The Salsa Connection

I have just come back from my first experience dancing salsa!   It was during one of the magicmatchparty.com events that I rarely attend, but was intrigued by the prospect of learning how to do some latin dance (something that my sister had always suggest I try out).  

It was a wonderful time, but what was most striking from a martial-artist point of view was how similar the physical teaching layout was to combative art.   The emphasis on how important it was for the leader to be the one responsible for all the actions of the couple reminded me of Sayoc Kali's feeder-based mentality.     The importance of the "frame" reminded me of structural concepts hammered into me in JKD, Wing Chun, and Kali, and all martial arts in general.   Without the proper frame, the energy and communication between the partners is lost.

The instructor was mostly clear on how to perform the various manuevers.   He used the classic teaching of a base form, and then added variations upon the form.    Many of the classes in the academy I train at use that format to instill proper mechanics, yet simultaneously exposing students to enough variation to make the motions unique to the themselves as single person or as pairs.

Rotating through various pairings with several women, there was a different energy and synchronization with each one.   Sometimes it worked, sometimes it just didn't.    Adaptability became paramount for success.  

Combat arts have you sense the energy of the opponents so as to disrupt their structure.  Harmonious dancing arts have you sense the energy in the same way, but it is channeled towards preservation of a mutual structure.   

Who knew that a Salsa class would awaken such ruminations?