Has your local salsa scene contracted over the last few years?

It would be super awesome in our scene if all the dance schools worked together and promoted socials other than their own and have the dance school teachers show up!!, Is that asking too much? It would be a win win situation for everyone, more experienced dancers would come out, I hazard a guess that the music will improve, best Dj's are attracted to successful events...The biggest complaint I hear from the experienced follows about some of the events is that there aren't enough experienced leads showing up, the music doesn't inspire them and a myriad of other reasons. Also I think we have way to many options for a relatively small market, that now has to compete with **ZOMBA and **CHATA. for the same dancers!!!
 
MAMBO_CEC said:
It would be super awesome in our scene if all the dance schools worked together and promoted socials other than their own and have the dance school teachers show up!!, Is that asking too much? It would be a win win situation for everyone, more experienced dancers would come out, I hazard a guess that the music will improve, best Dj's are attracted to successful events...The biggest complaint I hear from the experienced follows about some of the events is that there aren't enough experienced leads showing up, the music doesn't inspire them and a myriad of other reasons. Also I think we have way to many options for a relatively small market, that now has to compete with **ZOMBA and **CHATA. for the same dancers!!!
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Keep your eyes open for a new website in the next few weeks.
 
MAMBO_CEC said:
It would be super awesome in our scene if all the dance schools worked together and promoted socials other than their own and have the dance school teachers show up!!, Is that asking too much? It would be a win win situation for everyone, more experienced dancers would come out, I hazard a guess that the music will improve, best Dj's are attracted to successful events...
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Many of the most popular salsa instructors don't even like salsa music much, so I can't see them attending anything that doesn't have large quantities of k****** etc.
 
Our problem in our salsa scene is that we have too many venues and yet few dancers. You would really have to work hard and messaged everyone to come in a specific venue. Otherwise, the dancers are spread out to different venues. Plus, we are follower heavy, so it is a bit discouraging for followers to go out and yet with that, we still have more followers than leads every outing. Lol
 
cecil grace said:
Our problem in our salsa scene is that we have too many venues and yet few dancers. You would really have to work hard and messaged everyone to come in a specific venue. Otherwise, the dancers are spread out to different venues. Plus, we are follower heavy, so it is a bit discouraging for followers to go out and yet with that, we still have more followers than leads every outing. Lol
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This sounds like a mix of Vancouver BC and Seattle, where most people think Vancouver is follower heavy, Seattle would be too many venues yet few dancers. Hey Salsa Student finally another follower heavy location!!!! I feel a roadtrip coming on!!!
 
MAMBO_CEC said:
This sounds like a mix of Vancouver BC and Seattle, where most people think Vancouver is follower heavy, Seattle would be too many venues yet few dancers. Hey Salsa Student finally another follower heavy location!!!! I feel a roadtrip coming on!!!
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It'd be interesting to have a map of the world color-keyed to the lead:follow ratio for vacation planning. Maybe it could be part of hipmunk's "agony index".:cool:
 
MAMBO_CEC said:
It would be super awesome in our scene if all the dance schools worked together and promoted socials other than their own and have the dance school teachers show up!!, Is that asking too much? It would be a win win situation for everyone, more experienced dancers would come out, I hazard a guess that the music will improve, best Dj's are attracted to successful events...The biggest complaint I hear from the experienced follows about some of the events is that there aren't enough experienced leads showing up, the music doesn't inspire them and a myriad of other reasons. Also I think we have way to many options for a relatively small market, that now has to compete with **ZOMBA and **CHATA. for the same dancers!!!
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Our problem is we can't retain the advance dancers. Right now, we have more advance followers than advance leads. Then eventually it will reverse, more advance leads and less advance followers because they just gave up :-(
 
cecil grace said:
Our problem is we can't retain the advance dancers. Right now, we have more advance followers than advance leads. Then eventually it will reverse, more advance leads and less advance followers because they just gave up :-(
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Hi Cecil, (you finally made it on sf! welcome) as you know people in our scene here are very picky.

Some don't want Cuban salsa bands, others don't want PR/Colombian bands, and some don't want bands at all.

Then there are those who only want to dance in the city and the others who don't want to deal with parking and prefer the suburban venues.

With so many special requests and wants is it any wonder that the small crowd of hardcore dancers splits 3-4 ways on weekend nights.

Btw, you didn't make it to Santorini on Sunday. Mgt announced that they are cutting the band night to once / month. DJ night is continuing on the other Sunday nights (DJ is Momchil). Bad news for Gloria Rivera, Viviana Pintado and Shai Hayo. Live salsa is their livelihood and main source of income. The others in the band are music instructors by day.
 
Why would Santorini do that? I asked around, I heard it was a great night. We did not make it because we did a ND turn around last Saturday. Too exhausted to go out Sunday :-(

I did a survey a few months back. The main ingredient is having their friends around and space. Sad to say without space, it is hard to get dancers to go :-(

I was hoping SF have some answers for me on how to grow our Minneapolis salsa scene :-)
 
toan-hoang said:
I am just curious, has anyone on this forum actually tried to grow the scene that they are in or do something to stop the scene from shrinking? If so what did you do? Are there any tips that you can share?
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I've been doing my part by talent scouting! introducing new follows into the scene...

cecil grace said:
Our problem is we can't retain the advance dancers. Right now, we have more advance followers than advance leads. Then eventually it will reverse, more advance leads and less advance followers because they just gave up :-(
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wait wait cecil you're in MN right? we need a salsa exchange program...CHI is lead heavy. I have thoroughly enjoyed my dances with ladies from MN- Juliet, Fatima...
 
cecil grace said:
Our problem is we can't retain the advance dancers. Right now, we have more advance followers than advance leads. Then eventually it will reverse, more advance leads and less advance followers because they just gave up :-(
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Hi Cecil, this is Antonio. Do some explore other dances? When I lived there, there were several advanced dancers that did WCS. My impression is that kizomba has made it to MN. Has it affected attendance to pure Salsa/Latin events?
 
MAMBO_CEC said:
It would be super awesome in our scene if all the dance schools worked together and promoted socials other than their own and have the dance school teachers show up!!, Is that asking too much?
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I don't know much about local salsa politics. I have always been removed from the local salsa scene and everything that goes in it. But I do see at socials and clubs events all other salsa events getting promoted. It is common to see local teachers out social dancing too.

I guess we are lucky!
 
GroovyMambo said:
Hi Cecil, this is Antonio. Do some explore other dances? When I lived there, there were several advanced dancers that did WCS. My impression is that kizomba has made it to MN. Has it affected attendance to pure Salsa/Latin events?
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Kizomba is still very new in MN. Keri played a few songs during Club Salsero because we were having a Kizomba workshop last weekend. I think it will be awhile.

ON2 is finally catching on :-). But we need more leads who can dance ON2 to practice with.
 
GroovyMambo said:
Hi Cecil, this is Antonio. Do some explore other dances? When I lived there, there were several advanced dancers that did WCS. My impression is that kizomba has made it to MN. Has it affected attendance to pure Salsa/Latin events?
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I'm in Seattle!!! nice to have another Cecil on SF!!!! **zomba in MN....Jesus wept!!! But on the other hand On2 is catching on there.....hmmmmm NY ON2?pwr 2,west coast On2 or just On2 On2?
 
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MAMBO_CEC said:
I'm in Seattle!!! nice to have another Cecil on SF!!!! **zomba in MN....Jesus wept!!! But on the other hand On2 is catching on there.....hmmmmm NY ON2?pwr 2,west coast On2 or just On2 On2?
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I know, i know but I guess we all love to dance and are open to any style of dancing as long as the music can move us :-) What I meant by ON2 is New York style salsa. Most of our followers will follow cumbia, cuban, LA style and NY style salsa :-) Also, some of our dancers do WCS, Tango and Blues Dancing, but not many.
 
cecil grace said:
I know, i know but I guess we all love to dance and are open to any style of dancing as long as the music can move us :) What I meant by ON2 is New York style salsa. Most of our followers will follow cumbia, cuban, LA style and NY style salsa :) Also, some of our dancers do WCS, Tango and Blues Dancing, but not many.
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I was just being facetious, to me On2 is On2, but I know a lot of people are picky about what exact style of On2 they dance, anyway I am really chuffed that On2 is taking off in MN, actually we stole one of your On2 leads GroovyMambo, now he's keeping in On2 follows happy in Seattle!!!You should come visit us sometime!!!
 
MAMBO_CEC said:
I was just being facetious, to me On2 is On2, but I know a lot of people are picky about what exact style of On2 they dance, anyway I am really chuffed that On2 is taking off in MN, actually we stole one of your On2 leads GroovyMambo, now he's keeping in On2 follows happy in Seattle!!!You should come visit us sometime!!!
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You mean there are different styles of ON2? On no!!! LOL. I know a lot of followers felt bad GroovyMambo traded us for Seattle, lol
 
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