Your Love Affair With Salsa
- Thread starter groovetpt
- Start date
EMOYENO
Son
This is so true. I realized that too a year ago. I cannot live without Salsa, while I may change location, jobs, make new friends, see new places, I cannot live without Salsa. It is in my veins.
Hm, I just remembered this thread, because a buddy of mine asked me yesterday about how I go into salsa. So, why not write the short version of it down for your as well? Here we go:
My first contact with dancing was when I went to a normal dance school in younger years and learned all the ballroom dances, ie. waltz, quickstep, rumba, jive, etc. Although I was ambitious enough at that time to work my ways to the insigna ranks of the german dance teacher assoication (ADTV), I never followed up on it due to having neither a partner nor the time.
So, fast foward to my time at the university, when I got interested in taking up some of the offered sports program. I then found a weekend workshop about salsa and decided to give it a try as I enjoyed dancing before. While I didn't really manage to learn to dance at the weekend, I certainly liked the music and bought myself the music cd that was played during the weekend, which was Gloria Estefan - Mi Tierra. While I hadn't really learned to dance or love the music, I was definitely interested in learning more and followed up with two more classes with one of our two local instructors. But it wasn't until I had taken that second class, that I started with social dancing.
About a year later after I had taken that weekend workshop, I went to my first congress as I wanted to see what it's all about and partly let myself get convinced by the organizer. Although I didn't dance at the weekend (except for the workshops) because I was overwhelmed by the level of all the people, I definitely enjoyed the atmosphere. So I think a a month or two later, I took part in another congress, where I learned about on2 and definitely found it interesting. A few month later, I took part in another two congress, where I even took part in some on2 workshops (and managed to hold my own). This finally got me hooked on the dancing and if not earlier, this was for sure the time, where I started to buy more salsa music and listen to it at home as well. I don't think it took me then more then a few month to finally be in love with salsa music as well as dancing, although I still had a long way to go especially with learning on2 being in an on1-city. But that's a totally different story that belongs somewhere else.
Nowadays I can't imagine a day where I'm not listening to salsa and enjoying it in all it's different gernes (ie. a bit of timba, some romanatica, a lot of dura, etc.) and can't imagine giving up my love for salsa anymore.
My first contact with dancing was when I went to a normal dance school in younger years and learned all the ballroom dances, ie. waltz, quickstep, rumba, jive, etc. Although I was ambitious enough at that time to work my ways to the insigna ranks of the german dance teacher assoication (ADTV), I never followed up on it due to having neither a partner nor the time.
So, fast foward to my time at the university, when I got interested in taking up some of the offered sports program. I then found a weekend workshop about salsa and decided to give it a try as I enjoyed dancing before. While I didn't really manage to learn to dance at the weekend, I certainly liked the music and bought myself the music cd that was played during the weekend, which was Gloria Estefan - Mi Tierra. While I hadn't really learned to dance or love the music, I was definitely interested in learning more and followed up with two more classes with one of our two local instructors. But it wasn't until I had taken that second class, that I started with social dancing.
About a year later after I had taken that weekend workshop, I went to my first congress as I wanted to see what it's all about and partly let myself get convinced by the organizer. Although I didn't dance at the weekend (except for the workshops) because I was overwhelmed by the level of all the people, I definitely enjoyed the atmosphere. So I think a a month or two later, I took part in another congress, where I learned about on2 and definitely found it interesting. A few month later, I took part in another two congress, where I even took part in some on2 workshops (and managed to hold my own). This finally got me hooked on the dancing and if not earlier, this was for sure the time, where I started to buy more salsa music and listen to it at home as well. I don't think it took me then more then a few month to finally be in love with salsa music as well as dancing, although I still had a long way to go especially with learning on2 being in an on1-city. But that's a totally different story that belongs somewhere else.
Nowadays I can't imagine a day where I'm not listening to salsa and enjoying it in all it's different gernes (ie. a bit of timba, some romanatica, a lot of dura, etc.) and can't imagine giving up my love for salsa anymore.
bailar y tocar
Son Montuno
Great stories everyone.
I have the short story, the long story and the story that has not been told (lived) yet.
The short story.
June 15 1999, House of Blues, Chicago. I had played a round of golf in the suburbs in the company golf league, hopped in the shower at the golf club, changed, headed the 40+ miles south to downtown Chicago, danced to the opening band, a local Cuban band and then it happened. Los Van Van came on. About 1/2 way through their show I was danced out. I danced all I had and LVV had more.
Fast forward to ~2003. Carlos Manuel was on US tour before he 'left' Cuba for good. The venue was Hothouse Chicago which has since closed. I wasn't a fan of his music but he brought two guys with him to perform with him on stage. 'Thats what I am talking about, I need some of that'.
Continue to 2004. I stumbled through Afro-Cuban classes to no avail. The salsa instructors teaching them were more into gymnastics than rhythm and movement. I had moved to the Minneapolis metro. A friend had organized (what turned out to be illegal) afterparties at a dance studio starting at 2:30am and going to 6am. At one of these parties she invited Rene Thompson to perform (as I found out later he had danced with Yoruba Andabo and trained with Conjunto Folkloric Nacional). He did a Columbia. Wow, right here in town. I got on it. Organized group classes that he taught to get the afro-cuban movement with all of the rhythms. That went off and on through 2006. Along the way I did 3 trips to Cuba in 2005 to 2008 and more or less (actually less than more) got to catch some of the bands I had wanted to see live.
Along the way in 2007. I went to the Afro-cuban festival in Boulder CO that Neri Torres organized when she was studying there. I took every workshop and danced every song. I was blown away, that same feeling I had had in 1999, but in a good way. There was more dance and more music but I was getting it, I was in it.
The long story
The most important concert in my life was Vocal Sampling performing in a car dealership in Hanover Germany in April 2005. They had cleared the cars and put out chairs and there was a dance floor on the side. I had arranged to meet a friend who was from Hanover and whom I had met while attending Calle Ocho in Miami 5 years earlier. We danced on the small dance floor on the side. I was visiting Germany at the time for what was a sad trip and a huge loss in the family. This concert made all the difference in the moment. To this day salsa, timba, the music , the dance, the community is what I have to keep that balance. Its always there. It will always be there. The rest of the story hasn't been lived yet but salsa will be in it.
I have the short story, the long story and the story that has not been told (lived) yet.
The short story.
June 15 1999, House of Blues, Chicago. I had played a round of golf in the suburbs in the company golf league, hopped in the shower at the golf club, changed, headed the 40+ miles south to downtown Chicago, danced to the opening band, a local Cuban band and then it happened. Los Van Van came on. About 1/2 way through their show I was danced out. I danced all I had and LVV had more.
Fast forward to ~2003. Carlos Manuel was on US tour before he 'left' Cuba for good. The venue was Hothouse Chicago which has since closed. I wasn't a fan of his music but he brought two guys with him to perform with him on stage. 'Thats what I am talking about, I need some of that'.
Continue to 2004. I stumbled through Afro-Cuban classes to no avail. The salsa instructors teaching them were more into gymnastics than rhythm and movement. I had moved to the Minneapolis metro. A friend had organized (what turned out to be illegal) afterparties at a dance studio starting at 2:30am and going to 6am. At one of these parties she invited Rene Thompson to perform (as I found out later he had danced with Yoruba Andabo and trained with Conjunto Folkloric Nacional). He did a Columbia. Wow, right here in town. I got on it. Organized group classes that he taught to get the afro-cuban movement with all of the rhythms. That went off and on through 2006. Along the way I did 3 trips to Cuba in 2005 to 2008 and more or less (actually less than more) got to catch some of the bands I had wanted to see live.
Along the way in 2007. I went to the Afro-cuban festival in Boulder CO that Neri Torres organized when she was studying there. I took every workshop and danced every song. I was blown away, that same feeling I had had in 1999, but in a good way. There was more dance and more music but I was getting it, I was in it.
The long story
The most important concert in my life was Vocal Sampling performing in a car dealership in Hanover Germany in April 2005. They had cleared the cars and put out chairs and there was a dance floor on the side. I had arranged to meet a friend who was from Hanover and whom I had met while attending Calle Ocho in Miami 5 years earlier. We danced on the small dance floor on the side. I was visiting Germany at the time for what was a sad trip and a huge loss in the family. This concert made all the difference in the moment. To this day salsa, timba, the music , the dance, the community is what I have to keep that balance. Its always there. It will always be there. The rest of the story hasn't been lived yet but salsa will be in it.
Absolutely! I talked yesterday during our salsa party with a friend, who recently moved here to study, about this and she told me, that she really enjoys the music, although when it comes to dancing she's a total beginner. (But as friend, I'll be helping her with that one). And also when I talked with another lady about where she's been the last two weeks, she told me how much she likes the music and how it can make you feel like being on a holiday.
And thanks bailar for your story, different but intersting nonetheless.
Salsa Bear
Son
I was watching an Andean music band at a local street fair, when I heard another intoxicating sound floating in the air. I traced the sound to the building right behind the Andean band. It was a Brazilian music band, Sambatuque, and I fell in love with their music.
The very next weekend I saw my first salsa dance at another civic event. The live band included a couple members of Sambatuque.
It looked l like so much fun, I jumped in head first. It actually turned into a bad experience, but I'd still like to learn Latin dance if I ever move to a place with a real salsa scene.
In the meantime, I'm hopelessly addicted to the music, not just the musical notes but the lyrics and deeper meanings. I'm researching Maria Lionza right now.
The very next weekend I saw my first salsa dance at another civic event. The live band included a couple members of Sambatuque.
It looked l like so much fun, I jumped in head first. It actually turned into a bad experience, but I'd still like to learn Latin dance if I ever move to a place with a real salsa scene.
In the meantime, I'm hopelessly addicted to the music, not just the musical notes but the lyrics and deeper meanings. I'm researching Maria Lionza right now.
timberamayor
Son Montuno
I was watching an Andean music band at a local street fair, when I heard another intoxicating sound floating in the air. I traced the sound to the building right behind the Andean band. It was a Brazilian music band, Sambatuque, and I fell in love with their music.
The very next weekend I saw my first salsa dance at another civic event. The live band included a couple members of Sambatuque.
It looked l like so much fun, I jumped in head first. It actually turned into a bad experience, but I'd still like to learn Latin dance if I ever move to a place with a real salsa scene.
In the meantime, I'm hopelessly addicted to the music, not just the musical notes but the lyrics and deeper meanings. I'm researching Maria Lionza right now.
Wow, so there are no good salsa dance teachers in Seattle?
Salsa Bear
Son
That's a long story, and I hardly know where to begin; I'm still figuring it out myself. One local instructor told me the local salsa scene is a soap opera, and I couldn't agree more.
I just recently discovered the term "Seattle freeze." Type it into Google for some insight into the local "scene." On top of that, there's a little politics and maybe a few other things. Either I'm jinxed, or Seattle just isn't my cup of tea.
I've heard some similar complaints from a few other people, though not enough to really get a broad consensus. I just felt completely burned by the Seattle salsa scene. However, there are other people who have a very different experience, and I'm aware of a few who have become awesome dancers, so there must be some good teachers - unless they fly to LA for private lessons every weekend.
The funny thing is, my appreciation of Latin music has actually continued to escalate. I can't wait until the holiday season is over, and I'll have more time to research la musica.
sagitta
Changui
A classic CD. I play Ayer and Montuno from that CD sometimes in class, and when I DJ.