Where do you draw the line?

[genEus]

Where do you draw the line for how much time + money you give to dance?

At some point I've had thoughts that I was spending too much time in classes or practicing alone, thinking "if I spend so much time on something, I'd better be getting paid for it..."

No matter how good you really are, very few, if any, can make salsa their life. So is there a point when you just say to yourself "I've achieved a level that I'm happy with and that I can carry around wherever I go to dance around the world, and to keep reaching higher and higher ability to dance just isn't worth it..."

 

[squirrel]

The answer is "never"...

 

[tangotime]

life?

Have to tell you, I know several in one city alone ( and I don,t mean n.y. ) who do exactly that . You may be surprised at the number of people who have become " teachers " , and make a very comfortable living. That, of course is a very relative term, and depends greatly on the living standard you have set for yourself. Add to that mix, the promoters who seem to do quite well . Have seen many go from strength to strength . As far as investing your time, effort and money, only you can place a value upon that .Have taught people in the recent past who have been taking lessons consistently for over 20 yrs. and are still doing so.

 

[Shooshoo]

I think it really depends on your goal in dancing. If you will only do it for fun/socializing, then I guess you'd spend as much time and money as you'd spend on any hobby you have.

If you want to compete or teach, then you'd have to give it more time and money.

 

[salsafix]

For me, the act of dancing is its own reward. I'm not even sure it would be possible TO draw a line... I don't think I could stop being curious about all the different things there are to know and learn.

Rob
SalsaFix.com

Where do you draw the line for how much time + money you give to dance?

At some point I've had thoughts that I was spending too much time in classes or practicing alone, thinking "if I spend so much time on something, I'd better be getting paid for it..."

No matter how good you really are, very few, if any, can make salsa their life. So is there a point when you just say to yourself "I've achieved a level that I'm happy with and that I can carry around wherever I go to dance around the world, and to keep reaching higher and higher ability to dance just isn't worth it..."

 

[nikita]

I draw the line, when I don't see results, when I don't reach too improve within my given possibilities. Basically I had reached that point in Salsa after 1,5 years.
And it has to make fun. If there's no fun anymore, it makes no sence to stay or to go on.

 

[borikensalsero]

I draw the line when the heel of my shoe comes off and I go flying accross the floor. I get up, finish the dance, kiss the girl good night, put my hat on, and hop on home... But then I come back with an eraser, wipe away the line and hope the new shoes won't suffer the same fate. If it happens again, barefooted ought to do the job.

 

[KiwiMambo]

It's up to the individual. Most folks in my town, take lessons for 1-6 months and that is it. They don't care about getting better. They just want to go out every weekend and have fun.

Me: I just love studying and perfecting art forms. That is my passion. It was Martial Arts for 18 years. Now it happens to be Salsa. I will be constantly trying to acheive perfection. As for making money out if it - I'm sure I will teach one day. But I don't ever plan to make a living out of it. That would require diluting the art form. I'm a purist and would never do that.

As for the cost of Salsa. Well, I'm at the level where I have to book a private every week to get dancing at my level. Going to New York also gives me my fix. I keep asking myself, is it worth the money, can't I do something cheaper? I still keep doing it though. Maybe when I teach, the pocket money will offset some of these costs.

 

[africana]

I draw the line when the heel of my shoe comes off and I go flying accross the floor. I get up, finish the dance, kiss the girl good night, put my hat on, and hop on home... But then I come back with an eraser, wipe away the line and hope the new shoes won't suffer the same fate. If it happens again, barefooted ought to do the job.

:lol:

 

[Shooshoo]

I draw the line when the heel of my shoe comes off and I go flying accross the floor. I get up, finish the dance, kiss the girl good night, put my hat on, and hop on home... But then I come back with an eraser, wipe away the line and hope the new shoes won't suffer the same fate. If it happens again, barefooted ought to do the job.

 

[tangotime]

k.m.

Please explain why teaching dilutes the art form ? ( could have sworn I had been enhancing it ,with several champions to my credit )

 

[Vin]

About a year ago I stopped taking lessons, I decided that I was satisfied with my level of social dancing for the time being. I still go out and I go to some congresses, just for the social dancing aspect.

That point will come to you, or maybe not. I know people who are always in a dance group, or always taking classes. That is a completely personal decision. Just remember this, if you no longer like doing it, then you can always just stop.

That said, I'm playing around with the idea of taking classes again, just to inject something new into my dancing. Maybe in another year or so I'll do just that.

 

[naturallove]

I don't think if you're really passionate about something, you're ever quite satisfied. I'm sure at some point, I won't take a lesson every week (but that will be because I've moved to a new city and am waiting for the next class session to start!) or go to congresses every year (who am I kidding-Puerto Rico is calling me!) or try to observe the salsaeras on the dance floor between dances to get inspiration ( I love stealing moves!)..okay, it won't stop! Perhaps the intensity of my spending habits or practices will vary over time, but I love salsa so much that I can't imagine that I'll stop investing in my improvement altogether.

 

[salsafix]

Please explain why teaching dilutes the art form ? ( could have sworn I had been enhancing it ,with several champions to my credit )

Yes! But even if you dont produce champions, the fact that you are turning people on to dancing keeps the art form alive

 

[tangotime]

s/fix

You got that right amigo, ; there are plenty of teachers in the "trenches " , who work hard at their profession., that many never hear about. I,ve been fortunate to come across, over the y,rs, some amazingly talented people, and cannot even imagine the heights to which they may have arisen , in different locales , and to those, I doff my "proverbial " cap .