What else can salsa borrow from the Dancesport world?

[Sagitta]

A salute to all the generalists out there! :cheers: We know what it is like in the different danec scenes!! Perhaps some of you others want to try something new? :wink:

 

[youngsta]

Don't think that's the issue. I've tried many dances (ECS, WCS, Foxtrot, Samba, Waltz), but I'm not a part of those scenes. It's one thing to get instructed in many different dances, it's something altogether different to really be a member of the scene, the culture. I don't think many of the "generalists" can say they are truly entrenched in more than one of the dance cultures.

 

[Sagitta]

That's true. When I think of people I usually ascribe one dance style to them, lindy or latin or ballroom or west coast or contra. It usually is based on what they would chose if given a choice between two different events. I'll let you all know about this the end of 2005. I am determined to get AT which I can easily get into the music if I risk my soul...and I'm definitely more open now at the end of 2004 to doing so. My guess is AT and salsa by the end of 2005.

 

[pygmalion]

Actually, I know a few pros who manage to bridge the gap. So I suspect that it's as much a matter of having the time to become entrenched in a dance scene as anything else. Those of us generalists who have day jobs only have enough "spare" time to pick one or two dance disciplines. But people who do it for a living sometimes (quite successfully) pick more than one.

Getting entrenched in a scene takes quite a bit of time and effort. 8)

 

[pygmalion]

As a salsero thru and thru - one thing that I do admire about the Ballroom events that I have attended (I could count 'em on one hand, actually.) The people (while it was an older crowd) were more genuinely friendly than what I typically get from the salsa club scene.

Yep. I've never gone to a ballroom event and felt an unmitigated cold shoulder (no matter how bad my dancing, :lol: ) but I've been to a few salsa places where I was cussing and fuming to myself over the mean-spirited nature of some folks before the end of the evening.

There are cliques on the ballroom world, but you can generally find a couple cliques that are accepting new members wherever you go. Not necessarily true at salsa clubs. :?

 

[pygmalion]

And as stated before to compare me, as an instructor at work or competitor at work, to people on a Saturday night social dancing in a bar, isn't very accurate.

Exactly. I think the reason some salsa people dis ballroom is because, maybe unknowingly, they're comparing apples to oranges. Those folks you see on TV doing ballroom are a very specific subset of the ballroom community, doing what they need to do to succeed in front of the judges. That's not the same thing as going to a ballroom social and having fun trying out new moves with your friends or dancing "ballroom" dances in a club or at a wedding, for example.

 

[youngsta]

Actually, I know a few pros who manage to bridge the gap. So I suspect that it's as much a matter of having the time to become entrenched in a dance scene as anything else. Those of us generalists who have day jobs only have enough "spare" time to pick one or two dance disciplines. But people who do it for a living sometimes (quite successfully) pick more than one.

Getting entrenched in a scene takes quite a bit of time and effort. 8)

You said the key word...Pro's. Those are the only people who would have the time to be seriously involved in more than one scene.

 

[pygmalion]

Exactly. 8)

 

[delamusica]

I don't think many of the "generalists" can say they are truly entrenched in more than one of the dance cultures.

Ahh, but I'm working on it! Just give me another couple of months . . . *mwahaha*

Good responses people! I'm sorry if I came off as being too general about the "salsa people" - I was pretty tired and grumpy when I read the post I was responding to, and probably over did it a bit. But the point remains, and I think some of you have said some good things. Thanks!

 

[pygmalion]

You know what I like the most about DF? Somehow, it's managed to become an equal-opportunity dance site where people from various disciplines are all comfortable enough to say how they really feel.

That's how we end up learning from each other. Sometimes we get on each others' nerves, but we learn, nonetheless. :wink: 8) That's how I see this thread -- as an opportunity to learn. Kewl. 8)

 

[youngsta]

Good responses people! I'm sorry if I came off as being too general about the "salsa people" - I was pretty tired and grumpy when I read the post I was responding to, and probably over did it a bit. But the point remains, and I think some of you have said some good things. Thanks!

No worries! I still wub youuuuu!!

 

[Sagitta]

Good responses people! I'm sorry if I came off as being too general about the "salsa people" - I was pretty tired and grumpy when I read the post I was responding to, and probably over did it a bit. But the point remains, and I think some of you have said some good things. Thanks!

No worries! I still wub youuuuu!!

Me too!! Though I am yet to meet you. :wink:

 

[Pacion]

Pacion:

Incidentally, I cannot say hand on heart that I have never seen anyone at a Ballroom dancing social openly chewing gum (and by openly, I mean mouth open chewing :shock: ). Perhaps one of the ballroom dancers can help out here. But I have seen it several times at salsa/mambo events. :roll: Maybe I am getting "old" :lol: but that to me is a no, NO! :evil:

JM:

No your not old, just picky! Were they loud? Did they dress with bad taste? Were they poor or uneducated? Come on, really.

:shock: Picky? Moi! Guilty as charged officer. 8) Should I call my lawyer now or should we just go straight to the verdict :wink: :lol: Just so that you know, SalsaLawyer is on retainer so just know who you are up against :wink: :lol:

JM, I am a salsa dancer/lover so please look at what I have written from the perspective of a salsa lover, not someone from the "ballroom camp" who is out to dis salsa lovers/dancers. :?

Re the chewing gum thing, just picture this okay? I am dancing, trying to build the connection with my dance partner, trying to look at his eyes which also involves having a peripheral vision of his face and what do I see? Cheek muscles going a mile a minute, mouth wide open. How romantic/sensual is that!!! :shock: :lol: (Romantic being in the sense of what is happening on the dancefloor and not any illusions of things happening off the dancefloor. :wink: )

Aside from how I might feel, also going through my head is the possibility of him choking on the chewing gum and I find that I can't concentrate on enjoying the dance - instead I am worrying about his well being :roll: :?

I think I also posted on another thread a few weeks ago that I was at a salsa venue and someone had chosen to dispose of their chewing gum on the dancefloor :shock: Understandably the guy whose shoe "found it" was far from amused. Thankfully, I think he was wearing rubber or leather soles - if he was wearing suede, the gum probably would have ruined his shoe.

I too do chew gum occassionally, but I just make sure and dispose of it carefully.

 

[msjanemas]

Pacion:

Incidentally, I cannot say hand on heart that I have never seen anyone at a Ballroom dancing social openly chewing gum (and by openly, I mean mouth open chewing :shock: ). Perhaps one of the ballroom dancers can help out here. But I have seen it several times at salsa/mambo events. :roll: Maybe I am getting "old" :lol: but that to me is a no, NO! :evil:

JM:

No your not old, just picky! Were they loud? Did they dress with bad taste? Were they poor or uneducated? Come on, really.

:shock: Picky? Moi! Guilty as charged officer. 8) Should I call my lawyer now or should we just go straight to the verdict :wink: :lol: Just so that you know, SalsaLawyer is on retainer so just know who you are up against :wink: :lol:

Unless your a "Monkey driving a Buick" I think I can win with him on your side! lol!

JM, I am a salsa dancer/lover so please look at what I have written from the perspective of a salsa lover, not someone from the "ballroom camp" who is out to dis salsa lovers/dancers. :?

Re the chewing gum thing, just picture this okay? I am dancing, trying to build the connection with my dance partner, trying to look at his eyes which also involves having a peripheral vision of his face and what do I see? Cheek muscles going a mile a minute, mouth wide open. How romantic/sensual is that!!! :shock: :lol: (Romantic being in the sense of what is happening on the dancefloor and not any illusions of things happening off the dancefloor. :wink: )

Then tell him this: "If you don't remove your gum, I'll have to decline". Carry some tick tac's with you to offer an option. Orrrr a lolipop!

Aside from how I might feel, also going through my head is the possibility of him choking on the chewing gum and I find that I can't concentrate on enjoying the dance - instead I am worrying about his well being :roll: :?

I think I also posted on another thread a few weeks ago that I was at a salsa venue and someone had chosen to dispose of their chewing gum on the dancefloor :shock: Understandably the guy whose shoe "found it" was far from amused. Thankfully, I think he was wearing rubber or leather soles - if he was wearing suede, the gum probably would have ruined his shoe.

Maybe Salsa Clubs should insist on no gum chewing. It's not a bad idea don't you think?


I too do chew gum occassionally, but I just make sure and dispose of it carefully.

I don't chew gum. I'm afraid my fillings may come out! lol! Anyway what are you doing dancing with a boy that chews gum? How old is he? lol!

 

[alvaro]

lol!
Pacion, you do sound very picky when you complain about the salsa scene ... because some people chew gum!!!!.
Anyway, it might be related to the mostly-nightclub nature of salsa dancing: lots of alcohol and tons of smoke. And then lots of breath-fresheners, candy, and gum...