My latest pet peeve - disco lights and fog machines!

J

Jambo

Changui
Well, I've always disliked disco lights at salsa events (they are distracting and make me dizzy) but last weekend was the first time I encountered dry ice at a salsa event :shock:

Struggling for space on the dancefloor, I was dancing right next to the stage, they set off the fog machine and I completely lost my partner :eek:. Granted it would have been rather funny if when the fog cleared he'd run off :lol: but seriously, dry ice at a salsa event? Whatever next? Maybe one of those foam machines? :roll:
 
lol. I quite like lights and smoke from time to time ... but I would hate them as a follower. As a leader, I can choose not to try anything technical when it's flashing and smokey!
 
Oh, I'm completely with you on this one. Fog machines are inane on many levels (and I'm not even figuring those of us who have asthma). Disco balls also make me exteremly dizzy. In fact, the place I'm going to tonight, though full fo great dancers, has several disco balls which ensure complete coverage of the dance floor. So I can't even get away from the spinning spots in my favorite corner. And the only antidote I have found - focusing intensely on my partner's face - is obviously out of the question given the eye contact embargo.
 
Both of these are completely unnecessary. Period. Even if I wasn't a dancer and annoyed by these things, I'd still have to wonder, "Why? Do they really serve a purpose?"
 
Yes, the disco ball makes dancing dangerous. Ever since I got Lasik, low light environments give me some problems and flashing disco lights compound those problems.

This past Sunday evening, I went to a spot where "the pros go" and spotted some world champions, some notables from YouTube, and experienced for the first time what's been mentioned here before: people who brought their own instruments to play along with the DJ. This is my first and only time to experience this and it's already a pet peeve.

What is that instrument that you kind of strum (with what looks like an egg beater) that from a distance looks like a giant cheese grater? Well if you're off time, you screw up the syncopations and my dancing. So leave it at home!
 
acpjr said:
What is that instrument that you kind of strum (with what looks like an egg beater) that from a distance looks like a giant cheese grater? Well if you're off time, you screw up the syncopations and my dancing. So leave it at home!
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lol. I think it's a guira, and it should not be used on salsa, only merengue and bachata. So it wouldn't put me off time :-)
 
there's that guira again...
For the record, I counted the disco balls last night at Glas Kat, and there are a total of 8: a giant one and 7 smaller ones around it. And the place is not big. They do have go-go cages and male revues on friday and saturday nights, so i guess they use the balls for atmosphere on those night, but I don't understand why they have to turn them on on salsa night.
 
One of our Thurs night options had strobe lights. I dont know why the DJ (also the instructor; not a club employee) put them on. As they are coming on, the entire floor is having the same conversation w their partners. It is off putting to say the least.
 
I hate strobe lights :( they had them at the same place as the fog machine and every few seconds I was being blinded by one! Bloody nuisance!!
 
antigone said:
For the record, I counted the disco balls last night at Glas Kat, and there are a total of 8: a giant one and 7 smaller ones around it. And the place is not big. They do have go-go cages and male revues on friday and saturday nights, so i guess they use the balls for atmosphere on those night, but I don't understand why they have to turn them on on salsa night.
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Yet another thing I love about the Green Lantern. The lighting is good enough so you can actually see the dancers.

A floor full of dancers is a beautiful thing. The visual impact is half the fun. I never understood why people have salsa events in the dark.

Btw for some reason I haven't found the Glas Kat disco balls half as annoying as the ones at Agenda. Agenda's only got one ball but I think they spin it triple-time or something. It's completely nauseating.
 
noobster said:
A floor full of dancers is a beautiful thing.
I never understood why people have salsa events in the dark.
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I agree that a floor full of dancers looks good, but people who are new to the scene and lacking in confidence prefer dark. They feel less conspicuous.
 
John S2 said:
I agree that a floor full of dancers looks good, but people who are new to the scene and lacking in confidence prefer dark. They feel less conspicuous.
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OO yes. All promoters take note! You need at least one dark corner where people can dance "furtive style"!
 
noobster said:
A floor full of dancers is a beautiful thing. The visual impact is half the fun. I never understood why people have salsa events in the dark.
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I agree. I feel like I'm the only person who likes dancing with the lights ON. Is there any real purpose behind dancing with little to no lighting?

On the original subject, I was dancing at La Rumba 2 here in Atlanta on Friday night, and I was dancing on the side of the dancefloor near the smoke generator. That blasted thing went off and for about 20 seconds, I couldn't see ANYTHING around me. I was barely able to see my partner. I literally had to stop so for fear that I might accidentally swing my partner into something.
 
antigone said:
And the only antidote I have found - focusing intensely on my partner's face - is obviously out of the question given the eye contact embargo.
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Believe it or not ... I even used the search function for "eye contact embargo".
Huh???

Regarding the topic ... dancers and non-dancers have different needs. Non-dancers mostly enjoy getting a little dizzy to let loose and dance, especially the men.
 
HF said:
Believe it or not ... I even used the search function for "eye contact embargo".
Huh???

Regarding the topic ... dancers and non-dancers have different needs. Non-dancers mostly enjoy getting a little dizzy to let loose and dance, especially the men.
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lol - you should have done a search for eye contact in all of my posts. It's a running joke..well, kind of a joke
 
Smoke machines, flashing lights, lights which whirl and create moving patterns on the wall or floor, strobes and very dark dance-floors - they should all be banned at salsa. They belong in night clubs where everyone has to get drunk to have a good time.

I don't mind an old fashioned mirror ball though - quite like it in fact. I presume the slow speed at which they rotate has been carefully calculated over the decades so that they don't put you off whether you're dancing progressive or stationary dances.
 
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