oh! and did I mention that I've taken up Salsa again?
This time, Homie darling (David), although I can no longer dance with you, but I've kept to my part of the deal and have continued taking up lessons in Melbourne with someone else (Peter) who happened to bear the same interests as we do - dancing. And when I'm done, we shall meet again, on the dance floor, just like before.
Just some basic introduction to my current SEXY weekly routine concurrently~
THE PLACE.
MELBOURNE SALSA - L.A. STYLE
What is Salsa?
Salsa (the dance)
Salsa refers to a fusion of informal dance styles having roots in the Caribbean (especially in Cuba and Puerto Rico), Latin and North America. The dance originated through the mixture of Mambo, Danzn, Guaguanc, Cuban Son, and other typical Cuban dance forms. Salsa is danced to Salsa music. There is a strong African influence in the music as well as the dance.
Salsa is usually a partner dance, although there are recognized solo steps and some forms are danced in groups of couples, with frequent exchanges of partner (Rueda de Casino). Improvisation and social dancing are important elements of Salsa but it appears as a performance dance too.
The name "Salsa" is the Spanish word for sauce, connoting (in American Spanish) a spicy flavor. The Salsa aesthetic is more flirtatious and sensuous than its ancestor, Cuban Son. Salsa also suggests a "mixture" of ingredients, though this meaning is not found in most stories of the term's origin.
Rhythm and steps Salsa is danced on a core rhythm that lasts for two measures of four beats each. The basic step typically uses three steps each measure. This pattern might be quick-quick-slow, taking two beats to gradually transfer the weight, or quick-quick-quick allowing a tap or other embellishment on the vacant beat. It is conventional in salsa for the two musical measures to be considered as one, so the count goes from 1 to 8 over two musical bars.
Typically the music involves complex African percussion rhythms based around the Son clave or Rumba clave. Music suitable for dancing ranges from slow at about 70 beats per minute to its fastest at around 140 beats per minute though most dancing is done to music somewhere between 80-120 beats per minute.
Use of space Salsa is a slot or spot dance, i.e. the partners do not need to travel over the dance floor but usually occupy a fixed area of the dance floor, rotating around one another and exchanging places. Traveling is not ruled out but is more used in a staged salsa performance. In a social setting it is bad etiquette to occupy too much floor by traveling.
History The history of "Salsa" dance is peppered with hearsay and contradiction. Although few would disagree that the music and dance forms originate largely in Cuban Son, most agree that Salsa as we know it today is a North American interpretation of the older forms. New York's Latino community had a vibrant musical and dancing scene throughout the '50s but found limited success with the 'Anglo' mainstream. In the 1970s, adoption of the term "Salsa" reduced the linguistic and cultural barriers to mainstream adoption of Latin music and dance.
The modernization of the Mambo in the 1950s was influential in shaping what would become salsa. There is debate as to whether the dance we call Salsa today originated in Cuba or Puerto Rico. Cuba's influence in North America was diminished after Castro's revolution and the ensuing trade embargo. New York's Latino community was largely Puerto-Rican. Salsa is one of the main dances in both Cuba and Puerto Rico and is known world-wide.
Origin of the salsa steps The dance steps currently being danced to salsa music come from the son, but were influenced by many other Cuban dances such as Mambo, Cha cha cha, Guaracha, Changu, Palo Monte, Rumba, Abaku, Comparsa and some times even Mozambique. Solo salsa steps are called "Shines", a term taken from Tap dancing. It also integrates swing dances. Salsa can be a heavily improvised dance, taking any form the interpreter wishes. Modern Salsa has elements of Jazz, funk reggae, hip-hop and samba.
Salsa styles There are many characteristics that may identify a style. There may be different step patterns, different timing of steps, particular movement on the dance floor (ex: slot, circular), dancer preference of turns and moves, attitude, dress code, and others. The presence of one or more of particular elements does not necessarily define a particular style. For example, many styles can be danced "On One" or one style may be danced "On One" or "On Two". The following are the major "recognizable" styles.
Cuban Style
Los Angeles Style
New York Style
Venezolana (Dominicana) Style
Colombian Style
Mambo
Puerto Rican Style
La Rueda
Salsa Disco
...and here are some Salsa tips for those of you who embrace the same passion as I do.
Together is better
The principle aim of all basic step patterns, and all figures, is to allow two people to coordinate their movements to music without any other communication. So long as the people are moving in sync with each other, it doesnt matter on what beat they are dancing, whether the figures are executed according to routines, or anything else.Grace and connectivity are what dancing is about.
Know your role
The aim of the lead in a partnership is to create a frame of movement in which the follow displays their musicality. It is not for leads to detract from the follows efforts by grandstanding or showing off, leaving their partners doing nothing. In the case of less experienced follows, the lead facilitates the movements of the follow by extending their range of movement, teaching the follow to realize their capabilities. When the follower is more experienced, they can take more initiative as distinct from back-leading and provide the leader with more options into which the couple can move.
Less is more
Unless performing, use styling only to accentuate points in the music, not points in a figure. When best executed, these will coincide, but frequently, parts of figures suited for accent do not match the music, so leave the head/arm-flick out until the time is right for it.
Be Happy
No matter what their level of skill, happy, joyful people are much more fun to dance with than over-focused, unhappy or attitude-ridden people. You will have more fun, and so will you partner, if you relax and enjoy the experience, than try to force it to conform to your expectations of what it should be.
Minimize thought
Dancing is more about feeling intuitive, spontaneous response to music than about thought. While learning a figure or working on something in a class, thinking is all to the better understand what you have to do, so you can remember it to practice later but once the foundation is laid, you will enjoy it more if you let it flow than spend all your time trying to remember while dancing (as opposed to practicing dancing). If you think too much, you will forget to breathe, and to enjoy yourself.
Create your own style
Many students/dancers get caught up in trying to copy or become the carbon copy of their instructor. Whilst it's great to be inspired by others and have a mentor, it is more satisfying to know you have created your own style or your way of dancing. To do this, watch others around you. When out social dancing look around at the styling other dancers use, something some one does will catch your eye. Watch salsa videos of congresses from all over the world and then practice, at home in front of a mirror or in your dance studio, with a dance partner. Try new things and keep trying until you think you've got it right, if it doesnt work for you go onto the next thing. Keep trying until something fits with you and in the process you may come up with our own way of rolling your shoulders or flicking your head. The way you sway your hips or the shimmy or body roll. Trying to fit into someone elses mould may take you years or a lifetime, wouldnt you prefer to dance like YOU for a lifetime.
Practice Patience and Perseverance
Dont expect to be the best Salsa dancer overnight! That just won't happen, for some it takes months and for others years. The way to make it happen for you is to practice at least 3 times a week or more, to be patient with yourself and to persevere even when it gets tough and you think you'll never get it. Try private lessons, as one on one with an instructor can catapult you to becoming a better dancer faster. Also after group classes stay back and dance to the music. Get used to dancing and practicing with out the voice of your instructor. See = live bands as well, feel and hear the music. The more you dance and listen to the music the more you will connect with it and your partner and the better dancer you will become.
A thrilling chase, a wonderous place, for You & Me.
*Dusting off the heavy pile of cobwebs on ma blog* (-_-") ENuffffff anottt?
Wahahaha. It's April 2009 already. Feels older, Feeling wiser. Even the wisdom tooth has decided to finally emerge out of my widened gum. How fast time passes so quickly without my permission. One word - sipeh sian.
I know I'm no regular blogger, well but you can't blame it on me cuz I'm no regular girl-next-door! O.K... I'm seriously thinkin' really hard on what to blog about, all because of ahmei's endless rantings... "...clear off the dust on your blog!" "...UPDATE!" "...don't dodge my qns!"
It wasn't really much of a question, sounded more like a demanding statement as a matter-of-fact. boo. Why don't you fly your cutie-pie ass down here & let me blog about something really meaningful - US. If not, don't blame your ahjie for displaying the wrong forms of affection for random people, classified as: others. =(
Everything's been going well. Same old, Same old... Just a slight change in the external environment, something that's more permanent, something more established - a career and.. needless to say, a full-stop to my precious 3 months worth of crazy-asss holidays back in SG during uni end-of-term break! HATE that. hate it hate it hateeeeeee it.
Well, at this point in time, embarking onto a new phase of life, in a whole new world, I'm glad the Angel of my life - my babesis, Nicole has flew her ass all the way from Brisbane with ALL her "thingamagics" (huge amounts of luggage and loose baggage...) here, just to be with me. To work, to live and to carve out our like-minded careers for both of us, together. Babesis, this has been deeply engraved into my heart & you be ascertained that our dreams will definitely be fulfilled with time.
It also has been a pretty long time since I've seen my lil brother. Seems like he's growing well, more mature, more handsome, taller - I hope NOT.
Girlfriend? I've yet to SEE in PERSON. - coming soon to Melbourne with him for my birthday on the 10th of July 2009 ~ which makes me wonder who ELSE would be coming too.
I definitely miss everyone back in SG very very much too. Namely, my long-lost bestie gf Jeannette, Papa Josh, Pimp Daddy Wilson, Ashley, Leslie, Thian, Eve Pek and the names just go on and on and on... not forgetting the one in perth, Jess Jess, whom my bf would be joining soon in May. As for the Brisbanians, namely Ben, Big John, Faith & Mish, Andrew pig-ass, my daughter Joy, my good ol' homie David, Nick and the rest... you guys better find a way to drive down or plan a holiday together during winter! Melbourne is THE PLACE TO BE. Its on all the Victorian car plates man!
In the meantime, I do hope my bf would do well for his flying career in the upcoming relocation to Perth. I wish for my ahmei and meifu (ahmei's bf) to come be with me this JULY 2009. Gosh....I'm sick of blogging and I don't wanna be doin' this anytime soon againnnnn cuz' its just racking my brains when its actually my day-OFF.
and....
oh! do come to GUCCI to visit anytime soon.
SALE would be taking place in MID-year June-July. If not, it's "Going, going, goneeeeee!"
Champagne & GUCCI finger-food & chocs would be given out upon arrival.
VIP invitations for first previews of all newly displayed sale items & ready-to-wear.
~ as the saying goes, the early bird catches the early worm!
Current occupation: GUCCI GROUP at Collins st (Melbourne)
Ambition to be: Boss of my own boutique (Fashion & Design)
A patriotic: Singaporean citizen
Who stays in: Fortune Park (Hougang)
An unpatriotic: Australian permanent resident
Who has residencies at: Spore.Gold coast.Brisbane.Melbourne
Dearest Pet border collie: Angel
Loves & Thoughts
My Brands: Louis Vuitton.Burberrys.Tiffany & Co.Hermes.Coach
Her choice of watch: Patek Phillipe
Wishlist 0: Sony Vaio Laptop C series Pink - thanks to my parents.
Wishlist 1: Bvlgari 5-band ring white gold - thanks to my parents.
Wishlist 2: LV handbag from Italy - thanks to my parents.
Wishlist 3: LV keypouch - thanks to my parents.
Wishlist 4: LV wallet - bought by yours truly.
Wishlist 5: Kenzo Flower - thanks to Steven & darlyn.
Wishlist 6: Gucci Envy Me - thanks to Victor & darlyn.
Wishlist 7: Hugo Boss XX - bought by yours truly.
Wishlist 8: Ms Dior Cherie moisturiser & perfume
Wishlist 9: Victoria's secret Love spell - thanks to ah mei.
Wishlist 10: Tiffany & Co charm tag bracelet - thanks to darlyn.
Wishlist 11: Sony Cybershot T2 white - thanks to darlyn.
Wishlist 12: My doggie Angel - my baby
Wishlist 13: Apple MacBook white - thanks to darlyn.
Bdae Gift 2008 #1: Tiffany & co twin-hearts necklace & YSL eyeshadow cosmetic - thanks to Andrew, David, Deborah, Glenn, Joy, Min, Noel, Nicholas & Sophie
Bdae Gift 2008 #2: Mango tangerine scented candle & card - thanks to Nicole, Wilson & Jess
Bdae Gift 2008 #3: Scented candle - thanks to Kailin
Bdae Gift 2008 #4: SK Jewellery Diamond ring & tulips - thanks to darlyn
Bdae Gift 2008 #5: Scarf & bracelet - thanks to Ervin, Junhui & CK
Bdae Gift 2008 #6: Choc rose & choc heart - thanks to Amy
Bdae Gift 2008 #7: Black dress from Topshop- thanks to ah mei
Wants to: achieve her ultimate goal
Wonders: About Paris & Venice
Enthusiast of: Her white Nissan Skyline
My second ride: black Honda Jazz (2007 model) named Xiao Hei
Special thanks to: Daddy & Mummy
Fav sinful indulgence: Cadbury's
Fav alcoholic beverages: Southern comfort coke, Bourbon coke, Lychee Martini, Malibu pineapple, Pina colada, Sex on the beach, Shirley temple, Long island ice tea, Bailey's on the rock
Fav beverage: Bubble tea with pearls & rainbow jelly
Thinking of his idea: The Romantic Getaway with Him
Angsana Maldives Velavaru
Lobby exterior
"Life is a succession of moments, To live each one is to succeed."
Lost and unfound
My late grandpa's: Only photograph
My late great grandma's: Only golden ring
My 2006 bdae present: Missy Elliot Adidas Jacket
My head: If it could be detached from my body
My softspots
My one & only girlfriend: Jeannette
My perfect star: Nicole
My little sis: Patricia
My fattest papa: Josh
My pimp daddy: Wilson
My sweets: Jessica
My big sis: Linda
My bestest buddy: Norman
My dearest homie: David
Not forgetting... My darling: Shouyat
[Special thanks to all of you who played a big part in my life]