not belly dance!

[alonewiththemoon]

Decided to throw on a salsa instructional DVD that I got from Netflix when I got home last night.  Pretty disappointing.  Somehow I had the impression from the description that it was single dancer stuff to do at a party salsa, but it was partner, and rather ballroom dancey at that. There was also no discussion whatsoever of how the movements relate to the music, a cardinal sin in a dance instructional in my book.  The instructors were good at the instructing though and very cute and personable.  They flew through the step demonstrations, but as they pointed out, the viewer can keep repeating them.  I guess I did get what I wanted out of it, which was some very basic feel for salsa, but it wasn't what I was hoping for.  I wonder if there exists a DVD like that.

Since I was already in the mood to do something different, I did some of World Dance New York's Dance Today! Samba, which I've had for a while.  The last time I worked with it, my foot was still pretty bad.  Samba is so much easier when you can use both feet!  It's relaxing, even.  If anyone out there is interested in learning a little samba, this is a good DVD.  The instructor, Quenia Ribeiro, does explain a bit about the rhythm of samba and how the movements fit into it.  Not all movements are broken down that well, but if you've got any other dance background, you can probably figure it out.  And it's solo, Rio samba school style, not partner ballroom samba.  Fun stuff.

Don't want to go out into the rain to get some lunch, but I'll be awfully tired during dance class tonight if I don't...
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Comments

[deadwinter.livejournal.com]

I...hate...ballroom...salsa...so...much...

[alonewiththemoon]

With the sometimes exception of tango, which is highly formalized to begin with, I think being "ballroom-ized" sucks half the life out of any Latin dance. I'd rather watch/dance like regular people. Talented regular people, but regular people.