It only takes one dance

Had to drag myself out to the Toad last night. I'd been sweltering in London all day and didn't get home until nearly 9pm, but I decided I had to go as I hadn't been for weeks.

I definitely wasn't at my best, though I had a couple of good dances earlier on. Maybe it was me but I wasn't too impressed with the music.

I managed one reasonable bachata; then I made a complete mess of the next – with one of the best dancers there – while the guy next to me did some very elegant stuff with someone who didn't think she could dance bachata : (

I'd almost decided to go home, but I decided to have one last dance with one of my favourite dancers. She doesn't dance like anybody else - in fact it took me ages to get used to her style - but her dancing is so dynamic, graceful and imaginative (I'm running out of superlatives here) that I left on a real high.

(A similar thing happened to me the last time I went to the Claverton Rooms: I'd changed out of my dancing shoes and decided to relax and have a drink, when I noticed that someone I'd sussed as a good dancer was available; I shot across the room to nab her before anyone else did, and had the most enjoyable and exhilarating dance of the night.)

Another Tuesday night

Mikey from Peru is starting a new Latin night at Zync - formerly Sam's Bar - on Tuesday 5th July. There will apparently be themes, salsa classes twice a month, and early evening tapas. It's competing with Cuba and Callaghan's on the same night, which might be a bit ambitious.

Is that move any good?

I used to think that any move was good if it was learnt well enough, but I've since realised that just because a good teacher has taught it doesn't mean that a woman is going to like it. I remember taking ages learning a sequence only to be told by my commendably frank erstwhile dancing partner that it was 'crap', but that it was also crap when she danced it with the teacher. To take another example, having roadtested it (gently) a few times I'm convinced that nobody over five foot tall actually enjoys disappearing under my right armpit, being dragged sideways behind my back, and reappearing from under my left armpit.

So which moves am I going to keep? Any move that has had a positive comment from more than one woman - and any move where I've ever been complimented on my lead. Though that can come and go: I had one that always used to get a 'nice!' from my regular partner, and then I completely lost the plot with it for a couple of months (it works again now, much to my relief).

I definitely got into a bit of a rut relying on the same old moves (and too much spinning the woman) over the winter. I reckon to keep a competent partner entertained I need to include a few easy moves, one or two unusual or unexpected ones, some challenging ones so she can show how good she is, and one or two to make her laugh. I picked up a nice one from Angus last week which is going to be a definite for the 'unusual' category once I've refined the lead a bit.

Asere

Cuban band Asere have a gig at the Patti Pavilion in Swansea on 16th July - I'll be away, but they are also down to play St Donats on 3rd December so maybe I'll catch them there.

Angus

Got to Angus Peters' class at Bristol Golf Club last Thursday - only a 40 minute drive from Canton (and yes, I was sticking to the speed limit). The dance floor was a bit small and there weren't that many people there, but you could tell right from the warmup that it was going to be a good class. Angus' warmups and footwork are funky but easy to learn. And the class was as good as expected: very clear and structured, focusing on the key points for each move - I managed to pick the sequence up despite being in a post-migraine daze. Nice to have some new moves to bring back to Cardiff. Unfortunately I'm away the next week he's teaching there, but the plan is to get to Torquay on July 2nd for one of his regular Saturday workshops followed by dancing.

Not many people stayed around for the free dancing, and I wasn't really on form. Trying out new footwork in new shoes after a migraine isn't a good idea, as I discovered when I tripped over my feet and toppled into my partner. Fortunately the dancefloor was empty, the lighting was low and she reckoned that if she hadn't been watching my feet she wouldn't have realised it was a mistake!

Changes

I nearly didn't go to the Toad last night as I was knackered, but I started enjoying myself as soon as I got there. The class was a good illustration of why a lot of people (including me) think that Andy's the best teacher in Cardiff. The moves were quite unusual but he used them to make more generally applicable points like the importance of keeping arms light/loose and why you need to stay on line, with a lot of individual advice. I was very sceptical about whether one tricky arm-flick was actually leadable on a woman who didn't know it, but it worked on KatewhospeaksSpanish in the free dancing later on. Great to have her back on the scene (she's now teaching the beginners' class).

Definitely got more energy for dancing now summer's here and it seems to be infectious: at least, I'm getting asked for more dances and I haven't been turned down for a while (mind you, I'm going to Bath tomorrow so that might change). I had some really fun dances, including one relative newcomer who definitely has the right attitude.

Andy and Lucy have a new lambada/zouk night starting Monday 6th at Edwards (beginners/improvers classes 8.30-10, dancing until eleven) and a series of Saturday workshops in June and July in Keppoch Street, including bridging (getting from beginner to improver), spinning and leading/following. BTW Fridays have now ended at La Tasca.

Bristol

I've realised that the Thursday night at Bar Med in Bristol won't be Michael and Maxine every week - looks like they alternate guest teachers.

But there's yet another Thursday night alternative coming up soon - Stevie (Salsamania) is going to be starting a club night at Jongleurs shortly.

Salsa trio

Thano's salsa trio class in the Toad last Thursday was great - just about the right amount of information. It looked as if it wasn't going to happen because there weren't enough women, but as the improvers' class had a surplus we just pinched some of them. So I got to dance with some people I wouldn't have danced with before.

More to the point, I actually managed to remember a large part of the class and tried it out on Liz and Teresa (who hadn't been in the class) on Monday night. The plan was to practise it unobtrusively at the edge of the dance floor, but I rapidly realised nobody else was dancing...Wasn't planning on an audience when trying out the moves for the first time, but most of it worked. Helped by my two partners being really good dancers (they both seem able to follow by telepathy on occasions!).

Planning to go to the Claverton Rooms (for the first time in ages) on Saturday, and to try out Angus' class at Bristol next Thursday.

Bristol Golf Club

These are the class times for Thursday nights:
7.30pm (ish) Beginners (Phil)
7.30pm (ish) Beginners/Improvers (Angus)
8.25pm Improvers
9.15pm Intermediate (alternates between Phil and Angus, this week it should be Angus)

La Tasca

Went to La Tasca on Saturday night for the first time in ages. Salsa has moved downstairs, which means more space and less heat; but I think there must be some variation on Parkinson's Law stating that the number of drunk muggles expands to fill the space available...

It's a latin night, not a pure salsa night. Andy plays a variety of latin music including merengue, bachata and lambada, but it's all good stuff. There's a live percussionist as well. I got there around half eleven and started enjoying myself a bit after midnight. Not that many salsa dancers there, but enough for me to have a few nice dances in the limited space available. There was more space (but fewer dancers) later on. Well worth going again soon. Not next Saturday, though: I'll be giving town a wide berth for the Cup Final.

Frank

Former salsa teacher Frank Rozelaar Green – he used to teach in the Point – was devoured by large flying monsters outside a church in Grangetown on Saturday night.

(I should point out that this was on Doctor Who...)

Another new night in Bristol

You wait all year for an alternative on Thursday night and then two come along at once! Hot on the heels of Phil and Angus' new night at the golf club comes a night at Bar Med with Michael and Maxine from Birmingham. I happened to go to one of their classes in Birmingham back in December and I thought the teaching was excellent. Going to be a bit torn...

For more details, click on the link above (Salsajive site listings) and scroll down to Thursday.

New Friday class

I see from Andy's site that there's a new absolute beginners' and improvers' class running at the All Nations Centre, Sachville Avenue, Heath on Fridays from 7.30-9.00.

Week off

Amazing what a difference a few days off work can make. I had a great time at the Toad last week and I was dancing better as well. There was even a bit of rueda - Manuel, Maria and co - which Abby and I managed to gatecrash (they didn't seem to mind). Abby's last night in Cardiff which was a shame. At one point it was so hot and crowded that we ended up dancing outside by the ramp: I thought it was going to be hard to dance on concrete but it wasn't bad. My former Spanish teacher was there as well though she said she needed 'un otra copa de vino' before dancing.

Had a grilling about salsa this morning - I had to record an interview about my digital story prior to it being broadcast on BBC2W. I thought it was going to take 20 minutes as the intro piece is going to be edited down to 30-40 seconds, but the interview went on for nearly an hour. Interesting questions, including "what's it like dancing salsa?", "how do you choose who to dance with?" and "how do you learn to lead?" - none of which are easy to answer succinctly!

New night in Bristol, etc

Promising new Thursday night starting at Bristol Golf Glub, which should be easy to get to from Cardiff as it's just off Junction 17 of the M5. Classes from 7.30 with Angus Peters and Phil Heath, then dancing til midnight. Angus is an excellent teacher, very clear and structured; I don't find Phil's classes that easy but I always pick up something useful from them.

I think this might get popular with people who are tired of getting kicked and elbowed in the Toad. (Having said that, Andy's class was spot on last week - just the right amount of material -and things improved on the dancefloor later on).

Quick reminder that O'Neills no longer runs on Bank Holidays (but for John's fans there's salsa, dinner and dancing at St Donat's on Saturday).

Capture Wales

My digital story is finally on the BBC website, so if you want to know who's behind the screen name (and haven't already worked it out) visit the link above. You can also see what I looked like 20 years ago and have a good laugh at my dancing.

Finally getting somewhere...

O'Neills last night after yet another week away from salsa, and it was surprisingly lively with the very welcome return of several people I hadn't seen for a while. Music was pretty good on the whole apart from the odd bit of cheese. Nice variety of dancing styles, including an exciting dance with Cardiff's most individual, stylish and expressive salsera (who was dancing with remarkable enthusiasm for someone recovering from broken ribs).

Unfortunately the video screens are working again, so I could see just how rubbish my bachata looks. My partner said that doing the hip wiggle made her feel like a dog cocking its leg on a lamppost, which can't be how it's intended to be danced!

Going backwards

I'm working away all this week, as it happens, which means yet another week without salsa.

I can feel the quality of my dancing going backwards, which is frustrating. It's not just that I can't get to the 2 nights a week I reckon I need to keep up to standard - it's also that three of the women who I've danced with best have acquired boyfriends and get to salsa little if at all, while a fourth has left Cardiff. Oh well, after this week I should be able to get back into going regularly, and I imagine a private lesson or two will help me get back up to standard.

12 and 16 April

I'll be away, but there's a Latin American solidarity evening at Kiwi's Night Club, Wyndham Arcade, Cardiff on Tuesday 12 April from 7.30 until late. Only £1, and there will be Latin music (and a bit of beginners' salsa teaching) from John Pamplin.

Also it's the Claverton Rooms in Bath on 16 April. Guest teacher is Angus Peters, who I was impressed by when I went to his class at Pontins.

Glasgow

The original plan was to get to the Favela (formerly Cuba Norte) for Farah and Duncan's Thursday night Cuban class and some rueda. Didn't work out like that - I couldn't get there in time for the class - so I went to Havana on Hope Street instead for some CBL. I got there just before 10 as a very crowded beginners/improvers class was ending. In the free dancing people were much better at dancing compactly and sticking to their own space than in Cardiff. (Maybe that's a result of learning in such crowded conditions). None of the "I'm going to do the moves I want and everyone else can get out of my way" attitude you sometimes see here.

Good standard, generally friendly, and I had some nice dances there, but god it was hot and crowded! I'll certainly go again the next time I'm in Glasgow.