Where are you going with salsa?

[volleybgrl]

Seeing that there are so many great dancers in this forum, I was just wondering how many of us are in a company/training group, and how many are purely social dancers. Let's indulge shall we?

[Sagitta]

Let's see...I'm one of those who somehow finds a resaon not to answer any polls...

1. I'm not a great dancer...

2. I'm a social dancer, somehow don't see myself competeing, but I enjoy performing and am sure that I will be doing more and more of it in the future to popularize the dances that I am passionate about. I also am sure I'll be teaching dance in the future.

So, actually I'll choose the top two options. By the way the pictures that my friend took of my last rueda performance came out really bad. :cry:

[borikensalsero]

Like Sagitta, I'm going to get by without answering the poll. :P

I'm doing salsa for the sole purpose of using it for the medium to connect the visisble with the invisible... I'm taking the religious part of the origins of the music, and turning it into a meditative state without the use of any preconcieved religious/cultural ethos.

Kind of like the shamans, santeros, and a number of other religious group do to reach a meditative state into....

The phsical happenings achieved from it are really secondary to my ultimate goal... Boy did that sound weired or what?

[mellody43]

I'm pretty much untrained (learned the basic in class and that's it!) -- but I would *LIKE* to take classes to become a better social dancer. I think I'd be a great teacher but don't know if I'll ever be at what I think is a sufficient level of skill dance-wise to teach ... Not sure. Fun to think about though.

Melissa

[Sagitta]

Well the easiest class to teach is a complete beginners class. There's always that.

[youngsta]

Looks like I'm the only one that voted so far :P I'm not training for anything, so I answered the last box. But, if I had the opportunity I'd do a few years with a dance team.

[danceguy]

Boriken, thank you for sharing...my interests in Salsa are very similiar to yours. I feel something from the music that calls out to me...and I'm not exactly sure what it is yet. :wink:

Competition never has and never will be an interest of mine...I'm purely into learning to dance for healing of self and to meet other people. Sharing the love of the music and dance together, where all races, ages, genders and walks of life can come together and be one.

I'm also working through years of physical tension and injuries...Salsa dancing has given me so much movement and flexibility...now that I'm really starting to feel the Latin motion, its showing me just how much tension I've been carrying in my body.

So, I just dance and enjoy the ups and downs...not sure why, but I don't think that I need to. :wink: :P

SG

[cocodrilo]

I LOVE salsa, and am destined to learn as many cool shines as I can. I would also like to improve my following skills. My instructor, back when I was taking lessons, always kept reminding me not to lead! Now, I don't do that so much anymore but would like to learn more patterns, since I've got the styling/moves/spins & shines down pretty well...

I'd like to get my hands on some videos pretty soon. I don't own a single one!!! :(

[Sabor]

first thing i did that when i started to walk is dance.. so it comes naturally to me i guess.. its what i love doing most and its the only thing i can't live without..

i'm a 100% social dancer.. never was interested in it for more than what it does for me and my soul.. i wouldnt mess with pure fun by trying to make a business or objective out of it .. because it is v. hard to find and rare to feel like that in this current day and age.. for me at least.. and i have to be 100% free to do it when i want, the way i want and with whom i want.. this is when i feel the most free and as close to 'home' as i ever could be.. i am the child of rythme :P

[salsachinita]

I'm pretty much untrained (learned the basic in class and that's it!) -- but I would *LIKE* to take classes to become a better social dancer. I think I'd be a great teacher but don't know if I'll ever be at what I think is a sufficient level of skill dance-wise to teach ... Not sure. Fun to think about though.

Melissa

I am similar to you, Melissa!

Even to absolute beginners, I don't feel adequate to take the teaching role. Contrary to others, I think that an experienced/wise teacher/mentor makes a huge difference to a newbie. First impressions, lasts. I am more than happy to work/train with anyone who shares my passion/vision, but an instructor I am not.

*not to mention there are just too many instructors out there, (worthy or otherwise :roll: ) ........to a point that almost everyone you meet out there at the clubs is a flammin' instructor :x *

[salsachinita]

Oh, my purpose in salsa...?

I am lovin' every minute of it.....! I am tending my salsa scene as if my own garden, where I can share my passsion for salsa as a lifestyle with others who share the same view.

Meanwhile, it's a personal journey for my soul. So much learning & growing to be done.....!

[MacMoto]

I'm not sure if I should go for the first or the last option -- I'm very much a social dancer but I do want and am trying to get better as a social dancer, and clubs are my training ground as well as my stage. I learn new things every time I dance with someone. That's one of the reasons I love salsa.

[brujo]

Wow, TRAINING is such a harsh word.

Why can't we just social dance? Why does it need to be so much like work, where you must get better and better?

[youngsta]

Wow, TRAINING is such a harsh word.

Why can't we just social dance? Why does it need to be so much like work, where you must get better and better?
That's exactly why I selected the last one. Training makes me think I'm getting ready for Athens or something!

[vey]

I don't believe in salsa competitions, although I do understand that sometimes it has to be done for promotional purposes and it can attract more "new blood" to salsa dancing (and help us to achieve our ultimate goal - a COMPLETE SALSATIZATION OF THE WORLD :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: )

As for performances, in addition to the above-mentioned promotional benefits, they provide a great opportunity for practicing and developing muscle memory...

But, ultimately, I believe that salsa is a spontaneous phenomena that happens this very moment with this very partner while this very music is playing and it's never going to be the same again..., each time it's unique...

[vey]

Oh, my purpose in salsa...?

I am lovin' every minute of it.....! I am tending my salsa scene as if my own garden, where I can share my passsion for salsa as a lifestyle with others who share the same view.

Meanwhile, it's a personal journey for my soul. So much learning & growing to be done.....!

Good thing I've read all the posts in this thread, 'cause I was going to write almost word by word what salsachinita did. :shock:

Let's just say that for me salsa is a river and I'm a little piece of pine bark that goes with a flow....

[DanceMentor]

For me, I'm just keeping up with the moves, so I wont become an "old school" teacher. I find it amazing how there keep being new moves that I have never seen before, including pretty basic moves.

[tj]

Seeing that there are so many great dancers in this forum, I was just wondering how many of us are in a company/training group, and how many are purely social dancers. Let's indulge shall we?

Does taking weekly classes qualify as a "training group"?

Otherwise, I'd just call myself a purely social dancer.

[volleybgrl]

Wow, TRAINING is such a harsh word.

Why can't we just social dance? Why does it need to be so much like work, where you must get better and better?
That's exactly why I selected the last one. Training makes me think I'm getting ready for Athens or something!

True!!!! I'm slowly feeling that the joy of salsa is getting lost in my pre-occupation with spinning drills, body isolations, and foot work warm ups. That's why I've started going social dancing after every class.

Does taking weekly classes qualify as a "training group"?


I was thinking something more than a weekly class, maybe 2 or 3 times a week, something structured, performance practice, etc.

[tj]

I was thinking something more than a weekly class, maybe 2 or 3 times a week, something structured, performance practice, etc.

I kinda figured that.

So I'm a Social Dancer then.

[youngsta]

I took my first class (actually a workshop) in the past year on Sunday. So I'd definitely be considered a social dancer. A little off topic, tj do you know Rachel (Salsa Caliente)?

[tj]

I took my first class (actually a workshop) in the past year on Sunday. So I'd definitely be considered a social dancer. A little off topic, tj do you know Rachel (Salsa Caliente)?

So how was Tony Nardolillo?

I don't know Rachel well as I've danced with her only a handful of times - she's a lovely dancer, though. Is she still partnering with Rafael? (Is this the dancer you were referring to elsewhere?)

Funny story - for some reason, I keep on wanting to call Rachel, Renee (like Mauricio and Renee even though there's no resemblance). Now, here in Seattle, there's a dancer in Salsa Salvaje who looks like she could be sisters with Rachel. Ironically, her name? Rachel, too!

So... guess what! I'm struggling *not* to call this Rachel here in Seattle, Renee! Already did it once!

[youngsta]

I did all 3 of Tony's workshops on Sunday...great stuff! Rachel is an amazing dancer. It was funny I danced with her Friday night at the club and she was like "Where did you come from?!" :lol: Funny thing is I'd danced with her like a year earlier when I wasn't even a blip on the radar. Ended up dancing with her a lot during the workshops on Sunday. She was basically grilling me on where I learned and how long I was dancing. I'll just take the compliment and run :wink: I must say she is such a sweet, humble dancer too, very *******ing.

[tj]

Rachel is an amazing dancer. It was funny I danced with her Friday night at the club and she was like "Where did you come from?!" :lol: Funny thing is I'd danced with her like a year earlier when I wasn't even a blip on the radar. Ended up dancing with her a lot during the workshops on Sunday. She was basically grilling me on where I learned and how long I was dancing. I'll just take the compliment and run :wink: I must say she is such a sweet, humble dancer too, very *******ing.

What a nice compliment! (talk about trophy dances!)

:wink:

[youngsta]

What a nice compliment! (talk about trophy dances!)
:wink:
Trophy dance for sure, and not the superficial kind the term was intended to describe. :D

[SDsalsaguy]

What a nice compliment! (talk about trophy dances!)
:wink:
Trophy dance for sure, and not the superficial kind the term was intended to describe. :D
Perhaps this counts as a Treasure dance instead of a Trophy dance then? :wink:

[youngsta]

Hey I like that term! Make it so :lol:

[SDsalsaguy]

Consider it so done! Wow... I think I actually just coined a new dance term!!!! :shock: :oops: :oops: :oops: :D :D :D

[danceguy]

Treasure dance...that has a nice ring to it. Go Youngsta! :D

SG

[squirrel]

My answer was: I wanna be the next salsa champion! But, I wasn't referring to competitions! I think competitions are not for Salsa! Don't get me wrong, I love watching those skilled guys doing their thing, but... to me dancing is much more than choreography and acrobatics... it's music, it's passion, feeling... jumping and flying are fun to watch (and impressive) but... not for me... still I wanna move like some of those champions, like Joby Vazquez, like Edie the Salsa Freak... :) you know what I mean!

[cocodrilo]

Ditto that, Squirrel! :D

[salsachinita]

:? You know, I've been thinking about this one a lot.

I wanna be myself, the best I can be.
I want people to share my love for salsa, and enjoy dancing with me.
I want to know enough & be humble.
I want to be on people's A-list ("hey, there's SC....let's dance with her!" :wink: ).

:oops: So much learning ahead.......but I wouldn't have it any other way :wink: .

[cocodrilo]

That's great, Salsachinita!

We must all remember that it's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
:D

[salsero-Romania]

I don't want to be a next salsa champion...i want to be a best salsa teacher in my country ....just it ......

sorry for my english