I have recently been charged with organizing dance hosts for the USA Dance Los Angeles Chapter dances. Here is what I wrote in a recent newsletter to potential dance hosts:
I have recently been charged with organizing dance hosts for the USA Dance Los Angeles Chapter dances. Here is what I wrote in a recent newsletter to potential dance hosts:
Someone on YouTube asked if I had a degree in dance. I wrote this as a response, but YouTube only allows 500 characters in comments, so I decided to paste my response here.
Question: You broke it down nicely! What's your background? Do you have a degree in dance? Again, very well done!
In the introduction to the Pointsietta Bolero/Rumba Choreography, the question was asked about the techique that should be used for the "cuban motion". I hesitated to answer that for a couple of reasons:
Originally posted in rec.arts.dance:
After having read some of the latest new topics, I sort of didn't want to post this because it just seems like piling on. Running something as big and diverse as the US Swing Open has to be a difficult job spread across a lot of talented and dedicated folks. You're going to forget some things, overlook others, and probably irritate a large number of people. So, I'm writing this as something to put on the list to think about for next year's Open.
I'll admit that I am not as big a fan of this show as I was a couple years ago. I basically Tivo the program and fast forward to the good dances. I could care less about the back stories.
Chester, Fumi, Roz, Nora and myself are performing tonigh at the AfricaDance Opening Ceremonies [10] . Roz, Nora and I are dancing a routine to Fumi's "Aids Song" (http://www.myspace.com/fumistrums2 [11] )
Every Sunday they have Salsa on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica: http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3285 [14]
Occassionally on Sundays, they also have Argentine Tango there: http://www.centralavedance.com/node/2990 [15]
Check this out...it is taken from a link advertising an upcoming Salsa Congress in Africa!
"Organising a Salsa Congress is never easy, but organising one in Africa is always going to present some unique opportunities to combine salsa and tourism. It is also going to present some unique salsa backdrops. Nigeria is most likely the birthplace of the clave and is the home of the Yoruba people. Nigeria is also the place from where the Ifa religion (Orishas) originates."
Darnell, of all people, sent this to me. Very interesting article from the Latin American Folk Institute about the history of Tango and Milonga -- and the influence of African slaves on both.
http://www.lafi.org/magazine/articles/tango.html
This is in response to Darnell's blog: "Paradise Found [24]".
I saw this on YouTube. Fantastic! It's why I love the dance and the music so much. Just had to share!
Below is the e-mail I just received from Tony El Pana about his Friday nights @ Ariake. The reason I'm blogging this is because cliquishness is, I think, an important issue. The fact is that no matter how good a Salsa dancer you are, there are Salsa clubs you can go to where people will shun you simply because they've never seen you or you don't *look* like a good dancer.
Using Salsa to feel good about yourself. That's a novel concept. Good thing this guy isn't in L.A. Actually, I've found dance to be very good for a lot of psychological inhibitions, shyness being the biggest (for me). I wouldn't say that Salsa is an activity that makes me feel good about myself. In my case, dancing in general makes me feel good period. The key is not to get caught up in the rudeness, egos and general lack of etiquette we have discussed here... Always remember that dancing, any dancing, is supposed to be fun.
In Darnell's recent Blog, there was worry about the "de-Africanization" of dance. But, below we see a clear "de-Europeanization" of dance. You think Stravinsy and Nijinsky are rolling over in their graves about now? Is this a good or bad thing? Is this progress or the further rape of culture? You decide. Salsa spices up Stravinsky ballet score - Boston Herald [36] - [Salsa News Feed (Google) [37]]
Links:
[1] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3965
[2] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[3] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3943
[4] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[5] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3906
[6] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3410
[7] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[8] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3298
[9] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[10] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3297
[11] http://www.myspace.com/fumistrums2
[12] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3296
[13] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[14] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3285
[15] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/2990
[16] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3284
[17] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/285
[18] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/3190
[19] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[20] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/1667
[21] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[22] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/1655
[23] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[24] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/1366
[25] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/1372
[26] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/810
[27] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[28] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/795
[29] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[30] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/436
[31] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[32] http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23365701-details/Ballroom dancing offers fitness gains/article.do
[33] http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=salsa dance&ie=ISO-8859-1
[34] http://www.centralavedance.com/node/230
[35] http://www.centralavedance.com/taxonomy/term/284
[36] http://theedge.bostonherald.com/artsNews/view.bg?articleid=146899
[37] http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=salsa dance&ie=ISO-8859-1
[38] http://www.centralavedance.com/blog/1%3Fpage%3D1
[39] http://www.centralavedance.com/blog/1%3Fpage%3D1
[40] http://www.centralavedance.com/blog/1%3Fpage%3D1