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Welcome to Salsa
and the City! This is a monthly column
by Erin about
Salsa in the Circle City. Salsa has become a lifestyle for some of us:
music, dance, parties, fashion, travel, friends, relationships, and,
did I say dance? For those who are addicted to Salsa, this is a place
where you can read about what's going on in the city, and share your
ideas, comments, and gossip. Erin has been a regular of Indy's Salsa
scene since 1999.
I'm So Angry I Could DANCE!
by Erin
Lamb
posted May 29, 2006
Since the Bible, dance has always been identified as an activity that
evokes feelings of joy, peace, freedom, elation, etc. It is an activity
one does when they are celebrating. For example, it is common to find
people dancing at weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and festivals.
For me, whether I am at a house party or on stage during a performance,
I have alway found that dancing makes me feel one way - happy. For most
of the people I know, I believe they would choose the same word when
verbally expressing the feeling that dance gives them - happy. It was
not until recently that I have discovered that this is not the same
for everyone. I have discovered that there are some people out there
that get angry when they think about dance. They feel violent. They
even feel hate. How do I know this you ask? Well just look at some of
the most recent comments to our website - specifically the comments
to Yang's article, Salseros
United.
I find it absolutely ridiculous that a person could become enraged over
the way another person dances and chooses to express themselves. I have
never looked at someone on the dancefloor and thought to myself, "They
are dancing cumbia style! I am so angry, I think I will try to kick
them the next time they are dancing next to me!" Some people's
reactions to the way that Yang and I dance, or the way that Marques
and Ryan, or Cynthia and Shayne may dance, it is almost as if they thought
gang signs were being flashed to them from across the room. "I
just did a triple spin! Whatcha gonna do about that?!" or "Watch
out, she dances in a slot, she's tryin' to pick a fight witcha!"
I have always found the different styles of dance to be inspiring. It
gives me ideas about where I want to take my dance next, or how else
I might express myself when dancing. Dance is about experiment. Dance
is about interpreting music. We all have different interpretations,
if we didn't we'd be bored with one another already.
There are also those comments hating us as a business. I can understand
hating a business because the owners are biggots, or they've mistreated
their clientele or the community in some way, but I cannot understand
hating a business because it makes money. My friends, that is what separates
a business from a social club. Anyone can form a social club, but not
just anyone can run business successfully. It takes more work than a
24 hour day can handle. Yang and I love salsa. We both were introduced
long ago and have made no attempts to leave the scene. We can think
of no better way to pay our bills and keep food on our table than dancing.
Salsa lessons and parties are not free, and most starving artists appreciate
some money for the service they provide. If you want to hate us for
that, then I would ask you what you do for a living and if it makes
you happy or not.
Bottom line, don't hate someone for their talents or for their happiness.
If you do, then the problem does not truly exist with the person you
are hating, but with yourself. I feel sorry for you, I wish dance made
you HAPPY too.
Past Columns
Reader's comments
No matter what we do, there will always
be people who don't like us. We can't do anything about that, it's human
nature, we are all different. But I think many people just ENVY you guys
for being successful and talented. I think that Intosalsa, Indysalsa,
and everyone else involved in promoting salsa in Indiana are doing a great
job. I have seen the salsa community grow since you guys started to promote
salsa. This is a very possitive thing for the community as a whole. I
hope you guys continue promoting salsa. Keep going forward. You all are
doing a great job!
- Julio Hernandez
Amen. IntoSalsa and its staff has contributed
so much to Indys social scene...it fits a real void and is one of the
best things to happen in this town...its just pathetic if you can't enjoy
it....Thank you Yang and Erin!
- Hugh
Wow a good article Erin. Keep churning and provoking people into thinking
out of the BOX. Dialouges sure help people to think from anothers prespective.
Just as long as it does not get too personal and focused into trashing
a particular individual I think dialouges help humans to evolve into better-understanding
human beings. uuuhoooo!
- Vino
Interesting comment about people hating
you as a business. Yang and Erin classes are more than affordable compared
to other professional dance studios such as Arthur Murray. I have spent
100s of $ at Yang and Erin studio in classes. I have never regretted this
money as I have never been happier in my life. You both work really hard,
and have transformed the lives of many of us in a better way. People that
bash on Cynthia are jealous pendejos, when I was a beginner she always
danced with me and always cheered me, she loves to dance more than anybody
in this community. Thanks Yang, Erin and Cynthia !!!!
- Latino hasta la muerte
I can't really fathem someone maliciously
kicking someone else on the dance floor. Wow! That's crazy! I hope that
this article is only in reference to only one or two people because if
people are starting to have that mentality, then we might as well dance
on the Jerry Springer show!
- Salsa Queen
"I can understand hating a business because
the owners are biggots...." Can you really understand hating? When
people feel this separate from others as to call it hating, they really
need the expression of love, inclusion and understanding. If you "hate"
them back, it only grows hate. Opening up to their fear is the only way
to heal this and to help your fellow dancer.
- Carol
Good for you Erin! Personally, I am very pleased
you and Yang made something of "salsa" here in Indy. And, if
you make money along the way.....more power to you. Keep dancing and having
fun! :)
- Mirv
How to begin...Yang and Erin, you have done so
much for so many, including giving me - my first crack at showcasing my
talent as a Reggaeton artist. Secondly but more importantly you've given
a lot more than is required to the "Indy Salsa Community", if
people hate you for being successful and being good dancers **** THEM...like
Fat Joe said...Jealous Ones Still Envy
- ya know...G.I.N.O. El Campeon
Hi Erin & Yang, Salute to both of you for all
the hardwork you guys are doing developing salsa in the Indiana area.
I do check you website regularly, and I use it for information on the
next congress I want to attend, since I have been working in Europe for
the past 2 years. (Salsa Congress in Norway cancelled for 2006) I am surprised
that people can hate the way salseros & salseras express themselves
on the dance floor. I am Sure these peolpe wish they could and cannot,
therefore are envious of those that can. They should pay for some classes
and learn to dance, maybe one day they might be good enough to express
themselves to be noticed. My advice to them is that they shuold not take
up space on the dance floor, leave and make more space for those of us
that what to express ourselves even more. DJ Salsa currently in Amsterdam
Netherlands.
- DJsalsa
Anger and dance. No, no, no no,no. Dancing is for
lovers. I just go to the clubs to dance so that I could pick up some Chicas.
hehehehehe! There are so many there who love to want to dance and be seen
with the impresionante. I live to love and expess my Love to the lovely
ladies on the dance floor. Spread the message of Love and be happy. Thanks
to the Language of Salsa for opening up and connecting people without
appearing dirty. The feeling of feeling special without being any special.
The feeling of being the king or queen and having fun dancing all over
the floor. The dance floor is for the kings and queens to express and
conquer and not the common fools to play around. Keep off the dance floor
haters, beginners and losers. Take classes, practice to dance and only
then come out dancing. Love El Casanova De La Noche.
- El Casanova de la noche
Hey Erin i think that you and Yang are doing a
great job teaching salsa, if some people doesn't like that is because
they are jealus. Like you said who cares if people dance salsa like cumbia,
that's how they have fun and i can tell you i'm latino and i learned salsa
from you guys but before that i did not care who dance salsa or cumbia,
and if there are people who learned how to dance salsa and now thinks
they are the best, they are wrong. They should be happy to have a taste
of my culture and having a good time when they go out to dance. Another
thing if they try to hurt your business, i dont think they can because
people follow you guys no other people who teaches salsa.
- Bilo flores
Look! People bump into one another on the
dance floor because of limited space, not intentionally. Us real dancers
just brush it off and keep dancing. One shouldn't maliciously kick someone
for an accident. As far as hating on a business, one has to have good
reason. I think what your business charges, is reasonable. Downtown property
isn't cheap, so you have to charge accordingly. And hopefully, you continue
to cater to your customers as much as you can. I could understand hating
if there were other motives behind your business; for example, just to
try to sleep with every pretty woman that walks through the door like
this studio I know of, but it's very obvious that you guys are in it for
the love of salsa and if you can make a good living off of it, I'd be
all for it myself. Keep your heads up!
- Anonymous
INtoSalsa, Indy's premier Salsa guide
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