People who have the most influence on your dancing

[salsachinita]

......ok, in the eve of my very first Congress, I'm feeling retrospective :wink: ..........

In line with all the Hall of Fame/inspiration threads, is there any person/people (internationally known or local/unknown) who have *physically* (ie. learning from video/DVDs don't count :wink: ) made an impact on your dancing....? In what way....?

Here's mine (in no particular order):

My salsa mentor/ex (who enlightened me with the true essence of salsa & all the cultrual/historical aspects relating to it. he made me a true follower)
Fabio Robles (who taught me showmanship & presentation)
The cast of 'Lady Salsa' (for showing me true Cuban spirit & sabor)
John Salsa (of Perth, who restored my confidence & kick-started my 'salsa renaissance')
Gustavo 'el general' (of Seattle, who reignited my passion for salsa when I was lost)
Gupson Pierre (of 'Attitude', Singapore, who show me that flashy moves can be lead :o )
Luis Vasquez of 'Salsa Brava' & Joby (who show me not to be afraid of the unfamilliar, for all styles share the same roots)
CapricornDancer (who suitably challenged me & initiated my recent break-through)
Eric Turro (of 'Buena Vista', for giving me a humbling lesson)
SugarGlider (for bring me back to basic)
Silverkea, my dear boyfriend (for constantly reminding me never forget to have fun :D )

..............I would not be here today if it wasn't for you all. Here's my :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:........!!!!!

Anyone feels like sharing theirs....?

[smiling28]

......ok, in the eve of my very first Congress, I'm feeling retrospective :wink: ..........

In line with all the Hall of Fame/inspiration threads, is there any person/people (internationally known or local/unknown) who have *physically* (ie. learning from video/DVDs don't count :wink: ) made an impact on your dancing....? In what way....?

Here's mine (in no particular order):

My salsa mentor/ex (who enlightened me with the true essence of salsa & all the cultrual/historical aspects relating to it. he made me a true follower)
Fabio Robles (who taught me showmanship & presentation)
The cast of 'Lady Salsa' (for showing me true Cuban spirit & sabor)
John Salsa (of Perth, who restored my confidence & kick-started my 'salsa renaissance')
Gustavo 'el general' (of Seattle, who reignited my passion for salsa when I was lost)
Gupson Pierre (of 'Attitude', Singapore, who show me that flashy moves can be lead :o )
Luis Vasquez of 'Salsa Brava' & Joby (who show me not to be afraid of the unfamilliar, for all styles share the same roots)
CapricornDancer (who suitably challenged me & initiated my recent break-through)
Eric Turro (of 'Buena Vista', for giving me a humbling lesson)
SugarGlider (for bring me back to basic)
Silverkea, my dear boyfriend (for constantly reminding me never forget to have fun :D )

..............I would not be here today if it wasn't for you all. Here's my :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:........!!!!!

Anyone feels like sharing theirs....?


Great post!

For me:

* My mother - for loving dancing and always having Dirty dancing on when she ironed. In retrospect, my mum ironed a LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!
* The wonderful dancers out there having a great time - watching you all ignited my fire and made me want to join you!
* My friends for being great dancers at parties and making me want to learn
* Louise and lars (friends) - who taught me my first salsa lesson at 4am on A summers night at the beach. I could not get the basic step especially hip movement. 3 weeks later after classes, they saw me again and said '...........................less hip' :)
* Every girl who has danced with me! Through you, I have found myself and shared myself
* Simon and the great instructors here - for inspiration and technical foundations
* Singapore - for being incredible. Especially Jayzen. So welcoming and friendly and truly instilled a global appreciation and inspiration to my dancing.
* Salsaforums; Seriously, you guys are SOOOO encouraging and inspirational in your own right. So many times, coming to this board has been exactly what I needed
* Anna - a girl who danced with me first after I asked 3 girls who all said no. If Anna had not asked, I may have never had so much joy!!!!!!!!
* MUSICIANS/DJS everywhere. Afterall, it is the music and passion that unites us!!!!!!!!!!!!
*anyone who loves life and shares it especially salsa :)

* many MANY more to come so stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!

[memphis salsero]

1- my girlfriend Rachel who was born with amazing tension and control
2- Joby "brava" Aranda (formerly Vasquez) seeing how I am on her team
have taking maybe 15 privates from her.
3- Hector Llamas(es partner of olivia dasso) and Sara Martz from LA who
used the teach the best styling/lleading and following technique class I've
ever been to.
4-Oliver Pineda b/c I watch his clips to much and steal his style.
5- Everyone at every club I go to at all levels

[Offbeat]

4-Oliver Pineda b/c I watch his clips to much and steal his style.


He is just a fabulous dancer. I saw him social dance at the LA congress earlier this year. He was dancing on the rug outside the main dance floor. I have seen many of the salsa greats dance socially. Not one else dances as much in the music as he does - simple, elegant and accents every beat in the music through his dancing. Makes follower look awesome . Takes your breath away!

[GTO Bruin]

Great topic. So many people touch our lives. How important it is to realize how many we touch in turn. Makes me think if I'm doing a good job of it. Here's my list.

* My salsa instructors Grace and Hugo Badillo who not only taught me salsa, but continually built me up and motivated me to progress.
* My rueda instructor Barb who taught me how fun it is to dance in circles.
* My friend Dwight who sets the bar so high and personifies smooth.
* My Hand Dance instructor who has helped my musicality.
* My girlfriend, Miss G, who follows so wonderfully, and who's a willing partner all hours of the day and night.

[Salsamakossa]

Tell her I am also singing her praises.. lol. Ladies help guys an awful lot every time they are available for a guy to try a move.

* My girlfriend, Miss G, who follows so wonderfully, and who's a willing partner all hours of the day and night.

[PropriedadDeClubDenbow]

*Thanks to all the dance movies I've seen, made me want to go dance
*To Alain Linares, my first and permanent salsa and reggaeton teacher. If it wasn't for you, I would never have such a love in salsa
*To all my friends from my dancing school. Thanks guys for your support!
*To all the salsa clubs I've been to and to those I'm going to visit. Make me feel the spirit of salsa and life
*Thanks to SF. You guys are an endless source of optimism and support
*Thanks to my parents, who supported me when I was just going to attend salsa classes. I wouldnt be enjoying life so much if you hadnt supported me at that time
*Thanks to all the leads that I had dances with. Made me understand that to be a follower is cool, but difficult
*To all people, who organise salsa events. You're great!
*Everyone who has interest in salsa. Otherwise salsa wouldnt spread around the world and reach this country

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

[salsashoes]

I think of people who have inspired me in salsa and troy anthony and lee rios come to mind. I saw them at a Blackpool congress and they were fantastic along with their partners . and really nice guys too. also Georgette troy's wife.

[salsachinita]

Oliver Pineda b/c I watch his clips to much and steal his style.


He is just a fabulous dancer. I saw him social dance at the LA congress earlier this year. He was dancing on the rug outside the main dance floor. I have seen many of the salsa greats dance socially. Not one else dances as much in the music as he does - simple, elegant and accents every beat in the music through his dancing. Makes follower look awesome . Takes your breath away!

Oooooh, he was a Sydney local (resently relocated to Europe, I think).

Many of my friends have known & danced with him before he became famous 8) . I've only danced with his students (& they are great too) & met his mum ;) ........

[salsashoes]

oh i forgot to mention mom , dad , wife and every one that knows me . :D

[Flujo]

Not been dancing for that long so I'll mention the people that have had a small but significant influence.

Instructors:
Hazra for setting a good foundation to build on and for her patience.
Alistair Sadler and his team at the Bar Salsa 1 Day intensives for the great clav demonstration and the teaching of lead/follow technique.
Giselle Desiun - the first instructor I danced with socially.
Claire - the first instructor I asked to dance.

People:
For always sharing their love of the music/dance and their smiles.
The guys and girls that have been a pleasure to watch and given me something to aspire too.
All the wonderful women that have said yes to a dance and to those that I am too scared of to ask (...an incentive to improve no doubt!) :)
My Uncle for sowing the seed.
All the SF posters who have been encouraging, inspirational and supportive in their posts by sharing their experiences. "Through one you reach many".

[Jones, Nikka]

Bruno, my ballroom teacher at Arthur Murray tanks to whom I am so flexible in my styling, learning so many different dances was a blessing.

Lisa Saario, my modern Jazz teacher, who many years ago put me in touch with the dancer I wanted to be before I became her.

Janet Valenzuela from LA. The classiest styling teacher in the world. I still remember my first workshop with her at the Puerto Rico Congress.

Stacey Lopez from Puerto Rico , the best Cha-cha-cha teacher in the known universe. Never a dull moment in his workshops.

Francisco, over at San Tropez here in Montreal, the best all around dance teacher anywhere. Taught me how to learn ideas, not steps. Salsa -any style- was never so easy. Introduced me to Rueda as well as Lindy Hop and Argentine Tango. If as a school teacher I could be half as good as him I would be professionaly fulfilled.

My husband Fidencio, who also happens to be my dance partner, best friend, head cheerleader, in-house shrink and latin lover. The perfect inspiration for anything related to dance... or life.

[SalsaManiac]

Mine would have to be:

1) My first salsa teacher, Tanya Berger-Wolf, who managed to convince me to give it a try when I was floundering for something to do after moving to Albuquerque.
2) Al & Edie who so blew me away that I had to buy several of their DVDs
3) A local dancer, Saulo, who recently moved to Utah .. I was so impressed with his smooth flowing style that I immediately tried to emulate it. I still have traces of his dance style ;)
4) Alex Lima who I recently met at the Palm Springs festival. It was like having an epiphany ... now my style has immediately incorporated a lot of the stuff he was teaching.