Barrio Beatz

It's been a ridiculously busy and stressful week in work - up early every morning alternating between Bargoed and Briton Ferry. So busy that I had to postpone today's project because I hadn't had time to prepare properly for it. The bonus being that I could stay late at Barrio Beatz, or so I thought until the post-stress migraine kicked in at half past six. Incredibly frustrating - I still feel dazed, and a night's salsa was out of the question last night.

Instead, I took my camera along. I've put a whole stack of pictures on the Salsa Cardiff Facebook group and I've also added some of the best ones to my salsa set on Flickr. My technique needs a bit of fine tuning (pretty much anyone I photographed in the first half hour ended up as an artistic but unrecognisable blur) but I'm getting there.

Bar Risa was really full and everyone I photographed seemed to be smiling, so let's hope that it'll be repeated. If I get over the migraine I'll be out at La Tasca tomorrow night.

Bilingual

Quick reminder that Bar Risa is open til late on Thursday, with el Diablito on the decks. Let's hope it's a success so it'll be repeated.

Not sure if I'll be able to make it (my eldest daughter is going to be home having just finished her finals, so we'll be doing the vegetarian equivalent of killing the fatted calf) and even if I do I won't be able to take advantage of the late night as I've got an early start on Friday.

I had a great time in Barocco last week. The rueda on Thursday in Risa was fun, and I got the third compliment on my Cuban-style dancing in three weeks. I'm beginning to think that I might actually be getting close to salsa bilingualism thanks to Kate's teaching.

What's new

Quite a bit going on. One of the main things is Barrio Beats at Bar Risa. Stevie from Salsamania will be playing a mix of salsa, salsaton, reggaeton and other Latin beats until 2 in Bar Risa on Thursday 22nd. Sadly I have to be up early so I won't be able to stay late for this one, but if it's successful the plan is to continue it. Stevie's nights in Bristol are deservedly popular so if this takes off I'm going to have to plan work to avoid important stuff on Fridays.

I've been having a great time dancing lately, including Bar Risa and La Tasca. I've actually been complimented on my Cuban style dancing two weeks running (by two different people) in La Tasca, so Kate's teaching in Barocco is having an effect. La Tasca last Saturday was great. Abby was down from London, and though we mostly danced salsa I actually managed to convince her that bachata can be enjoyable (despite her previously having described the step as 'like a dog against a lamppost'). Patricia arrived later hotfoot from tango, and we've worked out how to do a cross-body lead with tango styling (she worked out how to do it, I've worked out how to lead it).

I'm wondering whether I ought to give tango a go sometime - in the meantime I've downloaded some earthy examples by Melingo from iTunes.

Nice to be back

I think I'm appreciating dancing in Cardiff more since getting back from Madrid. I'm enjoying Bar Risa on a Thursday night enormously: plenty of space, cracking music and a lot of good dancers with a great attitude who really connect when you dance with them. Later on Andy's varying the music a bit with some fast Latin jazz, and while the numbers thin out after 11 most of the people who stay are people you'd want to dance with. On the 22nd it's going to get a bit livelier: Stevie (El Diablito) is coming over from Bristol to run a Latin party from 11 until 2, which may be repeated if it's successful.

Picked up a couple of unusual leads from the final one of this series of Andy's Sunday workshops. I've enjoyed them, and it's been nice dancing with Katie (another good dancer with a nice attitude). I had fun dancing bachata with her in La Tasca last week while dodging the drunks. That was a good night despite the drunks, with the added bonus of getting to dance with Cristina who was back for the weekend (having missed her in Madrid). 

Last night Angus Peters was guest teacher for Tammi's masquerade ball in Llanharan. I'd been really impressed both times I'd caught Angus' group lessons, so I booked a private lesson with Patricia. Angus' style is very different from Andy's (though diametrically opposite to Cuban style): it's cross-body style but with the emphasis on smooth, continuous motion rather than the dynamism of LA style. The lesson was really useful: a lot of emphasis on how to make the lead clear, accurate and effortless for both partners, with some apparently simple but extremely effective tips and small adjustments which worked well on the dancefloor afterwards. It's got me thinking a lot about how I should dance and how I can improve my dancing. 

Still not sure if I'm going to get to Paris in July. But it looks like I may be checking out the Brussels salsa scene in a month's time as I've been asked to do a couple of days work there.