I had the most beautiful experience a few days ago I just have to share with you all:
Last weekend I attended the Warzaw congress. The party nights were a glorious mess of highs and lows; I met a bunch of really gentle, nice and talented ladies which gave me many awsome dances (to a lot of good music), plus rides back to my hotel. Thanks ladies!
At the other end of the scale there were a lot of spilled drinks on the dance floor (most I've ever seen), people stepping, elbowing and even slapping each other in the face(!) without apologizing, and of course the usual dose of pointless, childish jokes/pranks by the host and some performers. Lastly there was the usual clique of noisy, attention seeking salsa elite which, however talented they may be, after a while becomes somewhat tiresome to be around.
This was the setting, quite rough around the edges, along with the usual exhibitionist/childish/tiresome attitude from the stage and some places of the dance floor.
Sunday evening was no different. After listening to the host and his crew going on in the above spirit and "experiencing" the salsa elite clique, I looked around the packed club for somewhere to sit down for a while. I noticed a partly hidden stair behind the DJ booth. Up the stairs there was a small area with a couple of sofas, some of which were occupied by what seemed to be some locals. I sat down for a song or two, just watching the dance floor from above and the locals chatting. Then, an awsome on2 mambo came on, and two of the locals stood up and begun to dance in the minimal space between the sofas. And I was completely mesmerized by their dance! The sublime fluidity of their movements, their timing, their accentuations and footwork in awsome harmony with the music, the delicate and perfectly balanced patterns. The sheer brilliance of their technique. It was all so beatuiful I almost started to cry!
There they were, totally unpretentious, no fancy clothes, no fancy haircut, no swollen egos, in a back room, dancing for the love of the dance and the music, just blowing everything else from that weekend (and more) out of the water! Including all shows and the salsa "elite". I had not even seen them before, not that night or any other night! Despite their exquisite dancing skills, they apparently stayed clear of the salsa elite battlegrounds, to focus on what matters. After the song finished I immediately stepped up to them and thanked them for the experience. They seemed a bit unprepared for my praises, looked like they were thinking: "hell, we were just dancing as usual"
Events like this makes me so happy and hopeful. It just stands above all things negative in salsa and shows the beatuty of the essence of the dance and music, and the love for the core of what we do!
Thanks locals, whoever you were!
Last weekend I attended the Warzaw congress. The party nights were a glorious mess of highs and lows; I met a bunch of really gentle, nice and talented ladies which gave me many awsome dances (to a lot of good music), plus rides back to my hotel. Thanks ladies!
At the other end of the scale there were a lot of spilled drinks on the dance floor (most I've ever seen), people stepping, elbowing and even slapping each other in the face(!) without apologizing, and of course the usual dose of pointless, childish jokes/pranks by the host and some performers. Lastly there was the usual clique of noisy, attention seeking salsa elite which, however talented they may be, after a while becomes somewhat tiresome to be around.This was the setting, quite rough around the edges, along with the usual exhibitionist/childish/tiresome attitude from the stage and some places of the dance floor.
Sunday evening was no different. After listening to the host and his crew going on in the above spirit and "experiencing" the salsa elite clique, I looked around the packed club for somewhere to sit down for a while. I noticed a partly hidden stair behind the DJ booth. Up the stairs there was a small area with a couple of sofas, some of which were occupied by what seemed to be some locals. I sat down for a song or two, just watching the dance floor from above and the locals chatting. Then, an awsome on2 mambo came on, and two of the locals stood up and begun to dance in the minimal space between the sofas. And I was completely mesmerized by their dance! The sublime fluidity of their movements, their timing, their accentuations and footwork in awsome harmony with the music, the delicate and perfectly balanced patterns. The sheer brilliance of their technique. It was all so beatuiful I almost started to cry!
There they were, totally unpretentious, no fancy clothes, no fancy haircut, no swollen egos, in a back room, dancing for the love of the dance and the music, just blowing everything else from that weekend (and more) out of the water! Including all shows and the salsa "elite". I had not even seen them before, not that night or any other night! Despite their exquisite dancing skills, they apparently stayed clear of the salsa elite battlegrounds, to focus on what matters. After the song finished I immediately stepped up to them and thanked them for the experience. They seemed a bit unprepared for my praises, looked like they were thinking: "hell, we were just dancing as usual"
Events like this makes me so happy and hopeful. It just stands above all things negative in salsa and shows the beatuty of the essence of the dance and music, and the love for the core of what we do!
Thanks locals, whoever you were!
Thanks for sharing. I love how you set the scene then hit us with an unexpected turn. I thought you were going to say that a beautiful salsera came up to you and gave you the dance of your life. Great idea for a thread too by the way...it's a little different from the 'buzzing from last night' thread but could be just as inspiring to read. 
What next? WWF cage Salsa 
