The performance side of things

[brujo]

I noticed a tendency for the LA / NY style studios in my area to have performance groups / choreography lessons after certain advanced levels. It seems that the ultimate goal to a lot of people is to be considered 'good enough' to join a student group and be able to perform in front of an audience.

For those who have done it, why do you compete? Why do you enjoy performing? How is doing a prepared choreography different than social dancing?

 

[borikensalsero]

Prepared choreography can definitely loose connection to the music after a while. Many people really think that because their movements during a given choreography connect with the audible feeling of the music that they too connect to the music. However, if performers don’t watch out for the monotony that doing choreography can have after rehearsal for the millionth time, they can and many do carry that cruise control mode over to the performance, hence loose the entire connection to the music even if they have an impeccable performance. Hence, whey I love to see impromptu performances when couples perform.

When the group is able to become one with each other, and above all connect with the music (The audience helps a great deal in this) It exudes vibrancy, their energy takes over the entire room, you can feel the chills traveling across the room. It is a thing of beauty to see 7 couples being on the same page and in the same world during a performance. This same connection can be the dooming of the performance as well.

I don’t perform, so I can't really speak of why some people perform. However, when I’ve been at clubs and ended up being the center of attention with everyone watching me. The dance isn’t for me, it isn’t for them, it isn’t for her, it is for all. All I feel is the heat that everyone’s eyes cause on my body, their energy, their smiles, it gets so overwhelming that it feels like I’m about to explode. An entire audience watching you but instead of an egotistical feeling, I get overtaken with a feeling of, everyone is going to enjoy the dance I’m having as much as I. They will be an extension of this dance. I dance way above my skills, and emotions because the audience is causing me to elevate my dancing to an even greater level. The joy of the room is unbelievable, and being able to share a moment of absolute love with everyone is worth the pay of a performance even if it isn’t on stage.

So, if that is what people feel when they are up on stage doing choreography, then by all means, I understand why they seek to perform, because it isn’t for self-loathing, but the sharing of their world with the audience…

 

[borikensalsero]

How is choreography different than social dancing? It is a rare sight to see dancers who can take what they are taught and turn it into their own, hence causing taught moves (choreography, despite of move order) to never become an extension of themselves. Ultimately being in cruise control as an extension of their instructors (more choreography) and never really achieving a social dancer status. For all they really know how to do is perform moves taught to them, as per someone tells them they must be done, on a club floor. And why the main complain of non-salseros is that a lot of dancers look like they are on stage performing instead of socially dancing. How can I call myself a social dancer if all I can do is patterns as someone taught me to do them? It isn’t enough for me to only dance at a club to label myself a social dancer.

Not everything goes in social dancing, social dancing aught to be an improv dance, an extension of the couple and unique. Whereas choreography is a limited extension of one person/entire group, and confined to the limits of what needs to be accomplished, hence limiting itself of the diverse individuality that is found in a social floor. However, they both need to have connection to the music, and each individual involved. Follow and lead connect, each person connects during the performance, and socially follow and lead connect, eventually connecting with everyone around, otherwise, you’ll be a pinball being bounced all over the place.

 

[pygmalion]

I've never done a salsa performance, but I've done dozens of other dance performances, and I'll tell you why I perform. One, because it adds a serious dance challenge. I won't go into a lot of detail, because hopefully, some salsa performers will. But memorzing choereography, coordinating it with others, and performing it in front of a live crowd is TOUGH. Fun, but tough, especially when you consider that something always goes wrong. And two, performing is a high like I've rarely experienced, when everything comes together well.

 

[Vin]

I did a salsa performance once, it was ok. But it was nothing like the feeling of dancing with a regular dance partner in a social setting. Something similar to what Borikensalsero described. The feeling of taking a song have heard a few times and dancing with someone who you have a great connection with and just letting it all hang out on the dance floor has created much more memorable "performances" than anything that we could have coreographed in advance.

 

[Xtreme Salsa]

I've done some Salsa and Merengue performances and they've been incredible. For me its great to be part of a team especially a dance team. It's ALOT harder than it seems to be able to do a choreography with a lot of couples. It feels great when you are on stage and people are watching you and cheering you on because you knwo your hard work has paid off.

 

[dancin_feet]

Not having ever done a Salsa performance I can't comment, but other performances I have given I have to say that for me a choreographed routine allows more expression than a social dance.

Why? Because you know the moves, you know what comes next and can plan for it. Maybe it's just the level I'm at, but I find with social dancing, I can follow pretty well, but there is always that question in your mind, what's coming next? Will I be able to read the lead effectively? I concentrate on this and lose the expression as a result. Maybe as I get further along, I will find that this will get better.

I love them both for different reasons. Social is a constant challenge to make it look effortless and smooth. A routine is a challenge to the memory, as well as trying to not make it look choreographed.

If you know what I mean .......

 

[pygmalion]

Yup. I know what you mean. Social dance, from the perspective of a leader, is a challenge -- scoping out the floor, thinking of cool moves, protecting your partner, looking good, sending the right leads. From a follow's point of view, it's about maintaining your own balance, moving your own weight, interpreting the leads correctly, and responding in a way that has some style.

Performing is completely different. Since you already know what's coming, you have the freedom (and responsibility) to add some showmanship. In social dance, showmanship happens sometimes, by serendipity. In prearranged, choreographed routines, there is no serendipity. Everything is calculated and planned to have a certain effect. And your job as a dancer is to get that effect across to your audience. It's tough. Spontaneity is often easier.

 

[Vin]

Good point dancin_feet, one thing we have to remember is that any dance provides a different experience for a follow as for a lead. One thing i mentioned that goes in line with your thinking is that my favorite dances are non-coreagraphed with someone whom I dance with often. Most of these issues of am I going to be able to follow the lead don't exist in this situation.

 

[salsachinita]

In social dance, showmanship happens sometimes, by serendipity. In prearranged, choreographed routines, there is no serendipity. Everything is calculated and planned to have a certain effect. And your job as a dancer is to get that effect across to your audience. It's tough. Spontaneity is often easier.

I agree. My experience of salsa performance (done too many years ago) was just that. A lot of work, and often missing the fun. That's why I havn't really been involved much.......but lately I'm starting to get itchy again (performance bug from theatre days)!

Social impromtu showing is way more fun :wink: !

 

[salsachinita]

It is a rare sight to see dancers who can take what they are taught and turn it into their own, hence causing taught moves (choreography, despite of move order) to never become an extension of themselves.

That's how they make cookie-cutter dancers :wink: !

Ultimately being in cruise control as an extension of their instructors (more choreography) and never really achieving a social dancer status. For all they really know how to do is perform moves taught to them, as per someone tells them they must be done, on a club floor. And why the main complain of non-salseros is that a lot of dancers look like they are on stage performing instead of socially dancing. How can I call myself a social dancer if all I can do is patterns as someone taught me to do them? It isn’t enough for me to only dance at a club to label myself a social dancer.

:notworth: Could somebody please make this a compulsary reading to ALL salsa dancers?!? :notworth:

 

[salsachinita]

I’ve been at clubs and ended up being the center of attention with everyone watching me. The dance isn’t for me, it isn’t for them, it isn’t for her, it is for all. All I feel is the heat that everyone’s eyes cause on my body, their energy, their smiles, it gets so overwhelming that it feels like I’m about to explode. An entire audience watching you but instead of an egotistical feeling, I get overtaken with a feeling of, everyone is going to enjoy the dance I’m having as much as I. They will be an extension of this dance. I dance way above my skills, and emotions because the audience is causing me to elevate my dancing to an even greater level. The joy of the room is unbelievable, and being able to share a moment of absolute love with everyone is worth the pay of a performance even if it isn’t on stage.

This is the ultimate goal in performance !

( :notworth: love to have been there, Boriken :notworth: )

 

[dancin_feet]

Performers - do you find it strange what receives applause or "aahhhs" from the audience during your performance? Usually it is the more flashy moves which are easy, such as laybacks, etc, but the more difficult moves just aren't appreciated as much?

Do you think it is because the people watching just don't understand, or because we all like to "watch" the flashy moves more? I have seen this in front of crowds who are all experienced dancers, so it can't possibly be that they don't know! :?: :?

 

[dancin/dj]

my fav is to watch or do moves taught ,then change them to make them your own to a degree.i cant relate to most chorograph dances-hard work yes, but limited to same old same old(of course there are exceptions)

 

[brujo]

Performers - do you find it strange what receives applause or "aahhhs" from the audience during your performance? Usually it is the more flashy moves which are easy, such as laybacks, etc, but the more difficult moves just aren't appreciated as much?

Do you think it is because the people watching just don't understand, or because we all like to "watch" the flashy moves more? I have seen this in front of crowds who are all experienced dancers, so it can't possibly be that they don't know! :?: :?

I find that as my dancing matures and I start learning more from teachers that have a higher focus on choreography, the whole 'wow, look at that move' shock is waning. Instead, I am impressed by the smoothness of the people dancing, the way they keep time, the amount of improvisation in their dance and the seamless transitions. After a while, all the performances start looking the same, and you start to focus more on aspects of routines such as theme, energy, connection, playfulness, etc.

For the really fancy moves that are done well, I think the dancers are applauded for the amount of work and energy that must have gone into it. As dancers, we see the countless hours spent in a dark studio perfecting that lead, making that body do things that it didn't do before, and we show admiration for that.

It's the difference between watching 'Whose Line is it Anyways' and 'Mad TV'. Social dancing is 'whose line', where you are surprised by the spontaneous, and there are really interesting things that happen. But when you watch 'Mad TV', the standards are higher, but you can do a lot more things.

I think we compliment social dancers on their timing, the way they make the other person feel, and the amount of fun they seem to be having together. Sure, there is a lot of flash, but after a while, it is the little things that those 'in the know' appreciate.