Recap on salsa violence

This post seemed necessary after last nights party. If you remember, a few months ago I wrote about a campaign called “Stop salsa violence”, which was started by Tajana from Croatian Salsoteca. We were happy to hear we even got some support over the world.
Now back to yesterday… I swear I got stepped on, bumped, hit, smashed, splashed at least 15 times. And I’m not talking about innocent little bumps that get forgotten after a sincere ‘I’m sorry’… I’m talking about those sharp, pointed heels that almost come through your foot or they peel the skin of your ankle. Ouch yes! It was painful and to top it, I got walked over by men as well (not that that is something new ). There are many reasons why I stopped wearing heels at parties: first cause I want to dance comfortable, cause I feel more stable with whole feet on the ground and because it’s environmental friendly! Like I already suggested ladies - if you do wear heels, don’t step on whole foot, when stepping back! As for guys - don’t just impress your partner and the audience by performing all salsa moves you know, impress them with the feel and care for your partner. So, watch where you’re leading her and stay aware of your surroundings. I know the dancefloor gets too tight often, so adjust to that. Make everything small… Less is more! (eh, starting to repeat myself…)
But it felt good to let it out
I think,.. if I was to organise a salsa party… dresscode would be: HEELLESS!

Bachata… the feeling, sensuality, movimiento

It takes a while for people to get the real meaning of bachata. People form Europe that is, not people from latin countries or Asia etc. Europe still has a lot of traditional, conservative values which often lead us into wrong perceptions. I guess we resemble the strict Germans (pronounced with a Z ) more than temperament and sensual latinos. Such a shame.. But seriously, meeting new people opens up so many horizons, one of them certainly being the perception of music and dance. It’s actually a cultural thing. When I first saw bachata I was literary scared. I saw it as an excuse for guys to squeeze girls close to themselves and god knows what else.. Unfortunately I still think some of them have that hidden interest. But luckily more and more people are really starting to feel bachata, feel Her rhythm and flow. Cause surely, bachata songs are one of the best out there. There’s not much you can dance to it, but you can very well interpret it. It’s all about the feeling. In Slovenia we teach bachata in almost open position, holding hands like small kids, do a turn or two, while real bachata is danced in tight-closed position, using only pelvis. Yeah, when you let go of shyness and relax, you can really enjoy it. The music itself is strong and emotional, so just let it lead you Thanks to everybody that showed me the real meaning of bachata - it’s a priceless knowledge. However, unfortunately I do still think one cannot dance bachata with just anybody. Sorry!

Here’s one of my currently favorite bachata songs. I recommend to close your eyes and enjoy it.. it’s reeaaalyyy beautiful: Domenic Marte - Ven tu

About sore muscles

One of the effects of an absolutely fabulous past weekend are unfortunately sore muscles. But not all of them! Just my left quadriceps. Thanks to Jazzy (although I loved the class) I look like Herr Flick, dragging my left leg behind for the whole week. Ok, he did warn us the leg might hurt … but C’mon! This much?! And the worst thing is, I couldn’t let my leg rest, because I had aerobic classes, where I had to do a lot of squads. :( So I had to warm up heavily before the start of the class. I managed through classes somehow, but today I noticed my right leg started to sore. Why? Well I guess I must have put more pressure on right leg to avoid pain in the left. And this is no easy pain, my leg just drops once in a while. So here’s a tiny little, but crucial advice for all instructors (dance or aerobic) WARM UP your students!! Cause we did absolutely no warm up. Just bang on that left leg,.. 20, 30 or 40 times. No wonder it’s torn apart.

Are you addicted to salsa … too?

“Hello, my name is Irena and I am a salsaholic. My first salsa I had three years ago in a club called Basic.. or maybe it was Stari Glej. There I saw this people moving, spinning, sweating and smiling all the time. I was literary just starring. So I knew I had to try this. I couldn’t resist. And you always find a person who is willing to teach you the first steps and turns. I got hooked. Don’t you dare tell me to stop!”

Did I describe someone else’s story as well? Of course I did. The way I see it, salsa is an addiction - relatively healthy, but still addiction. And there are a few levels of this disease:

Salsa violence?

It sounds so aggressive.. but hey… Have you ever felt like this before:

?
Of course you have … Because your partner just learned a few new tricks and wanted to show all of them. The purpose of this article is to build awareness of all salseros, that dancing salsa is not something you do to show off and that there are other people involved as well.
As a great addition I just chatted with a friend from Croatia, who recently started a campaign called Stop Salsa Violence. It is mainly used to present rules of proper behavior on the dance floor, so we would all avoid those heels that can hurt like hell and those elbows that make us see even the non-existing stars!

So here are a few rules, we should all obey and salsa instructors should teach their students:
1. Ask politely for a dance.
2. Don’t turn down the invitation if somebody asks you politely.
3. If you wear high heels, be aware of them!
4. Don’t step on the heel with back steps!!! NEVER!!!
5. First test how much knowledge does your partner have!
6. If he/she is a beginner - make basic steps and maybe some simple turns.
7. If he/she knows how to dance, lead her (him?) smoothly into the moves - don’t drag her around like a bag of potatoes!
8. Ask what kind of style does your partner dance.
9. Observe and be always aware of your surroundings - try to avoid hitting and being hit.
10. Say thank you when you finish dancing. 

This is written more from a women’s perspective, but some rules relate to both genders. Remember: the coolest dancers are those, who can always adjust to the level of their dancing partner!

5-star chat

Did you ever wonder how guys experience salsa? How they start dancing it? Why they do it? Are they scared with their first steps? Do they ever get jealous? I chatted with 5 guys on how they see and experience salsa. It’s a fun reading, believe me!   
(p.s.: Girls, I can get their phone numbers, if you are interested!!  )

And who are our new born salsa celebrities:
Christiaan Poublon(CP), Belgium: “Salsa is like a huge multicultural happening, where all people are equal”
Danijel Tkalec(DT), Slovenia: “Coming from more manly sports, I still have troubles identifying myself as a dancer”
Jure Žilavec(JŽ), Slovenia: “If you are as hot as I am, women come up to you”
Gregor Srčnik (GS), Slovenia: “The first dance was a shock for me, because I didn’t know how she will react to my knowledge”
Robert Szemezi (RS), Croatia: “I love this big space for creativity, improvisation and interpretation of music” 
 

 How long do you dance salsa?
CP: I started in 1999 so … now is my 8^th year.
DT: If I remember correctly it will be 3 years in a month.
JŽ: Well… that’s not such an easy question … First I tried salsa on just a few classes in year 2002 or 2003 … then I didn’t dance for a year … again went for a few classes… then stopped dancing again… then I went on a party now and than …  and then came Bu-Ba … so I don’t know what number to say really
RS: 7 years.

Exclusive interview with Talal!!!

This may be the last post of this year, so it should be something special. As you can see in the category section, I created a special new one called “Salsa stars”. There you’ll be able to read about our famous instructors and performers. You’ll get to know all their little secrets, from their childhood, how they first started dancing etc. It should be an interesting reading

As a delight for last days of 2007 I had a privilege to interview the funky Moroccan/Belgian instructor Talal Benlahsen. He belongs to those people, with which you never get bored. At about 80% percent of the time you can either laugh with them or at them. As each moment with Talal can be special, so was this interview - we made it via MSN. “It will be fun,” said Talal. And it was. Read about this hyperactive, ambitious and extra-talented salsa instructor, who you’ve already had a chance to meet on this year’s Salsa Adriatica and Salsa Power Festival.

Q: Talal, first let me wish you a very happy birthday, cause I know you’ve recently celebrated another year on this planet. But we’re mostly gonna talk about salsa. Tell us, what’s the main reason you dance salsa or why you started dancing it?
A: The main reason was meeting people in a period of my life when I started a new life. I had no friends, so I had to meet people. This was an easy way to touch them.

Q: What do you mean by new period in your life?
A: That was the first year I arrived to Belgium and Europe in general. I was 19 years old and it was the first time I left my country.

Q: Where you scared?
A: Scared no, insecure yes. I arrived to Belgium in October 1999 and I had to start from nothing. The first year was horrible: I discovered a different country, different people and culture, something I wasn’t used to, but I had to resist and I couldn’t give up. I had to find a job to be able to pay my rent and food.

Q: What was your first plan of what you will do in Belgium? I know it wasn’t salsa …
A: The plan was to study. I went to the university in Brussels to study computer science. After that I went to an engineering high school but I couldn’t afford the expenses so I stopped. I finished studies this year.

Q: Congratulations! What did you finish?
Commerce.

Q: Which will it be in the future: salsa or commerce? Or to put it in more traditional, boring and typical job-seeking sentence: where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: I still don’t know that. Right now, I’m experiencing this big salsa adventure, but I have to make my future a little bit sure and secure … by having diploma for example. I can use that in case I stop dancing.

Q: I know there’s a funny story connected with your first salsa steps. Can you share with us that rude-security-guy story?
A: I discovered salsa with my first job in the restaurant: I was on my way home from work and I passed by a Salsa Club in Brussels, which I didn’t know of course. While I was passing it, the security guard opened the door of the club to let somebody go in or out and I heard the Music. I always liked that music but never knew that the name was Salsa or that people could dance it. I went closer to watch what’s going on, but the security guard stopped me, he started looking at me in a very humiliating way because I had very cheap clothes and my pants were a bit dirty due to my work in the restaurant. I didn’t ask anything I even had no intention to go in, but he told me with an ugly voice: “IT’S NOT POSSIBLE TO GO IN!!” I answered: “I was just watching from outside sir!”
I don’t know why or how the guy told me: “Well!! I’ll let you go in this time, but next time try to put some correct clothes and shoes.” I was so happy, and when I was inside and I saw people dancing I was like: waaaaaaaaaaw!! How beautiful were the people!! And how beautiful they were dancing!! So I stood in my place and watched till the end.

Q: And then followed your first salsa steps?
A: The day after and every weekend, going to a salsa club was my place to be. I had no money to take classes, so I was watching people and I started dancing alone in the beginning. Then I started inviting girls, but I had to go easy … watching, copying and trying to do the same. After 6 weeks I was already making my first normal basic steps and some modest figures. A teacher saw me dancing and invited me to dance in his show group. During 2 years in that group, I improved, and I started performing in many national and international events with that group.

Q: And now you own a school?
A: I had a lot of ambitions, enough to quit my group and to start working on my own. In 2004 I established my own dance company “Salsa Sunrise”. Since then I’ve been working as a professional instructor, performer and choreographer.

Q: What was your dream job, when you were a little boy?
A: First I wanted to be a chief cook like my father, then a pilot, and then engineer.

Q: You were born in Morocco, How do you like it in the north, with bad weather in such a business oriented city?
A: Well in the beginning my dream was to finish my studies and turn back home to build my career over there. Yet year after year, this idea started leaving my mind. I’m so much influenced by the business orientation over here and my place is in Europe right now. I still have a dream to turn back to my country one day, I just can’t say when.

Q: What did you remember most from visiting, teaching and partying in Slovenia?
A: Most of all the hospitality. But the whole weekend was amazing for me. I liked teaching, performing, social dancing, meeting new people … everything.

Q: I noticed all instructors got along very good. How important is that for a salsa festival?
A: Yes we all know each other, because we see each other several times during the year. That way we build friendship you saw and felt on the festival.

Q: We went to Brussels and got a few impressions about salsa there. How would you describe salsa scene in Brussels - the people that dance it, the styles they dance, the parties and events you have there?
A: Well the salsa level started getting better these last days, thanks to all those local teachers and those invited teachers who came to show our dancers, what salsa is actually.

Q: But this wasn’t your first event with foreign teachers?
A: Of course not, it’s the 11th and thanks to my good relation with a lot of people all over Europe, I could bring people from more that 10 European countries to Brussels and that showed to Belgians, how people are dancing salsa abroad.

Q: Which is the hottest place to party in Brussels right now?
A: The Montecristo on Wednesdays and the YOU on Sundays.

Q: Yes, the YOU place. That was something special - salsa party in the afternoon (from 15.00 till 20.00). Were you surprised it got so popular?
A: It’s already popular in the world, like in in the US, a couple of years ago came to Paris and now Brussels.

Q: Do you have any idea why salsa is sooo popular?
A: Believe me, when I say, I don’t know. I always thought it’s going to die one day, like all fashion things do … but it’ s still growing!

Q: Yes… and people who swore they would never dance, now dance it. Maybe guys like the fact they get so many different girls in their arms? Because a loooot of man dance salsa.
A: Not as much as girls … believe me.

Q: Thanks Talal for all your answers. Do you perhaps have any special message for our salseros?
A: I expect Slovenian salsa dancers to surprise me each time I pass by Slovenia - in improving their dancing I mean.

Q: In the name of all Slovenian salseros let me we wish you all the best in the year 2008! Hope to see and surprise you a lot
A: Happy New Year to you too and to all the people I know in Slovenia … and … well, to all the rest that I still don’t know

 

Why attend a salsa festival?

I’m sure every salsa dancer has come upon that question at least once. And after attending one festival, it was much easier to decide and visit another one. I imagine everybody, who doesn’t dance salsa, is asking even bigger WHY, as in why risk your free days for that, when you could be traveling, skiing, sunbathing, maybe sleeping or do some useful stuff around your house (this one is really questionable though …). People often wonder if everything is OK with me, because I go to the seaside and spend most of the time in classrooms and party venues.

Well, let’s see what a typical salsa festival has to offer besides the obvious (learning new dance moves and partying):
- traveling
- meeting new people with same interests
- energy refill (at least for me it does, though some people might take vacation after this vacation )
- adrenalin rush
- lots of memorable moments
- lots of individual experiences
- lately even theme events (ski salsa festival, seaside salsa festival etc.)

My first festival (congress to be precise) was 1st Croatian salsa congress, which was categorized as best salsa experience to that point. I was all over the place - loved the classes, loved the instructors, loved the parties, shows and the seaside area (that means swimming in those short breaks). After that I attended festivals in Prague, Sofia, Brussels … and of course Slovene festivals (yes, although we are small, we have more festivals!!). Each festival was a different experience. Like relationships. That’s a good analogy… I guess man are always a good analogy. The festivals differ in size, quality, performance, instructors, types of classes, party venues, people who attend it, … and nonetheless, costs they bring. Slovenia, in that manner, has quite affordable festivals and all other necessities (accommodation, transport, beer ) and is therefore salseros friendly In the near future (March 2008) we plan to visit Bulgarian salsa festival. First time we went to Sofia was really fun. 6 people drove there with a van and, like true salseros, we danced rueda de casino on each petrol station. We always had a grateful audience. This is a different event, organized by Alex and Flo. We won’t take the van this time, instead we’ll arrange a bus transfer from Ljubljana to Vienna airport, where a low-cost airline company will fly us to Sofia. It should be another affordable trip. If anyone wants to join, just contact us.