Treading water

August 19, 2007

It wasn’t a sure thing. I hesitated before departing. There was not much of a motivation - aside from feeling of having danced not very much for much of the month. I ended up leaving from work around 6:40 without having a dinner beforehand.

SOS is still being held at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. The walls separating the two rooms on the north side was removed completely thus improving the circulation. There was one fan placed on the north side by the northwest corner of the wooden floor.

I spotted three people I associate with Cambridge – Ed, Laura and Liam, and chatted with each of them over the course of the evening. I find it somewhat amusing that in case of Laura and Liam, the last time I spoke to either of them was in London many weeks ago.

I think I had about 15-20 dances tonight. It was nice dancing with different people and to different music – although the music was very up and down in quality. I mostly asked people who I was surer of being interested in dancing with me. This meant I was mostly avoiding people who struck me as being stuck-up even if they might be marginally better. It also meant avoiding anyone who I felt gave me remotest sign of negativity real or imagined. I think I might have been a little self-conscious tonight and felt a bit second or even third class. It feels like aside from getting somewhat better at adding musical interpretation to my dancing, I haven’t improved very much with dancing On1. Then again, it feels like my dancing On2 is improving at a glacier pace too.

Songs I recognized and remember include Chanchullo (Fania All-Stars?? not sure), La Muerte (El Gran Combo), El Paso De Encarnacion (not sure which version but I think I heard Tony play the same version before), Cuando Te Vea (Tito Puente), Puerto Rico-Adoracion Medley (Eddie Palmieri???), A Gozar Con Mi Combo (Cachao), Lady (some new version), Caballo Viejo (Roberto Torres). The song selections were okay but not great – I would have preferred to have some of the named songs not played.

I ended up chatting with Liam a bit at the end of the evening. During this conversation, we were handed a flier for a Salsa event. I think this event is worth mentioning for Cambridge folks.

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Breast Cancer Salsa Charity Event

All the sponsors, organizers, performers and instructors, fliers, venue, etc are provided free for this event. All proceeds will go to Breakthrough Breast Cancer Charity (www.breakthrough.org.uk). They are hoping to raise £4000 through this event.

Date: Bank Holiday Monday August 27th (i.e. the day after Scala all-nighter)
Location: The Corn Exchange, 31 Market Place, Hitchin, Herts SG5 1DY (~20 minute drive from Cambridge)

Guest Instructors: Laith Sami and Miriam Oppel (styling classes 7:20-7:55 PM, advanced partner work 8-9 PM)
Performers: Shelley & Lee, Diablo Dance Company, and three other couples performing Blues, Cha Cha and Tango.
Entry: minimum donation of £10 per person.

For more detail, go to www.salsamachine.co.uk

So at the very worst, the money will go to a good cause. They must be hoping for at least 300 people to attend the event so the party might be of decent quality (assuming any profit from drinks go to charity as well). Club Salsa won’t be open that day so it’s not like there will be another Salsa option in Cambridge.

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Speaking of Bank Holiday, Vish asked me to talk about signing up for the coach to Scala. If you are interested in going, taking the coach seems like the sane way to go. So talk to him and don’t wait until Sunday – do it by Weds, Thurs or surely Friday by latest.