Broke as a joke, I am sitting at home and desperately trying to remember what it was exactly that I used to fill my time with before I started dancing Salsa. I am also really feeling it for all the injured out there who can't go out. My phone is silent, but I don't blame my friends. It's labor day tomorrow, and they are all at See Sound Lounge having a marvelous time without the hindering burden of having to wake up early on Monday morning. So, here is a list of the things that I've came up with so far:
1. Attend a friend's wedding where no Salsa dancers are present. It will snap you back into reality and make you realize that there is other life out there. The experience will feel alien and uncomfortable, but it will shape you into a better, more understanding, more open-minded person.
2. Watch TV. (TV is that black box in your living room that has lots of dust on it. You can stick a silver disk into another box under your TV and it will play a movie!)
3. Speaking of dust... consider cleaning. It may not be as entertaining as dancing, but you will find that your cave is actually a house!
4. Reconnect with anyone left in your life who doesn't dance Salsa and is still willing to talk to you after you've ditched them for years.
5. Light the candles. Pour the wine. Take a bubble bath.
6. Take a walk. Rollerblade. Do yoga. Perform some other exercise that you used to do before you started dancing that is free or doesn't require you to move the part of the body that's injured.
7. Read.
8. Write.
9. Sing.
10. Pray
11. Play an instrument.
12. Cook. Then eat. Repeat as needed. (Warning: Since you can't dance right now, the amount of food you intake may change the shape of your body in an undesirable way. Use this alternative sparingly.)
13. Sleep. You have probably forgotten what this is. It's a magnificent experience that will turn you into a different person!
14. Remember you used to have a hobby? See if it's still a hobby.
15. Check your e-mail. Actually respond to people.
16. Listen to music. Look for music. Download music. Install i-tunes on your new (two year old) laptop.
17. Think. Right now is a good time in particular to think of how to make money or come up with ways to stay away from situations that lead to injuries.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Promoters on Facebook -- Helpful Suggestions
If you are a dance company, a teacher, a writer, a venue, a performance team, an event, or anything else that might need to get announced and promoted, you might benefit from the following suggestions on Facebook etiquette. This is yet another post that was prompted by others talking to me. These are, as always, only suggestions. But if you don’t want the entire world to de-friend you due to high annoyance, I’d keep the suggestions in mind…
DO:
Set up a fan page, group, or a separate page.
Send requests and invites to people. ONCE.
Ask one or two of your CLOSEST friends to suggest your page to their friends.
Suggest the page to your own friends. ONCE.
Set up events and invite people to them.
Promote events on whatever is being promoted wall, as well as your own.
Promote the event on the walls of people directly involved in it, such as, but not limited to, birthday individuals, performers, DJ’s.
ASK one or two of your closest friends if you can promote events on their wall. Unless you are 100% assured of their affiliation to whatever you are promoting (I would NEVER assume affiliation if I were you…)
Include as much information as you can in your posts/events.
Keep sending invites/requests/suggestions to people who have declined. (Although from a promoters’ point of view: sometimes that's impossible to track.)
Promote events on the walls of individuals just because they have a lot of friends who will see.
Send event reminders in personal messages. This is common practice these days, but it really needs to stop! Shocking information: nobody looks at those messages anyways. And they make it really difficult to fish out important ones from REAL friends.
Set up events for things that are not events. “My dog died.” Is NOT an event. Unless you are planning an elaborate funeral.
Set up events that last from May of last year until September of 2059. If you’re too lazy to post events weekly, you’re more than welcome to hire someone to do it for you (how about me? ;). Otherwise you shouldn’t have a Facebook in general. More shocking information: because they’re always in the way of seeing what’s REALLY up tonight, the “ongoing” events usually get erased.
Post fliers up as pictures and tag people in them. Unless people are REALLY in them. But even then, fliers are NOT pictures, and often legs get chopped, faces elongates, etc… something people are not too excited for the world to see.
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Significance of the Last Song
In the world of Seattle Salsa (and I bet everywhere else as well, but I wouldn’t know…), no five minutes can reveal more information than “the last song of the night.” This is when affiliations are established, loyalties confirmed, and relationships broken or mended. By carefully observing what goes on during the last song (which nobody ever does because they’re too preoccupied with the logistics of their own last song…) a person can find out who the hot shots’ latest dance partner is, who the hottie in the corner is currently seeing, and whether a relationship is doomed or can be salvaged.
The last song is like an end of a long game of chess, the very end, the one after the game actually ended and all the pieces are put back in order on the board to wait for the next game to begin. All night the pieces are scattered on the dance floor – light mixed with dark, pawns mixed with knights, rooks alongside kings and queens. But at the end, order prevails, and the kings end up with their queens on “their” side of the ballroom. It doesn’t matter if they came together or separately. It doesn’t matter if they will leave together. Immediately after the last dance a new game begins, and all the pieces scatter again.
Intuitively, leads grab the person they are most loyal to (for the moment) for the last song. It’s no wonder – after all, the last song is the impression of the night that you’ll go home with. For this very reason, follows (unless they are in a really “I don’t give a rat’s ass” mood) are more likely to refuse someone they don’t absolutely love to dance with or someone they don’t know during the last song than during any other one. Some of them would rather sit out than risk the last dance of the night being a bad one. But the loyalties are crystal clear – within moments after the announcement those who are paired up in any way (dance partners, dating, in love, smitten by each others’ skills, best friends) will be locked in each others’ gazes. Those left wandering or sitting for a little longer are probably unattached.
Let’s observe an evolution of a relationship from the perspective of a last dance. The very first last song lets you know that they really DO like you as much as they say. When the person becomes “automatic,” the loyalty is locked in – it won’t even cross anyone else’s mind to ask him/her to dance the last song. No matter how mad at each other the couple is, if they are still dancing the last song, everything will be ok, and they both know it. Trouble starts when in a fit of jealousy or revenge one person disrespects that loyalty. It causes some subconscious psychological split (that I can’t explain), and pretty much sets the partners up for failure. When a couple stands on opposite sides of the ballroom and doesn’t dance with anyone or each other, you can tell the love is gone, and a break-up is not long in coming – it’s only a formality at this point, and both of them have enough patience to wait it out. After all, they will soon be free to declare loyalty to whoever else they wish to. When you see them dancing with other people, you can be certain that they are now officially not together anymore.
There’s a lot more that can be revealed by the last song, but this post is getting too long. You get the point though. Last song = loyalty. At least for a moment, before the next game scatters all the chess pieces again.
The last song is like an end of a long game of chess, the very end, the one after the game actually ended and all the pieces are put back in order on the board to wait for the next game to begin. All night the pieces are scattered on the dance floor – light mixed with dark, pawns mixed with knights, rooks alongside kings and queens. But at the end, order prevails, and the kings end up with their queens on “their” side of the ballroom. It doesn’t matter if they came together or separately. It doesn’t matter if they will leave together. Immediately after the last dance a new game begins, and all the pieces scatter again.
Intuitively, leads grab the person they are most loyal to (for the moment) for the last song. It’s no wonder – after all, the last song is the impression of the night that you’ll go home with. For this very reason, follows (unless they are in a really “I don’t give a rat’s ass” mood) are more likely to refuse someone they don’t absolutely love to dance with or someone they don’t know during the last song than during any other one. Some of them would rather sit out than risk the last dance of the night being a bad one. But the loyalties are crystal clear – within moments after the announcement those who are paired up in any way (dance partners, dating, in love, smitten by each others’ skills, best friends) will be locked in each others’ gazes. Those left wandering or sitting for a little longer are probably unattached.
Let’s observe an evolution of a relationship from the perspective of a last dance. The very first last song lets you know that they really DO like you as much as they say. When the person becomes “automatic,” the loyalty is locked in – it won’t even cross anyone else’s mind to ask him/her to dance the last song. No matter how mad at each other the couple is, if they are still dancing the last song, everything will be ok, and they both know it. Trouble starts when in a fit of jealousy or revenge one person disrespects that loyalty. It causes some subconscious psychological split (that I can’t explain), and pretty much sets the partners up for failure. When a couple stands on opposite sides of the ballroom and doesn’t dance with anyone or each other, you can tell the love is gone, and a break-up is not long in coming – it’s only a formality at this point, and both of them have enough patience to wait it out. After all, they will soon be free to declare loyalty to whoever else they wish to. When you see them dancing with other people, you can be certain that they are now officially not together anymore.
There’s a lot more that can be revealed by the last song, but this post is getting too long. You get the point though. Last song = loyalty. At least for a moment, before the next game scatters all the chess pieces again.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Beginner Turned Amazing
I have written many times about being humble and dancing with beginners because at one point we were all there and someone danced with us. I’ve heard people add to that a threat that one day they’ll become amazing and won’t want to dance with YOU. Well, my Good Samaritan efforts that flowed out of those admonitions paid off in full yesterday when I finally had my first “beginner turned amazing” moment on the dance floor. What was funny about it is that I swear the guy planned it for months! But memorable it was nevertheless.
I met the gentleman when he was first starting off – maybe a couple weeks into his lessons. For the next month or so we’ve crossed paths at various practices and events and I made it a point to say yes to at least one dance a night with him. Luckily he wasn’t completely devoid of an ability to pick up on social cues and rarely ever asked for a second one. Barely anyone else who was remotely good ever danced with him (suckeeeers! You’re gonna miss out now!) After the first month we haven’t seen much of each other. Or maybe he just didn’t want to intrude and never asked again. Until yesterday.
Baldly approaching me at the spot where I stationed myself for the night, he proceeded with a “Hi. I haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been? Would you like to dance?” The smirk on his face just screamed “planned” to me, but of course I accepted, although it took a few moments to place the familiar face since I haven’t seen him for about five months. Once placed, I expected the old version of robotic moves and steps anywhere but on beat. But much to my surprise (and his satisfaction about my surprised expression) I found myself dancing with a solid lead who was on time, possessed a wide variety of moves in his arsenal, and was very comfortable to dance with!
Since I’ve only been dancing for a little over a year, this has never happened to me before. But now that it has, I’ll just have to reiterate over and over again. Dance with the beginners! Because one day they will turn into an amazing dancer and will want to dance with you because you were nice enough to dance with them when they were first starting off.
I met the gentleman when he was first starting off – maybe a couple weeks into his lessons. For the next month or so we’ve crossed paths at various practices and events and I made it a point to say yes to at least one dance a night with him. Luckily he wasn’t completely devoid of an ability to pick up on social cues and rarely ever asked for a second one. Barely anyone else who was remotely good ever danced with him (suckeeeers! You’re gonna miss out now!) After the first month we haven’t seen much of each other. Or maybe he just didn’t want to intrude and never asked again. Until yesterday.
Baldly approaching me at the spot where I stationed myself for the night, he proceeded with a “Hi. I haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been? Would you like to dance?” The smirk on his face just screamed “planned” to me, but of course I accepted, although it took a few moments to place the familiar face since I haven’t seen him for about five months. Once placed, I expected the old version of robotic moves and steps anywhere but on beat. But much to my surprise (and his satisfaction about my surprised expression) I found myself dancing with a solid lead who was on time, possessed a wide variety of moves in his arsenal, and was very comfortable to dance with!
Since I’ve only been dancing for a little over a year, this has never happened to me before. But now that it has, I’ll just have to reiterate over and over again. Dance with the beginners! Because one day they will turn into an amazing dancer and will want to dance with you because you were nice enough to dance with them when they were first starting off.
Friday, June 4, 2010
You've Been Dancing Salsa in Seattle for a While if...
1.“Century” in your mind is not associated with Century Square. CB doesn’t stand for “Call Back.”
2. You know that 13 Coins serves French Toast at 4:00a.m., even though it’s not on their menu.
3. Only a little while ago you couldn’t tell Spanish apart from any other foreign language. Now you’re fluent.
4. You eat breakfast on Saturdays at 3:00p.m. at the Cuban stand on Aurora and 90th and know every person that stops by to get theirs at the same time.
5. You know the significance of Jims.
6. You “regretfully decline” an invitation to your long-time friend’s wedding because it happens to fall on a Saturday of your birthday. You just spent your monthly salary on a perfect birthday dance dress.
7. You think nothing of it when the guy you were just sweetly talking to suddenly bolts in the opposite direction after a hot blond while screaming “Becka, Becka, Becka!”
8. You got to know a lot of your friends through someone named Anna.
9. You can tell which studio a person takes lessons from by dancing with them for only a couple minutes.
10. When they spin like a tornado you know exactly which team they’ve danced for.
11. Your “secret” getaway on a Tuesday is Waid’s for Blues Dancing.
12. One Friday while trying to “get away from the Salsa scene” you went out to a hip hop club and bumped into all your best friends from Salsa who had the same idea and all came there separately.
13. You constantly run out of Amante’s Pizza coupons, no matter how many they send you or how many you steal from your neighbors mailboxes.
14. You are likely to bump into a lot of familiar faces wherever you decide to eat at 2:00a.m. Fri-Sun.
15. You don’t start getting ready for a venue that starts at 8:00p.m.until 10:30.
16. “Beautiful Feet” is not a movie about penguins. Most likely you’ve been invited to church at least by one of the people from this dancer prayer group.
17. In real life you are either a consultant or an engineer.
18. You’ve been to or have been invited to an SSS Mixer. You know that SSS does not stand for “Seattle Secret Service.”
19. Memorial Day Weekend is one huge scheduling conflict.
20. You know that “Camp Gregory” does not involve tents.
21. You know which two DJ’s used to be married.
22. You know which DJ’s ARE married.
23. You know which DJ is trying to get married.
24. “Salsa around the world” is not just a random phrase for you.
25. Neither is “Are you kidding me?”
26. Halo is not a ring around the head of an angel.
27. You don’t think “El General” is a title for a military man.
28. “Let’s go grab some Dicks” is not a dirty innuendo (but rather a place to eat after Wednesday nights at Babalu).
29. “Milan” is not a city in Italy. “Israel” is not a country in the Middle East. “Asia” is not a continent. “September” is not a month.
30. When figuring out what day it is today you automatically associate it with where the Salsa is that night.
31. Abbreviations SSS, BF, CB, BBL, SSL, CH, DW, and BDS mean something to you.
32. In the summer you drive around town always on the lookout for recycle bins with huge cardboard boxes. And not because you don’t have anywhere to live.
33. Even though Friday is technically the day with the most venues available for dancing, in your mind it’s still a “Salsa off night” because there isn't just one "venue-to-be-at."
34. There’s on One. There’s on Two. And There’s on “Chow.” And they’re all equally good.
35. You know about the secret parking spot by Century Ballroom.
36. You know who writes this blog ;)
2. You know that 13 Coins serves French Toast at 4:00a.m., even though it’s not on their menu.
3. Only a little while ago you couldn’t tell Spanish apart from any other foreign language. Now you’re fluent.
4. You eat breakfast on Saturdays at 3:00p.m. at the Cuban stand on Aurora and 90th and know every person that stops by to get theirs at the same time.
5. You know the significance of Jims.
6. You “regretfully decline” an invitation to your long-time friend’s wedding because it happens to fall on a Saturday of your birthday. You just spent your monthly salary on a perfect birthday dance dress.
7. You think nothing of it when the guy you were just sweetly talking to suddenly bolts in the opposite direction after a hot blond while screaming “Becka, Becka, Becka!”
8. You got to know a lot of your friends through someone named Anna.
9. You can tell which studio a person takes lessons from by dancing with them for only a couple minutes.
10. When they spin like a tornado you know exactly which team they’ve danced for.
11. Your “secret” getaway on a Tuesday is Waid’s for Blues Dancing.
12. One Friday while trying to “get away from the Salsa scene” you went out to a hip hop club and bumped into all your best friends from Salsa who had the same idea and all came there separately.
13. You constantly run out of Amante’s Pizza coupons, no matter how many they send you or how many you steal from your neighbors mailboxes.
14. You are likely to bump into a lot of familiar faces wherever you decide to eat at 2:00a.m. Fri-Sun.
15. You don’t start getting ready for a venue that starts at 8:00p.m.until 10:30.
16. “Beautiful Feet” is not a movie about penguins. Most likely you’ve been invited to church at least by one of the people from this dancer prayer group.
17. In real life you are either a consultant or an engineer.
18. You’ve been to or have been invited to an SSS Mixer. You know that SSS does not stand for “Seattle Secret Service.”
19. Memorial Day Weekend is one huge scheduling conflict.
20. You know that “Camp Gregory” does not involve tents.
21. You know which two DJ’s used to be married.
22. You know which DJ’s ARE married.
23. You know which DJ is trying to get married.
24. “Salsa around the world” is not just a random phrase for you.
25. Neither is “Are you kidding me?”
26. Halo is not a ring around the head of an angel.
27. You don’t think “El General” is a title for a military man.
28. “Let’s go grab some Dicks” is not a dirty innuendo (but rather a place to eat after Wednesday nights at Babalu).
29. “Milan” is not a city in Italy. “Israel” is not a country in the Middle East. “Asia” is not a continent. “September” is not a month.
30. When figuring out what day it is today you automatically associate it with where the Salsa is that night.
31. Abbreviations SSS, BF, CB, BBL, SSL, CH, DW, and BDS mean something to you.
32. In the summer you drive around town always on the lookout for recycle bins with huge cardboard boxes. And not because you don’t have anywhere to live.
33. Even though Friday is technically the day with the most venues available for dancing, in your mind it’s still a “Salsa off night” because there isn't just one "venue-to-be-at."
34. There’s on One. There’s on Two. And There’s on “Chow.” And they’re all equally good.
35. You know about the secret parking spot by Century Ballroom.
36. You know who writes this blog ;)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Drama, Drama, Drama
It seems that drama is in the air. Mind you, not the kind of cat fight hissy fit drama we see in all sorts of chick flicks. In fact, this sort of drama doesn’t involve females at all! Seattle Salseras seem to have been getting along just fine for a very long time now. (At least for as long as I’ve been dancing.) But in a recent discussion amongst us sisters, we have discovered that the salsa scene in Seattle is full of Drama Kings! In the past couple weeks I’ve experienced scenarios where leads would confront me for not saying hello to them (not deliberately!) or refusing a dance (new dance shoes people! They’re hurting the crap out of my feet!) Finding out that it wasn’t just me who was dealing with such issues from the leads was comforting. Fellow follows have shared similar stories, when a lead would either snap at them for saying they’ve already promised a dance to someone else or accuse them of “acting distant” when no intention of such behavior was on her mind. And I wonder if it’s because of insecurities that this is happening out on the dance floor.
So for all the leads out there who’ve felt insecure on the dance floor and let it out by lashing out at a follow who fed that insecurity, please keep the following in mind and restrain from creating an uncomfortable situation on the dance floor next time:
1. Problem: She didn’t say hi to you.
Solution: Come up and say hello to her yourself! If she responds with an enthusiastic hug, chances are she simply didn’t see you amongst dozens of people she passed on her way to where she usually stands. Although we really do try to get to everyone we know as soon as we get into a venue, sometimes it’s either logistically impossible (after all, we came to dance, and saying hi to the 200 people we know individually might take up a little longer than we planned on staying at a venue), or uncomfortable (you are standing with another girl and we don’t want to intrude.) However, if she responds with a cold “hi” and turns right back around… Leave her alone. For good.
2. Problem: She refused to dance with you.
Solution: Was this the first time she did this? If you two are known for having amazing dances together, and she gave a legitimate explanation like her feet hurt or she promised this dance to someone else, believe her and let it go! And play it by ear for the next dance. If she said her feet hurt, the next one is most likely going to be a “no” as well, and it has nothing to do with you! But if she continuously keeps refusing you on different nights, get the hint and stop asking!
3. Problem: She asked you not to do a certain move.
Solution: Respect her wishes and DON’T DO IT! Oh how many embarrassing moments on the floor for both myself and the lead could’ve been prevented if only the leads I’ve danced with believed me when I said that I am not familiar with or capable of following certain moves… Of course that’s only one of the reasons she might not want to bend over backwards. Another one might be that she’s not comfortable enough to be at a particular level of closeness with you that the move requires. Certain moves are NOT just dancing and ARE reserved only for those leads who are close friends. So if you’ve just seen her dance a steamy bachata, don’t assume she’ll be up for the same kind of dancing with you. The third reason might actually be medical. You don’t know if she has a huge bruise on her ankle, a disorientation disorder or a knot in her back. Don’t spin or dip if she’s asked you not to.
I’d also like to address the semi-tipsy eager-to-help onlookers who find themselves ready to jump into the already uncomfortable conversation and take a side. Please DON’T. This is already uncomfortable as is. And chances are that at least one of the people involved has all the social skills necessary to de-escalate. What you are doing is simply annoying them and adding another factor for them to deal with. You’re also feeding the disdain that the offended party already feels. To sum up: you’re just adding to the drama, not helping. Do everyone a favor and stay out of it! Please.
Disclaimer: this post is based on more than one scenario involving more than one follow! If you recognize yourself, it might be a coincidence. Please don’t assume that I wrote this because I was mad/annoyed with you in particular. I actually had a couple requests for this post, and that’s the only reason it has now been written.
Happy Dancing!
So for all the leads out there who’ve felt insecure on the dance floor and let it out by lashing out at a follow who fed that insecurity, please keep the following in mind and restrain from creating an uncomfortable situation on the dance floor next time:
1. Problem: She didn’t say hi to you.
Solution: Come up and say hello to her yourself! If she responds with an enthusiastic hug, chances are she simply didn’t see you amongst dozens of people she passed on her way to where she usually stands. Although we really do try to get to everyone we know as soon as we get into a venue, sometimes it’s either logistically impossible (after all, we came to dance, and saying hi to the 200 people we know individually might take up a little longer than we planned on staying at a venue), or uncomfortable (you are standing with another girl and we don’t want to intrude.) However, if she responds with a cold “hi” and turns right back around… Leave her alone. For good.
2. Problem: She refused to dance with you.
Solution: Was this the first time she did this? If you two are known for having amazing dances together, and she gave a legitimate explanation like her feet hurt or she promised this dance to someone else, believe her and let it go! And play it by ear for the next dance. If she said her feet hurt, the next one is most likely going to be a “no” as well, and it has nothing to do with you! But if she continuously keeps refusing you on different nights, get the hint and stop asking!
3. Problem: She asked you not to do a certain move.
Solution: Respect her wishes and DON’T DO IT! Oh how many embarrassing moments on the floor for both myself and the lead could’ve been prevented if only the leads I’ve danced with believed me when I said that I am not familiar with or capable of following certain moves… Of course that’s only one of the reasons she might not want to bend over backwards. Another one might be that she’s not comfortable enough to be at a particular level of closeness with you that the move requires. Certain moves are NOT just dancing and ARE reserved only for those leads who are close friends. So if you’ve just seen her dance a steamy bachata, don’t assume she’ll be up for the same kind of dancing with you. The third reason might actually be medical. You don’t know if she has a huge bruise on her ankle, a disorientation disorder or a knot in her back. Don’t spin or dip if she’s asked you not to.
I’d also like to address the semi-tipsy eager-to-help onlookers who find themselves ready to jump into the already uncomfortable conversation and take a side. Please DON’T. This is already uncomfortable as is. And chances are that at least one of the people involved has all the social skills necessary to de-escalate. What you are doing is simply annoying them and adding another factor for them to deal with. You’re also feeding the disdain that the offended party already feels. To sum up: you’re just adding to the drama, not helping. Do everyone a favor and stay out of it! Please.
Disclaimer: this post is based on more than one scenario involving more than one follow! If you recognize yourself, it might be a coincidence. Please don’t assume that I wrote this because I was mad/annoyed with you in particular. I actually had a couple requests for this post, and that’s the only reason it has now been written.
Happy Dancing!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Habana Sodo E-Mayimbe Opening Night
After being out four nights in a row, I had every intention of staying in on Saturday night. Until my roommate cheerfully asked if I'm going to E-Mayimbe's opening night party at Habana Sodo. At which point curiosity got the best of me and I decided that even shelling out $10 for cover might be worth it to find out how it's gonna go. After all, the hype around it on facebook projected that every self-respecting salsa dancer in Seattle will end up being there.
Habana Sodo didn't disappoint. Even though we got there relatively early for Salsa (10:30), the place was already going strong. Within the next hour and a half a solid injection of people created a crowd the size of Century at it's busiest point on a Saturday. It was curious to see how familiar faces tried to orient themselves and figure out where to dance. Like ants whose house has been destroyed, people moved around more than usual, just because "their" spot to stand hasn't quite been established yet. (By the end of the night the "corners" have become more or less apparent though.)
Hearing before hand that the floor is cement, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's cement with lacquer over it that was relatively easy to spin on. The live music was incredible. (Unfortunately the sound system didn't stand a chance in comparison... But the DJ's were fine.)
Entertaining performances in the middle of the night gave tired feet a much welcomed break. But perhaps the best part about the night was the atmosphere.
It felt like a very good New Years eve party. As if on cue, dancers came more dressed up than usual. The lighting was amazing and the vibe was exhilaratingly friendly. That, combined with a crowd that drew out literally every single studio in town, made the party an epitome of the fact that it's possible to make something grand happen when all combine forces instead of feeding unhealthy competition.
Kudos to Ana and Eduardo for creating a night which Seattle will not forget for a while. Hopefully many more Saturdays like this in Habana Sodo will follow!
Habana Sodo didn't disappoint. Even though we got there relatively early for Salsa (10:30), the place was already going strong. Within the next hour and a half a solid injection of people created a crowd the size of Century at it's busiest point on a Saturday. It was curious to see how familiar faces tried to orient themselves and figure out where to dance. Like ants whose house has been destroyed, people moved around more than usual, just because "their" spot to stand hasn't quite been established yet. (By the end of the night the "corners" have become more or less apparent though.)
Hearing before hand that the floor is cement, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it's cement with lacquer over it that was relatively easy to spin on. The live music was incredible. (Unfortunately the sound system didn't stand a chance in comparison... But the DJ's were fine.)
Entertaining performances in the middle of the night gave tired feet a much welcomed break. But perhaps the best part about the night was the atmosphere.
It felt like a very good New Years eve party. As if on cue, dancers came more dressed up than usual. The lighting was amazing and the vibe was exhilaratingly friendly. That, combined with a crowd that drew out literally every single studio in town, made the party an epitome of the fact that it's possible to make something grand happen when all combine forces instead of feeding unhealthy competition.
Kudos to Ana and Eduardo for creating a night which Seattle will not forget for a while. Hopefully many more Saturdays like this in Habana Sodo will follow!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Babalu
I just realized that I've never written about this place. And since I'm not really being productive in terms of creative ideas for funny posts lately, might at least get some useful information out there. If you've never been to Babalu, and you're a Salsa dancer, make sure you go visit. There is no reason you shouldn't -- it's free on Wednesday nights (make sure you support them though, Salsa nights almost closed down once already! Don't let it happen again).
The atmosphere at the small lounge is warm, cool, mysterious and exotic all at the same time -- whatever you make of it. That's the best thing about Babalu -- on Salsa nights pretty much anything goes. You won't feel out of place whether you're mega dressed up for a night out or stopping by after walking around Greenlake in your sweats. Whether it will be crowded or not can be somewhat predicted based on whether or not it's a special day -- like St. Patricks, Valentines or April Fool's. Otherwise there's no telling whether the place will be packed, empty or right at perfect balance.
The dance floor is pretty much stone tile, and although dance shoes are still your best bet, don't get too excited about pulling off multiple spins easily. And this is actually the one place where your favorite comfy Puma's won't work. (But Converse WILL.) Don't bother showing up anytime before 10:30, which is when things kinda start to get going. One warning I will give out is that if you don't know any favorite leads who are going, there is some serious risk you might end up sitting out and watching the entire night (unless it's the crowded night and everyone is out.) It is the hub of the Bravo dance team, and they generally tend to like to dance with each other and the people they know. As a result, at times those leads who are not part of the team might be reluctant to join them on the dance floor. But that's your worst case scenario.
Usually Babalu has at least a couple good leads who come for the entire night and dance with everyone. It's also a perfect place to meet up with friends if you need to talk -- it's never too loud. Or to bring a date after coffee or dinner and spend the night dancing with only them at a place where crowds of people don't generally show up to observe. It's located on 45th Street across from QFC and right next to Selena's. Technically 21+, I've never actually seen anyone check ID's at the door. But bring one anyways, just in case.
The atmosphere at the small lounge is warm, cool, mysterious and exotic all at the same time -- whatever you make of it. That's the best thing about Babalu -- on Salsa nights pretty much anything goes. You won't feel out of place whether you're mega dressed up for a night out or stopping by after walking around Greenlake in your sweats. Whether it will be crowded or not can be somewhat predicted based on whether or not it's a special day -- like St. Patricks, Valentines or April Fool's. Otherwise there's no telling whether the place will be packed, empty or right at perfect balance.
The dance floor is pretty much stone tile, and although dance shoes are still your best bet, don't get too excited about pulling off multiple spins easily. And this is actually the one place where your favorite comfy Puma's won't work. (But Converse WILL.) Don't bother showing up anytime before 10:30, which is when things kinda start to get going. One warning I will give out is that if you don't know any favorite leads who are going, there is some serious risk you might end up sitting out and watching the entire night (unless it's the crowded night and everyone is out.) It is the hub of the Bravo dance team, and they generally tend to like to dance with each other and the people they know. As a result, at times those leads who are not part of the team might be reluctant to join them on the dance floor. But that's your worst case scenario.
Usually Babalu has at least a couple good leads who come for the entire night and dance with everyone. It's also a perfect place to meet up with friends if you need to talk -- it's never too loud. Or to bring a date after coffee or dinner and spend the night dancing with only them at a place where crowds of people don't generally show up to observe. It's located on 45th Street across from QFC and right next to Selena's. Technically 21+, I've never actually seen anyone check ID's at the door. But bring one anyways, just in case.
Monday, April 26, 2010
How to Kill Your Cool in 2 Minutes Or Less
Within the past couple days I’ve had a chance to witness several (unsuccessful) attempts to take me home or get my number. Not that I’m that stingy with my number. It just doesn’t go out to random strangers I’ve just met. That said, some of those attempts were totally legit, despite the fact that the attempters walked away with no new digits in their devices. Others, on the other hand, provided some wonderful material for a new post! Surprisingly, the amount of cuteness the attempters possessed did not directly correlate with the amount of suave. One hot face who had potential to work the room in any way he wanted managed to kill his cool in under 30 seconds! If you’re tired of girls throwing themselves at you and need advice on how to appear like a total idiot, read on!
1. To prepare for the ultimate kill, previously to talking to the girl turn a normally/potentially unobtrusive dance (like a Salsa) into a grinding fest.
2. Come up to the girl, look her up and down while biting half your lip, and tell her how fine/hot/sexy she is, embellishing it with ample cussing.
3. Say it as dramatically as you can. Use all of your theatrical experience learned to date!
4. After you notice a disgusted look on the girls face, keep talking! Mumble your words (either because you’re too drunk or because you’re too lazy to learn English) so she can’t understand half the things you’re saying.
5. Don’t leave her alone even after she’s physically tried to position herself away from you.
6. When the girl responds to your invitation/phone number request with a solid “No,” attempt to change her mind.
7. Tell her that you are a great guy. As if she can’t tell by now on her own.
8. If that fails, tell her that she will be sorry and might miss out.
9. If she says that she has a boyfriend, claim that she is lying. Clearly you are the only man on earth who finds her attractive.
10. If, in an attempt to get you away, her friend tells you that she’s married (gracias amigo ;), use the opportunity to prove to the world that you’re an ultimate creep: look into her eyes deeply, unnaturally and aggressively and dramatically tell her in front of everyone that they’re the most gorgeous eyes you’ve ever seen. Bite your lip, look her up and down once again and show the biggest look of sorrow on your face that you can manage.
11. Walk away not realizing that you’ve just made a complete fool of yourself.
12. Repeat as needed.
1. To prepare for the ultimate kill, previously to talking to the girl turn a normally/potentially unobtrusive dance (like a Salsa) into a grinding fest.
2. Come up to the girl, look her up and down while biting half your lip, and tell her how fine/hot/sexy she is, embellishing it with ample cussing.
3. Say it as dramatically as you can. Use all of your theatrical experience learned to date!
4. After you notice a disgusted look on the girls face, keep talking! Mumble your words (either because you’re too drunk or because you’re too lazy to learn English) so she can’t understand half the things you’re saying.
5. Don’t leave her alone even after she’s physically tried to position herself away from you.
6. When the girl responds to your invitation/phone number request with a solid “No,” attempt to change her mind.
7. Tell her that you are a great guy. As if she can’t tell by now on her own.
8. If that fails, tell her that she will be sorry and might miss out.
9. If she says that she has a boyfriend, claim that she is lying. Clearly you are the only man on earth who finds her attractive.
10. If, in an attempt to get you away, her friend tells you that she’s married (gracias amigo ;), use the opportunity to prove to the world that you’re an ultimate creep: look into her eyes deeply, unnaturally and aggressively and dramatically tell her in front of everyone that they’re the most gorgeous eyes you’ve ever seen. Bite your lip, look her up and down once again and show the biggest look of sorrow on your face that you can manage.
11. Walk away not realizing that you’ve just made a complete fool of yourself.
12. Repeat as needed.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Selena's
A few of you might have wondered where the heck I disappeared to on Saturday nights. And the answer to that is “Selena’s” – the hotspot of Seattle’s rapidly expanding Cuban Salsa scene. (Is it just me, or did it go from just a handful of happy individuals doing Casino Rueda by Gasworks on Sundays to a packed weekly schedule of activities and events in just under a year?! But then again, I might have been oblivious while dealing with the drama on the L.A. side of things… I wish I stuck with that Rueda last summer!)
The first time I stepped into Selena’s it felt like being in another city. Heck. Another country! I knew almost no one except the girl that I came with, and everything felt different. The people were different. The music was different. The atmosphere was different. And of course, the dance itself was different as well. Knowing that it’s best to observe before you conquer, I proceeded to try and figure out who keeps the rhythm well. But smiling at my carefully selected victims didn’t help – Cuban salseros turned out to be a tight community in which you have to KNOW people. (Working on it!) So I ended up dancing with a couple of the familiar leads who have migrated over from Century for most of the night. Then the girl I came with got bored, so I felt it was my duty to find us both suitable leads to dance with. What ensued was an evening of giving the randomest people a chance and introducing them to one another if they happened to be decent dancers. Not too bad for a first time in an unfamiliar city. Oh wait. This was still Seattle.
Why do I keep going back? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s a challenge of adjusting to an unfamiliar situation. Maybe it’s the fact that I get to meet new people every time, which I love. It’s probably also the fact that I fell in love with Cuban style of Salsa. I know that most people who started dancing L.A. style don’t like Cuban. But at this point I’d have to say that I love both about the same! There’s something playful about the dance that this style brings out. It’s the way the movement flows with both dancers going off of each other’s inertia vs. a lead just spinning a follow around. It seems more natural somehow. Less formal. Easygoing. Rhythmical. Relaxed.
If I made you at least a little curious, feel free to join the fun on Saturday nights. Selena’s will be my spot for a while…
The first time I stepped into Selena’s it felt like being in another city. Heck. Another country! I knew almost no one except the girl that I came with, and everything felt different. The people were different. The music was different. The atmosphere was different. And of course, the dance itself was different as well. Knowing that it’s best to observe before you conquer, I proceeded to try and figure out who keeps the rhythm well. But smiling at my carefully selected victims didn’t help – Cuban salseros turned out to be a tight community in which you have to KNOW people. (Working on it!) So I ended up dancing with a couple of the familiar leads who have migrated over from Century for most of the night. Then the girl I came with got bored, so I felt it was my duty to find us both suitable leads to dance with. What ensued was an evening of giving the randomest people a chance and introducing them to one another if they happened to be decent dancers. Not too bad for a first time in an unfamiliar city. Oh wait. This was still Seattle.
Why do I keep going back? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s a challenge of adjusting to an unfamiliar situation. Maybe it’s the fact that I get to meet new people every time, which I love. It’s probably also the fact that I fell in love with Cuban style of Salsa. I know that most people who started dancing L.A. style don’t like Cuban. But at this point I’d have to say that I love both about the same! There’s something playful about the dance that this style brings out. It’s the way the movement flows with both dancers going off of each other’s inertia vs. a lead just spinning a follow around. It seems more natural somehow. Less formal. Easygoing. Rhythmical. Relaxed.
If I made you at least a little curious, feel free to join the fun on Saturday nights. Selena’s will be my spot for a while…
Monday, April 19, 2010
An Update on When I'll Be Back to Writing
I can’t get back to consistent writing because the thoughts occupying my mind have been all about love, heartbreak, etc. Actually let me rephrase that. I can’t get back to blogging. Because I’ve been writing consistently – every day there is a page or even two created that helps me sort through feelings and emotions. Through confusion and clarity. Through guilty happiness and liberating heartbreak. Through letting go and getting attached. But the contents of those pages just aren’t for everyone to see – I wish they were. Maybe one day they will. When all the events will pass and nobody will care anymore about those feelings and emotions. Or at least when I won’t care if people find out. I’m sure we’ve all been there… So hang in there my wonderful faithful blog-reading Salseras and Salseros patiently awaiting another post – I’m sure I’ll soon come up with an entertaining topic and relate all the hilarious details of it to the world.
(Please keep in mind that the dramatic elements added to this paragraph are solely for literary enhancement and I am not actually THAT heartbroken or in love. :)
(Please keep in mind that the dramatic elements added to this paragraph are solely for literary enhancement and I am not actually THAT heartbroken or in love. :)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
What Does SSS Stand for?
If you're reading this blog, it is likely that you have recently received invitations from some entity called the SSS for mixers, game nights, and dinners. And you've probably wondered what the heck IS the SSS? Seattle's Secret Service? Super Smart Solutions?
The SSS is Seattle's Salsera's Sisterhood (often referred to as simply "The Sisterhood"). It exists to bring unity to the follows of Seattle's Salsa scene, and is therefore open to any follow dancing in Seattle. Since there is normally no reason for any of us follows to talk to each other off the dance floor, it's often difficult to connect. But we all know that friendship between women is as important as men's attention. After all, a guy will never readily hand you over some double sided tape when your top is unexpectedly falling off the places on your body where it hypothetically was supposed to stay through the night.
Although I haven't been able to make any of the events yet, the wall of the group is covered with positive responses, and the people I've talked to about this say nothing but good things about the Sisterhood. Being able to mingle in an open environment off the dance floor makes dancing so much more enjoyable on it. The Sisterhood will also periodically sponsor Mixers -- events where both follows AND leads are welcome. That, of course, leaves much room for confusion, so leads, beware! Make sure you read the descriptions for the open-for-everyone events carefully and don't show up to find yourself in a house full of girls! (Not that you wouldn't love that... :)
The SSS is Seattle's Salsera's Sisterhood (often referred to as simply "The Sisterhood"). It exists to bring unity to the follows of Seattle's Salsa scene, and is therefore open to any follow dancing in Seattle. Since there is normally no reason for any of us follows to talk to each other off the dance floor, it's often difficult to connect. But we all know that friendship between women is as important as men's attention. After all, a guy will never readily hand you over some double sided tape when your top is unexpectedly falling off the places on your body where it hypothetically was supposed to stay through the night.
Although I haven't been able to make any of the events yet, the wall of the group is covered with positive responses, and the people I've talked to about this say nothing but good things about the Sisterhood. Being able to mingle in an open environment off the dance floor makes dancing so much more enjoyable on it. The Sisterhood will also periodically sponsor Mixers -- events where both follows AND leads are welcome. That, of course, leaves much room for confusion, so leads, beware! Make sure you read the descriptions for the open-for-everyone events carefully and don't show up to find yourself in a house full of girls! (Not that you wouldn't love that... :)
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