What keeps it going for you ?

B

bailar y tocar

Son Montuno
I saw older topics here that asked the same question in the negative. I'd like to start this one as a positive question. It came about as I was writing an article for the 2008 Chicago Salsa Congress Program Magazine. The intro: "Most people here have been to salsa clubs and taken dance classes. Some may teach classes or perform in dance teams. Still others have been involved in organizing their own cultural or entertainment events. The common thread is what keeps us going, yet we've seen it all before. The dance scene goes in cycles. Clubs open, then close. Dance studios grow, then decline. We know many people who dropped out, then returned and dropped out again and they say the same things. They started out all excited, went out dancing every night they could, participated in all of the events they could afford and met many new friends. Then things changed. They got bored. They weren't inspired anymore. They felt burned out. They needed a break...." (the rest of the article is about what keeps me going)

Anyone else ?
 
So what does keep you going?

For me it is variety. I either have to dance with new people or have new music or a new venue.

Music is a tough one as it seems few people are willing to play new songs. They tend to play the same songs every night, with maybe 1 new one, if at that. I am very picky and don't like military merengues. I also only like certain bachatas. I enjoy when different songs have different moods and not are all the same type. Also don't like much reggaeton/salsaton. A little with good songs is ok. Cha cha cha (new one and not the same guantanamera...etc repertoire - last time I wnet and yelled at the dj telling him that people were asking me to dance to a song that I loathe as that is the cha cha cha he and everyone else plays everywhere. That he should have the gumption to play some other good songs...)

Ok I know that last paargraph had a negative tone, but if you read it I actually say what I like with the music that keeps me going. ;-)

I like dancing with new people. When I connect with a person to dance each person feels different. Dancing with the same people to the same songs creates the same connection. Boooring! Since music is same usually I need new people.
 
I love salsa because it gives me the chance to interact with people all over the world. I'll never forget dancing in Zurich, Switzerland for example--I didn't speak German, but I could dance, and that was all that mattered!

It's always funny, when I'm hanging out with my salsa friends, to see the puzzled looks on people's faces. They're like..what are all of these black, white, latino (you name it) folks doing hanging out together. In fact, we were asked what group we were from or the reasons we were hanging out! LOL It's all about the dance and the music, baby!
 
The music!
Meeting and dancing with a wide variety of people that I normally would never meet in my nerdy, high-tech world.
Learning new moves in class; learning to refine old moves when social dancing.
Did I mention the music? I love salsa!
 
Also the music! And drinking a good beer with my friends.
The other side is to find the root of the music and dance. I dance know more than 3 years Rumba (its so hard) and sometimes, my body is one with the clave and the congas, the moves are one with the sound. This Moments are amazing.
 
Latinmusik said:
The other side is to find the root of the music and dance. I dance know more than 3 years Rumba (its so hard) and sometimes, my body is one with the clave and the congas, the moves are one with the sound. This Moments are amazing.
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Are you taking those lessons with Esther at salsarica ? If so, tell her Mark says hi. Btw, I am trying to get my brother (who has neven been to anything latin) to go to the Los Van Van concert at Kaufleuten on March 9. The last time I saw LVV perform, I was with Esther and her brother at La Piragua.
 
yes, esther is since 3 year my rumba and mambo teacher. She is great.
I saw LVV last year in Moods and i have also tickets for the 9. March. I was last year with my schwager. It was his first Timba and Salsa concert. After four beers he start dancing..... but it was to much for him.

Alexis, Paco and Esther will make a show at the Cuba Days in Shilcity. I dont have any Details at the moment, i know only that is the 14 March.
 
Discovering a new aspect of dancing usually gets me interested.
Like styling and musicality.

A new song or band or a new girl gets me on the dance floor more than usual.
 
Here is another angle: I've heard people say they joined performance teams to keep it going for them. They practiced a choreography and then the adrenalin rush when they went out on stage was addictive. They couldn't wait for the next opportunity to do it again. Its not my thing but has anyone else -been there -done that ?
 
bailar y tocar said:
Here is another angle: I've heard people say they joined performance teams to keep it going for them. They practiced a choreography and then the adrenalin rush when they went out on stage was addictive. They couldn't wait for the next opportunity to do it again. Its not my thing but has anyone else -been there -done that ?
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I've done performances -- and they can be very fun -- but that's not really the addictive thing for me.

Like several posters have already said, I keep dancing because of the music. Temporary burnout can happen to anybody, but people who truly love the music will always come back. 8)

Some people are in the Salsa scene just because it's "exotic," and/or it seems like the "cool" thing to do, and/or it's a challenge to learn a new dance, and/or they want to use it as a pickup place. It never surprises me when those people come and go.
 
Big10 said:
Some people are in the Salsa scene just because it's "exotic," and/or it seems like the "cool" thing to do, and/or it's a challenge to learn a new dance, and/or they want to use it as a pickup place. It never surprises me when those people come and go.
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Agree with u on that. None of them ever last long.
Good music will defiantly keep a lot of ppl going. Although it can get boring at times. It's "passion" :)
 
fallenangel said:
Big10 said:
Some people are in the Salsa scene just because it's "exotic," and/or it seems like the "cool" thing to do, and/or it's a challenge to learn a new dance, and/or they want to use it as a pickup place. It never surprises me when those people come and go.
Click to expand...

Agree with u on that. None of them ever last long.
Good music will defiantly keep a lot of ppl going. Although it can get boring at times. It's "passion" :)
Click to expand...

hey fallen angel long time no see :lol: its never too boring to dance with you and im glad we are the few ones who lasted long enough despite so many things changed around us :lol:
 
In my case it's *not* the music...

I can listen to as much salsa music as I want at home, courtesy of my DJ hubby (who has almost completely left the dancing scene now), but unlike hubby, I need the dance, not just the music. I've always loved dancing since childhood, and through salsa I discovered the joy of partner dancing. I think it's the sense of connection you get from dancing with a partner I'm addicted to. Salsa has really opened up my world, and so far I haven't felt that I've discovered everything there is to be discovered yet.
 
sac said:
fallenangel said:
Big10 said:
Some people are in the Salsa scene just because it's "exotic," and/or it seems like the "cool" thing to do, and/or it's a challenge to learn a new dance, and/or they want to use it as a pickup place. It never surprises me when those people come and go.
Click to expand...

Agree with u on that. None of them ever last long.
Good music will defiantly keep a lot of ppl going. Although it can get boring at times. It's "passion" :)
Click to expand...

hey fallen angel long time no see :lol: its never too boring to dance with you and im glad we are the few ones who lasted long enough despite so many things changed around us :lol:
Click to expand...

Hey Sac, ya it's been awhile since i log on to this site. I totally forgot about it :P.
Well it's the whole package & personal preference when it comes to dancing. Whatever keeps anyone going.
Sac u know at times we can be sitting the whole night cuz of the lousy music ;P but that has not stop us from going haha! What were we thinking! and still doing that ;)
 
fallenangel said:
sac said:
fallenangel said:
Agree with u on that. None of them ever last long.
Good music will defiantly keep a lot of ppl going. Although it can get boring at times. It's "passion" :)
Click to expand...

hey fallen angel long time no see :lol: its never too boring to dance with you and im glad we are the few ones who lasted long enough despite so many things changed around us :lol:
Click to expand...

Hey Sac, ya it's been awhile since i log on to this site. I totally forgot about it :P.
Well it's the whole package & personal preference when it comes to dancing. Whatever keeps anyone going.
Sac u know at times we can be sitting the whole night cuz of the lousy music ;P but that has not stop us from going haha! What were we thinking! and still doing that ;)
Click to expand...

I guess, as fallenangel said, "it`s 'passion'" (hi, fallenangel and sac - how`ve you been :) ?).

I do agree with bailar y tocar. We see this in the Salsa scene in Kuala Lumpur too. Dancers come, immerse themselves in Salsa intensely, then after a while, they fade away. I suppose this happens in every activity (e.g. sports, etc) and not just Salsa. But then, there is always those of us who stay on (which I`m glad to say, includes us :lol: ).

For me, I guess it`s the infinite variety of Salsa that keeps it fresh for me. The variety of people, music and moves that we experience each time we go out dancing means that every night is different. Even if it`s the same place with the same people and the same DJ and you`re dancing the same moves, each dance is always different, and hence, for me, special :D
 
Hock Siew said:
fallenangel said:
sac said:
fallenangel said:
Agree with u on that. None of them ever last long.
Good music will defiantly keep a lot of ppl going. Although it can get boring at times. It's "passion" :)
Click to expand...

hey fallen angel long time no see :lol: its never too boring to dance with you and im glad we are the few ones who lasted long enough despite so many things changed around us :lol:
Click to expand...

Hey Sac, ya it's been awhile since i log on to this site. I totally forgot about it :P.
Well it's the whole package & personal preference when it comes to dancing. Whatever keeps anyone going.
Sac u know at times we can be sitting the whole night cuz of the lousy music ;P but that has not stop us from going haha! What were we thinking! and still doing that ;)
Click to expand...

I guess, as fallenangel said, "it`s 'passion'" (hi, fallenangel and sac - how`ve you been :) ?).

I do agree with bailar y tocar. We see this in the Salsa scene in Kuala Lumpur too. Dancers come, immerse themselves in Salsa intensely, then after a while, they fade away. I suppose this happens in every activity (e.g. sports, etc) and not just Salsa. But then, there is always those of us who stay on (which I`m glad to say, includes us :lol: ).

For me, I guess it`s the infinite variety of Salsa that keeps it fresh for me. The variety of people, music and moves that we experience each time we go out dancing means that every night is different. Even if it`s the same place with the same people and the same DJ and you`re dancing the same moves, each dance is always different, and hence, for me, special :D
Click to expand...

Hey Hock Siew didn't know u were in this forum.
Agree with u, it's the whole package.
 
devane said:
Discovering a new aspect of dancing usually gets me interested.
Like styling and musicality.

A new song or band or a new girl gets me on the dance floor more than usual.
Click to expand...

Same reasons, (minus the band, since bands are considered the milkman of a world of "DJ's").

Styling and meeting that occasional girl are my top 2.
 
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