This has been a crazy past couple of days. I've been so stressed trying to get ready for the salsa demo, I've barely been able to sleep!

I sent reminders through my facebook group about my salsa demo and then sent a mass text to everyone in my phone book reminding them about the free lessons.

Monday at 10:30 AM Stephen and I had a lesson with Robert at Capital Ballroom to get ready for the demo. I knew I needed a) a partner b) someone to partner the girl learners if there were no guys and c) someone to help teach the guy part. I also recruited James who contacted me via facebook regarding salsa. He said he has taught in the past and would love to help out, so of course I said sure!

At the lesson Stephen learned frame, basic forward and backward, underarm turn, cross-overs, cross body lead, the three turn combo, and the hammerlock. He caught on so fast, which I was no surprised about considering how well he dances and how well he learned when I choreographed that piece for USC. Stephen is a very visual learner: once he saw the combo done by Robert and I a few times, he had it down pat. The lesson also got him more excited about salsa, and he said he wants to go to my next lesson with me as well. Yay for fun dance partners!

Monday afternoon I got the PA system from my friend Emrys, got salsa music from my friend Sydney, passed out a few more fliers, tested the PA, put together my sign for my information table, got all my shoes, fliers, etc. together for the table, and loaded everything up in my car. I was basically getting prepared for the demo from 1 PM to about 8 PM. It was extremely stressful, especially because I spent about 1 and 1/2 hours looking for my friend Emrys's car to get the PA! Oh well, there will always be obstacles when you're doing a project as big as this one.

Tuesday morning (today) I woke up at 8 to move my car to a metered spot so I could have it available to carry all the stuff for the demo. Then I got extra pretty and dressed up for the demo, loaded the remaining stuff in the car, and went to my first class before the demo. I left my class (Shakespeare) 15 minutes early so I could start setting up for my demo.

When I got to Greene St. in front of Russell House, there was a band playing! I started stressing out that they had double booked us, but when I went to the Russell House events office, they informed me the band was going to be done at 12:30. Whew!

My boyfriend Corey helped me carry the HUGE PA system along with the sign to the table set up on Greene St. James was already there to help with SAGE, the green friendly club on campus. There were a bunch of tables set up because of Earth Day, which was great because all the students working the tables learned to salsa!

Emrys set up the PA system for me while I changed into my hot salsa dress (I needed something to attract students!). My roommates (future and present) Cori and Annie helped work the table to make sure fliers didn't fly away and get people involved. Stephen did a great job making announcements with the microphone and getting people excited. I was nervous and shy at first, but by about 20 minutes into it I was yelling into the mic to get people to dance.

James was by far a better teacher than me - he knew so much and also had a great way of leading. I am so lucky to have had him there! Also, we got to find out people on campus who already know how to salsa. One girl named Rebecca who used to dance for Columbia City Ballet stayed the entire time! We would switch off dancing with James and Stephen and it was so much fun! James taught us a bunch of new patterns and we got a lot of practice time in to perfect them. I think the four of us are going to go to Salsa Cabana regularly once summer starts. I'm so happy to find a group to go with!

A few other people seemed very interested and gave me their numbers/cards. I've contacted all of them so far and hopefully we can extend our clubbing group even further.

One of my favorite students was a young man who went to Salsa Cabana last week with a girl and said he wanted to learn more so he could take her again. I thought that was adorable and used the idea for marketing: on the mic I would announce that salsa was the best way to win over a girl!

I had a steady amount of students throughout the demo - about 3-10 at all times. Most people were able to learn the basic forward and backward as well as a simple turn. Hopefully it got them interested in salsa! A bunch of my friends stopped by too, and although they might not be too keen on learning salsa, it was awesome to see them show support.

Overall the demo was a grrrrreat experience. I got to dance for a good 3 hours, meet other people interested in salsa, spread the word about my project, step out of my comfort zone, and get a pretty good tan!

I've been so behind on my blog but so much has happened since my last post.

Last week I had friends from out of town staying with me, so I didn't take any lessons but I did get my Laduca dance shoes delivered! They are so beautiful and perfect. I love the way they make my feet look and the way they feel. I LOVE THEM!!!

Also, during last week I designed my salsa basics fliers and my salsa demo fliers and had the honor's college print them. I also designed the poster for my table during my demo. One day during the week I went to Walmart and bought poster board and dowel rods to make a big sturdy poster for my table. I tried to decorate by hand, but it was a sad attempt. The stuff I printed out looks much better. 

Throughout the week my boyfriend Corey, my friend Emrys, and I spent over 3 hours hanging out fliers throughout campus and the stores surrounding USC. Corey and Emrys said they had some trouble hanging up fliers in a few places, but I got overall enthusiasm. The staff outside the Nickelodeon Theatre were super excited. I told them a bit about my project and they asked for extras to hand out to their friends. At Miyo's a woman waiting in line to be seated asked if she could hang one at her business. At the law school a student sitting in the lobby told me about his salsa days in his hometown of Miami, FL and how he'd definitely be there to dance. 

I'm really nervous about my demo. I have so much to do:

1) Make a salsa playlist, put it on my iPod.

2) Get the PA and mic from Emrys and test it with my iPod.

3) Pick up the printed poster stuff from the computer lab.

4) Cut and glue the poster stuff onto the actual poster.

5) Go to my salsa lesson with Stephen so we can learn some moves.

6) Pick out an outfit and get my shoes ready.

7) Set up my table with my salsa basics fliers, poster, and a smaller poster with special thanks to Capital Ballroom, Vista Ballroom, and Columbia's Ballroom Company. I also need to include contact information.

8) Send another reminder to everyone in my facebook group.

I just finished the salsa basics flier and the advertisement and sent them to the honor's college to be printed.

NEW IDEA FOR BANNER: I think I'll just buy the rolls of paper you can get with kitchen supplies and then make a frame out of dowel rods to make it structured. I'll buy paints as well and decorate it myself.

Today I was supposed to help Robert with another beginner salsa lesson, but I set my alarm for 8:30 PM instead of AM! Ah! I woke up at 9:10 and called him immediately to say there was no way I could get ready for class, get my car at Bates, AND make it to Capital Ballroom on time. I think he was pretty upset, but he said he understood. I felt so bad! Next time he needs me I'll be there for sure.

During my break from classes I went to the honor's college to see about reserving a spot on Greene St. Michelle and I had planned on the Wed during exam week, but apparently you can't have activities in front of Russell House during exams. I decided to change the date to Tues April 21. I do not have management that day, so I will leave Shakespeare a little early (around 12:05), go to Greene Street to set up my table, banner, fliers, and amplifier, and then end my demo around 3:30 and go straight to Suzuki training.

Things I need to do before the demo:
1) email Christian Price in the honor's college my advertisement flier and have him print 100 color copies
2) finish my basic salsa information flier and have Christian print 100 copies
3) type up a Latino culture information flier and have Christian print 100 copies
4) make a banner to put on the front of my info table
5) get the amp from George and Corey's house
6) determine what music player I can use with the amp (iPod, CD player, or iPod player)
7) make salsa music playlist that lasts at least an hour (may have to download more music online)
8) upload salsa playlist
9) ask Robert, Tracy, and Ramon if any of them could help me teach during this time
10) ask my friends want to hand out fliers for $10/hour during the demo
11) hang up fliers all around campus and Columbia

I'M SO EXCITED! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ALL COMING TOGETHER!

Hopefully all goes as planned!

Today I had another lesson with Tracy, but this time Corey (my boyfriend) came with me! After dancing at Mad Frog back in Cincinnati, he became actually interested in salsa and said he wanted to learn. It's kind of like in the movie Take the Lead, where Antonio Banderas brings in his star pupil and does a demonstration for the class to get some enthusiasm going. All it takes is a picture of what you COULD be to make you want to practice.

At the lesson Tracy first went over the basic foward and backward for Corey. Corey picks up very quickly on steps, his only problem is the form. Like a lot of men, he tends to simply tap his foot rather than put is full weight on it. He also tends to forget to keep his hand under my left shoulder blade and keep his elbows up. A solid frame is hard to remember, especially when you're not a dancer. Corey also learned a simple under-arm turn and cross-overs into a turn. The cross-overs he did both in closed position and open position. He also learned cross-overs into a toss-away turn. I can't wait to practice with him! Hopefully this will make him more confident when we got to salsa cabana.

For the last five minutes Tracy and I danced. Some things he pointed out for me to remember were keeping my chest lifted while still sending my weight foward, keeping my body at one level while doing swivels, letting my arms be relaxed, and putting all my weight into my partner's hands. While dancing he threw in a sort of rumba step (a 6 step box) as well as a fifth position in which your partner turns the opposite way.

Now my job is to make Corey practice so we can dance the night away at clubs! I think the best way to teach him how to move his body while carrying out moves is to video tape him so he can see the difference himself.

http://www.laducashoes.com/store/shoes/women/ritaSS.htm

I also feel like these shoes have a more "latin" feel and might be more appropriate. My only worry is that they aren't very adaptable - I know a lot of other types of dance prefer a closed toe shoe.

http://www.laducashoes.com/store/shoes/women/teresa3inchSS.htm

THESE ARE THE SHOES I WANT!

However, I really need to talk to someone to find out if I should get hard sole vs. soft sole and 2.5" vs. 3". I think I want soft sole and 3", but I'm also worried that won't be enough support.

Below is a video of a sweetheart, which is what Robert often uses after a hammer lock. It's basically just wrapping and unwrapping the woman.

Below is an excellent video of the Turkish towel.

Yesterday I had another lesson with Robert at 4:00 PM. We reviewed the patterns he taught me before, as well as introducing a few more complicated ones. They include:

* the Turkish towel - cross behind partner switching sides
* the carousel - basic back into turn, moves around center point (partner)
* around the world - grapevine behind partner into a turn (can do multiple times)
* foward facing head loops
* reverse pivot turn

And a few more! I was slack yet again taking notes DIRECTLY after class. Not to mention I forgot to give Robert the questionnaire yet again. I did find a notebook that will be my salsa notebook, and I'll put it with my shoes and papers each time. That way I just have one bag I grab and it has all my stuff.

OTHER NEWS:
I've been emailing Michelle and she found some great information to put on the salsa flier! Now I just have to make it up and submit it to the honor's college.

I just got an email from Elizabeth with responses to my interview.

I also got an email back from Michelle from Ballroom Club. She said the Wednesday of exam week would be perfect for her to help teach. So I think I'm going to pay her and one of my roommates to help me teach salsa and hand out fliers. Now I just need to submit the date to the honor's college, have them put in my request, print the fliers, and make up and print the salsa information sheets to hand out during the demo. I'm super stoked!

Also, Robert from Capital Ballroom called me this afternoon and asked me to help him with another salsa lesson tomorrow (Monday) at 4:00. I can't believe things have gotten to this point! I'm so proud of myself, and I can really see how much I've improved.

I just looked at my Wachovia statement, and so far I've only earned $161.43 of my $1,500.00 scholarship. Good thing I've been spending way more time on my project! Also, the prices of the lessons are racking up, so that is going to take a lot of money. Not to mention I need salsa shoes and money to pay people to work my demo.

I've gotten back questionnaires from Pamela Melton, the mentor for Ballroom Club, and Erin Bolshakov from Vista Ballroom, so I sent reminder emails to Elizabeth from Ballroom Club and Melissa from SALA. I also sent questionnaires to Ramon and Cindy Flach. Tracy called the other day to let me know he, Paul, and Joyce all filled one out and they'll have them ready for me at my lesson next Wednesday at 4:00 PM. All I have left is to mail one to Mad Frog in Cincinnati and drop two off at Capital Ballroom and Salsa Cabana. I think I might run these errands on Saturday to make sure they get done.

I just created the flyer to hand out a week or so before the actual demo. I just need a date and I can start handing them out! I'll just spend a whole day posting them all over campus, as well as take them to my salsa lessons to post at the dance studios.

I just sent an email to the leaders of USC's ballroom club and SALA. During exam week I really want to hold a salsa demo on Greene St., but I don't think I can do it by myself. I'm going to create flyers give basic salsa information, as well as flyers with Latino population statistics here in Columbia. Things I need:

- stop by the honor's college to have them request a spot on Greene St.
- pick a good day for the demo
- good salsa music (Dirty Dancing Havana Nights soundtrack maybe?)
- some sort of amplifier for the music
- a table for the flyers
- flyers containing Latino culture information
- flyers giving basic salsa information
- a cool banner to attract attention
- 2-3 assistant demonstrators
- 1 person to man the info table

Perhaps I could use part of my research grant to pay the demonstrators/table worker...good idea me!

One more thing I forgot to add to Ramon's lesson: The turn is usually on the 567 of the measure, but once you've passed the novice level, multiple turns are added into the mix and you might have to adjust to get back on the music.

Also, always be prepared to step back (the first half of the basic) after a turn. You may have to pause before you step, but this step usually follows a turn.

Tonight I had my first lesson at Vista Ballroom on Assembly Street. Ramon was my teacher, which was really cool because I've danced with him before at clubs and in a group lesson, but never one-on-one. He asked me my background and decided that instead of focusing on ballroom style salsa, like Tracy, he would teach me more his style - club dancing. Like I've said before, Ramon is really into the passion of the dance. He believes that dancing, especially salsa, is an expression of the music. So, if the music changes, like a new instrument is added to the mix, the leader should change up the steps to mirror the music. He is also very into ad-lib dancing. He doesn't believe dancing at a club should be a series of memorized patterns. Rather, it should be whatever organically forms from the two dancers coming together.

It was great to hear and see this different approach. You could tell he kind of just made things up as he went along, which was slightly challenging for me to follow but extremely interesting to look at. He had me turning A LOT, which I'm slightly uncomfortable with because even in ballet I was never much of a turner, but it's good to step out of my comfort zone. Some key aspects Ramon stressed were:

* Put your full weight into your partner's hands. They need to feel gravity in order to show you which way to move.
* RELAX YOUR ARMS. Remember to keep your elbows down, for this shows you are letting gravity take over.
* Never let go of your partner. The man is always the only one to let go.
* Do not anticipate moves. Feel which direction your partner is going in.
* The most important thing to learn is how to follow well with EVERY partner. Some partners keep a solid frame, others are more loose (like Ramon). A good follower can adapt.

Here's an example of a hammer lock (which I tend to call a "hammerhead" lol)

Yay! I figured out how to directly embed a youtube video, so you'll be seeing a lot more of these! This is just the video posted before but now its directly on your screen.

GREAT NEWS! Last night (Wednesday April 1) I received an exciting call from Robert (and it WASN'T an April fool's prank, thank goodness). The female instructor at Capital Ballroom has recently fallen ill, and he asked me if I could help him teach some of her students. I was so ecstatic to be asked this! I thought my lesson had gone well, but not that well! I was very flattered to find out that Robert considers me good enough to demonstrate for his paying customers. I guess I am learning a lot!

So, today at 10:15 I met Robert at the studio. We warmed up for 15 minutes until the pupil got there; Cedric. Cedric had never salsa danced before, but he had always found it interesting so he decided to learn. He's a slightly older man, probably late 30's or early 40's, and although he didn't know the basics yet, he had excellent rhythm and style. We taught him the basic forward and back (from the man's perspective, of course) and then it was my job to help him practice leading a female partner. He also learned an under-arm turn and how to switch positions. Cedric was a great pupil for it being his first lesson. You could tell he was nervous and all I wanted to say was, "You're doing amazing!! Don't stress!!" At the end of the lesson Robert and I danced to our full ability for about 3 minutes to show Cedric what was to come and motivate him to want to learn.

This lesson was very beneficial to me because I got to see salsa from the man's perspective. A lot of it is about being confident about your movements and showing your partner which direction to go by moving your entire body, especially your torso, in the direction you wish to go. Every time Cedric hesitated or only moved his feet, I had no idea what move was about to take place. The lesson was also a great example of how it might be to run my own studio. Ability varies greatly, from competition level to pure beginners, and you must have the know-how to help the best become better as well as have the patience to teach the basics you probably haven't worked on in years.