What's *Visually* Interesting About Salsa to You?

[SDsalsaguy]

I posted this over on SF yesterday and have received some helpful responses but figured I'd give it a try here as well. Basically, I may be giving a presentation at the Visual Research Conference (sponsored by the Society for Visual Anthropology) later this year, and where I would want to talk about some of the visual facets of salsa. I have my own ideas, but let's face it, that only really speaks to what I find visually interesting. So here's the question... "What are the visuals in salsa that you most pay attention to and/or find interesting? Why?"

 

[Big10]

"What are the visuals in salsa that you most pay attention to and/or find interesting? Why?"

For me, the visual appeal is almost always connected to what I'm hearing in the music. I look for steps and body movements that match changes of pace or strong emphases in the music (both instruments and vocals).

Fast, clean footwork is also very appealing to me, maybe because I know how physically difficult it is to accomplish on a consistent basis. Smooth, sensual body movements are also appealing.....well, just because. Sorry if I can't explain that better.

Seeing the connection between human beings is a cool thing, too, so I like seeing couples making eye contact or smiling or holding each other in a way that looks like they are conscious of sharing a nice experience.

In general, we probably all have our own preconceived ideas of what "authentic" Salsa looks like, so I would say I tend to like dancing that matches my notion (more like flowing Afro-Cuban rumba movements), rather than overly precise arm extensions or sharper movements that I associate with trained ballroom dancing. To me, Salsa is an earthy/emotional/fun dance, so I like watching movements that appear more natural and make me think less about formal training....even though in many cases it might require just as much (or more) practice time to make the movements look so natural.

 

[Sabor]

its a trick! .. SD just wants u guys to do his homework for him LOL

well.. for starters, for me, visually, i'm impressed with 'the Salsera' .. very much so.. when she's in the 'zone' so to speak.. nothing can really match that interms of highlighting a mix of magic sensations all in one go.. musicality,fun, sexuality, passion, sensuality, femininity etc.. all the great stuff in a package of expression.. no other dance.. in my opinion.. with all due respect.. gives that much potential/power in ANY setting there is, to a female dancer like salsa can.. it is the dance that can vitually incorporate all range of emotions and dances allowing them to interact and develop into so many other unexpected physical expressions.. there is just no end or ceiling in view in such an interactive dance.. no limit.. and with a good lead.. a Salsera shines like no other.. in so many ways.. on various ritmos.. in a never ending show of .. connections..

will add other points if i get the chance later..

 

[SurfSalsa]

Big10 posted many of the things that appeal to me, but I would like to add:

- Unique individualist interpretation of the music.
- Unique individulaistic styling.
Of both the individuals and of how it jells together as a partnership
(i.e. some unique stylings can be stunning on their own, but they can "clash" or be "less positive" when put together, but some stylings can work so well together that you just go "wow!", where the sum of the parts is better than the parts on their own)

Big10 mentioned music interpretation already, but what I added was the unique part. Sometimes you dance in a club / studio where many people have learned the same styling so they all look sort-of similar, but some people just stand out because they are different/unique. (Of course it may just be that they come from a different background/training ground/etc... but sometimes they just have that flair to put their own spin on a particular song or dance. Like if you play Africondo in a NY or London club (just as an example), I get a thrill out of it to see the dancers who for that song do not apply their NY or London taught styling, but who fit in with the more African feel of the music). Maybe the word "adaptibility" comes in here somewhere...

 

[SurfSalsa]

Sabor also added good points (like about us doing SD's homework!). Seriously, the aim should be to display the salsera - which of course is massively visual. I really like the phrase "package of expression"! Very well put together.

(Slightly off topic, but that is a real difficult challenge - how does a style king do his thing without unduly distracting attention from the salsera?)

 

[Big10]

Big10 mentioned music interpretation already, but what I added was the unique part.

Yes, uniqueness can be a very important factor, too. When I wrote my previous post, I was thinking only about the relationship of one person or one couple to the Salsa music.

If we're talking about comparing one couple to other couples dancing at the same time, then I agree that my eyes are often drawn to somebody who is interpreting the music in a very different way. Sometimes it may be a result of a different cultural/training background, like SurfSalsa mentioned. Sometimes it can even be somebody who is technically "offbeat," but that person or that couple might be conveying so much more fun than everybody else that I really enjoy watching them dance. Of course, that phenomenon is not restricted to Salsa dancing -- although it is, I suppose, related to my personal notion of what Salsa "is," as a fun/emotional dance.

 

[Sabor]

there's also the Fashion Trends and the Dress Styles associated with big salsa scenes/venues.. it could get quite interesting as i'm sure everyone knows.. since it ranges from ultimate classy to downright ridiculous.. its fun to watch certainly along with the dancing styles.. variety provides for more visual impression for sure..

 

[SurfSalsa]

Don't know how SD'd going to work this into his thesis, as it more of a "why I love salsa" topic, but Sabor hit the nail on the head there: VARIETY.

Not just in dress code - it is IMO the dance with the most variety that can be crammed into 6 out of 8 steps that I have ever seen. I guess that is why it is so much fun, so addictive, thrilling, entertaining, etc., etc.

Now SD just has to draw this line through to the visual asopects...

Shouldn't we just write the whole thesis for SD? :LOL :WINK

 

[alemana]

visually interesting to me:

- body isolation. especially accenting the music.
- the twisting, morphing shape of two partners in space, individually and vis-a-vis each other. so beautiful.
- the spinning sea of a floorful of dancers as seen from slight elevation - undulating, whipping, hundreds of pairs of satellites orbiting each other. love it.

 

[Shooshoo]

I like to watch the connection between the partners and they way they interact with each other (and how that differs when they change partners).
Also the variety in styles and how each individual does it differently.

 

[Twilight_Elena]

I think it's the way their bodies move like they're snakes... smooth and powerful motions.

Twilight Elena

 

[Josh]

- ladies with long(ish) hair who do head whips--very sexy and visually appealing

- in general, movement from the body--which is true in any type of dance--not just moving feet or legs, but all movement originating at the body. Also, this is what makes styling look good versus forced or unnatural... having the body generate the movement.

 

[alemana]

love the whipped hair too, yes i do. my own is short and probably always will be, but i whip my head around anyway.

 

[SDsalsaguy]

Don't know how SD'd going to work this into his thesis...

This isn't actualy for my dissertation, and no, not even my homwerok either (sorry Sabor et al.) :lol:

I gave a presentaton on competetive ballroom at the 2005 Visual Research Conference in DC last Novemberbut, for 2006, wanted to change it up. A lot of the theoretical issues that I'd presented could just as easily be used for salsa as ballroom, but I figure that it's a waste of time, for both me and the audience, if I'm being redundant but just using different materials. So, I figured I'd give salsa a turn in the spotlight and shift focus to what saser@s find visually compelling in salsa... and hence this thread. :wink:

Thanks for all the comments so far too!

 

[Lofland]

Cuban motion.

Salsa looks more dramatic than a lot of the other dances, to my eye.

The people are dancing to the music in social dancing, which I don't see that much in other dances, such as two-step. So there is a better match between what I see and what I hear.

The movements are sexy but more graceful and classy than hip-hop, at least the way some people dance hip-hop.

Lots of female brown skin!