Rueda is meant to be fun.....

Something that irks me is the etiquette of joining in with a Rueda or lack of understanding of it.

Rueda is a wonderful inclusive style of dance. I have often described it as 'Kaeligh meets Latin Dancing'. A lot of the fun is in the chaos. 

For those not familiar with this style, couples dance in pairs in a circle. The 'caller' or 'leader' calls out the name of the move to be danced. The dancers execute the move. It involves a lot of changing partners. Some of the moves are basic and could be executed by almost any dancer. Some are more complex and require a degree of competency in the dance and some experience of what is required. Some are flirtatious, even downright rude. Some moves it doesn't matter if you know what to do or not, others if you don't know it throws the whole group out. 

There is an undeniable thrill and excitement when a group gets flying and the moves are all danced well together. A certain amount of chaos and 'things going wrong' also adds to the flavour. 

I've even had Cubans watching Rueda's in our club comment 'some of the moves are going wrong'. 'Yes, but the dancer are all laughing and having fun, isn't that the point?'. 'Err, yes it is, we forget sometimes'.

However, there is a big difference between a few things going wrong and just plain messing it up for everyone. 

So, here are my etiquette points when it comes to Rueda.

Experienced dancers with no experience of Rueda should not join in. 

There is no way you should join a Rueda if you don't know what you are doing. It just ruins it for everyone else. It isn't enough to 'know how to dance salsa', you  need to know where your meant to be going and when. 

Only pair up with dancers who should be in the Rueda. 

Some nights I see dancers grabbing 'anyone' off the sidelines so they can join in. It is so awkward when a Rueda if forming up and I see someone - usually a man - on the side without a partner, grab a beginner or any bystander and charge over to the dance floor. It is just wrong - it ruins it for the beginner, it ruins it for the whole Rueda. 

Ladies DON'T lead

When someone doesn't know a Rueda move, the best bet is to dance casino until the time comes to move on. Why do some women insist on trying to lead men through the move? It invariably means that instead of being able to move on when the move ends they are all over the place uncertain of anything other than 'they can't do it'

If a Rueda is established, leave it be.

Sometimes it is nice to have a Rueda with top flight dancers who can really dance and the standard and complexity can be raised. Equally a Rueda can be made up of friends 'having a go' at calling their own Rueda. Half way through the track a couple join who really haven't the experience or the ability find a way in. Boom, the whole thing has to slow down to their level or the fun of dancing with friends has been sidelined. 

If you don't know a move, watch the caller like a hawk.

I've had strong Cuban dancers in my Ruedas that don't know all of my moves. Only a skilled observer would know this. They focus on the leader and they copy at great speed. If you aren't strong enough to copy on the fly, then just stick to Casino. 

Now don't get me wrong. You need to join in with Rueda's to get the experience. Just make sure that when you join, you aren't ignoring everyone else just so you can 'get in'.

Finally - one night when every guideline was broken, but it worked really well. 

There are nights when the whole room seems to join in and it just flies. Dancing with one other couple at a local club in Brighton, within 2 minutes it felt like the whole room had joined in. At the end of the tune, the DJ announced that the Rueda was to stay put and have another tune. If only I knew how to call over the club sound system cranked to the max. Still, it worked somehow and remains a special memory.

Jon 

20th August 2012

You've got to wear the right trousers (shoes) Grommit!

There have been many occasions when someone will phone me up and ask 'could you tell me a bit more about the salsa classes'. I quietly wish that they would read the FAQ page on the website where, I know, in reality every one of the questions they are going to now ask have been answered. I also know in reality, the potential new dancer is assessing whether I might be a front for a mad axe murderer or whether salsa classes are just out and out pick up joints. All fair enough, so I don't really mind answering. 


One of the questions though, more often than not is 'should I wear trainers'. I explain that trainers are made to hang onto the floor with maximum grip, dance shoes need to give a bit. You need to be able to turn. When starting I recommend an old pair of regular work type shoes for the guys and an old pair of court shoes with a bit of heel for the ladies. 


Where I get depressed is having explained this, seeing people turn up in trainers or worse, the ladies turn up in block heel shoes. High heels, sold form, with no give. Bless these ladies, they do their best to dance in these shoes, but it is never going to go well. 


I do my best to hint that large, solid, inflexible shoes really aren't great for dancing in. They usually smile and carry on. Next week, sure enough, same wrong shoes. 


I also talk to some dancers (and here it is much more the men) who tell me things like 'I don't want to get a pair of those dance trainers 'cos people might think I think I'm a better dancer than I am'. 


While I understand to a point, if you've been coming dancing long enough to notice that the best dancers wear some kind of bespoke footwear, the chances are the time has come to get a good pair of dance shoes. It makes it so much easier to dance. The grip is right. The support is right. Ladies in high blocks, the level of your heels is right in relation to your toes. It makes it easier to make the most of what you can do. 


There are plenty of golfers who buy the best clubs in the hope it will cure their hook/slice. There are plenty of club tennis players who get the best racket they can afford. Loads of kids buy branded football boots in teh hope it will give them an edge like the star player who endorses them. 


All the dancers on Strictly Come Dancing are kitted out in the right footwear - I assume in the hope that the pro's will get the best they can out of their 'celebrity'.


Ladies and Gentlemen learning salsa. Treat yourself to the right footwear. You know it makes sense.


Jon 
2nd July 2012

Congress Season - my love hate affair with them

Its that time of the year where I am getting more and more e-mails about the next unmissable congress. To those who aren't familiar, this is the term for a weekend of dance. 


The reason for my love hate affair is complex. 


Firstly, there is no doubt whatsoever, that it will improve your dancing if you go along and attend enough workshops. Total immersion in anything is bound to improve your understanding and technique.

There are (normally) a significant variety of classes to choose from. It is a chance to explore other dance styles. It is a chance to watch some of the finest exponents of the dance style in action.


The downsides though are there too. All too often, congress organisers will pack as many people in as they can regardless of what it does to the class sizes. 


Rarely does anyone monitor or enforce the standards of dancers going into a class. So all too often, a class billed as 'Advanced' is hamstrung by dozens of mediocre dancers joining in and not being able to complete the move. I have often found the best classes to be the ones labelled as 'Intermediate' as there are less egos in the class and the instructor can deliver the routine they had planned.


On the theme of planning, I'm not sure that all the instructors do plan a routine. 


I've never yet seen a feedback form for either the teachers or the congress. 


I've sat through hours of showcase dances, that frankly, just weren't worth the time or effort. Sadly, also, it seems these are compared by someone who's job is to get the crowd to cheer wildly regardless of standard. In the same manner as happens in many of the classes, those watching often just push right in front of you to get a better view. To hell with any decency about who was there first. 


Despite the many faults of the organisers and the lousy class ratios, there is still something essential and appealing about going to a Congress. I just wish they were more focused on the experience of the attendee and somewhat less on ensuring the promoters 'do well'.


Jon 
17th June 2012

Would you like a dance?

Back in the day when I first started my salsa club, I used to go to great lengths to explain the etiquette of asking for a dance. For a long time I've felt that it didn't need explaining any more as everyone just seems to 'get it'. More recently, I've noticed that people don't just get it any more, so time to put the record straight.


Anyone can (and should) ask anyone else for a dance. 


It means - can I have a dance. 


It doesn't mean could I have  a dance and hope that I can spend the rest of the evening with you. 


One dance. A conversation (assuming the track is slow enough to manage it). Thank you for the dance.


I know that for ladies, this is the hardest part of the salsa scene to get to grips with. Ladies, if you aren't getting enough dances, go and ask. Personally, I have only ever said no if I had something I had to do (like DJ) meaning I couldn't head straight off for a dance. Normally, I'd sort the immediate requirement for the club and then go and dance. There really is no reason for ladies not to ask men for dances. Men can be shy too and sometimes just need a nudge. 


In my book, it is also ok to ask someone to dance when they are stood at the side of the room chatting. Its a dance club, chatting is good, but dancing takes priority. IMHO. 


It can be worrying to ask someone who you think is a much better dancer than yourself. You find yourself thinking 'I can't ask them, they're too good a dancer, they wouldn't want to dance with me'. Well, we were all beginners once. If we never danced with better dancers, we'd never have got better. I don't know any experienced dancer who minds taking dances with less experienced dancers. OK, I know they do exist, but if they are too far up themselves to dance, they're not actually the dancer they'd like to think they are. 


Ever noticed how experienced dancers are never shy about asking less experienced dancers?


The final part of the etiquette is to thank your partner at the end of the dance and then to go and find they next partner. It is very poor etiquette to tie one person up for the whole evening. A large part of the joy of dancing is that chance to spend a little quality time with a lot of different people. 


So, next time you are watching the dance floor thinking you'd like to be out there. Go and ask someone nearby for a dance. 


Jon
14th May 2012

Dancing with Beginners

Something that often surprises me is the approach of guys dancing with ladies who are beginners. 

As I run the club and am seen taking advanced classes, beginner ladies often look panicked if I ask them for a dance. I do my best to re-assure them that I will keep it simple. As a rule of thumb I will start with the very basics and then slowly but surely move my way through moves working out what the lady can dance. 

At some point, I will hit the level that is too hard for them. After that, I stick to moves I know they can dance. 

Sadly I often have to watch moderately experienced male dancers forcing beginner ladies through moves they clearly have no idea how to dance. Too many dances like this and I know I am not going to see the ladies again as they are put off ever trying salsa again. Thanks guys, I needed that....

I don't know if there is some ego switch in these guys heads that thinks that if they aren't seen dancing 'complicated' stuff, then everyone will think that's all they know.

Here's my advice to the men:

KISS - Keep it simple stupid

Simple moves danced well are so much better than complex ones that become a mess.

Respect the lady you are dancing with, its not your job to make her get through your move, its your job to make her feel she's the best dancer on the floor.

If all the men look after the ladies, then more ladies will progress and we'll have lots more ladies to dance with.

As for beginner men dancing with experienced ladies? Sadly it just seems to be too scary to go and do. Beginner guys just go and ask, the ladies really don't mind

Jon

26/04/2012