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More Feedback on the 2nd International Salsaweb Convention Experiences from other Toronto Salsaholics who attended the Event! Updated April 25, 2000 |
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In case you missed the 2nd International Salsaweb Convention held here in Toronto, and you thought you weren’t missing out – well you were wrong and we have the testimonials to prove it. There were parts of the Convention which weren’t very well organized, but Toronto had a chance to witness some of the best dancers from around the World. If you needed inspiration to dance better, the evening social dancing from Thursday to Sunday was a must-see for any aspiring salsa dancer! Attention Readers -- if you would like to add your voice to those listed below, please email us at info@tosalsa.com. We will also be forwarding your comments to the Convention organizers to help them in planning their next event. April 18, 2000 Hey guys, I went to the Salsaweb Conference and I am still recovering.....I wish I had taken Monday off, as I was totally exhausted by the end of the weekend. Anyway, where to start?! Short story - I had an amazing time, and it was a transition/revelation point in my salsa dancing. There were lots of mess ups during the conference, organizational-wise, and that was a pain in the ass, but in the end of it all, I wouldn't have missed it for anything. The spirit and energy of the people there was so magical, salsa wasn't just a dance, it was an expression of life and passion. I was inspired, excited, and challenged to be creative and to take my salsa to the next level. It was a weekend of salsa foreplay - but that's another story! The workshops were really great, learning styling moves from LA and New York, turning techniques, patterns, etc. For me, the real value was in the night time dancing, both watching and dancing. I danced with guys not from Toronto and that was wicked. New tricks, new timing, new attitude! The evenings were jammin', I got to do some casino too, as couples would just draw together from around the floor and start calling. And all the different styles were so sexy, the New York/New Jersey dancers especially were on fire, LA as well. It was also great to see that the conference was filled with both beginner and advanced dancers. I think it's important as you get better as a dancer, that you can still be a beginner. I've noticed that there are a few Toronto dancers that seem to think that they have learned everything already, that they know how to dance the "real" salsa and they don't want to be in a humble position of learning again. Well, I say, too bad for them, because even though learning hurts sometimes, it reaps rich rewards. It's worth it to feel uncoordinated and unnatural and then emerge a more complete dancer. Trust me! Well, I could go on forever, or at least quite awhile, suffice it to say that my body is still moving with long gone salsa rhythms from the weekend, and I feel like I have jump-started the great salsa dancer- to-be! Salsa - it's a beautiful thing! Cheers, see you around, Sophie April 18, 2000 1:45 PM Dear TO Salsa, The Salsa Convention was incredible, and important to the progression of Salsa in Toronto. It was an eye opener to the majority of the Toronto people, providing us with many goals to set and achieve. I learned that Salsa is most importantly about having fun, staying focused on your partner, and using your body to interpret the music. Quick Moves, Slow Moves, Styling, Spinning, Turns, Facial Expressions, Shines, in this dance you can do it all, and you should. I look forward to seeing everyone out in the clubs, I'm sure the impact of this Convention will be seen on the dance floor, making things a lot more interesting. I would also like to add that my best experience along with watching people from out of town dance, was dancing Salsa with Josie Neglia, that was for me very inspiring, dancing with someone at her level, plus she's SEXY too. David Richards Sent: April 19, 2000 12:47 AM My comments are...on Friday night it was pretty good, though I found that I've grown accustomed to the darker night club setting, that's why I wasn't used to dancing in such a bright dance hall. The band was great, but I was SUPER-disappointed that my favorite Salsa band (next to DLG) couldn't make it on Saturday, and that was La Sonora Carruseles. Because of that, I didn't go Saturday and Sunday night. Overall, I thought it was great to watch the other Salsa styles, especially all the New Yorkers there, they were great. I find they don't do anything overly-fancy in terms of tricky moves, that's because they don't need to, they get by on style and ATTITUDE, something New Yorkers are known for. As for the Sunday salsa workshop, it was pretty good. A little rushed but they had some pretty fancy moves that you don't see around here in Toronto. Well that's all my comments for now. Adios!!! Richardo the "h" is silent
Sent: April 19, 2000 9:30 AM The Salsaweb Convention will definitely live on to be one of the most memorable and exciting events on the Toronto salsa scene. I was there for every single party, show and workshop. The shows were simply amazing (TO's own Kathy and Oscar represented!). The parties were great (we spent more time watching people like Seaon, Josie and Ismael than dancing). The workshops were invaluable. In addition to learning challenging moves, we received a wealth of tips on styling from some of the best dance instructors in the world.... Highlights: Pedro Gomez Shines and Partnering: Great instructor and a cool "cross" move that we will be flashing out in the clubs. Nelson Flores - Shines: If anyone breaks out into Nelson's steps - clear the dance floor and give them space - excellent shines... Addie Rodriguez Ladies Styling: In one hour we were gifted with some really sexy stuff (New York style is quite freaky) - now if the TO guys could just let go of our hands for one second so we can strut our new moves. Josie Neglia Sexy Moves: Very cool flashy dancing. I believe some of the stuff may be too hot for the TO scene - the guys may think we are trying to pick them up!!! Mario New York - He had some excellent tips and some great partnering moves. Seaon Stylist Turns: Even before anybody knew who he was, Seaon created quite a stir with his smooth style. By dancing the followers part, he has definitely started a new trend in TO (guys dancing the follower's part is now cool).... Salsa Lovers Dance Studios - Rueda: Many of us with Soles were happy to realize that we can kick it with this group which is the top rueda group in Miami. Given that there are about 350 different rueda moves though, we have a whiles to go. Angel Rodriguez - New York "On 2" style: Angel was high energy and hilarious... He tried to get us to move our "booties" New York-style. Still have to work on that but some of us can now dance on 2.. (feels strange)
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