The Flava Of Salsa

All music follows a pattern; therefore, their dances will follow patterns as well. Everything in this world pretty much follows a pattern. Even the left must go in front of the right or viceversa to be able to walk walk. Even then we don't say, hey we all walk the same because we follow the same patterns, a la flava.

Patterns, style, foot work aren't the same as flava. If that were the case, salseros wouldn't say we need flava. Because a person learned in the street, doesn't mean they have any flava either. Nor would I say that a person who has been listening to salsa all their life has flava. I know cubans, domincans, ricans, colombians, who have never taken a class, dance salsa and couldn't look more lifeless.

By flava I mean, teach someone how to get in touch with his or her inner dancer. Teach them how to move the body not as you would, but as they themselves would. We teach patterns, we teach steps, we teach style, yet many move the same. The good ole' "guess the school" game. Why? Because they were never taught to let loose and move that body as their innerself would. Not me, not he, not she, but YOU. We can spend the rest of our lives dancing and if we can never get in touch with our inner dancers, we'll always be flavaless. The dancer will inevitably always dance from the head, and the head is all about limits, correctness, and rationale.

What good is it to teach my kid to run, if he doesn't even know how to walk? That is what I mean by teaching patterns and steps instead of getting to know our inner dancer. I know how to drive a car I just don't know which is the gas pedal, the clutch or the brake. That is what I mean! What good is it to drive if you don’t know when to use the gas, brake, nor clutch? To some my version would result in bad dancers because they wouldn't be as prominent with steps, or patterns. Yet, those dancers would be on beat, moving to the music as the music calls for, as one, and with personal styles (flava), which they developed from their innerself, yet all look different doing the same movements and dancing to the same songs. How would their lead be? Going to a school and learning steps doesn't equal to a good lead, nor great followers. That comes from experience, so with experience these guys will be as good as the next. We aren't robots, we are all different, so shouldn’t we all display the true US on the dancefloor?

To me salsa dancers have to be strong solo dancers, this isn't tango. This is salsa, salsa is about the mating ritual, making each other know that you two are one even when you are apart. Not by control but by movement, call and response, catering to each other's needs. When you come together it is to bring dancers for the physical part of foreplay. Not the wam bam thank you ma'am thing. It is about LOVE & PASSION Salsa isn't about girls, it isn't about who is looking at you, it isn't about patterns/moves, it isn't about partying, it isn’t stepping. It is about LOVE, it is a lifestyle where salsa is your world and your mate the subject of all interactions within that world and its love. And that is where flava comes in. I wanna see your true self out there. Not a short version of your instructor. I wanna see you. I don't want to see how many patterns you can pull-off in a 3 minute song. I don't want to see how close you can get to that hottie in the short skirt. I don't want to see how many lucky nights you get in a week. I don't want to see how much you know. I don’t want to see who is looking at you. I wanna see you and her. I want to see you two become one and display the love salseros share as it makes you display it. It is a lifestyle, a lifestyle, it is nothing less... The many that never achieve that understanding speak of LIKING, speak of girls, speak of the same, those who do, speak of soul/flava and love.

(I read this somewhere)

Great dancers aren't great because of their technique; they are great because of their passion.

This is the best quotation which suits here. Nice article Sheetal... I dance to express my love to the partner and to enjoy the dancing and have never thought that how the other people dance, You should dance like you have the whole floor and should fall in the deepness of your partner's love. This should be from the both side than only you can say that you danced otherwise you just did an exercise...