Salsa as a Dance of a Mystic

[ares1975]

I do not know if other salseros/salseras experienced the same like mine. I am a pastoral sociologist, and as such, I do research for church-related works. I know that dancing is fun. But one time, while I was watching the sun rises, I listened to my radio. I heard Mambo King being played. It is my favorite salsa music. I danced while watching the sun rise. I danced alone but I feel like I was dancing with the sun as my partner. After that experience, I was in awe. I know how it feels when praying in awe. I didn't utter any words of prayer, but the experience was the same. It was as if I was united with someone or something profound than myself. It happened twice. The second one was inside a salsa club. I heard a familiar salsa song. All my friends had their partners and I was there left alone without someone to dance with. I dragged myself into the dancefloor and danced with myself! I feel enthralled by the music that I didn't realized everyone stopped just to watch me danced... and when the music stopped, it was the last music to be played! I talked to a spanish friend who danced flamenggo, and she said that I was mystified by the dance and they call it "duende."

Do you have similar experience like mine?

Ares

[peachexploration]

I'm afraid that I haven't gotten to that point yet, Ares1975. :oops: Anyone else?

[ares1975]

Never see Salsa as what you can be, but rather what you are. See it with the soul, not the mind.-BorikenSalsero

Hi! Your signature caught me! See it with the soul, not the mind. I guess... that is what happened to me when I got enchanted by the dance. But you did danced with passion? Did it happen to you that you become full with the passion to dance that everything else freezed except for yourself?

I noticed that this never happened to me in partner dancing, but only when danced alone. But even when dancing alone, I was not thinking dancing alone. There was somewhat an imaginary image that I am dancing with... which means I was dancing salsa with someone that may not be existing in here and now. Like that one during sunrise, dancing with the sun... inside the club, dancing with myself (as if there is another person aside from me within). This was how I feel it happened when I danced salsa with a "duende."

[peachexploration]

Okay, I understand you better now. For me, I need that other person to connect with. Now, what I get when I dance is euphoria. That extreme happiness when I'm dancing "with" my partner. I've never gotten that feeling as an individual per se. When I think of the dance, I think of two parts becoming one. :)

[Guarachero]

I danced while watching the sun rise. I danced alone but I feel like I was dancing with the sun as my partner. After that experience, I was in awe.
Do you have similar experience like mine?

Ares[/quote]

Ares:

I do. I feel the music very deep. I experience a feeling of trance. It is just like if the music was a spirit that crawls into my veins and mind. I totally become a dancing expression of what I hear.

Hum! But I can’t even blow a whistle.

That means you’ll be a great Salsa dancer. Keep it up.

Guarachero

[valconix]

This is what I call Soul dancing :) indeed a great stage to experience or to be at. For me, it's almost like something inside me is dancing and my body is just expressing that out, there's no thinking at all and moves just happens naturally. The feeling is quite strange, because it's almost at the same level as sex (you know what I mean :)) A natural high. Once you start dancing at this level, you've moved beyond advanced dancers.

You can dance like this by youself or with another and to different types of music also.

There's lots of Pros and Cons dancing at the level. The Cons? you won't get a rest!!! everyone would wants to dance with you. You become a target.. But it All good.[/quote]

[dulcetsalsa]

I remember you, ares1975. You wrote on the SalsaEddy forum. How's it going?

[Guarachero]

Valcomix:

It's sensual. You flirt with the music. You dance and dance, till one day you feel it caming to you. I felt it in 1964.

Then. it'll stays with you.

[Flujo]

Anyone have any thoughts on ares's post?

[TrulyMadlyAmanda]

Anyone have any thoughts on ares's post?

i'm an atheist, but i know exactly the experience he's talking about....and i call it 'the hand of god'. it just descends on you, like a red mist, and you have no idea what moves you just did. happens to me a lot, but i find it much harder when people are watching....self-consciousness inhibits it, cuz in my experience it's kind of the opposite.

interesting that Andrea Stewart (from the group 'Duende', LOL) can reach this state on stage sometimes... :cool:

[miércoles]

I talked to a spanish friend who danced flamenggo, and she said that I was mystified by the dance and they call it "duende."



Surely it's all just goblin-dy gook!

[sweavo]

ISTR a post about this on DF, where someone went to a cuban party and there was drumming and dancing (not salsa as we know it) and you simply couldn't refuse to dance and it went on and on... the poster eventually saw how drumming and dancing can be "religious".

I have had this feeling too, but not for some time!

[Flujo]

i'm an atheist, but i know exactly the experience he's talking about....and i call it 'the hand of god'. it just descends on you, like a red mist
Red mist? So when you come out of it you notice everyone around you has a black eye and bloody nose? I can relate to the self-consciousness issue. Sometimes when that mist descends you want to disappear into a dark corner somewhere and really let go. It's not always a sensual/sensuous mist though. Sometimes it's a flow and grips you. The classic "Nooo, the songs finished already!!!!" type dance where everything connects and your are both on the same page in a book you can't put down.

When people are watching it's either your self-consciousness or that little show off in you that fans away the mist. Perhaps salsa venues should have private rooms for those moments! :raisebrow: Hmmn. Actually, that's probably not such a good idea. :eyebrow:

Surely it's all just goblin-dy gook!
haha, almost missed that one. (had to reference wittipedia)

ISTR a post about this on DF, where someone went to a cuban party and there was drumming and dancing (not salsa as we know it) and you simply couldn't refuse to dance and it went on and on... the poster eventually saw how drumming and dancing can be "religious".

I have had this feeling too, but not for some time!
The voice of reason. :)
Is it just me or do people tend to run a mile whenever there is any hint of religion or spirituality in a post? I'm surprised that this thread didn't receive many responses initially. There must be more than a few people that experience this every week (or month at least) when out dancing.

What made your experience come about sweavo? A combination of the music, chemistry, surroundings...?

[sweavo]

Is it just me or do people tend to run a mile whenever there is any hint of religion or spirituality in a post? I'm surprised that this thread didn't receive many responses initially.


Yeah! When I searched for "spiritual", trying to find the post about the cuban party I was talking about, I found a lot of derisive or facetious posts.


What made your experience come about sweavo? A combination of the music, chemistry, surroundings...?

A combination of everything, IMO. State of mind, state of body, partner, music, surroundings, the trip to the club, what I've been reading, etc.etc.

IME noticing that it's happening, or wanting it to happen, are both ways to stop it happening.

[Flujo]

Yeah! When I searched for "spiritual", trying to find the post about the cuban party I was talking about, I found a lot of derisive or facetious posts.
That's no surprise. I couldn't even begin to talk about why that is but it's not something I'm that sensitive about now. Ok, so you'd prefer it if someone didn't belittle a person for wanting to talk about 'the other side' but personally speaking I've been guilty of trying to make a joke out of serious topics in the past so can't say anything without being a hypocrite. It's good not to take ourselves too seriously and even better to be reminded when we are. ;)


A combination of everything, IMO. State of mind, state of body, partner, music, surroundings, the trip to the club, what I've been reading, etc.etc.

IME noticing that it's happening, or wanting it to happen, are both ways to stop it happening.Yes! Once you become conscious of it, it stops. That's why it's so nice to only realise when the song ends and you both breathe a sigh as the euphoria tails off. I experienced it the other night and realised it after doing a slightly awkward dip. It was a case of "Woh, people might be watching...*ahem* :oops:". So I agree. Like Amanda said, self-consciousness inhibits it.

It's funny how the roles are reversed in this dance. Guys being the ones who are more likely to develop 'reputations' than the girls if we let ourselves go in that sense a little to often. That still makes me laugh. Sometimes you get the odd reminder that a dance social is so NOT like a regular club. Especially when you catch yourself looking shocked to see two people with their tongues down each others throats. I like the etiquette and decorum but every now and then there are those dances...you know.

P.S I did what you did and searched for "spiritual" on DF. One particular thread jumped out and gripped me.
http://www.dance-forums.com/showthread.php?t=12273&highlight=spiritual
There was also the about the party you mentioned. That was just as intriguing.
Out of curiosity, why is it that all the threads that touch on this stuff end in 2006 or thereabouts? Has a dark cloud descended on all things spiritual or what? It seems a little strange.