Thursday, February 22, 2007
So says an anonymous poster in the Singapore Salsa email group --
[quote]
You've got to brush up on the technique to compete against that Russian guy and Melvin & Sharon. Their technique is that of IDSF standard's.
Gladys being the judge, I really feel that it's unfair as Melvin teaches at her studio. That Russian guy's partner (the 18 year old girl) had been her student for a very long time. I saw her being already quite good when I took lessons from Gladys 6 years ago. You should bring this up to the organiser, in fact. Write in to the paper if necessary.
Street salsa techniques that are being taught in the local salsa schools tend to loose out to that of the Ballrooms' due to very subtle difference in the hip, ankle, foot, hand and head movements.
Pay more attention on the foot. Make sure you point them and drag them accross the floor when moving. Body flex & isolation is also important. That is one of the criteria which makes a champ different from the rest.
To be honest, I am really in dire as I do not believe that your technique is up to the mark but at the same time I do not want to vote for Melvin & Sharon & that Russian guy & his Singaporean girl partner as I do not feel that it is fair to have their own partner/teacher as their judge.
If you thought that you are already good, go to the junior latin championship on April 1st 2007 and see 10 year olds dancing latin. You'll go back crying.
[/quote]
And yet again we see the heavyweight clash between our beloved club / street dance and the ballroom dances. Yet to me it is still so clear that both dance forms are so different. Indeed, how does one begin to compare apples and oranges? To adjudge both forms based on the same set of criteria (too often, ballroom criteria) may frequently result in misjudgment, and a damning indictment of unfairness from ringseat spectators like yours truly.
I know these comments will definitely provoke the question of how much authority I have to speak as such, and the general public will view me as being biased towards street / club salsa. But darlings, darlings, there is a side of the dancer in me that few, if any, of you have seen. I am both of a salsa and ballroom background, and my initial contact was with ballroom as opposed to salsa. Surprise surprise.. I may not be in the best of positions to speak on this issue, but at least I carry some in-depth knowledge when I speak. Even until this day, I still love the rumba and waltz dearly, and even as I remain very much a club salsa exponent, I probably retain the ability to segue back into my ballroom days with ease. The differences are only all too clear.. What looks good in one dance, comes across with a penguin's clumsiness and ineptness in the other!
Chalk and cheese. Water and wine. Surely they cannot be measured with the same unmoving set of faceless yardsticks?
[quote]
You've got to brush up on the technique to compete against that Russian guy and Melvin & Sharon. Their technique is that of IDSF standard's.
Gladys being the judge, I really feel that it's unfair as Melvin teaches at her studio. That Russian guy's partner (the 18 year old girl) had been her student for a very long time. I saw her being already quite good when I took lessons from Gladys 6 years ago. You should bring this up to the organiser, in fact. Write in to the paper if necessary.
Street salsa techniques that are being taught in the local salsa schools tend to loose out to that of the Ballrooms' due to very subtle difference in the hip, ankle, foot, hand and head movements.
Pay more attention on the foot. Make sure you point them and drag them accross the floor when moving. Body flex & isolation is also important. That is one of the criteria which makes a champ different from the rest.
To be honest, I am really in dire as I do not believe that your technique is up to the mark but at the same time I do not want to vote for Melvin & Sharon & that Russian guy & his Singaporean girl partner as I do not feel that it is fair to have their own partner/teacher as their judge.
If you thought that you are already good, go to the junior latin championship on April 1st 2007 and see 10 year olds dancing latin. You'll go back crying.
[/quote]
And yet again we see the heavyweight clash between our beloved club / street dance and the ballroom dances. Yet to me it is still so clear that both dance forms are so different. Indeed, how does one begin to compare apples and oranges? To adjudge both forms based on the same set of criteria (too often, ballroom criteria) may frequently result in misjudgment, and a damning indictment of unfairness from ringseat spectators like yours truly.
I know these comments will definitely provoke the question of how much authority I have to speak as such, and the general public will view me as being biased towards street / club salsa. But darlings, darlings, there is a side of the dancer in me that few, if any, of you have seen. I am both of a salsa and ballroom background, and my initial contact was with ballroom as opposed to salsa. Surprise surprise.. I may not be in the best of positions to speak on this issue, but at least I carry some in-depth knowledge when I speak. Even until this day, I still love the rumba and waltz dearly, and even as I remain very much a club salsa exponent, I probably retain the ability to segue back into my ballroom days with ease. The differences are only all too clear.. What looks good in one dance, comes across with a penguin's clumsiness and ineptness in the other!
Chalk and cheese. Water and wine. Surely they cannot be measured with the same unmoving set of faceless yardsticks?
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