Tanya J Smith Washington DC Salsa Mambo Bachata Latin
My Salsa Week is starting out auspicious and pretty fantastic. Kicked it off Thursday night with an intensive, highly motivating Salsa Class w/DC Zafire’s Edwin Alvarez. Followed that up tonight with the Black & Red Party at TSR to celebrate the incomparable Go Go Earl Rush‘s Bday. The Salsa Room was packed, I had several delicious dances with some of my FAV Dancers, AND the music was ROCKING courtesy of DJ William Hercules Sanchez and DJ Lorenzo Haire.
Standout moment- Got a 2nd shot in 7 years at dancing with Johnny Johnson, the editor of La Voz Del Mambo Magazine. At the time we 1st danced, I recall his reputation as being a serious dancer who took his Mambo seriously. I remember all too well that defeating 1st dance- I floundered, flailed wildly, and fumbled my way through his cross body leads and turn patterns spectacularly. My recollection maybe a bit overly dramatic but I recall his reactions during that dance as quietly apoplectic and seething with frustration. At that time, I was a mess of a dancer who had the right timing but the worse technique along with a erratic, hyper follow with a strong predisposition to anticipating the lead, and a dangerous tendency of unexpectedly throwing BOWS (Elbows) towards my partner’s soft tissue (throat) or head. Bottomline, Johnny was not pleased with my dance- heck, neither was I- but I was already resolute and on the lifetime path of working on improving my dance. Tonight years later, we meet again on the dance floor and this time I was supremely confidant and relaxed, just going with the flow, and more importantly, the follow along with some decent attempts at styling/musicality. I don’t know what he thought of our dance tonight or if he even remembers that we danced awhile ago but I felt very comfortable with our dance and feel like I did a good job at finally redeeming myself in Johnny Johnson’s dance eyes.
Like I said, this is starting off as a great dance weekend. Tomorrow night, Mr. Mambo’s MD.
