Random Musings on the State of Salsa in DC & just some general BS Im prone to spew on occasion 1). I went out dancing 3X in 4 days last week into the weekend and my Salsa Jones was satisfied each and every outing although with different levels & types of dancers. My epiphany was that I realized that it is just as stimulating to get dances outside of my Dance Bubble with developing dancers as it is to get dances with Advanced Dancers. When I first started out, there was an unofficial yet very much CODIFIED group of dancers who pretty much only danced with each other. Im sure this phenomenon is present in every Salsa Scene anywhere on the planet based on my limited experiences traveling for Salsa. Im not saying you cant separate ONE of these Dancers from their group and get a round with them on the dance floor. You absolutely can get a go with them at least once a night if they are nice because COURTESY dances are pretty much an accepted currency within the dance world if you play your cards right via good scouting, stalking, good social skills, or just plain brass balls. But the fact remains, the DANCERS CIRCLE mob up and gather with the other approved types and form the Salsa/Mambo shield to discourage fraternizing with the OTHERS. Granted, some of this has lessened to a certain degree because of attrition within the ranks due to marriage, burnout, higher educational pursuits, pregnancy, lack of a car, job loss or financial problems, etc but the remnants of the GROUP is still evidenced on any dance floor. And please dont ask me how you can apply to be a member of the secret society- I dont know. There is NO PRINTED LIST that I know of- you just KNOW who they are. The easiest answer is to GET GOOD AT DANCING however this general guideline obviously takes TIME and furthermore is totally ROUTED thoroughly when you witness some of the bad dancers who make it into the circle someone how- No doubt GOODLOOKS/DNA can play a factor. But I digress. This group of dancers not only serve as the standard bearer for good dancing but lets be honest- they are the IN CROWD. Most wannabee dancers train, charm, socialize, network, or do whatever they can to ingratiate themselves within that circle of dancers. Why? Because they want to have regular access to dance with the codified Better Dancers without having to beg, borrow, steal or fight their way beyond the Salsa/Mambo Iron Curtain of sycophants ie THE SNOBS. I know people have problems with CLIQUES in dance but I dont because like-minded people are always going to want to be among their own kind- natural selection. But the problem is that you miss out on some developing dancers who are bubbling right beneath the surface of good dancing. When you dance with these developing dancers, not only do you get to learn how to keep your frame/technique/composure when things go a little left in the dance but you also help that dancer realize some of their miscues which ultimately will help them in their development into better dancers. I experienced absolutely DELIGHTFUL dances with some developing dancers within the past 4 days and it is a great reminder for me to keep my dance gaze OPEN to those OUTSIDE the salsa/mambo circle for gems of greatness in the beyond. 2). If you are dancing with me and we are having a great connection/dance, I I am patiently pleading with you to NOT TELL me after the dance that you Love dancing with me. I dont seem to take compliments well. I dont know if the said compliment makes me more self conscious of my dance and I get insecure or the opposite occurs- subconsciously, the compliment goes to my head making me overly confidant in my ability to to style within the follow or mix it up during the dance. Whatever the reason, my NEXT dance with the complimentor in question is GUARANTEED to be Sh*t for BRAINS on my part and riddled with miss-connections, egregious EARLY anticipations whether I was correct on the lead guess or not, and other unforgivable sins of a supposedly solid intermediate dancer (ME). It happened to me twice this weekend and suffice it to say, things DID NOT go well upon the 2nd dance meeting AFTER the compliment. Im now humiliated by those experiences and will endeavor to avoid those 2 dancers like the plague for the next month while I lick my psychic dance wounds to my ego. My new strategy when I hear a compliment starting to leak out of someones mouth about my dancing- RUN AWAY FAST less I ruin their first impression of me. 3) DC is experiencing a renaissance in Socials ie Dance Parties NOT being held at Nightclubs but instead in Dance Studios. These socials are consistently thrown, are growing in popularity, AND they gaining new fans every time they are being held. There is Mr. Mambos, Salsa Underground, Salsa Dupont on the 3rds, Bi-monthly Kizomba Social in Silver Spring, Monthly Cuban Dance Party @Edgewood Arts Bldg, Bi-monthly Kizomba Social in Virginia, Salsa/Bachata Social Every Monday with Ferocity Dance team. There are probably more out there that Im unaware of- that is how popular this trend is. Im not sure why the explosion in socials is happening but I do judge it to be a good thing primarily because it strongly suggests that there is a growing market for trained dancers who want to dance with each other. Hopefully, this means more people are training for Latin Dance and taking classes to improve their dance with good technique. I mightily approve!
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:39:25 +0000
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