If the request is Salsa, I don't mind. But experience tells me that most people requesting songs are asking for the slowest, most sensual, trite toxic waste... or something easy and familiar.
Salsa open diary
- Thread starter MacMoto
- Start date
If the request is Salsa, I don't mind. But experience tells me that most people requesting songs are asking for the slowest, most sensual, trite toxic waste... or something easy and familiar.
It grows on you... like something you can't get rid of that starts as a slight itch, then leaves a rash, followed by what feels like your skin peeling off and something starts eating you from the inside, eventually mutating your entire being into something unrecognizable.
Luckily there are enough girls who dislike BS sensual as well.
Haven't met many of those. If they don't love/like it, then they are simply neutral about it. The rare few who have said they disliked BS would still dance it with the right person. For me, I still think of it as a big fad that just won't go away.
I have met a bunch. They even say it explicitly.
I went to an event yesterday. First few dances were OK, nothing special. But it was salsa dura so I was enjoying it. Then towards the end of the night I think I heard three consecutive BS remixes. For a moment I considered leaving. But then I saw a Cuban girl who I had seen dancing before. First salsa dance was amazing. Then they put on a bachata (dominican) and she told me she doesn't like bachata sensual. I told her me neither, and then we had a very nice dance.
1derpalm
Son Montuno
It's just a quick tour around the inside of the factory.
RogueBlader
Son
I’m an on1 dancer and have been one for several years. I’ve dabbled in on2, but only in classes few and far between – the last class I took for on2 was an online class last year in the advent of the pandemic.
As things opened up here in London, I wanted to see if I could pursue on2 courses on a more regular basis. So I attended the only regular on2 event in London this evening, held every Tuesday, to see what the classes were like and also assess my competency level.
After an initial hour of foundation courses, I was quickly ushered straight into the improver/intermediate level. Here I could manage to get through the class. The moves were not difficult, but I managed to develop a mild headache when maintaining on2 timing for an extended period of time.
When the social started up after the class, I took some time on the sidelines to digest what I learned. A follower I did not know beforehand persuaded me onto the dancefloor, but not before I told her not to expect much, as this was my first on2 dance in a social of any setting.
The strangest thing happened during that dance. Once I clicked with the music on2, I started dancing on muscle memory and pulled in some moves from on1…and seamlessly converted them to on2! I did lose the timing once or twice before getting back to on2 during the song, but that didn’t stop me from stringing quite a few good moves together. I was shocked – so shocked that I had to pause on the sideline to digest what just happened…and then I danced with two other follows just to be sure that it wasn’t just a flash in the pan. I’ve danced with both of these follows several times, but never on2, and they were happy with what I could do during those dances.
I’m still in shock as I write this. I wasn’t expecting this at my first-ever on2 social. Perhaps my on1 knowledge is so ingrained in me that it accelerated my on2 dancing to an improver/intermediate level. There is still a lot of nuance that I have to train my mind to get used to when dancing on2, so tonight has definitely given me some motivation to further develop my on2 skills.
As things opened up here in London, I wanted to see if I could pursue on2 courses on a more regular basis. So I attended the only regular on2 event in London this evening, held every Tuesday, to see what the classes were like and also assess my competency level.
After an initial hour of foundation courses, I was quickly ushered straight into the improver/intermediate level. Here I could manage to get through the class. The moves were not difficult, but I managed to develop a mild headache when maintaining on2 timing for an extended period of time.
When the social started up after the class, I took some time on the sidelines to digest what I learned. A follower I did not know beforehand persuaded me onto the dancefloor, but not before I told her not to expect much, as this was my first on2 dance in a social of any setting.
The strangest thing happened during that dance. Once I clicked with the music on2, I started dancing on muscle memory and pulled in some moves from on1…and seamlessly converted them to on2! I did lose the timing once or twice before getting back to on2 during the song, but that didn’t stop me from stringing quite a few good moves together. I was shocked – so shocked that I had to pause on the sideline to digest what just happened…and then I danced with two other follows just to be sure that it wasn’t just a flash in the pan. I’ve danced with both of these follows several times, but never on2, and they were happy with what I could do during those dances.
I’m still in shock as I write this. I wasn’t expecting this at my first-ever on2 social. Perhaps my on1 knowledge is so ingrained in me that it accelerated my on2 dancing to an improver/intermediate level. There is still a lot of nuance that I have to train my mind to get used to when dancing on2, so tonight has definitely given me some motivation to further develop my on2 skills.
I started my Salsa journey On1 (in NYC mind you) before I found out NY does On2. You will find on an occasion you fall back to On1 here and there however I found On2 (especially using the flow of the Tumbao and melody makes On2 feel much smoother and rhythmic than On1. The moves will be the same as On1; just when you "accent it." Muscle memory is muscle memory. Your body just does the moves to the music you become more naturally gravitated toward.
I'd be curious if that happens to you too. Depends on if you are a hard-core timing Nazi. I dance primarily On2 but will bounce here and there to On1, On6 and On3; usually musicality but fall back to On2.
Only thing I feel everyone here agrees with is to be CLEAR if you are purposely changing timing.
I was thinking about the social I went to this weekend. My partner was so "heavy" and there I realized I don't enjoy dancing with those types of follows at all. I could tell when I leading them to the "floor" they needed quite the lead. I wish I had a better way to "scope out" the followers who had a great responsiveness to connection and I didn't have to work so damn hard.
Psychologically, it has the same effect trying to lead a heavy follower as it is trying to lead a drunk, only without the nonsensical blathering.
In other words, it is the worst.
1derpalm
Son Montuno
On 3 crew in the Hizzouse. Holler.
Went to a "cuban party" the other day (as opposed to the socials that play salsa/bachata). Some thoughts:
I like that they do not play any BS remixes, and nobody danced BS. I like less that they did not play any salsa dura, only Timba, Salsa Romantica, and Bachata. I also had the opportunity to dance with one of the more known "salsa cubana" dancers. Was not as light as most followers I dance with but it was a fun dance.
I like that they do not play any BS remixes, and nobody danced BS. I like less that they did not play any salsa dura, only Timba, Salsa Romantica, and Bachata. I also had the opportunity to dance with one of the more known "salsa cubana" dancers. Was not as light as most followers I dance with but it was a fun dance.
I definitely have a problem.. As I progress in my dance journey, the more energy I am expending just to keep my level of dancing high (more footwork, more hip motion, more shines, increased overall technique requiring higher muscle engagement)... and as a result, I feel like I'm running a gauntlet. I have the cardio to go all night, but my body is screaming at me to take a break. I realize I have to bulletproof my ankles/knees if I want to continue abusing them like this.
Usually people slow down in their dancing as they age, but I'm speeding up.
Usually people slow down in their dancing as they age, but I'm speeding up.
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Sabrosura
Son Montuno
I'm high up in salsa heaven right now 
I was in Paris for a few days and just had two of my best dance nights ever 
Sunday at O'Sullivan and last night at Agua, which just reopened a week ago.
The music was freaking amazing both nights, one great song after another I'd rank both nights as better than any congress night I've been to.
The best part however was that my favorite Paris dancer -- who I met in July at the SalSounds reopening where we promptly developed a mutual dance crush on each other as soon as we danced for the first time -- came to the parties both nights
And we ended up having a ton of dances together at the two parties Especially last night at Agua the majority of my dances were with him, including the whole last hour of the social, we kept dancing one song after another and were the last ones on the dance floor Every time a great song came on -- and there were a ton of them -- we danced it together (and all the cha chas, as we both love cha cha) It's such a great feeling to share such an out-of-this-world dance connection with someone! It was so, so awesome to dance together so much
Our styles are amazingly similar and complementary, and from the first dance we both immediately knew we'd found a salsa soulmate in each other He is smooooooth as butter, really musical and playful, and has a really light and super comfortable lead but not like those 'ghost leads', in him it's combined with an awesome, awesome frame -- so he leads the best 360s ever that feel like pure salsagasms
This is the first time in my life I dance with one person at a salsa party almost the entire night I honestly didn't ever think this kind of dance connection was even possible, I usually get bored even with my favorite partners if we dance more than a few times together on the same night -- whereas I danced with him 30+ dances last night and I still would have kept going
So happy and so grateful that we share such an incredibly amazing dance connection
Feeling so so so SO happy from last night's amazing dance night
I was in Paris for a few days and just had two of my best dance nights ever Sunday at O'Sullivan and last night at Agua, which just reopened a week ago.The music was freaking amazing both nights, one great song after another
I'd rank both nights as better than any congress night I've been to.The best part however was that my favorite Paris dancer -- who I met in July at the SalSounds reopening where we promptly developed a mutual dance crush on each other as soon as we danced for the first time
-- came to the parties both nights And we ended up having a ton of dances together at the two parties
Especially last night at Agua the majority of my dances were with him, including the whole last hour of the social, we kept dancing one song after another and were the last ones on the dance floor Every time a great song came on -- and there were a ton of them -- we danced it together (and all the cha chas, as we both love cha cha) It's such a great feeling to share such an out-of-this-world dance connection with someone! It was so, so awesome to dance together so much Our styles are amazingly similar and complementary, and from the first dance we both immediately knew we'd found a salsa soulmate in each other
He is smooooooth as butter, really musical and playful, and has a really light and super comfortable lead but not like those 'ghost leads', in him it's combined with an awesome, awesome frame -- so he leads the best 360s ever that feel like pure salsagasms This is the first time in my life I dance with one person at a salsa party almost the entire night
I honestly didn't ever think this kind of dance connection was even possible, I usually get bored even with my favorite partners if we dance more than a few times together on the same night -- whereas I danced with him 30+ dances last night and I still would have kept going So happy and so grateful that we share such an incredibly amazing dance connection
Feeling so so so SO happy from last night's amazing dance night
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1derpalm
Son Montuno
I'm high up in salsa heaven right now
The music was freaking amazing both nights, one great song after another
The best part however was that my favorite Paris dancer -- who I met in July at the SalSounds reopening where we promptly developed a mutual dance crush on each other as soon as we danced for the first time
And we ended up having a ton of dances together at the two parties
Our styles are amazingly similar and complementary, and from the first dance we both immediately knew we'd found a salsa soulmate in each other
This is the first time in my life I dance with one person at a salsa party almost the entire night
So happy and so grateful that we share such an incredibly amazing dance connection
Feeling so so so SO happy from last night's amazing dance night
Salsa Loving, Happened so fast
Salsa loving, with Dura from the Past
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