero’s most experienced dancers with their smooth style and “eye candy” appeal took the first place 2 years in a row. New group Tribu Nueva, created by a former member of Ricasalsa, continued that group’s dedication to innovative ideas and choreography reflecting the music at hand. Ricasalsa deserves recognition for many innovative moves and musicality. Its leader Ricardo Tellez can often be spotted dancing with beginners, and it’s amazing what he can do with inexperienced followers.
PB&G dancers are full of energy. When they polish their routine presented at the last competition, they just might bump Mambo Romero off their pedestal.
“SuperSexy” Salsamania demonstrated what dedication and persistence could accomplish. This group never shies away from any chance to perform and if you watched their progress you witnessed tremendous improvement thanks to John and Liz’ efforts who transformed their dancers from beginners to second-place winners. (Some of their students are now members of Mambo Romero). John and his partner won the above-mentioned Jack&Jill contest.
In a couples competition not so long ago all 3 top prizes went to Salsamania members and the first place was awarded to Jairo and his pregnant wife for their spunk and playful reflection of music accents. In that competition even judges, including salsa luminaries Felipe Polanco and Albert Torres, made it clear that dancing is not a sport, that “music and passion are always in fashion at the Copa” and hopefully beyond.
So, to answer that duplicitous question in the title
Bay Area salsa performers – nada, zilch
Read the above and decide for yourself
DIP (dance in peace)
Recently we had 2 competitive events: a Jack&Jill “professional” contest at Cocomo and a group competition at Roccapulco.
First of all, how do you define the word “professional”? Having a linguistic education and a non-native English, I was diligent, I sank my teeth in a dictionary and dug up one of several definitions of the word:” Engaging in an occupation as one’s profession or life work for gain”. Given the sorry situation where powers that be are reluctant to pay for salsa performances, local salsa devotees define SOCIAL DANCE INSTRUCTORS as professionals. In that case, we should look at the “professional” contest at another angle. Should we judge the couples’ performance skills, social dance skills or teaching skills? As a performer, you need some kind of stage presence, that elusive je ne sais quoi that is obvious in every step you take, even in the way you walk out on stage. It makes you stand out in a group and comes only with years of professional training. As an instructor, you need to teach your students to lead and follow any partner and that presumes that instructors themselves can dance and look good with everyone (at least, theoretically).
In those Jack&Jill pairings most dancers did not look too happy with each other. (Rodney The Salsagang Man, the organizer of this successful event and one of the judges, had his own very private fun watching them) Oh sure, it’s easy to dance with your partner who knows your moves, your style, your leading and following habits etc. etc. Plus you spent months and years practicing together. But when you’re pitted against another dancer (in this case it was even easier – your partner was another professional) that’s when you expose your skills (or lack thereof) as a social dancer as opposed to a performer.
You can learn a routine, practise it for hours and even look good doing it, but in social dancing that pesky leading and following thing gets in the way and needs different set of skills in order to adapt to different partners.
In the group competition where the music is chosen, the choreography is created and the training are done well in advance, we can determine a variety of things including the originality of choreography, the performing technique, the energy and, most importantly, the passion of salsa which resonates most with the audience. If these categories were not grouped together we would most certainly have different winners in each one of them.
The group leaders’ role is crucial here. They do most of the work including the biggest part of all - training dancers. Obviously, if you’re lucky to lure advanced dancers your work is almost done. But to start with beginners or even intermediates and train them to become performers – that’s a true accomplishment for an instructor and a group leader.
So far (at least in the recent years), Bay Area did not produce salsa groups winning international competitions. But each one of our local talents deserves an award for dedication. Most dancers work or go to school full time. Even so, they find time and effort not only to dance in clubs for fun, but also to spend hours practicing their routines; they pay for their costumes as well as group fees for their privilege to be a dance group member. What do they get out of it? A chance to improve their dancing, to perform in front of an audience, friendship with other group members and just plain old fun.
What is it that makes a dance troupe a winner? Professional judges might have different answers from audience members. What’s more important to you? Smoothness, flashy moves, technique, musicality, choreography, innovative patterns, sexy costumes, passion? Whether you thought about it or not, it’s probably all of the above. Your choice of a winner would depend on which of these are more important to you personally.
Our groups collectively have it all. Mambo Romero’s most experienced dancers with their smooth style and “eye candy” appeal took the first place 2 years in a row. New group Tribu Nueva, created by a former member of Ricasalsa, continued that group’s dedication to innovative ideas and choreography reflecting the music at hand. Ricasalsa deserves recognition for many innovative moves and musicality. Its leader Ricardo Tellez can often be spotted dancing with beginners, and it’s amazing what he can do with inexperienced followers.
PB&G dancers are full of energy. When they polish their routine presented at the last competition, they just might bump Mambo Romero off their pedestal.
“SuperSexy” Salsamania demonstrated what dedication and persistence could accomplish. This group never shies away from any chance to perform and if you watched their progress you witnessed tremendous improvement thanks to John and Liz’ efforts who transformed their dancers from beginners to second-place winners. (Some of their students are now members of Mambo Romero). John and his partner won the above-mentioned Jack&Jill contest.
In a couples competition not so long ago all 3 top prizes went to Salsamania members and the first place was awarded to Jairo and his pregnant wife for their spunk and playful reflection of music accents. In that competition even judges, including salsa luminaries Felipe Polanco and Albert Torres, made it clear that dancing is not a sport, that “music and passion are always in fashion at the Copa” and hopefully beyond.
So, to answer that duplicitous question in the title
Bay Area salsa performers – nada, zilch
Read the above and decide for yourself
DIP (dance in peace)
SALSA PROS AND CONS
Let me tell you up-front. It ain’t what you think. One question, who’s a pro in salsa, produces a multitude of opinions. Like in the famous fable, everybody’s pulling the cart in different directions: fish towards the water; bird towards the sky and wolf - into the woods. Some say it’s whom WE recognize as pros; some think none of them, some say clave is the key and some suggest creating standards for salsa pros and co...sorry,- amateurs. The real question should be if there are ANY pros in salsa due to its social dance status (so far).
Guidelines similar to ballroom rules based on dancing as sport were floating in the air.
Dancing treated like sport? Dance-sport is an oxymoron! (The sport being the moron part, no offense). For hundreds of years dancing was considered an art form in every corner of the globe. It’s enough that ice-skating is part of the Olympics, but even here there’s a separate score for artistic expression).
Ballroom dancing does have Latin and Swing categories, but they’re so far removed from the original street creations, nobody even treats them as such anymore. Unlike ballet, jazz and other professional dance forms - salsa, and tango, and samba and swing and later tap, hip-hop and breakdancing are all truly folk creations born on the streets. Yes, some of them, like hip-hop and tap, invaded the stage thanks to their mainstream popularity. Even breakdancing with its acrobatic features and almost no relation to music is considered a dance. But I digress.
Before we can even discuss who’s a salsa pro, we got to face the music. In spite of its worldwide popularity, or maybe because of it, salsa is a SOCIAL dance first and foremost. It is not a performance dance in America. It is not a “professional” dance like jazz or ballet with training in schools and universities where talented dancers are selected, tested and degreed as professionals in their field of study and training. One can almost always recognize a professionally trained dancer in salsa troupes. As good as the other salseros might be, there’s still a gap in quality visible to all especially in shines. That’s why, among other factors, salsa in its present level of performance is rarely seen on stage, even in Latin music shows. Who do you think is dancing in top-of-the-line hip-hop performances? Street hip-hoppers? No, mostly professional dancers who learn the hip-hop moves presented to them by professional choreographers. How many top salseros would be able to pass auditions for mainstream dance shows? Think about it.
So discussing who’s a pro on this level is like milling water, it’s a “moo-point” like Joey from Friends once said (he meant moot). Does it mean those with passion for salsa should just forget about it? Absolutely not! Here’s a chance for all folks who have the drive and persistence to push salsa into the mainstream art form. Creation of official bodies governing the dance should come at the top of the pyramid after the foundation has been laid and solidified. Some suggestions to pursue: schools of all levels that offer salsa credits to its dance students; creation of professional dance troupes selecting the best graduates; introduce salsa music and patterns to existing professional performing dance companies, promoting inclusion of salsa dancing to producers of mainstream shows with wide audiences such as Latin Grammys and award shows etc. etc. Is it possible? An uphill battle, that’s for sure. Is it necessary? That’s a whole other pot of tea.
Having said that, we can still decide what it means to be a pro in the salsa world. Why doesn’t anybody look up the word in his Webster’s? I ain’t gonna tell ya, besides, every dictionary will have differences in definitions.
Or here’s a thought: maybe we should just all relax and leave salsa to what it always meant to be: a social dance for all in all its forms and variations. We can all have fun and dance or we can continue raising storms in a teapot. Your choice.
DIP (dance in peace)
Guidelines similar to ballroom rules based on dancing as sport were floating in the air.
Dancing treated like sport? Dance-sport is an oxymoron! (The sport being the moron part, no offense). For hundreds of years dancing was considered an art form in every corner of the globe. It’s enough that ice-skating is part of the Olympics, but even here there’s a separate score for artistic expression).
Ballroom dancing does have Latin and Swing categories, but they’re so far removed from the original street creations, nobody even treats them as such anymore. Unlike ballet, jazz and other professional dance forms - salsa, and tango, and samba and swing and later tap, hip-hop and breakdancing are all truly folk creations born on the streets. Yes, some of them, like hip-hop and tap, invaded the stage thanks to their mainstream popularity. Even breakdancing with its acrobatic features and almost no relation to music is considered a dance. But I digress.
Before we can even discuss who’s a salsa pro, we got to face the music. In spite of its worldwide popularity, or maybe because of it, salsa is a SOCIAL dance first and foremost. It is not a performance dance in America. It is not a “professional” dance like jazz or ballet with training in schools and universities where talented dancers are selected, tested and degreed as professionals in their field of study and training. One can almost always recognize a professionally trained dancer in salsa troupes. As good as the other salseros might be, there’s still a gap in quality visible to all especially in shines. That’s why, among other factors, salsa in its present level of performance is rarely seen on stage, even in Latin music shows. Who do you think is dancing in top-of-the-line hip-hop performances? Street hip-hoppers? No, mostly professional dancers who learn the hip-hop moves presented to them by professional choreographers. How many top salseros would be able to pass auditions for mainstream dance shows? Think about it.
So discussing who’s a pro on this level is like milling water, it’s a “moo-point” like Joey from Friends once said (he meant moot). Does it mean those with passion for salsa should just forget about it? Absolutely not! Here’s a chance for all folks who have the drive and persistence to push salsa into the mainstream art form. Creation of official bodies governing the dance should come at the top of the pyramid after the foundation has been laid and solidified. Some suggestions to pursue: schools of all levels that offer salsa credits to its dance students; creation of professional dance troupes selecting the best graduates; introduce salsa music and patterns to existing professional performing dance companies, promoting inclusion of salsa dancing to producers of mainstream shows with wide audiences such as Latin Grammys and award shows etc. etc. Is it possible? An uphill battle, that’s for sure. Is it necessary? That’s a whole other pot of tea.
Having said that, we can still decide what it means to be a pro in the salsa world. Why doesn’t anybody look up the word in his Webster’s? I ain’t gonna tell ya, besides, every dictionary will have differences in definitions.
Or here’s a thought: maybe we should just all relax and leave salsa to what it always meant to be: a social dance for all in all its forms and variations. We can all have fun and dance or we can continue raising storms in a teapot. Your choice.
DIP (dance in peace)
SALSA 101:
Do’s and Don’t’s of the Dance World
For Beginners and Some Regulars
These basic rules of behavior in salsa clubs will help you and other patrons make their dance experience more enjoyable. It’s amazing how many people are completely oblivious to their surroundings and need to be reminded to be considerate to others.
As you might have noticed salsa clubs can get very crowded, so:
DO NOT stand on the dance floor while people are dancing. Elbows and feet flying all over the place. Wanna get hit?
DO NOT hold or carry drinks on the dance floor for the above mentioned reasons. You may have to lick your drink off the floor.
- DO NOT walk across the dance floor during a dance.(see above)
DO NOT block the “traffic lanes” when people are trying to get around you.
- DO leave a space opened for people to pass.
DO make small steps while dancing. Making big steps in order to learn is OK during lessons – not on the crowded dance floor. Regulars can tell you how many times they’ve been hurt. If you get hurt yourself “that’ll learn ya”.
DO use club floor space OFF THE DANCE FLOOR to practise your moves (hallways, balconies etc.)
DO apologize to fellow dancers if you step on somebody. How can you not feel if you touch someone?! (Reach and touch someone is no good here)
DO wipe the sweat off your face before you kiss a friend hello.
DO wipe your sweaty hands before you ask someone for a dance.
DO try to find an empty space to dance instead of squeezing into someone else’s.
In a nutshell, BE considerate to other salsanuts and feel free to add to this list.
DIP (Dance In Peace)
For Beginners and Some Regulars
These basic rules of behavior in salsa clubs will help you and other patrons make their dance experience more enjoyable. It’s amazing how many people are completely oblivious to their surroundings and need to be reminded to be considerate to others.
As you might have noticed salsa clubs can get very crowded, so:
DO NOT stand on the dance floor while people are dancing. Elbows and feet flying all over the place. Wanna get hit?
DO NOT hold or carry drinks on the dance floor for the above mentioned reasons. You may have to lick your drink off the floor.
- DO NOT walk across the dance floor during a dance.(see above)
DO NOT block the “traffic lanes” when people are trying to get around you.
- DO leave a space opened for people to pass.
DO make small steps while dancing. Making big steps in order to learn is OK during lessons – not on the crowded dance floor. Regulars can tell you how many times they’ve been hurt. If you get hurt yourself “that’ll learn ya”.
DO use club floor space OFF THE DANCE FLOOR to practise your moves (hallways, balconies etc.)
DO apologize to fellow dancers if you step on somebody. How can you not feel if you touch someone?! (Reach and touch someone is no good here)
DO wipe the sweat off your face before you kiss a friend hello.
DO wipe your sweaty hands before you ask someone for a dance.
DO try to find an empty space to dance instead of squeezing into someone else’s.
In a nutshell, BE considerate to other salsanuts and feel free to add to this list.
DIP (Dance In Peace)
MUSIC CONNECTION 101 (for salseros)
What do you think that is? I’ve tried to raise the subject on several occasions, but was stonewalled every time. Some time ago, my comment on a salsa discussion list comparing swing and salsa dancers (many swingers being masters of music connection) produced a volcanic debate touching on everything from dancing on 1 or 2 to personal attacks. Only a few replies actually commented on the topic I raised.
Since then I mentioned it again in several articles and reviews. Salsafix.com even quoted 2 paragraphs on the subject from my review of the SF Salsa Congress asking readers for comments. Again, nothing.
Someone once mentioned people don’t understand what I mean. So here is a detailed explanation. Lisa King in her great article on leading and following (salsacrazy.com) listed 5 levels of accomplishment for dancers. Here are the top three:
“3. Transition when the music does, e.g., Hit the breaks, react to tempo changes, nail the last note of the song, etc.
4. Interpret the melody and/or lyrics with your spontaneous choreography.
5. Achieve that rare Zen state, where after the dance you will honestly be able to say "The music MADE me do it."
Could not have said it better myself. Finally, my own aspirations were validated. Juan Matos and Ismael Otero knew what I was talking about and their answer was quoted in my San Francisco Congress review (sabormagazine.com and tosalsa.com). Those Bay Area salseros who saw a solo performance by Felipe Polanco at the Metronome Ballroom some time ago witnessed the ultimate music connection: Felipe danced out almost every note in a Tito Puente arrangement.
So far I don’t know anybody in the SF salsa community who teaches music connection nor do I see many salseros responding to music on the dance floor. My own attempts at improvisation are not always welcomed (some leaders prefer you do what you’re “told” – nothing more, nothing less).
We all like watching well choreographed performances with music breaks accentuated by “corresponding” dance steps. Impossible on the dance floor? So I thought until I saw occasional top-notch salseros and many swing dancers. If they can do it so can we. How?
Before you read on, you should decide how important the music is for you, because it “ain’t gonna happen overnight”. If you want to achieve that euphoric level of unity with the music and feel like your body is just another instrument in the orchestra, go ahead and try. I don’t guarantee success, after all, it's my first attempt to bring you this free on-line workshop. Most likely, practical face-to-face will be needed. But if any of these suggestions prove to be useful, I won’t regret the time spent writing it, even if only to make you think about it, listen closely to the music and try.
The 3 most important rules for developing music connection:
Listen!
Listen!!
Listen!!!
If you have hard time finding the beat (don’t try locating 2 until you’re sure of 1) – listen! Listen to salsa 24 hours a day, get used to the music. It’ll help even if you go about your day without paying too much attention to it. And try using this trick: instead of counting the dancers’ count 1 to 8, count the music beat 1 to 4. That way, once you found 1, you’ll always know where the second beat is. (Basic salsa patterns take 8 beats or 2 music bars to complete so dance instruction is based on 8 counts). Don’t worry about clave for now. A lot of dancers do a great job without even knowing what it is.
Evan the Salsacrazy (of salsacrazy.com fame), a reborn salsa instructor, suggests the following exercises to familiarize yourself with salsa beats and achieve the non-counting level of dancing:
“Start counting out 1-8 during 2 measures of salsa music.
1) Step in place on all 8 counts
2) Hold 8 counts, do basic, hold 8, do basic
3) Step once every two beats. Same thing while doing a slow turn (8 beat
turn), using other parts of your body to accentuate other instruments -
beyond the 8 beats.
4) Try doing the basic on 1, then on 2, then on 3, then on 4, etc . . .”
Get used to finding beats other than 1 (assuming you already hit one with your ears closed). Again, if you have trouble with 8 counts, try 4 instead.
Once you’re comfortable with counts, you can start paying attention to breaks. Do you get confused and lose count when the band stops for a second or two? Or when there is a solo without a pronounced beat? No sweat. Just remember that musicians cannot disrupt the beat – solo or no solo, if you keep dancing and counting you’ll see that the music will catch up with you (provided you didn’t lose the beat) Better yet, use that break, you don’t have to dance continuously, you can always pick up the beat when the music returns. Practise the breaks before going further. Choose a song with a lot of “interruptions” or breaks (Tito Puente and many other instrumentalists have a wide variety of interesting arrangements, but even your favorite non-jazzy songs might have plenty of opportunities for play) Listen to the tune and memorize where the accents are. Try clapping them out first with the musicians, then start dancing and hit the breaks with a pattern you learnt, your own personalized footwork or a body move. Make sure your moves CORRESPOND to the music as if you’re playing that break with your feet or your body. Repeat many times and vary your creations.
Catching all the breaks you want? Now you can start listening to actual musical arrangements. Listen to what various instruments do, try to discern different band sections and instruments – horns, drums, percussions, piano, flute etc. Try following one instrument at a time, it’s easier when it’s playing a solo. With practice you’ll be able to hear the instrument you want even when it’s in the background, but not always. Don’t get discouraged, you can hit only the most prominent sounds and everybody will be at awe watching you. Again the 3 basic rules apply before you go on.
Now that you’re so attuned to the music, you feel your body is ready to play, load all the steps you learnt or created in the “computer” on top of your shoulders and pull out one at a time. Turn the music on. First, a song that you know inside out, that you listened to so many times you can almost “play” every instrument in it.
Here’s a fast drum beat. What step in your repertoire matches this sound? Probably some footwork that reflects every beat (if you can pull it off) or every second beat. Here’s a long lazy note or cord. That’s probably a good time to relax and do a fancy stretch or dip. Use your imagination, if you don’t have anything in your repertoire of moves that feels right for the music at hand, create something. You can practice at home if you’re too shy on the dance floor. At first, when you start reflecting the music on the dance floor it’ll be with tunes you know very well. But with time and practice you’ll be able to do it even with unfamiliar songs – music arrangements have so many repetitions.
Another quote from Evan:
“With enough listening, you can guess the arrangements in
salsa music that are coming next. This is a hit and miss proposition,
sometimes you'll be right on with a "hit", sometimes you'll expect something
in the music that doesn't come to pass - that's part of the fun!
The best, most playful people, have an understanding of the music beyond
just knowing some specific song, but like in swing, they understand the
arrangements, and how the typical songs progress.
Heart, fun, passion - that's what's so fun about the music and the dance, which is why,
regardless of how technical salsa dancing becomes, it will always be a
social dance for me.
To get the most out of it, you have to let go, and let the music take you
where it will!”
Yes, LETTING GO is a necessity for many salseros striving for perfection.. The important thing to remember is that everybody feels the music differently and there’s no right or wrong move here. However, when you and your partner are well attuned to the music, you’ll find that your responses coincide most of the times and that’s the ultimate thrill.
A word of caution to the followers. Salsa is a restrictive dance. Unlike many free swing steps allowing partners to do their own thing, salsa moves do not provide a lot of opportunities for followers to improvise. Does it mean you do your own thing if you want to? Sure, if you never want to dance with that guy again. I hate to say this, but partner connection is more important than music connection. You do not break his lead even if he doesn’t follow the music accents. However, you can do your own thing within the limits of his patterns. The basic step doesn’t always have to be the basic step, you can vary it and still follow; your styling can often reflect those music accents you just cannot miss. A head turn, a shoulder lift, a hip wave etc. done to the music can be very impressive regardless of their simplicity.
Leaders are in control of the dance, so they can express themselves freely: catch breaks, play with music accents etc. Leaders should not be afraid to express themselves even if the follower is not responding in kind. Given enough opportunities and practice, she will catch up and do her thing. This is an equal opportunity: if both leaders and followers work on their musicality we will all advance in our enjoyment of salsa. Even your taste in music might change. You will be eager to dance to tunes with interesting arrangements providing you with ample opportunities “to play along”.
I know, I know, a lot of salseros will be intimidated even to try. But as this trend gradually spreads, most, if not all, of us will jump on the bandwagon and let our creativity loose just like we do with our intricate “arm-twisting” patterns. The beauty of the music connection is that the moves don’t have to be complicated, even a wink might do, as long as they are done to the music.
Please, remember, this short article only scratches the surface. It’s impossible to follow every necessary step in its natural progression and foresee the problems that may arise.
Your feedback will show if a face-to-face workshop is needed or desired. All comments and suggestions are welcome.
Shall we dance?
MUSIC CONNECTION 101: ANOTHER ASPECT
"All I would ask is for the DJ's to pick music that stays on beat. Many great songs out there constantly change beats, and while, yeah, maybe it's a good test for the contestants to make sure they stay on beat and adjust.... it just disturbs the flow of the dance.... I mean, even during social dancing...you can't help but get "irked" when that sudden change in timing hits you in the middle of a pattern."
OK, I heard similar comments way too many times and got to say this: MUSIC IS ALWAYS ON BEAT. Band musicians CANNOT change timing, otherwise they will all go astray into cacophony. Salsa music has 4 count bars. Imagine a clock ticking: whether you hear it or not - time is still ticking away. All the pauses, syncopations etc. must fit into this "skeleton" - that's how musicians know when they play or sing what's written for them in the arrangement. They can and do improvise, syncopate, pause, delay etc. but WITHIN that 4-beat structure. They MUST return to the beat and join the band when expected. Even if his improvisation took more time, the musician cannot just abruptly end anywhere - it must fit into the “skeleton” - he must sign to others when he's done. That rarely happens in club tunes though. Salseros often get lost and stop if they lose the beat. I can bet you anything if you keep counting and dancing in the same speed, the music will find you on the right beat.
To the untrained ear improvisational syncopation might sound like off-beat music. However, it’s a skill that is revered in jazz – musicians appreciate their colleagues’ ability to weave intricate rhythm patterns around the bare-bones 4-beat frame.
As far as I heard, only one of our live bands, Tito Garcia, plays a mambo where there's an actual count change written into the arrangement. It has 6 count bars and it comes after a long drum solo so it's not for dancing salsa as we know it. However, ALL MUSIC IS DANCEABLE. Just let go and use your imagination.
(For the musically curious listen to Take 5 by Paul Desmond and immortalized by jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. It’s a 5 beat piece. You can hear its Latin version in Klazz Brothers’ Jazz Meets Cuba CD. Their Classic Meets Cuba CD contains a piece with 7 beats. Can you find it? Scroll down this link to listen and then try dancing to that! http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/clipserve/B00006FM8E001013/302-5982529-6170410)
Maybe these creative music accents are too confusing for amateur competitors, but advanced and professional dancers should certainly handle them with ease. Also, this "interruptive" music is a good ear training for all dancers - teaches us to stay on-beat even in pauses and most importantly, be creative and adapt "pre-cooked" patterns to the music at hand.
I wrote this article/workshop Music Connection 101 http://salsacrazy.com/features/musicconnection101.htm some time ago, but could not raise the topic off the ground. Now I don’t have to feel like a freak when there’s another, world renowned “freak” voicing similar concerns. Talking about it will bring awareness of the problem, but what we really need is practical instruction and practical training included in salsa classes. If all you do is teach moves, students will do just that - move. If you teach them to pay attention to the music, recognize the breaks and react to them they will eventually start appreciating the music breaks and do something creative rather than get annoyed at loosing the beat. A lot of instructors do not have that skill themselves so self-upgrading and developing of an instructional technique accessible to non-musicians is a challenge I'd like to throw at them. I'd appreciate any feedback on the subject.
DIP (dance in peace)
Since then I mentioned it again in several articles and reviews. Salsafix.com even quoted 2 paragraphs on the subject from my review of the SF Salsa Congress asking readers for comments. Again, nothing.
Someone once mentioned people don’t understand what I mean. So here is a detailed explanation. Lisa King in her great article on leading and following (salsacrazy.com) listed 5 levels of accomplishment for dancers. Here are the top three:
“3. Transition when the music does, e.g., Hit the breaks, react to tempo changes, nail the last note of the song, etc.
4. Interpret the melody and/or lyrics with your spontaneous choreography.
5. Achieve that rare Zen state, where after the dance you will honestly be able to say "The music MADE me do it."
Could not have said it better myself. Finally, my own aspirations were validated. Juan Matos and Ismael Otero knew what I was talking about and their answer was quoted in my San Francisco Congress review (sabormagazine.com and tosalsa.com). Those Bay Area salseros who saw a solo performance by Felipe Polanco at the Metronome Ballroom some time ago witnessed the ultimate music connection: Felipe danced out almost every note in a Tito Puente arrangement.
So far I don’t know anybody in the SF salsa community who teaches music connection nor do I see many salseros responding to music on the dance floor. My own attempts at improvisation are not always welcomed (some leaders prefer you do what you’re “told” – nothing more, nothing less).
We all like watching well choreographed performances with music breaks accentuated by “corresponding” dance steps. Impossible on the dance floor? So I thought until I saw occasional top-notch salseros and many swing dancers. If they can do it so can we. How?
Before you read on, you should decide how important the music is for you, because it “ain’t gonna happen overnight”. If you want to achieve that euphoric level of unity with the music and feel like your body is just another instrument in the orchestra, go ahead and try. I don’t guarantee success, after all, it's my first attempt to bring you this free on-line workshop. Most likely, practical face-to-face will be needed. But if any of these suggestions prove to be useful, I won’t regret the time spent writing it, even if only to make you think about it, listen closely to the music and try.
The 3 most important rules for developing music connection:
Listen!
Listen!!
Listen!!!
If you have hard time finding the beat (don’t try locating 2 until you’re sure of 1) – listen! Listen to salsa 24 hours a day, get used to the music. It’ll help even if you go about your day without paying too much attention to it. And try using this trick: instead of counting the dancers’ count 1 to 8, count the music beat 1 to 4. That way, once you found 1, you’ll always know where the second beat is. (Basic salsa patterns take 8 beats or 2 music bars to complete so dance instruction is based on 8 counts). Don’t worry about clave for now. A lot of dancers do a great job without even knowing what it is.
Evan the Salsacrazy (of salsacrazy.com fame), a reborn salsa instructor, suggests the following exercises to familiarize yourself with salsa beats and achieve the non-counting level of dancing:
“Start counting out 1-8 during 2 measures of salsa music.
1) Step in place on all 8 counts
2) Hold 8 counts, do basic, hold 8, do basic
3) Step once every two beats. Same thing while doing a slow turn (8 beat
turn), using other parts of your body to accentuate other instruments -
beyond the 8 beats.
4) Try doing the basic on 1, then on 2, then on 3, then on 4, etc . . .”
Get used to finding beats other than 1 (assuming you already hit one with your ears closed). Again, if you have trouble with 8 counts, try 4 instead.
Once you’re comfortable with counts, you can start paying attention to breaks. Do you get confused and lose count when the band stops for a second or two? Or when there is a solo without a pronounced beat? No sweat. Just remember that musicians cannot disrupt the beat – solo or no solo, if you keep dancing and counting you’ll see that the music will catch up with you (provided you didn’t lose the beat) Better yet, use that break, you don’t have to dance continuously, you can always pick up the beat when the music returns. Practise the breaks before going further. Choose a song with a lot of “interruptions” or breaks (Tito Puente and many other instrumentalists have a wide variety of interesting arrangements, but even your favorite non-jazzy songs might have plenty of opportunities for play) Listen to the tune and memorize where the accents are. Try clapping them out first with the musicians, then start dancing and hit the breaks with a pattern you learnt, your own personalized footwork or a body move. Make sure your moves CORRESPOND to the music as if you’re playing that break with your feet or your body. Repeat many times and vary your creations.
Catching all the breaks you want? Now you can start listening to actual musical arrangements. Listen to what various instruments do, try to discern different band sections and instruments – horns, drums, percussions, piano, flute etc. Try following one instrument at a time, it’s easier when it’s playing a solo. With practice you’ll be able to hear the instrument you want even when it’s in the background, but not always. Don’t get discouraged, you can hit only the most prominent sounds and everybody will be at awe watching you. Again the 3 basic rules apply before you go on.
Now that you’re so attuned to the music, you feel your body is ready to play, load all the steps you learnt or created in the “computer” on top of your shoulders and pull out one at a time. Turn the music on. First, a song that you know inside out, that you listened to so many times you can almost “play” every instrument in it.
Here’s a fast drum beat. What step in your repertoire matches this sound? Probably some footwork that reflects every beat (if you can pull it off) or every second beat. Here’s a long lazy note or cord. That’s probably a good time to relax and do a fancy stretch or dip. Use your imagination, if you don’t have anything in your repertoire of moves that feels right for the music at hand, create something. You can practice at home if you’re too shy on the dance floor. At first, when you start reflecting the music on the dance floor it’ll be with tunes you know very well. But with time and practice you’ll be able to do it even with unfamiliar songs – music arrangements have so many repetitions.
Another quote from Evan:
“With enough listening, you can guess the arrangements in
salsa music that are coming next. This is a hit and miss proposition,
sometimes you'll be right on with a "hit", sometimes you'll expect something
in the music that doesn't come to pass - that's part of the fun!
The best, most playful people, have an understanding of the music beyond
just knowing some specific song, but like in swing, they understand the
arrangements, and how the typical songs progress.
Heart, fun, passion - that's what's so fun about the music and the dance, which is why,
regardless of how technical salsa dancing becomes, it will always be a
social dance for me.
To get the most out of it, you have to let go, and let the music take you
where it will!”
Yes, LETTING GO is a necessity for many salseros striving for perfection.. The important thing to remember is that everybody feels the music differently and there’s no right or wrong move here. However, when you and your partner are well attuned to the music, you’ll find that your responses coincide most of the times and that’s the ultimate thrill.
A word of caution to the followers. Salsa is a restrictive dance. Unlike many free swing steps allowing partners to do their own thing, salsa moves do not provide a lot of opportunities for followers to improvise. Does it mean you do your own thing if you want to? Sure, if you never want to dance with that guy again. I hate to say this, but partner connection is more important than music connection. You do not break his lead even if he doesn’t follow the music accents. However, you can do your own thing within the limits of his patterns. The basic step doesn’t always have to be the basic step, you can vary it and still follow; your styling can often reflect those music accents you just cannot miss. A head turn, a shoulder lift, a hip wave etc. done to the music can be very impressive regardless of their simplicity.
Leaders are in control of the dance, so they can express themselves freely: catch breaks, play with music accents etc. Leaders should not be afraid to express themselves even if the follower is not responding in kind. Given enough opportunities and practice, she will catch up and do her thing. This is an equal opportunity: if both leaders and followers work on their musicality we will all advance in our enjoyment of salsa. Even your taste in music might change. You will be eager to dance to tunes with interesting arrangements providing you with ample opportunities “to play along”.
I know, I know, a lot of salseros will be intimidated even to try. But as this trend gradually spreads, most, if not all, of us will jump on the bandwagon and let our creativity loose just like we do with our intricate “arm-twisting” patterns. The beauty of the music connection is that the moves don’t have to be complicated, even a wink might do, as long as they are done to the music.
Please, remember, this short article only scratches the surface. It’s impossible to follow every necessary step in its natural progression and foresee the problems that may arise.
Your feedback will show if a face-to-face workshop is needed or desired. All comments and suggestions are welcome.
Shall we dance?
MUSIC CONNECTION 101: ANOTHER ASPECT
"All I would ask is for the DJ's to pick music that stays on beat. Many great songs out there constantly change beats, and while, yeah, maybe it's a good test for the contestants to make sure they stay on beat and adjust.... it just disturbs the flow of the dance.... I mean, even during social dancing...you can't help but get "irked" when that sudden change in timing hits you in the middle of a pattern."
OK, I heard similar comments way too many times and got to say this: MUSIC IS ALWAYS ON BEAT. Band musicians CANNOT change timing, otherwise they will all go astray into cacophony. Salsa music has 4 count bars. Imagine a clock ticking: whether you hear it or not - time is still ticking away. All the pauses, syncopations etc. must fit into this "skeleton" - that's how musicians know when they play or sing what's written for them in the arrangement. They can and do improvise, syncopate, pause, delay etc. but WITHIN that 4-beat structure. They MUST return to the beat and join the band when expected. Even if his improvisation took more time, the musician cannot just abruptly end anywhere - it must fit into the “skeleton” - he must sign to others when he's done. That rarely happens in club tunes though. Salseros often get lost and stop if they lose the beat. I can bet you anything if you keep counting and dancing in the same speed, the music will find you on the right beat.
To the untrained ear improvisational syncopation might sound like off-beat music. However, it’s a skill that is revered in jazz – musicians appreciate their colleagues’ ability to weave intricate rhythm patterns around the bare-bones 4-beat frame.
As far as I heard, only one of our live bands, Tito Garcia, plays a mambo where there's an actual count change written into the arrangement. It has 6 count bars and it comes after a long drum solo so it's not for dancing salsa as we know it. However, ALL MUSIC IS DANCEABLE. Just let go and use your imagination.
(For the musically curious listen to Take 5 by Paul Desmond and immortalized by jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. It’s a 5 beat piece. You can hear its Latin version in Klazz Brothers’ Jazz Meets Cuba CD. Their Classic Meets Cuba CD contains a piece with 7 beats. Can you find it? Scroll down this link to listen and then try dancing to that! http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/clipserve/B00006FM8E001013/302-5982529-6170410)
Maybe these creative music accents are too confusing for amateur competitors, but advanced and professional dancers should certainly handle them with ease. Also, this "interruptive" music is a good ear training for all dancers - teaches us to stay on-beat even in pauses and most importantly, be creative and adapt "pre-cooked" patterns to the music at hand.
I wrote this article/workshop Music Connection 101 http://salsacrazy.com/features/musicconnection101.htm some time ago, but could not raise the topic off the ground. Now I don’t have to feel like a freak when there’s another, world renowned “freak” voicing similar concerns. Talking about it will bring awareness of the problem, but what we really need is practical instruction and practical training included in salsa classes. If all you do is teach moves, students will do just that - move. If you teach them to pay attention to the music, recognize the breaks and react to them they will eventually start appreciating the music breaks and do something creative rather than get annoyed at loosing the beat. A lot of instructors do not have that skill themselves so self-upgrading and developing of an instructional technique accessible to non-musicians is a challenge I'd like to throw at them. I'd appreciate any feedback on the subject.
DIP (dance in peace)
DANCE FAIR VS MEAT MARKET
Ok, ok, it’s too rough, but I got your attention, right? Don’t know what I mean? Read on.
Salsa scene can be divided into two main groups (with minor subgroups): the overwhelming majority of social dancers whose main purpose of clubbing is other than the art of dancing, and salsa junkies who are there primarily for dancing and improving their skills.
Both articles offering advice to men and women on how to get asked to dance contain some great suggestions. However, from a practical perspective not all of them make sense. Just imagine a woman saying hi to every man she passes by, smiling, standing in the “traffic lane” with arms at her waist, staring only at the dancers, not talking or even standing close to other women and telling several men:”I want to dance with you, and you, and you…” What do you think people, both men and women will think of her…?
Oh sure, it would be wonderful if everybody would realize she is just friendly (certainly not to women). But based on experience, it could be safely assumed that she would be misunderstood by most men who will delude themselves into thinking “she wants me!” and would offer more attention than wanted or anticipated. For that reason many women do avoid even eye contact. Can you blame them?
As far as standing in “the traffic lane” is concerned, at least, the suggestion was not to hold a drink and place your toes on the EDGE of the dance floor (do you really think men check where women’s toes are in crowded clubs?) Anyone going to Cocomo, for example, knows how inconsiderate it is for people to crowd passageways. You literally have to push your way through sometimes.
The part about letting men check you out is insulting but true. The author himself admitted that men’s main focus is on attractive ladies. Even advanced and choosy male salseros will dance with beginners if they find them appealing. The same would apply to girls maybe to a lesser extent. It seems there are very few uniquely dance motivated individuals out there. It’s a social scene first and foremost and we have to try at least not to take it personally.
Easier said than done, you’ll say. I know how hard it is to swallow rejection. My first time I was crushed. In fact, I was convinced (still do) that as a rule you do not refuse a lady. However, I had to give up many of my etiquette rules if I wanted to dance.
I still think it’s rude to chew gum while dancing or talking to a person; I still think it’s rude to invite somebody to dance with a head wave standing across the floor; I still think it’s rude to head on to the dance floor and expect your chosen partner to follow behind; I do think it’s nice to lead her by the hand. Too old fashioned? Maybe. But I’m sure most ladies would agree with me.
One of the suggestions deserves a close look, however. Don’t ask a man to dance, - tell him you want to dance with him. Or better yet, take him by the hand and lead him to the dance floor. He’ll be flabbergasted and would not have a chance to refuse. It’s worth a try.
So your choice of advice will depend on which group of dancers you want to dance with. Some suggestions, such as cleanliness, are a must for all. Some, like the ability to vary your moves and have a good lead, would not be that important if your goal is “to score”. Don’t forget though, this is a partner dance and your partner’s goal should match yours. If you like the lady and want contact with her, but she happens to be a salsa-nut without any ulterior motives, both of you will be disappointed. NOBODY IS AT FAULT HERE, folks. Please, do not get offended if you’re rejected for a dance.
However, there’s another reason why some people would refuse to dance with you: they are worried about how they look on the dance floor. Even though followers totally depend on their leaders I did not hear women voicing these concerns. Men do not complain either, but it’s a reason not to be mentioned in the dance circles for obvious reasons. It’s insecurity about their abilities to lead an inexperienced partner who will make THEM look bad. They falsely assume that a skilled follower will improve their image. God forbid you make a mistake with such a sensitive partner, you can almost feel his anxiety. Some dancers forget it’s just a dance and put too much pressure on themselves to perform flawlessly to preserve their shaky ego. There’s also this desire to be seen with a well-known good dancer: if he/she is willing to dance with you, others pay attention and want to try you too. What should be kept in mind, however, is that if you’re truly good you’ll get noticed no matter who you dance with and if you’re good with a beginner even more so.
A lot has been said about salsa cliques. Yes, they do exist and if you want to be “in” you’ve got your work cut out for you: learn to dance well enough to attract attention of advanced dancers. If you abhor the idea of cliques in general, you can find good dancers with similar views. There’s one common outcome though: the better you get, the more you price yourself out of the dancing market, so to speak. Just think of your life before salsa. You were happy to shake to simple monotonous beats – no skills required. But once you tasted the spicy steaming salsa hotpot, there’s no turning back. Your previous dance life seems boring and senseless. Same with everything. As a beginner you were happy to dance with anybody, but as you get better, going back in time is not much fun.
I’m eternally grateful to those who danced with me while I was learning salsa (try to do that with swing or tango – you’ll be glued to the bench if you can’t dance) And that’s a beauty of having many social dancers: they’ll dance with you regardless of your skill level. But as you progress, dancing with beginners becomes more of a chore. You want somebody who will challenge you, who will show you new moves, who will make it fun again. That way your chance for more excitement becomes smaller and smaller and in the end you are limited to a small group of advanced dancers.
It must be noted that it’s a different experience for men and women. As followers, ladies do not have any control in salsa, no opportunity to escape a bad lead. On the other hand, they have a chance to experience many different styles and moves, learn from the leader and become flexible. The leaders, however, in exchange for their control, are stuck with what they know. They cannot learn from their partner and therefore must take lessons or watch others in order to enrich their repertoire.
Both men and women want to dance with better dancers. But for leaders it is only a difference between a good follower and the inexperienced one. Oh sure, you want her to know how to respond to your lead, to have skills to do it and be able to understand what you want, but as one professional dancer put it – with a good lead she doesn’t have a choice but to follow. After all, the ultimate skill as a leader is to dance with a total beginner and make her look good. I’ve seen that done. The lady is the picture and the leader is the frame, remember? Ok, that statement might not necessarily be fair: everybody has a different lead that matches some followers’ style better than others’. But in the worst-case scenario, men can always do their own thing. As for the ladies, they do not have that option. They must follow the leader no matter what he does and if he himself doesn’t know what he is doing, how much fun is that for her?
Moreover, traditionally men are asking women to dance and if she is considerate enough to dance with one beginner, many others are in line.. She ends up dancing out of courtesy to others not having fun herself. She paid the money to go to clubs, she is there to have fun, so please, gentlemen, be understanding. To a lesser extent (for the above mentioned reasons) the same applies to advanced male dancers, even though dancing with beginner followers improves your lead, guys.
On the other hand, what happens when clique dancers isolate themselves? Sure, they are having fun dancing with each other. But they also lose flexibility necessary to adapt to various styles and moves. The leaders learn only their head honcho’s patterns and the followers begin to anticipate every move losing the excitement of variety. The clique becomes an incestuous cocoon wrapped in its own binding.
A Dance Etiquette flyer from the Metronome Ballroom suggests that you do not refuse a dance to anybody unless they’re drunk. Do you agree? It’s a dilemma that will always be present in dance circles. And everyone will have to decide that for himself.
DIP (Dance In Peace)
Salsa scene can be divided into two main groups (with minor subgroups): the overwhelming majority of social dancers whose main purpose of clubbing is other than the art of dancing, and salsa junkies who are there primarily for dancing and improving their skills.
Both articles offering advice to men and women on how to get asked to dance contain some great suggestions. However, from a practical perspective not all of them make sense. Just imagine a woman saying hi to every man she passes by, smiling, standing in the “traffic lane” with arms at her waist, staring only at the dancers, not talking or even standing close to other women and telling several men:”I want to dance with you, and you, and you…” What do you think people, both men and women will think of her…?
Oh sure, it would be wonderful if everybody would realize she is just friendly (certainly not to women). But based on experience, it could be safely assumed that she would be misunderstood by most men who will delude themselves into thinking “she wants me!” and would offer more attention than wanted or anticipated. For that reason many women do avoid even eye contact. Can you blame them?
As far as standing in “the traffic lane” is concerned, at least, the suggestion was not to hold a drink and place your toes on the EDGE of the dance floor (do you really think men check where women’s toes are in crowded clubs?) Anyone going to Cocomo, for example, knows how inconsiderate it is for people to crowd passageways. You literally have to push your way through sometimes.
The part about letting men check you out is insulting but true. The author himself admitted that men’s main focus is on attractive ladies. Even advanced and choosy male salseros will dance with beginners if they find them appealing. The same would apply to girls maybe to a lesser extent. It seems there are very few uniquely dance motivated individuals out there. It’s a social scene first and foremost and we have to try at least not to take it personally.
Easier said than done, you’ll say. I know how hard it is to swallow rejection. My first time I was crushed. In fact, I was convinced (still do) that as a rule you do not refuse a lady. However, I had to give up many of my etiquette rules if I wanted to dance.
I still think it’s rude to chew gum while dancing or talking to a person; I still think it’s rude to invite somebody to dance with a head wave standing across the floor; I still think it’s rude to head on to the dance floor and expect your chosen partner to follow behind; I do think it’s nice to lead her by the hand. Too old fashioned? Maybe. But I’m sure most ladies would agree with me.
One of the suggestions deserves a close look, however. Don’t ask a man to dance, - tell him you want to dance with him. Or better yet, take him by the hand and lead him to the dance floor. He’ll be flabbergasted and would not have a chance to refuse. It’s worth a try.
So your choice of advice will depend on which group of dancers you want to dance with. Some suggestions, such as cleanliness, are a must for all. Some, like the ability to vary your moves and have a good lead, would not be that important if your goal is “to score”. Don’t forget though, this is a partner dance and your partner’s goal should match yours. If you like the lady and want contact with her, but she happens to be a salsa-nut without any ulterior motives, both of you will be disappointed. NOBODY IS AT FAULT HERE, folks. Please, do not get offended if you’re rejected for a dance.
However, there’s another reason why some people would refuse to dance with you: they are worried about how they look on the dance floor. Even though followers totally depend on their leaders I did not hear women voicing these concerns. Men do not complain either, but it’s a reason not to be mentioned in the dance circles for obvious reasons. It’s insecurity about their abilities to lead an inexperienced partner who will make THEM look bad. They falsely assume that a skilled follower will improve their image. God forbid you make a mistake with such a sensitive partner, you can almost feel his anxiety. Some dancers forget it’s just a dance and put too much pressure on themselves to perform flawlessly to preserve their shaky ego. There’s also this desire to be seen with a well-known good dancer: if he/she is willing to dance with you, others pay attention and want to try you too. What should be kept in mind, however, is that if you’re truly good you’ll get noticed no matter who you dance with and if you’re good with a beginner even more so.
A lot has been said about salsa cliques. Yes, they do exist and if you want to be “in” you’ve got your work cut out for you: learn to dance well enough to attract attention of advanced dancers. If you abhor the idea of cliques in general, you can find good dancers with similar views. There’s one common outcome though: the better you get, the more you price yourself out of the dancing market, so to speak. Just think of your life before salsa. You were happy to shake to simple monotonous beats – no skills required. But once you tasted the spicy steaming salsa hotpot, there’s no turning back. Your previous dance life seems boring and senseless. Same with everything. As a beginner you were happy to dance with anybody, but as you get better, going back in time is not much fun.
I’m eternally grateful to those who danced with me while I was learning salsa (try to do that with swing or tango – you’ll be glued to the bench if you can’t dance) And that’s a beauty of having many social dancers: they’ll dance with you regardless of your skill level. But as you progress, dancing with beginners becomes more of a chore. You want somebody who will challenge you, who will show you new moves, who will make it fun again. That way your chance for more excitement becomes smaller and smaller and in the end you are limited to a small group of advanced dancers.
It must be noted that it’s a different experience for men and women. As followers, ladies do not have any control in salsa, no opportunity to escape a bad lead. On the other hand, they have a chance to experience many different styles and moves, learn from the leader and become flexible. The leaders, however, in exchange for their control, are stuck with what they know. They cannot learn from their partner and therefore must take lessons or watch others in order to enrich their repertoire.
Both men and women want to dance with better dancers. But for leaders it is only a difference between a good follower and the inexperienced one. Oh sure, you want her to know how to respond to your lead, to have skills to do it and be able to understand what you want, but as one professional dancer put it – with a good lead she doesn’t have a choice but to follow. After all, the ultimate skill as a leader is to dance with a total beginner and make her look good. I’ve seen that done. The lady is the picture and the leader is the frame, remember? Ok, that statement might not necessarily be fair: everybody has a different lead that matches some followers’ style better than others’. But in the worst-case scenario, men can always do their own thing. As for the ladies, they do not have that option. They must follow the leader no matter what he does and if he himself doesn’t know what he is doing, how much fun is that for her?
Moreover, traditionally men are asking women to dance and if she is considerate enough to dance with one beginner, many others are in line.. She ends up dancing out of courtesy to others not having fun herself. She paid the money to go to clubs, she is there to have fun, so please, gentlemen, be understanding. To a lesser extent (for the above mentioned reasons) the same applies to advanced male dancers, even though dancing with beginner followers improves your lead, guys.
On the other hand, what happens when clique dancers isolate themselves? Sure, they are having fun dancing with each other. But they also lose flexibility necessary to adapt to various styles and moves. The leaders learn only their head honcho’s patterns and the followers begin to anticipate every move losing the excitement of variety. The clique becomes an incestuous cocoon wrapped in its own binding.
A Dance Etiquette flyer from the Metronome Ballroom suggests that you do not refuse a dance to anybody unless they’re drunk. Do you agree? It’s a dilemma that will always be present in dance circles. And everyone will have to decide that for himself.
DIP (Dance In Peace)
SALSA!
Why an exclamation point? If you are a salsa lover, you'll know. And it's not about the sauce. It's about the music and the dance that's invading the world.
So much has already been said and written about it: its fiery rhythms, its happy up-beat mood, its sensual dance moves etc. And yes, all of it is very appealing to a lot of people. But after spending some time among salseros, a thoughtful observer would notice certain facts deserving a closer look by a sociological and psychological researcher. What slice of the population does it attract and why?
First of all, there is no ethnic division in the salsa crowd: it attracts people of all races and colors. (Benetton, that's where colors are truly united!) Here is one theory: the bottom line in their love of salsa for most people is their emotional state of mind. What does that mean? Relatively few salseros and salseras enjoy the dance purely for its technical challenge. (Even though some of them become so obsessed with technicalities and become so self-important they forget IT IS JUST A DANCE. But more about that later).
Both men and women love the sensuality of the dance and their ultimate (and in many cases deeply rooted) reason is... the emotional need for closeness (I did not say sex). This dance must have been created by men. Many outsiders would perceive some salsa moves to be quite daring. In our age of AIDS this is a form of safe sex. No condoms required. Some guys would try a lot more than what you call salsa, and occasionally young women, beginners on the scene, fall prey to their lusty advances under the cover of the dance. Maybe some of the ladies don't mind, but as a rule you don't have to do or tolerate anything you are uncomfortable with. Those who try to get too intimate would either stop dancing with you or will respect your limits.
The control is in the man's hands, however. Literally. He is the leader, and even if his partner is an accomplished dancer, she would not be able to shine if the leader has limited moves. Ladies have to adapt to different styles and that first dance may not always be perfect. Some guys forget this and assume that a new partner cannot dance. Not only that, if they don't know you or see you dancing up a storm with somebody else, they wouldn't even give you a chance. To make matters worse, in the traditional salsa world very few ladies are bold enough to ask men to dance, so you have to rely on every possible strategy in the female arsenal to attract good dancers. On the other hand, there are some advantages to being a follower. You get to experience different moves and different styles while the leader can only use his own. Some good male dancers tend to think that a good leader should be able to lead even an inexperienced partner. Ladies, don't hold your breath on that one. Even these guys prefer to dance with their equals. Which leads us to salsa cliques.
If you become a regular in salsa circles you will soon start noticing some very good dancers dancing mostly with each other. Some of them are professionals who perform and teach salsa classes. They observe each other's steps, try to copy or invent new moves and often get quite disdainful of competitors or "lay public".
On the other hand, after working hard and taking lessons for a long time who can blame them if they don't want to waste their time on unskilled dancers? They pay money to go to clubs, they are there to have fun and not teach less experienced partners. The ladies, however, are more generous and usually dance with "outsiders", but you have to be quick - they are always in high demand. Good male dancers also get a lot of attention from women. So for some guys it's a vanity trip. They are showing off like peacocks. Nevertheless, if you find one of those "professionals" with a good attitude and have a chance to dance with him, it's quite a thrill.
So what brings people to salsa clubs? Besides true salseros who come just to dance and don't care what their partner looks like, as long as he or she is a good dancer, a lot of people in clubs are there to find somebody: for a night, for a more or less committed relationship or for a lifetime. (Good luck to the last ones!) A lot of people are there just for contact. They dance (no matter how close), they touch and get touched and they go home, alone. No commitments, no expectations and no disappointments. And if you happen to dance with a skillful partner it is also a natural high comparable (they say) to the best drugs or sex. It's legal and it's safe. Also, if you want to lose weight, this type of aerobic exercise is beneficial not only for your body, but your soul as well. It beats staying home, watching TV and stuffing you face, doesn't it? You also get to meet a lot of people and make new friends if you become a regular. There are also salsa parties organized by some "addicts" in their homes.
If you are looking for a soulmate, your luck will depend on who you are and what you are looking for. You may be surprised to see a large number of intelligent, sophisticated and usually well educated women in their thirties and older. Are they tired of their male counterparts who can maintain an intelligent conversation, but have no passion left after their brains took over their bodies and whatever was left was emasculated by the advances of pseudo-feminism? Are they secretly longing for something that's missing in their liberated, independent but also lonely lives? Are they, subconsciously perhaps, enjoying the dance that gives complete control to the male where they can just relax and follow without the necessity to take charge as they are so often obligated to do in their lives? Are they looking for that non- committal contact with a stranger hoping that this surrogate closeness will satisfy their hunger for true intimacy and romance? Or maybe at this stage of their lives they are ready (or so they think) for a purely sexual relationship based only on physical pleasure and satisfaction? Just as well - they would be hard-pressed to find their intellectual AND emotional equal in salsa circles.
A few words about women's fashions in salsa clubs. You step in for the first time and you think,"Oh my, it's full of hookers!" Is it true, though? No. Salsa comes from hot Latin-American countries where the division of the sexes is more traditional and the importance of sex appeal was not subdued by the advances of corporate ethics and threats of the militant feminism. Salseras dress more provocatively and salseros do pay a lot of attention to sexy dancers. You wouldn't dream of going anywhere else dressed like that, but in salsa clubs it's the norm. Of course, if you are young and gorgeous, you can wear overalls and have two left feet and you can still dance all night long. On the other hand, you may not be a spring chicken and may be dressed conservatively, but if you are a great dancer you will not be sitting down for long (if there are no young pretty followers around :-).
Salsa may also attract people who were raised in families where emotional expression was not looked upon favorably. (Remember that 60 Minutes piece on tango in Finland? It's more popular there than in Argentina.) Here, in the passion of salsa, you can let yourself go and you will not be judged. In this country, as well as in many other over-industrialized nations, the populace is starving for raw emotions. In the Dominican Republic, however, a tour guide told us not to expect our shower to be fixed the same day. But she also said these folks will never die from a heart attack. They are easy going and happy in the midst of all this poverty. Salsa music and dance bring with them the lessons from cultures infused with joie de vivre. Don't you think we have a lot to learn from this? But I digress.
Intrigued yet? Want to see for yourself? Want to learn salsa? Yes, lessons are required, especially for leaders, unless you are a natural dancer and can pick up moves just by watching. Yes, it is harder than monotonous shaking to rock music. Buyer beware, however: once you learn salsa, you may get bored with non-partner dancing and become a salsa junkie.
Finally and most importantly, the music. Without it there is no dance, just an exercise. By the way, it is a common complaint of older generation of salsa and tango lovers who say that young dancers today get sometimes so absorbed by the technicalities of the dance they forget to have fun and enjoy the music. No matter how inventive and complicated your steps are, if you are not following the rhythm, your partner is lost and the two of you look like you are engaged in a funny wrestling match. The polyrhythmic sounds of salsa are not as simple as the heavy pounding of rock, but with enough exposure and a lot of patience everybody can develop an ear for this exhilarating music.
One sour note. The clubs usually open at 9pm. The bands play from 10pm to 1:30am and most people don't show up until after 10. For avid salsa addicts who have to go out almost every night it can be a stressful situation. If the clubs change to an earlier schedule, let's say from 8pm to 12am, contrary to what some club managers think, most salseros will be thrilled and the rest will eventually adapt.
In conclusion, one final remark. Many people simply fall in love with this dance and its music. It's their "chicken soup for the soul". Get off your prozac, go salsa!
DIP (dance in peace)
So much has already been said and written about it: its fiery rhythms, its happy up-beat mood, its sensual dance moves etc. And yes, all of it is very appealing to a lot of people. But after spending some time among salseros, a thoughtful observer would notice certain facts deserving a closer look by a sociological and psychological researcher. What slice of the population does it attract and why?
First of all, there is no ethnic division in the salsa crowd: it attracts people of all races and colors. (Benetton, that's where colors are truly united!) Here is one theory: the bottom line in their love of salsa for most people is their emotional state of mind. What does that mean? Relatively few salseros and salseras enjoy the dance purely for its technical challenge. (Even though some of them become so obsessed with technicalities and become so self-important they forget IT IS JUST A DANCE. But more about that later).
Both men and women love the sensuality of the dance and their ultimate (and in many cases deeply rooted) reason is... the emotional need for closeness (I did not say sex). This dance must have been created by men. Many outsiders would perceive some salsa moves to be quite daring. In our age of AIDS this is a form of safe sex. No condoms required. Some guys would try a lot more than what you call salsa, and occasionally young women, beginners on the scene, fall prey to their lusty advances under the cover of the dance. Maybe some of the ladies don't mind, but as a rule you don't have to do or tolerate anything you are uncomfortable with. Those who try to get too intimate would either stop dancing with you or will respect your limits.
The control is in the man's hands, however. Literally. He is the leader, and even if his partner is an accomplished dancer, she would not be able to shine if the leader has limited moves. Ladies have to adapt to different styles and that first dance may not always be perfect. Some guys forget this and assume that a new partner cannot dance. Not only that, if they don't know you or see you dancing up a storm with somebody else, they wouldn't even give you a chance. To make matters worse, in the traditional salsa world very few ladies are bold enough to ask men to dance, so you have to rely on every possible strategy in the female arsenal to attract good dancers. On the other hand, there are some advantages to being a follower. You get to experience different moves and different styles while the leader can only use his own. Some good male dancers tend to think that a good leader should be able to lead even an inexperienced partner. Ladies, don't hold your breath on that one. Even these guys prefer to dance with their equals. Which leads us to salsa cliques.
If you become a regular in salsa circles you will soon start noticing some very good dancers dancing mostly with each other. Some of them are professionals who perform and teach salsa classes. They observe each other's steps, try to copy or invent new moves and often get quite disdainful of competitors or "lay public".
On the other hand, after working hard and taking lessons for a long time who can blame them if they don't want to waste their time on unskilled dancers? They pay money to go to clubs, they are there to have fun and not teach less experienced partners. The ladies, however, are more generous and usually dance with "outsiders", but you have to be quick - they are always in high demand. Good male dancers also get a lot of attention from women. So for some guys it's a vanity trip. They are showing off like peacocks. Nevertheless, if you find one of those "professionals" with a good attitude and have a chance to dance with him, it's quite a thrill.
So what brings people to salsa clubs? Besides true salseros who come just to dance and don't care what their partner looks like, as long as he or she is a good dancer, a lot of people in clubs are there to find somebody: for a night, for a more or less committed relationship or for a lifetime. (Good luck to the last ones!) A lot of people are there just for contact. They dance (no matter how close), they touch and get touched and they go home, alone. No commitments, no expectations and no disappointments. And if you happen to dance with a skillful partner it is also a natural high comparable (they say) to the best drugs or sex. It's legal and it's safe. Also, if you want to lose weight, this type of aerobic exercise is beneficial not only for your body, but your soul as well. It beats staying home, watching TV and stuffing you face, doesn't it? You also get to meet a lot of people and make new friends if you become a regular. There are also salsa parties organized by some "addicts" in their homes.
If you are looking for a soulmate, your luck will depend on who you are and what you are looking for. You may be surprised to see a large number of intelligent, sophisticated and usually well educated women in their thirties and older. Are they tired of their male counterparts who can maintain an intelligent conversation, but have no passion left after their brains took over their bodies and whatever was left was emasculated by the advances of pseudo-feminism? Are they secretly longing for something that's missing in their liberated, independent but also lonely lives? Are they, subconsciously perhaps, enjoying the dance that gives complete control to the male where they can just relax and follow without the necessity to take charge as they are so often obligated to do in their lives? Are they looking for that non- committal contact with a stranger hoping that this surrogate closeness will satisfy their hunger for true intimacy and romance? Or maybe at this stage of their lives they are ready (or so they think) for a purely sexual relationship based only on physical pleasure and satisfaction? Just as well - they would be hard-pressed to find their intellectual AND emotional equal in salsa circles.
A few words about women's fashions in salsa clubs. You step in for the first time and you think,"Oh my, it's full of hookers!" Is it true, though? No. Salsa comes from hot Latin-American countries where the division of the sexes is more traditional and the importance of sex appeal was not subdued by the advances of corporate ethics and threats of the militant feminism. Salseras dress more provocatively and salseros do pay a lot of attention to sexy dancers. You wouldn't dream of going anywhere else dressed like that, but in salsa clubs it's the norm. Of course, if you are young and gorgeous, you can wear overalls and have two left feet and you can still dance all night long. On the other hand, you may not be a spring chicken and may be dressed conservatively, but if you are a great dancer you will not be sitting down for long (if there are no young pretty followers around :-).
Salsa may also attract people who were raised in families where emotional expression was not looked upon favorably. (Remember that 60 Minutes piece on tango in Finland? It's more popular there than in Argentina.) Here, in the passion of salsa, you can let yourself go and you will not be judged. In this country, as well as in many other over-industrialized nations, the populace is starving for raw emotions. In the Dominican Republic, however, a tour guide told us not to expect our shower to be fixed the same day. But she also said these folks will never die from a heart attack. They are easy going and happy in the midst of all this poverty. Salsa music and dance bring with them the lessons from cultures infused with joie de vivre. Don't you think we have a lot to learn from this? But I digress.
Intrigued yet? Want to see for yourself? Want to learn salsa? Yes, lessons are required, especially for leaders, unless you are a natural dancer and can pick up moves just by watching. Yes, it is harder than monotonous shaking to rock music. Buyer beware, however: once you learn salsa, you may get bored with non-partner dancing and become a salsa junkie.
Finally and most importantly, the music. Without it there is no dance, just an exercise. By the way, it is a common complaint of older generation of salsa and tango lovers who say that young dancers today get sometimes so absorbed by the technicalities of the dance they forget to have fun and enjoy the music. No matter how inventive and complicated your steps are, if you are not following the rhythm, your partner is lost and the two of you look like you are engaged in a funny wrestling match. The polyrhythmic sounds of salsa are not as simple as the heavy pounding of rock, but with enough exposure and a lot of patience everybody can develop an ear for this exhilarating music.
One sour note. The clubs usually open at 9pm. The bands play from 10pm to 1:30am and most people don't show up until after 10. For avid salsa addicts who have to go out almost every night it can be a stressful situation. If the clubs change to an earlier schedule, let's say from 8pm to 12am, contrary to what some club managers think, most salseros will be thrilled and the rest will eventually adapt.
In conclusion, one final remark. Many people simply fall in love with this dance and its music. It's their "chicken soup for the soul". Get off your prozac, go salsa!
DIP (dance in peace)
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