It was crowded, people bumping into each other, so not that easily to see what style they danced. But it was apparently much more cuban bumping than linear bumping.
Salsa open diary
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It was crowded, people bumping into each other, so not that easily to see what style they danced. But it was apparently much more cuban bumping than linear bumping.
I was more lucky, I only remember one performing girl who wasn't a good social dancer. But for the rest both assumptions were always true.
Not sure what you meanI wonder in which direction cause and effect is moving
Dance was memorable because you developed crush.
or
You developed crush because of the memorable dance
chicken or egg
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Son Montuno
Last night I got asked for more dances than I asked for dances which was tricky at it was our wedding anniversary 
.
Probable reason: different DJ in the rotation who has a following of cuban salseros and salseras (Note: not "cuban style" dancers - actual Cuban dancers either from Cuba or of Cuban parents). But... for whatever reason, the regular cuban salseros/casineiros did not show. As I was one of the very few casineiros in the house, many casineiras asked me for dances.
.Probable reason: different DJ in the rotation who has a following of cuban salseros and salseras (Note: not "cuban style" dancers - actual Cuban dancers either from Cuba or of Cuban parents). But... for whatever reason, the regular cuban salseros/casineiros did not show. As I was one of the very few casineiros in the house, many casineiras asked me for dances.
Last night I got asked for more dances than I asked for dances which was tricky at it was our wedding anniversary
They decided to rain waters on your anniversary
A local festival a few minutes from where I live. I went for one night last year. Not enough people and quality of dancers in salsa room read low. I am debating whether to go for one night.
There is a long list of bachata instructors, of whom I know only two or three local ones. I didn't know there were so many local bachata instructors. Same with zouk and kizomba. I don't know any of them. I wonder if there are enough people catching zouk and kizomba for so many instructor to survive. My guess is most have a different full time job. Last year at this festival (this is their second), the zoul and kizomba floors barely had more than 15-20 people on Sat night. Salsa was only sightly better.
Jaime_Pipoca
Changui
Dear Diary,
Que pecao, I retired from salsa dancing again. I haven't social danced in two months, heck not even just dancing at home. Earlier, in the late afternoon, I was at a bar trying to get my cheque, and a random dude recognizes me saying he's seen me dance and says I inspire him. I kinda chuckle and tell them I've heard that a lot, all while telling myself, Universe, Ancestors, what are you doing to me...you're trying to bring me back.
Que pecao, I retired from salsa dancing again. I haven't social danced in two months, heck not even just dancing at home. Earlier, in the late afternoon, I was at a bar trying to get my cheque, and a random dude recognizes me saying he's seen me dance and says I inspire him. I kinda chuckle and tell them I've heard that a lot, all while telling myself, Universe, Ancestors, what are you doing to me...you're trying to bring me back.
Who said here DJs from Venezuela are among the best? It's true. I talked with our latino DJ tonight and it turned out he's from Venezuela. I love his songs (sometimes rather demanding, but that's how we grow). He said he grew up with the music in the house of his parents. I mentioned that I loved the Erick Franchesky song he recently played ("Alta Marea"), and it turned out his uncle lived next door to Franchesky and was big friend with him... small world!
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Son Montuno
That was my comment in another thread some weeks or months ago. Just like you I only discovered that an excellent DJ was Venezuelan, then another, then another etc. etc..... and now my expectations are high if I hear that a DJ is Venezuelan.
I know of good Colombian and Puerto Rican DJs also. For Colombians from Cali the surprise factor is absent as I have experienced many in Cali so my expectations have always been high. In the US there are so many Puerto Ricans who DJ salsa that the variation in what the play is very wide.
Needless to say other people will feel very differently if their preference are salsa romantica and commercially successful salsa standards.
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
That must be the one you mentioned recently but wouldn't name in case people dissed it, and I guessed who it might be by. Looks like I guessed correctly. I have a few other tracks by him that I prefer to Alta marea, but that is one of his most popular tracks. He has a hard edge to his smooth sound.
I remember when I first got to Cali in 2018, I went in a pirata and the driver had a screen hooked up, which was showing a performance by Franchesky. A great journey.
There is definitely something happening. The attendance at socials is indeed picking up. There is another one tomorrow. Due to lack of choice my salsa dancing has gone down to few times a month.
Last night I went to a very long running social. It was absolutely buzzing. I will have to go back 11-12 years when it used to be similarly packed. It was one of those rare days when it was not leader heavy. In these parts those come around like once in 5 years
.
I couldn’t get to dance with all the good followers I usually dance with. There were a lot of people to dance with almost till the end at around 2am. Most socials I go to regularly for the past ten years, end before 11pm except this one. There were also a lot of faces that I wasn’t familiar with and had not seen before. A few others too commented on that. Off top of my head I can think of 20-30 regulars who weren’t there. Reminds me that there are a lot of dancers spread around and unlike in the old times there is no one place that is on everyone’s regular go-to-place list. I do not think we have more bachata dancers than salsa dancers. The salsa people are spread out, have too many choices, and don’t go out regularly. Salsa scene should easily be 2x to 3x bigger than bachata scene.
Last night I went to a very long running social. It was absolutely buzzing. I will have to go back 11-12 years when it used to be similarly packed. It was one of those rare days when it was not leader heavy. In these parts those come around like once in 5 years
.I couldn’t get to dance with all the good followers I usually dance with. There were a lot of people to dance with almost till the end at around 2am. Most socials I go to regularly for the past ten years, end before 11pm except this one. There were also a lot of faces that I wasn’t familiar with and had not seen before. A few others too commented on that. Off top of my head I can think of 20-30 regulars who weren’t there. Reminds me that there are a lot of dancers spread around and unlike in the old times there is no one place that is on everyone’s regular go-to-place list. I do not think we have more bachata dancers than salsa dancers. The salsa people are spread out, have too many choices, and don’t go out regularly. Salsa scene should easily be 2x to 3x bigger than bachata scene.
The Sunday social was also packed. It is a bigger space. My estimate is about 150 dancers must have passed through the night. Till a few months back barely 40 to 50 would show up and the floor felt empty. A lot of new faces dancing salsa. Which is good for the scene. New blood coming in.
I think only one romantica was played through the night. Only two cha chas. I need to ask why they aren’t playing more cha chas.
As usual sat out the performance cooling myself. The social ended at midnight instead of 11pm, to make up for 20-25 minutes lost to performances. Later in the night it turned into leader heavy. The floor was crowded till the end and if you wanted to ask anyone, you had to be dancing in the vicinity. Couldn’t dance with a few good followers due to that. There is always a next time!
I think only one romantica was played through the night. Only two cha chas. I need to ask why they aren’t playing more cha chas.
As usual sat out the performance cooling myself. The social ended at midnight instead of 11pm, to make up for 20-25 minutes lost to performances. Later in the night it turned into leader heavy. The floor was crowded till the end and if you wanted to ask anyone, you had to be dancing in the vicinity. Couldn’t dance with a few good followers due to that. There is always a next time!
bailar y tocar
Son Montuno
My wife and I were in NYC this past weekend. I went to the Ruedathon on Saturday but things were tough. An outdoor event in constant rain truly limits what one can do w/o getting soaked to the bone.
I saw a promo for Noche de Colombia at the Salsamania Social in Manhattan (617 W 46th ST), so we went.
It was an odd experience. We figured that since they had scheduled multiple salsa caleña dance performances, there would also be a few salsa caleña dancers in the house (and there were a few).
But here comes the odd part:
The DJ/organizer/promoter is calling it Noche de Colombia and bringing in dance performances of salsa caleña dancers but the playlist includes Latin Brothers, Joe Arroyo, Grupo Niche and Guayacan and also a few cumbias. Yup you read that correctly. Cumbias.
I don't mind hearing Latin Brothers, Joe Arroyo etc. at a dance event. They have good songs. However they would not be played much at a typical pura salsa event in Cali. Salseros in Cali and elsewhere in Colombia prefer salsa dura from Puerto Rico/ NY from the 70s. Some venues like Mulato Cabaret and Las Brisas might play tunes from an earlier period.
So it seems to me that the Salsamania DJ's idea of "Noche de Colombia" is to play tunes from Colombian artists rather than tunes that Colombian dancers prefer. To me that feels odd.
I saw a promo for Noche de Colombia at the Salsamania Social in Manhattan (617 W 46th ST), so we went.
It was an odd experience. We figured that since they had scheduled multiple salsa caleña dance performances, there would also be a few salsa caleña dancers in the house (and there were a few).
But here comes the odd part:
The DJ/organizer/promoter is calling it Noche de Colombia and bringing in dance performances of salsa caleña dancers but the playlist includes Latin Brothers, Joe Arroyo, Grupo Niche and Guayacan and also a few cumbias. Yup you read that correctly. Cumbias.
I don't mind hearing Latin Brothers, Joe Arroyo etc. at a dance event. They have good songs. However they would not be played much at a typical pura salsa event in Cali. Salseros in Cali and elsewhere in Colombia prefer salsa dura from Puerto Rico/ NY from the 70s. Some venues like Mulato Cabaret and Las Brisas might play tunes from an earlier period.
So it seems to me that the Salsamania DJ's idea of "Noche de Colombia" is to play tunes from Colombian artists rather than tunes that Colombian dancers prefer. To me that feels odd.
I've never been to Colombia, but in a "Noche de Colombia" I would expect music from there. The DJs choice makes sense to me. Otherwise in a "german food night" you would get served pizza and kebab, which is what people like the most in Germany. I thought Grupo Niche to be very successful there? Not so much for the dancers?
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Son Montuno
In Colombia just like everywhere else there is a difference in what the hardcore salseros like vs what is popular music preference. For non-salsero latinos in the US, Marc Anthony, Victor Manuelle etc are hugely popular. Their concerts in huge arenas still sell out at prices above $200 per seat.
In Cali the concerts that would sell out with hardcore salseros in attendance would be Ruben Blades, Willy Colon, Bobby Valentin and others. A popular music concert would feature Grupo Niche as one of the acts as well as Gran Combo or Gilberto Santa Rosa. There is another crowd that likes salsa/timba popular that would sell out Los Van Van and Havana d'Primera.
My point is that if I were to present a Noche de Colombia and wanted to give the NYC Salsamania Social attendees the feel of what it is like to go to a Salsateca/ Viejoteca/ Discoteca de pura salsa in Cali Colombia, I would not play the salsa tunes that would be featured in a popular concert but rather the tunes that would be featured in those hardcore salsa dura events.
Btw, in Cali the hardcore salseros are not necessarily dancers. Salseros in Cali can mean several things. Some are collectors, some know every word of every song, some know many versions of the same song and by which artist and some are dancers.
I need to add that the rest of the playlist at the Salsamania social was not stellar. I have no idea if that is normal there or if the DJ just decided to play more of the commercially popular tunes.
My standard of comparison are the salsa socials in south Florida where the DJs do play hardcore salsa dura most of the time.
Hm, question is: do the DJs play what the dancers like or what they like? Or do the dancers just like what the DJs play? I wonder if you can really know that. Maybe in Cali if you really have many choices to go you can get to know this better, because people have different choices where to go.
I suppose here around people don't care so much what type of salsa is played, they dance anyway. There are places where everybody dances cuban and others where everybody dances linear, which makes the base of decision where people go, but I never heard "I prefer other type of salsa than they play there".
I'm lucky that our latino DJs play good salsa, but if they would play worse music I'm not sure many people would care much. Actually I don't know, except with the DJs I hardly ever speak about salsa music with the dancers, I don't know what the others like. They come to dance and meet their friends, and then they dance, and I don't know if they really like the music or if they care at all. Some say "I don't like bachata" but regarding salsa I don't know if they care much what type of salsa is played.