Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Bachata
Since I mentioned Lisa's planned workshop last night five people have registered an interest on salsacardiff. Glad to know somebody reads this!
Monday, March 26, 2007
Bachata
Here's a nice clip (click on post title) of some cool bachata. Well, they do say it's a street dance.
Lisa is hoping to organise a bachata workshop (traditional Dominican style) - anyone who's interested should let her know. So far I'm the only person who's responded to her post on salsacardiff asking for expressions of interest, but I know there are plenty of people in Cardiff who like bachata.
Lisa is hoping to organise a bachata workshop (traditional Dominican style) - anyone who's interested should let her know. So far I'm the only person who's responded to her post on salsacardiff asking for expressions of interest, but I know there are plenty of people in Cardiff who like bachata.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Hanner canrif
I'm writing my age in Welsh so that not all of you will know how old I am...
Last night was the first meal at Cibo's for a while that hasn't been accompanied by four or five glasses of Nero D'Avola and a sambucca. I stuck to one glass, which makes it the least alcoholic birthday since I was 15. Well worth it, though, particularly as Sarah came out to play (and it was 'play' by the end of the evening: much hilarity as I tried to think of wackier ways of leading and to work out just how many spins she could do). After she left - unlike me she has to work today - Anita took over. That was fun too, and it was also very illuminating when she started teaching me to follow her lead. I've followed strong leads in the past, but I've never followed a woman with a subtle lead before.
Risa was a great end to my birthday and I left feeling twenty years younger.
Last night was the first meal at Cibo's for a while that hasn't been accompanied by four or five glasses of Nero D'Avola and a sambucca. I stuck to one glass, which makes it the least alcoholic birthday since I was 15. Well worth it, though, particularly as Sarah came out to play (and it was 'play' by the end of the evening: much hilarity as I tried to think of wackier ways of leading and to work out just how many spins she could do). After she left - unlike me she has to work today - Anita took over. That was fun too, and it was also very illuminating when she started teaching me to follow her lead. I've followed strong leads in the past, but I've never followed a woman with a subtle lead before.
Risa was a great end to my birthday and I left feeling twenty years younger.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Birthday
I've decided Wednesday's not such a great idea after all - better to take Friday off work and have a long weekend. So I'll be at Risa on Thursday (my birthday itself) instead. I'll try to get to Bristol during the Easter holiday instead.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Changes
Two changes of venue: Andy's classes at the Burleigh Academy in Newport have now finished. He'll be announcing a new Cardiff Sunday night venue soon. Bad news for dancers in Newport, but good news for those of us who enjoyed the Wharf but have found Newport too far for a Sunday night.
Also Gorka's popular Cuban Friday night in Swansea has now moved to Coffee Cesso in the National Waterfront Museum. More details on the Swansea Salsa website. Cristina told me I missed a really good rueda in La Tasca last Saturday with Gorka and Kate taking it in turns to call.
Thursday night in Risa was great this week: three nice fast ruedas to start, and I danced with someone new who was really good. I stayed much later than planned.
I've got a major birthday coming up (you can probably guess which one) so I'm hoping to get to Bristol to celebrate on Wednesday night.
Also Gorka's popular Cuban Friday night in Swansea has now moved to Coffee Cesso in the National Waterfront Museum. More details on the Swansea Salsa website. Cristina told me I missed a really good rueda in La Tasca last Saturday with Gorka and Kate taking it in turns to call.
Thursday night in Risa was great this week: three nice fast ruedas to start, and I danced with someone new who was really good. I stayed much later than planned.
I've got a major birthday coming up (you can probably guess which one) so I'm hoping to get to Bristol to celebrate on Wednesday night.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Rueda
Shame it's the last week of the rueda course on Wednesday (though I think we may have persuaded Kate that she should run rueda sessions regularly). I've really enjoyed it, and Thursday in Risa showed that we've all improved hugely compared with a month ago: two ruedas in quick succession with Kate calling in her inimitable style (fast, with plenty of 'dame dos' and 'por abajo').
Both O'Neills and Risa were a bit quiet last week, though. I wonder where everybody was?
Both O'Neills and Risa were a bit quiet last week, though. I wonder where everybody was?
Monday, March 05, 2007
Salsamap
Salsamap is an interesting idea: you can search for salsa in a particular town or area and it'll show you the locations on a map. Cardiff is quite well represented if a bit out of date; but because it relies on organisers getting in touch some areas don't have any events listed yet. I think sites like this have to be really proactive - they should start by scouring the listings on salsajive and elsewhere. It'll be a useful resource when it's more comprehensive.
Beginners' and improvers' night
Irene Constantinou is organising a special salsa night for beginners and improvers on Saturday 24th March in the
Heath Sports & Social Club at the University Hospital of Wales. It includes an introduction to Bachata & Salsa. Doors open 7.30, lessons are 8-9.45, tickets are £10 advance or £12 door. Includes two classes, performance, buffet and dancing until midnight. Freestyle dancing from 10 until 12 is just £6.
For more info contact her on 07877375317, Irene102@hotmail.co.uk
Heath Sports & Social Club at the University Hospital of Wales. It includes an introduction to Bachata & Salsa. Doors open 7.30, lessons are 8-9.45, tickets are £10 advance or £12 door. Includes two classes, performance, buffet and dancing until midnight. Freestyle dancing from 10 until 12 is just £6.
For more info contact her on 07877375317, Irene102@hotmail.co.uk
Sunday, March 04, 2007
"Find women!"
said Kate on Thursday, so I found Anita and someone managed to rustle up a few more for a large, fast rueda. Great fun - we had three ruedas in quick succession - though it started to get a bit unwieldy towards the end. Some of the women in the circle obviously hadn't encountered real rueda before and were a bit startled when the 'por abajo' calls started and men started coming at them from the opposite direction!
All that dancing with Sarah last week has got me dancing in a more subtle and inventive way, at least with partners who respond well to subtlety. Standout dances were two tracks in a row with Sally from Swansea; Emma; and a bachata with my favourite bachata partner.
That 'Rough Guide' CD is on constant play in the car and the track with the pedal steel (Chica de mi Barrio) is growing on me. Actually a lot of bachata lyrics reminds me of the 'crying into your beer' style of country music. 'Amor de mi Vida' is one of the saddest songs ever: the love of the singer's life has died in childbirth, and he promises to look after the children for her because they're all she left behind when she 'went off to the sky'.
All that dancing with Sarah last week has got me dancing in a more subtle and inventive way, at least with partners who respond well to subtlety. Standout dances were two tracks in a row with Sally from Swansea; Emma; and a bachata with my favourite bachata partner.
That 'Rough Guide' CD is on constant play in the car and the track with the pedal steel (Chica de mi Barrio) is growing on me. Actually a lot of bachata lyrics reminds me of the 'crying into your beer' style of country music. 'Amor de mi Vida' is one of the saddest songs ever: the love of the singer's life has died in childbirth, and he promises to look after the children for her because they're all she left behind when she 'went off to the sky'.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Rueda y bachata
Thoroughly enjoyed last night's rueda class. Kate's a great teacher with a really generous, inclusive approach. I think we should try and persuade her to do rueda as a regular class rather than short courses.
She mentioned afterwards that she used to do gymnastics, which explains why her dancing is so graceful, controlled and 'grounded'. It also backs up my pet theory which is that the best teachers come from a sports background, and one reason they are so good is that they understand the importance of repetition in learning physical skills.
I finally managed to track down the 'Rough Guide to Bachata' at the weekend. I love bachata: there's something about its earthy, rustic quality and the yearning vocals, and that's without even considering how sensual it is as a dance. The 'Rough Guide' is a mixed bag, with some brilliant tracks and a couple which are frankly cheesy.
Most of the songs are about lost love, though there's a nice uptempo one where Teodoro Reyes boasts that he has two women, a blonde for the daytime and a brunette for the nighttime - I thought those kinds of lyrics were for merengue rather than bachata. There's also one song featuring country-and-western style pedal steel (no, it's not a great combination). Standout track for me is Yoan Soriano's 'Ya Encontre La Mujer'.
BTW, for those who love rueda and bachata, you can of course combine the two.
She mentioned afterwards that she used to do gymnastics, which explains why her dancing is so graceful, controlled and 'grounded'. It also backs up my pet theory which is that the best teachers come from a sports background, and one reason they are so good is that they understand the importance of repetition in learning physical skills.
I finally managed to track down the 'Rough Guide to Bachata' at the weekend. I love bachata: there's something about its earthy, rustic quality and the yearning vocals, and that's without even considering how sensual it is as a dance. The 'Rough Guide' is a mixed bag, with some brilliant tracks and a couple which are frankly cheesy.
Most of the songs are about lost love, though there's a nice uptempo one where Teodoro Reyes boasts that he has two women, a blonde for the daytime and a brunette for the nighttime - I thought those kinds of lyrics were for merengue rather than bachata. There's also one song featuring country-and-western style pedal steel (no, it's not a great combination). Standout track for me is Yoan Soriano's 'Ya Encontre La Mujer'.
BTW, for those who love rueda and bachata, you can of course combine the two.
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