| I have been noticing that the Bay Area Salsa | | | | critique them if need be. |
| performers are getting quite friendly with "the walk" | | | | What is the proper walk? |
| entering a stage. My aim in this blog is to critique | | | | The answer depends on what theme is in their |
| "their walk" and hopefully they'd take this criticism as | | | | routine. Is it an elegant routine? Walk elegantly. If you |
| constructive. | | | | don't know how to walk elegantly, watch movies, |
| What is "the walk" and where did it come from? | | | | search the web and study everything about being |
| The walk is just that, a walk. But it is different from | | | | elegant. It also really helps if you make some eye |
| the normal walk everyone does going about their | | | | contact with the audience during the entrance. If |
| own business everyday, everywhere. "The walk' | | | | your routine is sluttish, it's the same thing, do a good |
| exudes confidence. It gets attention. It could be in an | | | | amount of research. |
| introduction or at the end of the routine as | | | | In Ballroom, we train to develop the proper posture |
| performers walk out of the stage. | | | | e.g., posture of our faces, shoulders and entire body. |
| Where does "the walk" come from? | | | | If you ever watch ballroom performers, you'd notice |
| It is my belief that it came from the ballroom dance, | | | | that their chin is not higher than the ceiling. There's a |
| to be specific, ballroom standard (Foxtrot, Waltz, | | | | big difference between being snobby and confident. |
| Tango and Quickstep). The Latin Ballroom then later | | | | A year ago, I was talking to several Swing |
| adopted it (Paso doble, jive, rumba, samba & | | | | instructors after teaching bachata at the Chico Dance |
| cha-cha). Culturally, Europeans practice such "walk" in | | | | Sensation. In fact, I remember Felipe was present as |
| their lavish parties and events (you can see the walk | | | | well. We got into discussing "stepping out of the box" |
| most of the English movies such as Beethoven, | | | | meaning being creative and innovating a dance. It |
| Casanova, etc). | | | | was a roundtable of discussion to the point that we |
| Maybe it's just me, but I have never seen "the walk" | | | | even went back to the history of dancing. We all |
| adopted by salsa performers 'till less than two years | | | | agreed that the essence of any original dance |
| ago. In fact, I don't think East Coast salsa performers | | | | shouldn't be phased out or "throw out" altogether but |
| practice such walk. Not even Los Angeles. I have | | | | that it should be respected, acknowledge and |
| only noticed this from Bay Area performers. With | | | | improved upon. We finished such discussion as very |
| that in mind, I commend them for being creative. But | | | | educational and Sarah Vann Drake, a respected |
| here comes the critique... | | | | Swing performer and teacher, said it so brilliantly, |
| "The walk" falls short. It looks funny and annoying at | | | | "there's a difference between getting out of the box |
| the same time. There's a difference between | | | | and stepping out of the box. When we step out of |
| confidence and arrogance. To be honest, it doesn't | | | | the box, it basically means, one of our foot is out of |
| even look arrogant. If you have ever seen a geek | | | | the box while the other foot never left the box." |
| trying to be a playa, you'd instantly notice that his | | | | Salsa is a street and social dance. Yes it has evolved |
| gestures, actions and even words just don't fit him - | | | | and we owe a great deal to many dance innovators |
| this is how I see some of the performers when they | | | | out there, but let's not forget where it came from |
| do "the walk." I am not saying everyone does that | | | | and what it was all about. A street dance is never |
| type of walk, but I think that the dance directors | | | | snobby or arrogant. It's non-intimidating and fun. |
| should at least pay attention to their dancers and | | | | |