A Gozar - An Introduction to Salsa Dancing & the Unlikely Salsero

Posted on August 6th, 2008 by Allan Tabilas

Has salsa dancing captured your imagination?  Have you been bit by the salsa bug?  Los Angeles area filmmaker Kate Thomas is addicted to the dance, and she created a short documentary about her passion.  The short is called A Gozar (To Enjoy): An Introduction to Salsa Dancing, and is about 10 minutes in length.  Kate talks about (what you know already) about salsa dance, that it is incredibly fun and exciting, and it’s unlike anything seen in nightlife.  You may know your partner on the dance floor, but it doesn’t matter.  You connect with each other through the music.  The documentary is handy for people who haven’t given much thought to dancing — show it to your friends.

We found this documentary through Don Baarn’s blog, The Unlikely Salsero (who is also an interview subject in the short).  Using his experience as a percussionist and musician, Don is able to weave together his fundamental understanding of music with technical aspects of the dance.  He has some interesting observations on the social and psychological aspects of dancing as well.   In order to expand his own horizons, he took hip-hop classes with dancer Sho-Tyme, and found himself way over his head. Here’s a brief excerpt of dancers going too far above their level, with a general human observation:

Most people dislike being called a beginner as an adult, even if that’s their current status. Many guys prefer struggling in the intermediate or advanced classes rather than be caught dead in the beginner class. For many, it’s simply uncool to be at the novice level, and they can’t wait to “move on,” even if that means skipping some fundamentals. They purchase “advanced” DVDs when they are far from mastering the lower level DVDs from the same instructor.

As someone famous for taking classes over his head, I’ve seen some great progress and been frustrated at points. I highly recommend you attend some classes above your level, even if you sit out part of the class and watch. Being around great dancers can inspire or depress you, depending on your personality and goals; but either way, it’s good to see what you’ll be like in a few years if you put in the effort.

We encourage everyone to read his blog for his deep insight in dance and music. Tell him Nuevotec sent you.

Tags: , Documentary, Don Baarns, Kate Thomas, Unlikely Salsero
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