What??? Not About the Music???

[SDsalsaguy]

Here's a topic that I'd forgot about that I'd started over at the DF over a year ago that recently resurfaced... Basically I've seen a lot of great articles and threads about dancing to the music and being inspired by the music. And that is all well and good! But does that work for everyone? And is that the only way to really dance from the soul? In a word, NO!

If salsa was only about the music than why even dance with a partner?

If salsa were only about the music than a night of solo shines would suffice, wouldn’t it?

What of the dancers, even those inspired by the music, who seem almost oblivious to their partners? What of the dancers who—as much as they may be jamming to the music—seem to regard their partners as nothing more than mere dance apparatuses?

Sure I love good music. Sure I have my musical preferences. Sure there are those particular songs which just elevate my soul and my dancing…but none of these, on their own, is enough.

Music may set the stage, yet it does not dictate the connection…that can only come from really dancing with your partner. And having a good connection—physical and psychological—is when salsa can truly become a transcendent experience.

All of your energy, interest, and attention are on your partner. Every movement, shift, and intention is felt, responded to, and reciprocated. Eyes spark. Smiles flash. Hair flips. Legs, arms, and bodies undulate in synchronicity. Indeed, when that connection is there, sometimes you don’t even hear the music anymore.

And what of those moments when there isn’t even music? What of an impromptu dance in a hallway? Or on the beach? Without music to dance to, aren’t you really now dancing to each other? What about a dance on the practice floor, where the only sounds are the creaks of the floor indicating perfect synchronicity? So maybe, just maybe, it’s not all about the music after all…

[peachexploration]

This is a great topic. Any takers on this one? :)

[Claire_Brummell]

Hey

I have to say that for me the dance is about the dance - and the dance comes from a fusion of the music, the partner, the atmosphere, the feelings, the heart, the soul - the lot!

To me - I agree that connection and chemistry make the difference between going through the motions and dancing through them - but a good track with that takes it to a whole other level - it's when you get all the elements of it together that you get that truly euphoric feeling of an amazing dance that you will always remember.

I was in cuba recently and I was on a beach when they started playing one of my favourite tracks ever. I was there with one of my favourite dance partners, on a sun kissed beach that looked like paradise, dancing in the surf of the sea, with the cuban atmosphere all around and it was absolutely fabulous. The dance connection was great, the music was fantastic - everything just fitted.

To me it's never about one thing - the best track with a so-so partner can be boring as sin, the worst track with a fabulous partner is still lacking something, but once in a while you get that moment where the time and place are right, you're eyes meet, you feel the music hit your soul and you just know that this dance is going to be one to remember...

IMHO

[peachexploration]

I've been thinking about this thread for a while now and thought I would come at it from a different angle. For me, I can't imagine Salsa dancing without the foundation that is the music. BUT what if I couldn't hear? :shock:

What prompted me thinking about this is my niece. She lost her hearing at childbirth. And you know what? She is a BEAUTIFUL dancer. Rhythm and timing and body movements are perfect! And yet she cannot hear a note of music! She can dance ballet, hip hop, jazz or whatever you throw at her. And Yes! Even Salsa! :shock: I remember a classmate in one of my LA Style classes a couple of years ago who was a graceful and soulful dancer as well and also could not hear! How do they do it? I don't know but I do believe that there is a dancing SOUL within them.
Quite interesting..... :D

[Claire_Brummell]

I've been thinking about this thread for a while now and thought I would come at it from a different angle. For me, I can't imagine Salsa dancing without the foundation that is the music. BUT what if I couldn't hear? :shock:

What prompted me thinking about this is my niece. She lost her hearing at childbirth. And you know what? She is a BEAUTIFUL dancer. Rhythm and timing and body movements are perfect! And yet she cannot hear a note of music! She can dance ballet, hip hop, jazz or whatever you throw at her. And Yes! Even Salsa! :shock: I remember a classmate in one of my LA Style classes a couple of years ago who was a graceful and soulful dancer as well and also could not hear! How do they do it? I don't know but I do believe that there is a dancing SOUL within them.
Quite interesting..... :D

Peach, this is a really interesting way of looking at it, and I think that based on this it's safe to say that each person's experience with dancing and salsa are different. This reminds me of an episode of quantum leap (an old favourite program of mine) where one of the central characters was a deaf dancer. There's a really nice monologue she has when Sam asks her if she can hear anything where she explains that she can hear light noise and vague sounds, she can feel the rhythm of the music through the bassline, but that to her that's not her only music. When she sees moonlight dancing on the surface of the water, when the wind blows through the trees, when the autumn leaves chase each other, laughing like children at play. The quote that stands out the most is "When I feel the wind on my face, the wind is my music" - when I first saw this it really moved me (I know it's just a TV show, but there must be people out there for which this is real life) - that someone can take something that most people would consider a disability and find something positive out of it, allowing them to experience something that people without that disability can't or don't appreciate.

Back to the point, salsa and dance in general is a very personal experience - some people view it like a sport, others as a passion - for some it's all about the music, for others it's about connecting with another person, for others its about expressing themselves in a different way - for some people it's all of these things.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that salsa is and will always be whatever it is to the individual - they bring what they want to it and take what they want from it and make the experience whatever they want or need it to be - that's the beauty of it. I very much doubt that any two people feel exactly the same way about it - and how boring it would be if they did! - the mixture of people and attitudes and experiences is what makes it such a great environment. I say salsa is whatever I want it to be and should be for everyone - and if it isn't, then it's down to you to make the experience whatever you want it to be. When you feel it on the inside none of the rest of it matters.

JMHO

Claire xx

[lolita]

to me, when am dancing , i dont really listen to the music, i simply translate it into every movement and step i do , its all about HOW U WANNA FEEL THE MUSIC , u listen , translate, and dance!!

[salsachinita]

.......BUT what if I couldn't hear? :shock:

This reminds me of the actress who is deaf. Malee Matlin I think....?

She was that beauty in "Children of the lesser God"....and also that "Dancing Bandit" in Picket Fences.........

If I remembered correctly, she (or the chracter she plays) explained about the whole deaf/dancing somewhere............

She is one of those :notworthy: people in my book.

[Jones, Nikka]

...I've seen a lot of great articles and threads about dancing to the music and being inspired by the music. And that is all well and good! But does that work for everyone? And is that the only way to really dance from the soul? In a word, NO!

If salsa was only about the music than why even dance with a partner?

If salsa were only about the music than a night of solo shines would suffice, wouldn’t it?

What of the dancers, even those inspired by the music, who seem almost oblivious to their partners? What of the dancers who—as much as they may be jamming to the music—seem to regard their partners as nothing more than mere dance apparatuses?

Sure I love good music. Sure I have my musical preferences. Sure there are those particular songs which just elevate my soul and my dancing…but none of these, on their own, is enough.

Music may set the stage, yet it does not dictate the connection…that can only come from really dancing with your partner. And having a good connection—physical and psychological—is when salsa can truly become a transcendent experience.

All of your energy, interest, and attention are on your partner. Every movement, shift, and intention is felt, responded to, and reciprocated. Eyes spark. Smiles flash. Hair flips. Legs, arms, and bodies undulate in synchronicity. Indeed, when that connection is there, sometimes you don’t even hear the music anymore.

And what of those moments when there isn’t even music? What of an impromptu dance in a hallway? Or on the beach? Without music to dance to, aren’t you really now dancing to each other? What about a dance on the practice floor, where the only sounds are the creaks of the floor indicating perfect synchronicity? So maybe, just maybe, it’s not all about the music after all…

Beautiful post SD! And you are right. It is not just about the music. In fact it is not about any one thing. It is about that moment in life.

I have been dancing Salsa for less than two years, but I have been doing some kind of dance or other since I can remember. Sometimes with the same partners, sometimes to the same songs, sometimes at the same places and you know what?

Not once have I danced the same dance!

[Karlosism]

I happen to have three deaf siblings...and I'm teaching my little sister how to dance salsa...Although they might not be able to "hear" the sounds, words..they can "feel" the vibration, the beat, the rhythem..the atmosphere!...Infact, her counting is very precise...because she has no obstructions and can focus 100% on it....but most importantly she has fun...point being: all who love to dance are simply realeasing an energy within that really has no origin...whether you do it to music or to silence..its the same...it just feels good... :-)

[peachexploration]

Bump. Thought this would be interesting to bring up again.

[tj]

Hmm, even with musicality being such a topic of discussion recently, I don't think any of us are thinking that musicality >> dancing *with* your partner. It's mostly "the next step" if one is tired/bored of being a pattern monkey.

Then again, it's often the case that people with a complete lack of any timing whatsoever like to use this phrase as an excuse for lack of connection with the "trained dancer" crowd. :roll:

[SnowDancer]

I've always liked partner dancing, ever since I took a ballroom class in college. But the music wasn't exactly exciting, and this is probably why social dancing wasn't particularly mainstream. When we went on a field trip to a ballroom in Hollywood, the floor was a sea of silver-hair. :shock:

What really got me addicted to salsa was a combination of the syncopated basic step (with the pauses), which for some reason, I find extremely sexy; and there's the music itself, which I'd never heard before, and which I listen to almost all the time now.

[EMOYENO]

Bump. Thought this would be interesting to bring up again.
bump!!!

[timberamayor]

Salsa is a Ménage à trois: music, me and my partner. It is something you can do without a partner but not nearly as satisfying.

[Salsa Student]

Salsa is a Ménage à trois: music, me and my partner. It is something you can do without a partner but not nearly as satisfying.

I've heard it called The Trinity: Your partner, the music and you (in that order).

[EMOYENO]

I've heard it called The Trinity: Your partner, the music and you (in that order). I've heard it too!!

[timberamayor]

well I guess my orientation is less towards seeing it as something holy as towards something carnal :)

[SalsaVino]

I love to dance with a partner but the freedom of dancing without a partner is also nice.

When I go dancing, it's about Life and Music...and sometimes a glass of wine.

[bailar y tocar]

All of your energy, interest, and attention are on your partner. Every movement, shift, and intention is felt, responded to, and reciprocated. Eyes spark. Smiles flash. Hair flips. Legs, arms, and bodies undulate in synchronicity. Indeed, when that connection is there, sometimes you don’t even hear the music anymore.


Yes. But all of that only happens when the music inspires US (US=the dance partners). So we're not consciously listening to it, trying to anticipate something or anything from it, our movements are in that moment just like the music is in that moment.
>snap<
Then the song is over, your dance partner smiles and says thank you and its on to next.

[timberamayor]

Yes. But all of that only happens when the music inspires US (US=the dance partners). So we're not consciously listening to it, trying to anticipate something or anything from it, our movements are in that moment just like the music is in that moment.
>snap<
Then the song is over, your dance partner smiles and says thank you and its on to next.

+1

There is never a time when I don't hear the music anymore.