Dame la Salsa!

Shattered Joy of dancing

2011-06-11T02:30:00.000-07:00

Shattered Joy of dancing

Salsa sessions on a week day were like a refreshment in midst of your mundane work routines and would just add that little spunk to my life just when I needed it, mid-week! Never looked forward to my Saturday nights as much I looked forward to the Salsa nights on Sundays & Wednesdays. It took away my Sunday blues for long....Sundays have that very lonely feel to it, I somehow never waited for a sunday but ever since I began dancing on sundays....it had become the most desired day of the week for me :-)

Dancing had become so important to me over the last couple of years that I never realized its impact on my life.Week after week dancing and bonding with the same dance -minded peeps with happy faces had become the way of life.Initially it was just the salsa music that controlled me and had the power to keep me hooked to it! Lately I have realized it was also to do with the connection, chemistry and the vibe you get from people on the dance floor that made me happy and filled me with so much joy.

Now when the same vibe is missing,things don't feel the same,although dancing still makes me ecstatic>>>I wish music & dancing dominated & took control towards my addiction to the dance floor than any other thing.

Whosoever knoweth the power of the dance, dwelleth in God.

- Rumi

I only feel alive when I dance with him.......

2010-08-29T04:25:00.000-07:00

Do you have that one dance partner that makes you feel that... nothing else matters…??

He may not be an exceptional dancer or anything but when you dance with him its just magic. Its that one dance I dig on every dance floor every nite!

This one dance makes up for the bad week that I’ve had or been having…..it just brings me back to life :-)

Salsa Bubble

2010-05-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Dancers love to live in their own bubble.Especially the Salseras:-) When they go shopping they always look at clothes that will be suited for dancing or salsa.everything they buy, they'd love it to be dance friendly.If they are buying shoes they make sure they can spin in it.Salsa should be the function of every object in their life.
If you think about it....Its actually a nice state to be in,since everytime you listen to Salsa music it uplifts your moods.Same way everytime you think of Salsa & dancing in your everyday activities or things to do....it instantly brings the positive vibe, the energy that allows you to dance for hours, the happiness.
I really think its the best way to be....Always think of things that make you happy & delay the miseries :-)))

In Quest for Everlasting Chemistry

2010-02-17T09:11:00.000-08:00

Am sure many wonder, whats that ultimate way to keep the chemistry between two people alive.

Whether its on the dance floor or when in love,how can you ensure that vibe /connection you share with someone would last forever.

I wish there was a trick for this,i would spend days and months to master it & get it right!

This is the only one insecurity I have, to lose the chemistry with someone I love.

According to me...Chemistry involves mystery, when that mystery is over,chemistry too fades away...but this then contradicts with the normal view that when you know someone better,you share a better relationship & thus better chemistry.

Sometimes while dancing with a partner with whom you share a great chemistry can make you nervous...you become conscious of your moves so much so that you end up goofing up sometimes:-). There are times when you want the song to last long so that the dance never ends.

I think the trick on the dancefloor is "less is good".Savour the dance with your best partner and dont repeat the dance with the same partner too many times, it will lose its charm & kill the chemistry eventually.

I comfort myself with the above for now but i'm still curious to find out what makes the chemistry last???????

EXPRESS......Its all about LOVE!!!!!

2010-01-25T05:41:00.000-08:00

Its all about Love in this New Year.

From the beginning of 2010 I got this feeling that this year will be filled with love & hope for the broken hearted and for the lonely souls.

So I think no one should waste time and candidly express themselves freely,openly at all times. I've always been very expressive about how I feel, what I feel and off late been super expressive and I love it.

I dont feel shy telling someone I like them and then also that they broke my heart, Ha!Suddenly it all comes out so easily and feels great thereafter.

Indulge in every form of self-expression.....Dance and feel good and let the partner know they make you feel good!!!

Express, Express, Express......you gain nothing when you hide or feel shy, thats definitely not the way to impress.

Magic.....is you!!!

2009-11-07T03:37:00.000-08:00

Its an amazing feeling when you dance with someone and feel a unique vibe, chemistry so strong you believe its not one-sided, otherwise it would not exist in the first place.

Its like magic every time you dance with that someone!!!You revel in this for the longest time cos its a lovely feeling and you want it to last and so you delude yourself.

You feel shattered to suddenly realise one day that "that someone"you share an awesome chemistry with is able to dance like that and strike that same kind of chemistry with many others too.The magic seems lost suddenly.... :-(

I now believe if you dance with your heart, follow the beats and let yourself flow withour restrictions......every one will then see......The Magic is you :-)

Dancing in Barcelona

2009-10-17T02:47:00.000-07:00

So, I was in Barcelona in the beginning of this month and obviously went Salsaing.
A funny confession,for the longest time I associated Salsa with "Spain".Just because all the songs are in spanish, always thought its from Spain and assumed every spanish person to know basic salsa dancing.Of course this notion was broken when I took my first Salsa lesson and found out that the dancing originated from "Cuba"(am dying to go there).Then over the last couple of years I also came across many spanish people in Bombay and realised none of them were into Salsa,and this I found even in Barcelona,my spanish friends there hardly knew of places I could go and dance,they were so not into the Salsa Social scene.
Fortunately through a friends reference who had visited Barcelona a month ago, I knew of this club called "Mojito".I dragged all my friends there.After a few tracks of warm-up dancing I was all set to dance the night away....
Some great dancers....all the men on the dance floor seemed pros...very good technique wise, fantastic leads.But what was missing is that most men there were not very forthcoming.I had to spot them and ask them to dance with me,of course after they realised I could Salsa,I did get a little popular :-).
I guess it happens when you are not sure if the other person can Salsa and if you are good at it and have reached that stage when you dont wanna please anyone but are just there to get some real good dances...the feeling "Dont wanna waste good tracks" at the cost of sounding rude!! (Have to confess,I have done this too....thats why they say "what goes around, comes around...Ha Ha!)
It was Muchos fun dancing that night, a full fledge live band came on after mid-night which made it more exciting and memorable for me, dont get such live bands in Bombay...sigh!I Miss Barca Dancing... :-(

When its more than just a dance......

2009-09-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

When I started out dancing,I barely knew any one on the dance floor, hardly even bothered to exchange names, was there for the sheer passion for salsa and dance,week after week saw and danced with the same people, still never got to know them really.
Then there came a time, when I opened up and made many friends there, it became one happy fun family, met up once or twice a week for one cause"salsa".I never thought anyone had any other agenda there, except for dancing.As time went by, and I knew more and more people on the dance floor,I realised that there was more than just dance...I too noticed that a year ago....the oozing chemistry and connections with a dance partner led me to believe, this was it,the perfect romance! But this in a close group never lasts, why is it that its bound to get incestuous,how can you give up a fabulous chemistry with someone to explore another connection...and in the bargain ruin the whole fun, dance floor experience, messing friendships and creating ackwardness.
To me "its extremely romantic to be exclusive to someone"
Would you rather give up your special dance moments(which always cheer you up no matter what) for a lustful entanglement (which only eventually leads to a mess)????

Something's amiss....

2009-06-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

Find it hard to resist dancing, especially on days which are slotted for dancing like Sundays. For the last 3 years I’ve been salsaing every Sunday. However its nice to take short breaks and then jump back in the scene. I was able to take a break only cause I was traveling. While I did get my fix of Salsa on my escapade, its still the good old zenzi dance floor that I miss all the time.
But this time the come back did not feel so good….I find the dancing space overcrowded with unfamiliar & unfriendly faces, feel a bit out of sorts!! Almost like many others had encroached upon my dancing space :-(
I dig the same old fun and dancers….may be cos its that time when everyone is travelling, guess will have to wait till my fun is back:-)

SISE or SS

2009-03-21T04:17:00.000-07:00

Self Imposed Salsa Exile Or Salsa Sabbatical.....(funny 'eh)

Somethings are so special and precious that when I get too much of it, I begin to worry and am also afraid of it dying out on me. (Like Freddie's song....Too much love will kill you)

To save the Salsa magic from being lost, I would not like to over do it and that's why take intervals.

I'm trying to go on a short break from the regular sunday salsa sessions that I see myself being addicted to for the last 2 years or more now....mind you its a short break, may last a few weeks only..lol

Not sure when I may jump back in..but this is not because I'm bored but its a way to test my will and keep a check on me.

Dont Stop me Now!!!!!

2009-03-02T01:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry for not posting for a looooong time(assuming people care for what I write..lol)

But it does not mean I have not been dancing…in fact its been an over kill!!!

Lot of Salsa in Bombay , Goa…in my store and home….the music has completely done me in :-)

Have got myself lots of amazing salsa and other latin tunes, which makes me a “happy person” at all times of the day :-)

Goa is a special place and extremely precious to me :-). So when I heard about the Salsa festival in Goa in feb on the 13^th weekend, there was no thinking I knew I was gonna make it somehow, despite of having been in Goa just the month before….yes, too much of a good thing!

Goa Salsa fest organized by Salsa India & LVDS (Bangalore) was perfect….Salsa in Goa is like a Fatal Drug!

Still recovering from the experience…..there was salsa beach side, pool side, inside, outside!!!Its was more than dance for me….I leave it at that :-)

Have been continuously dancing, more and more venues in Bombay are offering space and dance floors for dancing now.....sometimes I feel am going mad with it....cannot contain myself with the joy it brings......god....really dunno when n how to stop!! (But why would I want it to stop???)

When salsa dancer travels.....

2008-09-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

(This comes a little late, sorry been swamped with work)
I was waiting to follow league of those who travel for their passion.....travelling for musical concerts, dance festivals.....what a life!
Finally managed to sneak out of my city and go for the Bangalore Salsa Festival (India International Salsa Congress)16th & 17th July 2008. Yea, I know within the country but atleast started travelling for Salsa.
I was able to catch only the finale, attended the festival over the weekend and must say it was so well put together.....Kudos to Lourd Vijay and his team.
Spectacular performances,amazing dancers from all over the world.Had a chance to learn and dance with a few stunning dancers.
As expected the festival was like a social binder, groups of different people, from diferent countries, cities come together to celebrate one cause - passion for dancing, Salsa actually.
Just one disappointment, Bangalore parties are like a tease, more like cinderellas...music stops by 12. Thank god for the endless energies flowing within the salseros & salseras that kept the nights alive......there were several after parties which went on until next morning.....almost the highlights of the day.
Now am looking forward to travelling to Hong Kong for the Salsa festival which happens in Feb'09. Fingers crossed!!!!

The Havana Experience !!!!!

2008-04-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

The Salsa India Festival has sadly ended. It’s a weekend,we salsa lovers will wait for one whole year.
Spread over fours days the festival not only attracted salsa lovers from all over the country but also from other parts of the world like Dubai, France, Malaysia, Singapore, UK, Estonia, etc.
It was my second year at the festival and was everything that I had dreamed off…such a happy, fun atmosphere, felt like a carnival. For four days you end up meeting dance enthusiasts at different levels… learning, dancing, watching different forms of latin dance. It takes some enthusiasm, energy and commitment to make it back to the workshops in the morning, after dancing all night, and that too 4 days of the same madness….which actually I would call 4 days of incessant ecstasy!
Its great to see that people in India have taken to Salsa in such a big way and treat it so specially, hats off to the salsa India team and of course Kaytee whose efforts have clearly spread the virus….the energy levels you see at this festival are incredible and I don’t know of any such dance festivals in India actually, where you can so easily watch fabulous international performers and then even be able to dance with all of them. This is just something we dance lovers were waiting for….freedom ,space,chance to dance without an occasion.
4 days of eating, drinking, talking, walking, wearing salsa…..last four days me and many like me (now am sure there are many like me and worst than me) who did nothing but thought about Salsa and dancing, dancing, dancing!!!!!!!!
Still cant get enough of it…cant even stop talking about it.! I better stop or will have to join Salsaholics Anonymous!

Salsa India Festival Unveiled

2008-03-26T23:35:00.000-07:00

The Pre Salsa India Festival party took place yesterday at Blue Frog.
The place was packed to the core with energy levels soaring, every soul wanted to be on the dance floor. For the first time there were more of dancers than on lookers.
The party started off with a workshop by Kaytee (the salsa guru), it was amazing to watch the enthusiasm, some 100 odd people trying to learn to salsa.
The sneak preview to the performances by salsa India students has only whetted my appetite, cant wait to see it all at the festival, which would also include the international artist performances…yippee!!
Six more days to go……then begins the real Salsa Madness!!!!!!!!
3rd-4th-5th-6th April – Salsa India Festival – Joss, Kalaghoda, Bombay.

Singapore, Guangzhou (China) submerged in salsa

2008-03-14T00:53:00.000-07:00

Let me share my salsa experiences out of my country….
If you thought salsa was huge in Bombay and in India, then you will be surprised its even bigger in Singapore, the small lil toyland.
They have salsa festivals, salsa get togethers, salsa parties, lots and lots of events regularly and mind you great performers too. Its not a wannabe salsa culture, its hardcore stuff there….
People know their thing and do it really well...I was shocked to see the Chinese salsa sooo well. They have amazing Latin and Columbian live bands not just on special nights but you will be able to find a live band on any given day. I had a chance to attend the live bands and dance with some Cuban men, was quite an experience. About the Chinese Salseros, I noticed that they are still not so open to dancing with strangers or rather approaching them… I had to spot for good dancers myself and ask them to dance with me :-)
I also got to see a salsa event in Singapore,was thrilled to see some amazing performances.
In Guangzhou, capital of the Canton province, mainland China, now who would have imagined, the traditional Chinese who don’t even speak English could salsa.
I was amazed to find a club called “QBa” in one of the best five stars there with a live band and people learning, teaching and dancing the salsa.
Again it was me who approached the men and danced with them, smooth dancers I must say.
One thing they lacked was the sensuality, though however well they danced, it somehow felt mechanical, lacked the soul of a real latin dancer, that was my observation.

Blue frogs can salsa

2008-02-05T22:29:00.000-08:00

Blue frogs are the new breed of frogs who are learning to Salsa !
Just when Bombay was running short of concept (theme based, cult driven places), Blue Frog comes to life with its week filled with blues, jazz, electronica, and now salsa on Wednesdays to suit the varied tastes of party goers.
I attended the first salsa session at Blue Frog yesterday and yes its surely the next stop for all salsa lovers. Great ambience, a very well done up place, well lit-up, and the best thing about it was the dance floor..one could spin and not know when to stop. I felt I was on wheels, absolutely flowing with the music. I almost dedicated a song to the floor and not my partner “You spin me baby right round, baby right round, like a record baby, right round,round, round”.

The Classic Lambada

2007-10-04T03:31:00.001-07:00

Very cute Video.....wanna be a lil girl again!!!!

When Santana meets Clapton at the Crossroads Guitar Festival....

2007-09-30T00:02:00.001-07:00

Look wat happens...Its not just another night, its a fan-fuckin-tastic experience!

Bachata Brillianto!

2007-09-29T23:47:00.001-07:00

I love this Bachata track- Lamento Boliviano...The video aint any good though!The song makes for a fabulous dance!

I wanna go to a Spanish Club like this one!

2007-09-29T23:37:00.001-07:00

I love this dance sequence from the film "Dance with Me"

One 2 cha cha cha....

2007-09-28T04:28:00.000-07:00

I believe, when you give all your attention to an activity, you can learn a lot about yourself—the ways in which you are growing, the ways in which you are not. You might be learning to dance, how to break forward on the count of “1”, how to spin and how to do an inside turn, but you are also learning how you relate to others, how kind or unkind you are, how forgiving, how comfortable with imperfection—in yourself and in others.

The Dance steps show how I move through my life, where I struggle, how I’m stuck, when I think too much, when I forget, how I rush, how easily I give , how strong I feel, how relaxed I can be.

It’s laughable how impossible it is to hide the truth.

Kaytee....who ?????

2007-09-17T02:49:00.000-07:00

Kaytee is one hero who does his own stunts…..if I have to describe him in one word, I would say he is UNIQUE.

Everyone who is familiar with Salsa India and who frequents Zenzi on Sundays, where he performs and teaches for free, knows who Kaytee is.

He is the man behind Salsa India, a salsa dance institute which takes responsibility for rolling out salseros and salseras, who are competent enough to perform, for their own good :-)
I love the fact that, along with expanding his salsa school business, he also devotes a lot of time traveling and spreading “the salsa way of life” to people. Its almost like a cult in Bombay, especially Zenzi :-)

Everytime I see him dance I want to scream aloud …”how the F*** do you do this ?????” Ha ha ha ha ha!

Get Shimmy with it!

2007-09-09T02:23:00.000-07:00

I often try promoting Salsa amongst all my friends and other random people I interact with and encourage them to give it a shot on the dance floor. What I’ve realized is that most people are in awe of the dance steps and find it highly intimidating to step onto the dance floor.
My point is that it aint as difficult as it may look to some. In fact the best part about Salsa is that once you know your basic step right, you can then add your own style ans have fun with it. Dance is all about your own attitude. So, when in doubt, start with a shimmy***. Now that’s the easiest dance accessory one can put on.

Dance Bliss!

2007-08-13T03:34:00.000-07:00

Heard about the spiritual Bliss, which takes hours of meditation to achieve, that too attainable only after one has mastered the art of concentration. Forget about these and various other ways to derive happiness and the "High feeling", thats so yesterday!

Dancing is the quickest and simplest way to feel happy, according to me. Simply listening to some cool salsa tracks insantly puts me in a good mood....feeling the music and dancing to its beats gives me the ultimate bliss....thats why I call it the " Dance Bliss " :-)

"Salsa Friends" and "Non-Salsa Friends"

2007-07-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

If anyone is like me and you have been dancing a while and frequenting the salsa scene, you have come to divide your friends into "Salsa Friends" and "Non-Salsa Friends"
Salsa friends understand why you can go to a club ALONE like I do on Sundays to Zenzi, meet people there, dance for an hour or two and go home to sleep and wake up for work on time the next day.
Non-salsa friends just don't get it....why we go out alone to sweat it out and why we spend so much time thinking and talking about salsa!
My non-salsa friends often make fun of me but then again some of them also come out with me to show that they are supportive of my addiction.

What quirks have your non-salsa friends pointed out about you? Have you realized a change in yourself when among non-salsa friends? And most importantly, how can we get our non-salsa friends to understand us....and join us on the other side?? It’s so much more fun on this side!

Salsa Fixation……..Salsa on my mind!

2007-06-23T03:17:00.000-07:00

The Salsa bug has bitten & smitten many all around the world.....I felt its time to contribute to the contagion.....so heres some Salsa space , free for all to express, how they feel what they feel….

For me, its a different rush altogether.....works like a natural high! Personally I think one sign of salsa maturity is getting to the point where you don't care whether somebody else thinks you're a good dancer or not.
I think the most important thing that matters is whether you know enough to express yourself and have fun doing it.

Salsa on My Records

2007-06-23T03:04:00.000-07:00

Share some good Salsa music here……..

Lamenta boliviano- toquedekeda (Bachata)
Tu Corazon- OST Dance with me
Aventura – Cuando Volveras (Bachata)
Aventura - Amor De Madre (Bachata)
Angie Martinez – Suave Mente
Papi Sanchez – Dilemma
Shakira- La Tortura
Jlo & Marc Anthony – No Me Ames Salsa
Marc Anthony - Valio la pena (salsa)

Salsa on My T-shirt!

2007-06-23T03:02:00.000-07:00

I’m only happy when am dancing!

Salsa virus inside this body!

Born to save you from Dance incompetence (Kaytee’s Tee)

I’m a salsera and I do my own stunts!

Shut up and Salsa, you can rest during the merengue songs!

Rueda dancers do it with everyone!

Life is Salsa!

Get Real......

2007-06-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

Salsa Myth

There have been a lot of people throwing around theword Salsero or Salsera, like they have earned it orsomething. Not everyone that dances salsa is a Salsero.

Just like not every singer is a Diva, orevery cook a chef. So here a little test I have compiled to straighten this out.

Answer these questionand check your score at the end

1) If you have taken salsa classes for more than 2months, you are not a Salsero.
2) If you dance on "1 or 2" only and can't dance withold school salsa dancers, you are not a Salsero.
3) If you have to change into special shoes to be ableto dance salsa properly, you are not a Salsero.(real Salseros can dance in sneakers or flip flops)
4) If you have to pay to get into most of the clubsyou go to, you are not a Salsero.
5) If you leave the clubs most of time before thelights come on, you are not a Salsero.
6) If you have not gone to an after hours salsa cluband put your life at risk just to dance salsa, you arenot a Salsero.
7) If you have not skipped work, or even better quit ajob, so you could free up your salsa schedule, you arenot a Salsero.
8) If you have never been to a Colombian, PuertoRican, or Cuban festival, you are not a Salsero.
9) Guys if you don't own at least 2 Guayabera's andworn them to the clubs, you are not a Salsero.
10) Guys if girls don't ask you to dance, you are nota Salsero. Or girls if you have to ask guys to dancewith you, you are not a Salsera.
11) Guys if you can't make any girl dance the basicsteps within 2 songs, you are not a Salsero.
12) Girls if you can't follow a old school dancer, youare not a Salsera.
13) If you turn down someone to dance based on theirage, weight, color, or attractiveness you are not aSalsero (and probably full of yourself)
14) If don't have at least 20 haters talking about theway you dance you are not a Salsero.
15) If you have never gathered a crowd when you weredancing and heard clapping when you've finished, youare not a Salsero.
16) If people after seeing you dance, don't offer youmoney to teach them to dance on a regular basis, youare not a Salsero.
17) If you don't have people copying your moves, youare not a Salsero.
18) If you don't know who Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon,Oscar D'Leon, Maelo or Richie Rey are, you are not aSalsero.
19) If you don't know the words to "El Gran Varon"whether you speak Spanish or not you are not aSalsero.
20) If you haven't gone dancing 6 days in a row forone month, you are not a Salsero.

Now lets check your score on how many you answered yesto in the previous questions:
18 to 20 = Salsero/Salsera
14 to 17 = Old school Salsa Dancer
10 to 13 = Traditional Salsa Dancer
8 to 9 = Beginning Salsa Dancer
7 & Below = on 1 or 2 Dancer

I hope this clears up the confusion out there ifanyone has any questions please forward them directly to Anthony, hombrebailador@yahoo.com