Bachata Dancing...

So, as promised here are a few videos from the DC Bachata Congress this weekend.

The first one is Christian Sola and Elina, and they taught a Bachata in the Dark workshop.. which sounds like it could be sketchy, but really he focused on the finer details of Bachata as well asappropriate ways for the guys to turn and touch the girls while dancing with them.. He emphasized that it is actually mostly an illusion rather than actually touching.. If you pay attention you can see it in this video, it looks like they are very connected and intimate and close.. however, they are not actually touching each other with their fingers. He's leading her with the palms of his hands, forearms and elbows almost exclusively...

 I very much enjoyed this class. I learned a whole lot about the smaller details of Bachata, and they were fantastic instructors!

The next video is Troy and Jorjet. Possibly among (if not) THE top Dominican style Bachata dancers right now. Not only is he absolutely hysterical, and she stunningly beautiful (and they are married), they dance fantastic together.. Her footwork is astounding and, they are amazing instructors! I want to be able to dance like her... Dang!



When he sits down he then asked us if we wanted to see her "do her thing"... to which we all replied in the affirmative.. and you can see a bit of what she does below.. So, this last video is just her showing off some of her dance moves.. absolutely incredible!

Motion...

It is no surprise to those who know me to find out I love dancing.. or moving.. or flowing around.. I would dancing in the kitchen when I was younger while I cooked... Sometimes it would lead to burning the food cause I would get distracted haha... Sometimes I would talk to my mom in the kitchen and spin around and purposefully slid on the fake wood flooring the whole time (I have no idea how my parents found my antics amusing!)... I have always been a mover. I am incredibly animated, I use my hands like crazy while I talk.. and I seriously cannot be still while I talk, my entire body acts out what I am trying to communicate. Then, to top it all off, I have spent 19 years training my body to move and flow in slow motion or fast spurts...

So, it is no real surprise that I love dancing... I thoroughly enjoyed the classes I took this weekend (I'll post a couple videos later to show what I learned). But, one of my favorite things that sets dancing apart from the martial arts is the grace and flow of it all, where as the martial arts accentuates my strength and endurance, my capable side; dance accentuates my grace and beauty. I love them both, even though I am not the best or most skilled. I like dance because 1. I feel graceful and beautiful, but it takes skill and hard work to accomplish. 2. It's a solid work out that leaves me exhausted... Plus as a bonus my body gets the chance to work out weird muscles in the process..

After this last weekend of dancing literally all weekend, I feel awesome. very tired, but very excited about the hard work I put in and the fun I had... Not to mention the cool people I met and had the chance to learn from.

Videos to come :)

Bachata Congress...

This is a picture of me dancing with Darlin Garcia at the Resolution Jam 2011... Un-benounced (is that even a word?) to me at the time, he is a world renowned Salsa Dancer.. What I knew then was he is a fantastic dancer, clearly enjoys dancing, and is such a smooth lead that I smiled and spun more dancing with him than I did with anyone else that night. And, he will be one of the instructors at this weekend's 2011 DC Bachata Congress!

To say I am excited would be an understatement.

I have snacks, drinks, band-aids and tape, friends, caffeine, and shoes all prepared for this weekend's dancing extravaganza...