Showing Off or Having Fun
Salseros, I would love to hear your opinions on this subject. Please feel free to comment.
If you see a skillful dancer who has mastered the art of salsa dancing and is not afraid to let the public see the results of their hard work, would you consider them a show off?
On numerous occasions I’ve heard people, in the local salsa scene, refer to accomplished dancers as show offs. Frankly, I don’t like the sound of that because I simply don’t see it that way. I, for one, see them as great salseros who are having fun.
As we all know, Detroit salsa scene is welcoming to all levels of dancers: beginning, intermediate, advanced. And, of course, now and then the beginners might feel shy or not very confident enough just yet to go out there and strut their stuff. Or they might think that nobody asks them to dance because they are not as fluid in it yet. And it is perfectly fine, we’ve all been there. After all, that is a part of learning process. And as far as I know, in this community, for the most part, we don’t judge those that are starting out. I would even say that the opposite is true. We try to encourage them to keep on coming out and practicing, and if they are really serious about this dance, one day they will most certainly master it. Then, on the other end, we have the more advanced dancers, who are confident on the dance floor and are not afraid to show what they’ve learned. And this is precisely where the judgment starts. For some unknown reason, when accomplished dancers do their thing, they are being perceived as show offs. Why? Why? And again, I ask you Why? They’ve put their time and effort into it, and have worked hard to become as good as they are, so why shouldn’t they show it off. I, personally, look up to those dancers. Seeing them dance gives me strength, encouragement, desire to practice even harder than I already do.
All of us face issues/problems/negativism in our day to day affairs. However, once we make it out to the dance floor, all of those negative aspects of our lives seem to disappear. We relax, forget our troubles, let it all go, and just allow the music and the movement take us to a whole new level, which is comforting, fun, addictive (in a good way). My question is, is having fun, all of a sudden, a wrong thing to do? I certainly hope not.
Let’s look at it this way. Whenever someone visits Miami’s salsa scene, they come back saying that the dancers there are outstanding. That makes me wonder, if it is ok for the salseros in Miami to be that good and not be perceived as show offs, why can’t the same be said of the great salseros here, at home.
Here is what I think: for the dancers that are just starting out – don’t give up! Keep taking classes, keep practicing on your own, keep coming out to clubs, stay encouraged, don’t let anyone get in the way of doing what you love (which is dancing salsa). And for the advanced dancers – PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don’t stop having fun! Watching you dance gives us hope, encouragement, not to mention tons of entertainment.
From now on, I’m choosing to ignore the comments of those who think that advanced dancers are nothing more than show offs. As far as I’m concerned, those that say it must be, in some way, insecure about their own dancing skills, otherwise, why would they have the need to judge others in this fashion.
To everyone – dance your hearts out, and enjoy yourselves while at it! And don’t forget to smile – it is contagious!
Love and Peace,
Alla
They're just hating
I'm new to the salsa community. I've been dancing for less than a year. I'd fall in the catagory of the shy new dancer, timid in asking a girl to dance cause I know I'm not that fluid. I've met some really good dancers and personally love watching them do their thing on the dance floor. I know they're just out there doing what they enjoy to do and are good at it. For those who think they're showing off are just being negative, and are for a lack of a better term HATERS. You know what I say... let them hate, so what. Don't let it discourage you or stop you from doing what you enjoy doing!
Its all context...
Probably whats perceived as showing off is the context. Of course some people will like one thing and other people will like something else. If people are thowing big crazy moves and are doing it to the music and with each other -- who's not going to love that. But there are times when its not really matching the music and they aren't really dancing together and that looks kind of bad. Regardless - its very hard to really dance with the music and to really dance with your partner. So, when you're learning (and its a very long learning process) - a lot of things are going to look more "showy" than good.
As long as you're not running into people and taking away from other people: who's to criticize? One of the biggest problems and this probably does look like showing off - is when one person is much more advanced than the other and they are doing their thing and shining while the other person is more or less standing there or doing basic footwork. If a couple is doing 100 mph spins and going crazy without really interacting - its not that fun to watch. In the end, if a couple is having fun -- and doing no harm... who cares?
Thanks for the post!
Geo-
Showing off or having fun
After I read this blog, I really felt I had to comment. While I think it is great that dancers (beginner to advanced) express themselves and display many of the skills that they have learned, Salsa dancing to me is about connection with your dance partner. Many times I have been told that I look like I am having fun out on the dance floor with whomever I am dancing with. I appreciate it knowing full well that I can always learn more. While I admit that dancing with a more advanced person challenges me because it improves my dancing skills, sometimes it is not fun because they are more into other people looking at him instead connecting with me on the dance floor. In fact I would rather dance with someone who may just know a few basic steps and simple turns because then I feel we are dancing together in unison as opposed to two people out on the dance floor doing their own thing and not connecting!
So in conclusion, I feel it is very important for everyone to salsa dance with as many different people as they can and salsa dance their heart out because in the end that is what it's all about! When it comes from the heart and you are in tune with someone else on the dance floor at that moment, that's when the fun really shines through and people will see it as genuine and not showing off.... Thanks for listening!
P.S. (Geo, thanks for the article on the salsa magazine...very well put!! I totally agree!) Take care
is for fun ...
I would say that anybody who has the nerve to get up and move in front of or with complete strangers has to have some ounce of showmanship in them, whether intentional or not, whether well-honed or not. That's part of what makes the dance fabulous. I agree with Seb that perhaps some people are "haters," but I believe that stems from a lack of self-confidence rather than from whether or not dancers are actually showing off. I think that those haters will evolve into showmen and women eventually as they gain experience and confidence, and others will look on with delight and perhaps a bit of jealousy too. I'm new, I'm jealous and I'm eager to show off - but not in a way that doesn't make sense. How I look or where I fall in the continuum of performance is a matter of perspective, but I hope to keep getting better and I let my jealousy fuel my personal pursuit of perfection in dancing.
:-)
Showing off is not the same as being a skillfull dancer....
You are missing many things in your post. You are equating showing off, being a skillfull dancer and having fun. They are not the same.
A show off is someone who's sole purpose in coming out is to be seen. I know average dancers that are show offs. Show offs want the spot light and can be narcissitic and arrogant.
Advanced dancers can be great and not have fun. Why? They can be so concerned about who is watching that they totally forget their partner.
I don't think anyone should be jealous of any dancers' ability. I also think that no dancers should ever think that they have "mastered" salsa. What art form can be truly ever mastered?
Thank you kindly for your
Thank you kindly for your comment. Unfortunately (or then again, maybe fortunately), I was not equating anything. If you read my post carefully, you'll see that I was talking about advanced dancers only, who on numerous occasions are being referred to as show offs. That is, at least, what I've heard over the years of being a part of the local salsa scene.
Reading is fundamental
I don't think she missed this at all. In fact that is what she was asking about and covered it pretty well. I'll have to take issue with the tone of the reply; it was a bit harsh. Its fine to disagree or point out an issue with something, but "hiding" with anonymous posts is bad form.
Geo-
Open comments
Maybe anonymous postings should not be accepted on this website if a comment is to be perceived as "hiding" .... I also think that the harsh reply was from the defensive reply of the one stating that "if you read well..." comments and replies are just that, however interpreted by the reader and as an in and out visitor of this web-page, it is very interesting to read some of the comments of the usual suspects, very agreeable to each other as it appears they are familiar with one another.
Now my comment on the original subject and how I read it, I believe people are just looking for a place to dance and pour their dance soul out on the floor and while it may be not as intense dancing with someone who is not as proficient as the other, it is still about just being out there supporting this awesome venue called salsa dancing. Therefore, in my anonymous opinion, go ahead and show off, dance your heart out no matter what your skill, eventually, like anything else, the more you do it, the better you will be even if you are already great... you may want to pick out someone's style you really admire and lock in, before you know it, you will be the admired one, or maybe you are already admired, but there are just so many awesome dancers that even if you are already great, keep admiring others. And for the showoff worriers that know they are being judged as showoffs, it could be said that just like the judgers are being called less confident until they get better and are haters, you could be called less confident in that you worry about being a showoff. Be proud and go ahead and showoff, showoff all day and be admired, be a source of inspiration to all dancers regardless of their skill. I personally admire anyone who takes the floor as it is a personal performance of what they are feeling in their body through the music playing. Dance On!
Comments will remain open
But words have little strength if the speaker/writer cannot stand behind them.
"Usual suspects"?
Hello Anonymous,
Thank you, once again, for your comment, and all the positive words of encouragement towards all levels of salseros.
I do agree with you that the written word can (and often is) be interpreted differently by the readers.
I do have to say, though, that you couldn't be more wrong about the "usual suspects" (as you have put it). As you may have seen, I wrote a few posts for this site. However, I only "know" a couple of people (that write/reply on this site) by face - just from seeing them around the local salsa scene. So, to clarify your suspicion. No, not all of us are familiar with each other here.
And just for the record, when I wrote this particular post, I was not talking about myself, since I can openly say - I still have a lot of room for improvement when it comes to my dancing skills.
Thank you for your honest feedback.
Getting to know one another is good.
I think it is cool that people on this site are familiar with one another or becoming so. After all that is the point of a community driven site isn't it? Bringing people together, sharing thoughts, having a common interest in salsa. It is pretty cool if you ask me. And more people for me to dance with too!
Love Salsa Dancing
Hey, you are all great people and dancers. The usual suspects statement was innocently used to explain what appears to be a very friendly user space to comment and where people know each other on one level or another, be it dancing, commenting, etc. Keep up the great dancing, blogging and networking on all levels.
Right On!!
I can't wait for Sunday!!