Some evenings, I'm watching dancers out on the floor having a good time. Then something will seem wrong about a pair. They're dancing well, showing movement and a range of moves. Then it hits me. They're not dancing to the music. They're just dancing while the music plays.
There's a scene in Dance With Me, where the hero Rafael watches top Latin & Ballroom dancer Ruby 'practising' her steps. He looks puzzled and asks what she's dancing to, for there is no music playing. She belittles him for not knowing what he's on about. As the unlikely pair progress, he takes her to a Cuban nightclub playing salsa. She, thinking he knows nothing about dancing, proceeds to try and explain some basic steps to him - he just doesn't get it. She goes off to the restroom. Someone else asks him to dance and, well, yes he can dance. Ruby furious at being 'misled' says you just danced this step and that, 'how did you know to do that:?' Easy he replies, 'the music told me what to do'. Slowly but surely she realises, she's been dancing in vacuum devoid of connection to the music.
It saddens me to watch dancers miss such a vital part of the whole pleasure of dancing. Salsa danced properly is a three way connection. The dancers should connect to each other and to the music.
Let the music tell you what to do. In Cuban Timba, the tempo is changed constantly. Its a game. A game between the dancers and the band. The band are looking to show you up for not listening. The dancers follow the changes to show 'oh yes we are'. So the band 'up their game' to try and trap the dancers and so on.
When all three connections come together, it is elevating in a way you would never expect. I still feel connected to dancers I danced with when this happened. It really is special.
Be good Salseros and keep time.
Abrazos
Jon
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