caribbean dancesport classic

[alemana]

this weekend is the Caribbean Dancesport Classic in San Juan, Puerto Rico. to my despair, i am not going (wish i had picked this comp instead of USDSC to blow my wad on!) but am curious if anyone else is.

there is, in addition to the regular pro events, an "open to the world" salsa professional championship at this comp... will be watching that one closely. it'll be judged by the same dancesport judges as always, i guess, so i wonder what different criteria, if any, they will have in mind for this event.

[mamboqueen]

would love to go to this one!

[Purr]

My teacher is taking 3 students and an am/am couple to this competition. They are leaving tomorrow morning for Puerto Rico.

Unfortunatley, I'm not going. I suppose there's always the next one.

[SDsalsaguy]

If I've won the lottery by next year I'll definately be goint to that one!

[itorres]

I hadn't heard anything about this, and I'm in San Juan... This is the first Ballroom/Dancesport I've heard of here.

Well at least now I know. :-)

I saw info on the Website about the Pro and Amateur Salsa competition judging. I saw "No lifts" in the rules...

[chica latina]

I hadn't heard anything about this, and I'm in San Juan... This is the first Ballroom/Dancesport I've heard of here.

Well at least now I know. :-)

I saw info on the Website about the Pro and Amateur Salsa competition judging. I saw "No lifts" in the rules...

How is the ballroom dance population in P.R? I'm planning to go there for my vacation and wanted to know if there are many studios? do they have floor space where i could practice? any info would be greatly appreciate it....

[alemana]

you should contact the organizer and ask him.

[alemana]

the site says this comp has been around for about a decade.

itorres, are you thinking about going?

[itorres]

How is the ballroom dance population in P.R? I'm planning to go there for my vacation and wanted to know if there are many studios? do they have floor space where i could practice? any info would be greatly appreciate it....

I have been interested in salsa dancing/lessons only for a few years, so I am not familiar with all the dance forms and enthusiasts here.

Now, I just checked for "escuela baile" in the Yellow Pages web site. www.SuperPagesPR.com Around 80+ came up. Most popular are Salsa, Merengue, Ballet, Jazz, Tango, Hip Hop, etc.

I wouldn't be surprised if the only Ballroom curriculum might be provided by the Arthur Murray studio. The owner of that studio is also the only local teacher I saw mentioned as a judge in this competition.

I'm sure there would be practice places available but don't know details. One thing I notice is that most schools open in the evening only...

Are you interested in Salsa? Or just particular Ballroom dances?

I think you should find out about taking some Salsa lessons from local teachers. You should be careful to ask around and choose teachers wisely. I have seen many people giving lessons because they are good dancers, but they are lacking classical dance training and vocabulary, music theory or teaching methods. ie: not as disciplined as Ballroom dancers. I would go for Tito Ortos, Stacey Lopez or Angel Martinez. There could be a couple more but I have had no direct experience with them.

Contact me if you need more help.

[itorres]

the site says this comp has been around for about a decade.

itorres, are you thinking about going?

This the first I've heard of it. Their site mentions it was held in PR on 2003 and 2004 at the Westin Rio Mar. Don't know how far back they go. The Rio Mar is a resort like 45 min from the major tourist areas. That is far in PR terms, like 70 degrees is cold. :-)

So, whoever went there would stay there most of the time, would go on sight-seeing tours, but probably wouldn't come to San Juan/Isla Verde in the evening to dance Salsa, Merengue and Reggaeton (they're Ballroom dancers). Maybe that's why I've never been aware of the competition.

I don't see myself going, or actually, paying to go. :-) I got into the last couple of Salsa Congresses through courtesy passes. The Salsa finals are Sat, but they are $65, drinks including tips would be around $10 each (I'm not the water-only dancer type :-) ), there's also parking... Maybe I can find some connection there to get in, since I'll probably go out to the Hotel that night.

Are you thinking "Are you kidding? You're going to be at the Hotel and not go in?" :-0

Alemana, have you been to the Congress here?

[Egoist]

How is the ballroom dance population in P.R? I'm planning to go there for my vacation and wanted to know if there are many studios? do they have floor space where i could practice? any info would be greatly appreciate it....

A few years back the IDSF had a provisional chapter in PR. I met the dude who was heading this effort. I forget his name right now but I remember that the name of the organization was PRDSF. Anyways, I think he gave up on the idea or failed to get any support because the IDSF no longer lists the PRDSF in their membership list.

[alemana]

itorres - no, i didn't come to the congress this year, although i know a bunch of folks from new york who did go.

[alemana]

tonight: rising stars.
tomorrow (saturday) night: open professional events and the open-to-the-world salsa championship we've been talking about. i was talking to a pro who'll be attending last night, and he said he expected there *would* be some locals throwing their hats in the ring for the salsa title - made me doubly sorry i'll miss it.

[itorres]

tonight: rising stars.
tomorrow (saturday) night: open professional events and the open-to-the-world salsa championship we've been talking about. i was talking to a pro who'll be attending last night, and he said he expected there *would* be some locals throwing their hats in the ring for the salsa title - made me doubly sorry i'll miss it.
I wonder how the judging will be for the Salsa competition. I ran into someone I thought would be competing (World Class Competition Winner) but he wasn't. His opinion was that the competition would not be "Salsa", that the judges would be looking for something "totally different". I asked if he meant like Ballroom Mambo and he said yes.
We'll see...

[alemana]

i'm sure it was totally different. dancesport is dancesport, even if they try to cash in a little on the salsa craze.

does anyone have any results from the open pro events or the salsa championship?

[Purr]

I heard the winners of the salsa competition were basically doing mambo, modified for On1. I also heard a local couple got 3rd place.

[Purr]

My teacher is taking 3 students and an am/am couple to this competition.

Results for my home studio:

- won top studio
- one student won top newcomer female award
- am/am couple won top couple award
- teacher won 2nd place top teacher award
- all 3 students and am/am couple made the top 20

Congratulations to all!

[itorres]

Sorry for the long post - it was longer even...

Went to Sat finals but unfortunately couldn't get there on time. Missed the American Rhythm comp, what I wanted to see most, since I'd never seen Ballroom in person. Was kind of bummed about that, I ran into someone and got distracted so I didin't really register the competitors names. I didn't have my reporter hat on. Anyway...

By chance I went to the CDC website that afternoon and saw a last minute notice of discounted tickets for PR residents. Tix from $65 down to $30. Apparently attendance had been quite weak and they were trying to get people in. One of the bartenders said there were around 30 - 40 people on Fri. I can't say I independently verified that. That Sat I guess there were around 100... I didn't see much local public except some hard-core dance aficionados.

So the program included: a Prof Showdance comp which was nice to see, some exhibitions (Quickstep, Tango, etc), The Salsa Champs and some fun and games with the crowd.

As for results, what I can say is that Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine and Joanna Zacharewicz won the Salsa and the Am Rhythm.

The Salsa finals had 3 local Salsa couples and 3 Dancesport couples. A PR couple came in second - Sheila de Jesus (won the 2005 PR Salsa Open w\Angel Martinez) and I think Eugenio Acosta with whom she danced in SalsaAruba in sept. (Event that seems to have bombed big time with seminar and band cancellations, judging disputes, etc. It's not easy to put on one of these things.)

3rd and 4th (I believe) were Dancesport competitors. They incorporated lots of their moves like poses, men falling to their knees ala Pasodoble, etc. ...as expected. 5th and 6th were the other local Salsa couples but they were not top level as people I know could have competed and done better. I think other competitors didn't know what to expect or were teachers that didn't want to risk looking bad.

The couple who won were smart competitors. They went half and half Ballroom Mambo and Salsa. Not too many "Ballrooomy" moves and a restrained amount of sabor. They understood it's supposed to be Salsa but most of the judges came from Ballroom.

I'm sorry to say I didn't pay attention to whether they were On 1 or 2. Anyway, I don't believe you have to be On 1 to call it Salsa. If I learn the name of the Winners or other results I'll post.

So, there were few people, no oficial social dance, the event was over around 11:45 pm, people just got up and left. So it was quite different from the Salsa Congress, where the ballroom was packed with people overflowing to the lobby and dancing 'til 3am.

We'll see next year...

Edited to add Winners names after Alemana's hint and looking for their pic.

[alemana]

my my, that attendance is very low indeed. sorry you missed the Open Rhythm - i'm sure you would've enjoyed that.

i suspect the Open R/salsa championship winners were Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine and Joanna Zacharewicz.