Toronto congress report

[amo_dile_que_no]

Toronto really was a lot of fun. The pre-party on Thursday night at Six Degrees was great and they had just a fantastic wood dance floor. Had a lot of really fun dances at the Congress too, but I did miss Sunday night (jobs are so inconvenient ). I went to movement wokshops mostly. Burju's was my favorite. I would highly recommend her rhythm & movement dvd. I think the ladies will especially like it. The mc said there was on average 2-3 congresses every week around the world. Wish I could make them all. If you've never been to one I highly recommend it!

 

[MacMoto]

Burju's was my favorite. I would highly recommend her rhythm & movement dvd. I think the ladies will especially like it.

Yup. It's very good -- I love it. I like the way it builds up from individual isolations to combinations to "move to rhythms" routines.

The mc said there was on average 2-3 congresses every week around the world. Wish I could make them all.

Oh well, one day... :sigh:

 

[GayleR]

Toronto Salsa Congress

This was my first congress and I was so enthralled that I am already planning to attend the Montreal Congress in April. Last year I had a fractured bone in my left foot and was unable to attend the Congress, other than to go to the performances, which only depressed me more. So this year I was really looking forward to the event.

Like Thespina, I was completely spent by the end of the weekend. We attended the fantastic and inspirational performances all three nights, workshops every hour from 11-5 and then social dancing until 3 or 4 a.m. I went home between the workshops and performances/social dancing to take a hot bath, some Advil and have a bite with my husband who doesn't dance. And though that really helped, I was totally exhausted on Monday and Tuesday. Like an idiot I even did the whole Thanksgiving dinner thing for friends and family Monday night and I can honestly say I don't remember it very well.

In my opinion the stand out performances (there were 54 over three nights) were by: Oliver and Luda, Young Bloods, Dave Paris and Zoe, Tito and Tamara, Latin Energy Kids, Los Salsomanos to name but a few. The caliber of performances was much better than last year and some of the kids were fantastic. I found the Montreal performers the most creative, original and provocative. I was very disappointed that Oscar and Vanessa of Latin Energy were unable to perform because Oscar had a shoulder injury. Since I take weekly privates from him, and he and Vanessa are such and inspiration to me I was really looking forward to their performance. Oh well, but at least I still got to dance with Oscar Sunday night and I know I did him proud.

The workshops were for the most part very good. They started at 11:00 and there were three concurrent workshops per hour until 5:00. There is no lunch break scheduled, which is dumb and some workshops should have been two-parters perhaps 1 hour Saturday and 1 hour Sunday.

I took Ismael Otero's workshop Intro to Dancing on 2 which wasn't that at all. Then Oliver and Luda were supposed to teach an "Intermediate Partnerwork on 1" but decided to do what they called a more advanced turn pattern. I thought it was in fact quite intermediate, but Oliver is one of the best teachers I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. Next it was "Partnerwork with Styling on 2" taught by Ana and Joel from Boston, two of the worst teachers I have ever had. They were not prepared at all and couldn't handle the large crowd. I took "Musicality" from Al and Karla which for me was one of two lightbulb moments I had at the Congress. They showed how to really work with and feel the music using the pauses and breaks, all with only a cross body lead and inside turn (Millenium Turn) and make it look wonderful. If only more guys would learn to feel the music and stop throwing us around...mmmmm....Then I finished the day with a "Cha Cha" workshop which I walked out of.

Sunday's workshops started with "Body Movement" taught by Oliver and Luda, again providing a lightbulb moment. One hour of isolations then applying the isolations to the basic...simply fantastic. My hips were aching. I had to buy their DVD for my daily homework. Next was "Puerto Rican Style ChaCha" taught by Tito and Tamara which I walked out of because it was advanced Cha Cha shines only and too advanced for me which was frustrating. Then it was on to Al and Karla's "Spin Techniques" which I also thought was one of the best workshops (in my top 3) where we worked on the prep over and over again. I hope that all those guys who took that workshop will prep themselves and us. It makes such a difference in our spins. Then it was time to have some fun..."Reggaeton Salsa Hip Hop"...total joy...which ended with all the kids freestyling in a circle. And finally I ended with a wonderful class "Funky Partnerwork on 1& 2" taught by the superb teacher Juan Calderon. This was really a turn pattern class, not very "funky" but a very nice and interesting turn pattern with multiple arm locks with alternate endings (dip or backbend) and it was fantastic for me to see it shown on 1 and on 2, though everyone in the workshop did it on 1. Overall I learned a ton and could apply some of it right away. I also know who's workshops I'd go to in the future. I am an intellectual learner and preferred the teaching style of Oliver, Al and Juan.

The social dancing...where do I start? I would say there were no beginners. It was pretty much intermediate, advanced and professional dancers. But there was no attitude at all. Everyone danced with everyone. Men and women asked each other. It was my goal to dance with mostly people I didn't know from my usual hangouts and there was plenty of opportunity to fulfil my hopes. I danced with people from all over and I can honestly say that I did not have one bad dance in three nights!!! I danced On 1, On 2, Cuban and other stuff I didn't even know and it was fabulous. The band Ocho y Mas was good and Tito Nieves was also good, though I was disappointed because he only sang one of his known songs. The rest was all new and unrecognizeable stuff and none of his sexy, sultry music either. I also really dislike when a band plays songs that last 8-12 minutes...alright already...I am ready for the next partner....enough with the jamming. I thought the DJs were great but the DJ Sunday night was FANTASTIC!

Jennifer's group/circle dance was like nothing I have ever seen with all the pros taking her out for a spin (or shall we say 20-30 spins). I was dizzy watching and she was gracefull and centred the entire time. After the weekend she organized it was amazing she could even stand, let alone spin. Kudos to Jen!

People were very friendly and inclusive and the Congress exceeded my every expectation. Plus I got to meet the lovely, gorgeous (change that picture) and very tall Thespina who as you all read, clearly enjoyed herself too. Come on girl...Montreal or bust!!!

I can't wait for next year. Hope you all come to Toronto!

 

[thespina13]

YESSS!!! Actually I mentioned April to my husband and said "it's probably utterly unrealistic, isn't it?" To which he replied, "well not necessarily... we'll have to see how we're doing in a few months" HAH! Not outside the realm of possibility!

Oh... and I walked out of the cha cha workshop on the second day too. Also I'd have to agree that while Ana fom Boston is an amazing dancer, her Ladies' styling on2 workshop was difficult. She's not a very clear teacher, and me and another girl next to me were both frustrated because she was teaching very complex body movement in such a hurried and none-too-solid way. It wasn't something I could really add to my vocabulary or technique. I'm also glad you mentioned the dumbness of a lack of lunch break in the workshop schedule. Even half an hour would have been good.

I'm also glad you talked about how innovative the Montreal troupes were. I found them to be so artistic, sharp, present, humourous and edgy.

yeah Mac Moto.. ya gotta come. Of course I have no idea if Tito will be there next year but hey... it's a great congres!!

 

[naturallove]

YESSS!!! Actually I mentioned April to my husband and said "it's probably utterly unrealistic, isn't it?" To which he replied, "well not necessarily... we'll have to see how we're doing in a few months" HAH! Not outside the realm of possibility!

Oh... and I walked out of the cha cha workshop on the second day too. Also I'd have to agree that while Ana fom Boston is an amazing dancer, her Ladies' styling on2 workshop was difficult. She's not a very clear teacher, and me and another girl next to me were both frustrated because she was teaching very complex body movement in such a hurried and none-too-solid way. It wasn't something I could really add to my vocabulary or technique. I'm also glad you mentioned the dumbness of a lack of lunch break in the workshop schedule. Even half an hour would have been good.

I'm also glad you talked about how innovative the Montreal troupes were. I found them to be so artistic, sharp, present, humourous and edgy.

yeah Mac Moto.. ya gotta come. Of course I have no idea if Tito will be there next year but hey... it's a great congres!!

Wow-I'm so sorry neither of you had a good experience with Ana. I've always enjoyed her workshops so much! Either way, sounds like a great Congress-maybe I will try to head up there next year.

 

[thespina13]

I think I would have had a better time with Ana if I had been a bit more advanced in my body movement to begin with. I also think she would be an awesome private teacher. I'm going to seek her out next year if she's there.