Performance, Competition, and the Salsa Connection.

Recently I’ve seen several salsa competitions and performances and I’ve been in a few performances as well.  One thing that I have been closely watching is the connectedness of dancers when they are doing planned or choreographed salsa dancing.  I notice that even quite a few advanced dancers give up most of their connection when performing to simply do parallel movements.  I think that the audience feels the results of this, sensing that the dancers are not connected or don’t have that desired partner chemistry.  Those dancers that I love to watch are those who clearly have all that yummy connection stuff going.  One doesn’t get the salsa connection quickly or easily; it requires high repetition with careful observation and attentiveness.  Those who develop it will likely keep it when they do performances and competition.  And dancers and their audiences will really feel the difference.

Sam Gill