Learning with classes vs. on the ground (in a Latin country)

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DJ Yuca said:
The above may be true re. Mexico and Lima, but you're way off re. Cali:

the Cali venues/events that play just salsa or salsa mixed with timba are full of untrained dancers.

yes the city has numerous dance academies that teach salsa, but 'normal people' i.e. those who've never had dance classes are well aware of them, partly because they are very common, and also because their focus is preparing for competitions which are watched by many non-dancers (live or on TV).

99.9% of those dance academies teach the local style, so salsa stars from Europe are of no relevance to them and do not get booked to do workshops.
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I haven't been to Cali but you will be right. Salsa Calena as a swing based dance is very different from other salsa styles. Therefore, Calenos maybe less interested in international dancers and, on other hand, professional dancers like Juan Camilo Diago move to other places to get further inspiration. A former teacher of mine, working for Conjunto Nacional and Rumba All-Stars went to Cali recently not only for shows but also to give classes. I have been dancing in Barranquilla for example and the dance schools there focus on enabling locals to dance at parties.
 
Yes there is a small Cuban dance scene in Cali, so I'm sure any visiting experts would have a small but interested audience. (There's also a small linear salsa scene there, although their version of linear salsa is very flamboyant/theatrical for my tastes.)

I've not been to Barranquilla but I'm interested in it. How was it?
 
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I like the people and you won't have to face tourist scam and prostitution like in Cartagena. But the city is not a tourist spot and during the week there is not so much going on. The Salsa scene seems to be quite small. Yes, you have the people dancing "Colombian syle" but the scene of people really interested seems rather small and the level low. The Champeta scene seems still growing thanks to input from Dancehall and Hip Hop dancers. When people say they like Salsa, they may mean JoeSon or even Champeta/Soukous rather than NY Salsa.
 
Humpa said:
I like the people and you won't have to face tourist scam and prostitution like in Cartagena. But the city is not a tourist spot and during the week there is not so much going on. The Salsa scene seems to be quite small. Yes, you have the people dancing "Colombian syle" but the scene of people really interested seems rather small and the level low.
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Probably true of most of the country outside Valle de Cauca. Medellín and/or Bogotá are probably different though.
 
Medellin seems to have a growing Cuban scene and in Cali it maybe also growing thanks to musicians like Tirso Duarte and Mayito Rivera and maybe even as a side effect of Salsa Choke.
 
Certain timba/Cuban tracks/artists are v popular in Cali. But people dancing casino? Very few, and those are probably almost all foreigners. Although I think there is 1 dance academy in Cali that specialises in Cuban dance.

I never heard much salsa choke when I was in Cali, and I don't see how such music would inspire a Cuban scene.
 
Medellín is full of foreigners so very probably the best part of the country for both Cuban dance and linear salsa.
 
DJ Yuca said:
Certain timba/Cuban tracks/artists are v popular in Cali. But people dancing casino? Very few, and those are probably almost all foreigners. Although I think there is 1 dance academy in Cali that specialises in Cuban dance.

I never heard much salsa choke when I was in Cali, and I don't see how such music would inspire a Cuban scene.
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Actually there are two LOL. But correct most of the timberos there just like the music. Also correct about casino in Medellin attracting gringos. They even had a mini-congresso there pre-Covid.
 
I saw one school in the centre and one in Envigado. I saw the Agua Festival in 2019 as a friend from Baranquilla went there and a Cuban dancer I know. Isn't it worth for dancing if you like Cuban?
I follow Tirso Duarte but I don't know if I would really enjoy his concerts in Cali as people seem to kill them with Timbales.
 
Humpa said:
I follow Tirso Duarte but I don't know if I would really enjoy his concerts in Cali as people seem to kill them with Timbales.
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TD is washed up. Probably drugs judging by a "show" he did in Cali last year around August or so. The show was a bit like karaoke. Him singing to his songs on a backing track, no orchestra. It was a bit sad. A far cry from seeing him and Michel Maza in a joint appearance in Casa de la Musica Miramar Habana in 2006.
 
Humpa said:
I saw one school in the centre and one in Envigado. I saw the Agua Festival in 2019 as a friend from Baranquilla went there and a Cuban dancer I know. Isn't it worth for dancing if you like Cuban?
I follow Tirso Duarte but I don't know if I would really enjoy his concerts in Cali as people seem to kill them with Timbales.
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They kill a lot of concerts in Cali with cowbell...anyway yeah I think it was Agua Fest. Mostly gringos went. The cuban dance scenes in Cali & Medellin seem to be very "niche". Not many locals jumping on the bandwagon.
 
Humpa said:
I saw one school in the centre and one in Envigado. I saw the Agua Festival in 2019 as a friend from Baranquilla went there and a Cuban dancer I know. Isn't it worth for dancing if you like Cuban?
I follow Tirso Duarte but I don't know if I would really enjoy his concerts in Cali as people seem to kill them with Timbales.
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I think you mean cowbells. The only time I've seen people bringing timbales to an event I think they were paid to do so.
 
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