what’s going on at paso?
For those who care to know, here is some stuff in the works either currently or in the future to continue to make Paso the sickest place to learn dance.
Putting your recommendations to use
Some of you guys are like, geniuses..literally. Here are some of the changes that you helped bring to the curriculum.
1. More focus on expression and creativity. No brainer for us.
2. Starting students on music and Clave before steps. Total script flipper. Who says you have to start with steps?
3. Additional rhythm and coordination exercises. By nature they are repetitive. Always look for new ones!
4. More improvised movements through free Sueltas. It’s always tough to follow someone else’s movements!
5. Trust exercises for follows. Who would have thought?
Our 2 cents
Here is what we have in the works:
1. Cross-training in Cuban dance. The beauty of a good native Cuban style dancer is that they typically know many other forms of Cuban dance: Danzon, Son, Guaguanco, Columbia, Yambu, Orishas etc.
Next month we have an upcoming Orisha workshop with live drumming coming up soon.
2. Cross-over into the Tango community. Outside of the Afro-Cuban realm, Argentine Tango is my favorite dance followed by Flamenco. I would love to see Paso dancers cross over into the Tango world and vice-versa. Though very different on the surface, the two are very similar in philosophy.
So…
We have a free Tango workshop coming up next month by some very cool people, and it just might be followed up by a Milonga -social- that same night. What an opportunity!!
To see the workshop schedule:
http://www.pasosalsastudios.com/free-expression-project.html
Here is a little story to wrap things up with…
Exactly two years ago, when we first hit the scene, we attended the Latino festival in Cary. One of our students was there hiding in the nosebleed section of the benches and I couldn’t pull her out for the life of me. Just yesterday, that same student and others danced across the stage to live Rumba music without any hesitation or fear.
How inspiring!
Related posts:
- “so paso, what’s your point?”
- Paso Leads From the Front
- **LOCATION UPDATE** evolution of cuban dance, thursday july 1st
- DJ Radar and Charanga Carolina Live at UNC
You two are so great. I love how you are growing. It is wonderful to see you actually take the advise and implement it. It’s the way to build trust among your students. You are building confidence and helping students develop skills and everyone is having fun in the process. It’s a beautiful thing. Nice job.
I’m ready to try some of the other styles of dance. Have you seen The Tango Lesson? It’s a little strange, but there is some amazing dancing in it. Some of us should get together and have a dance movie night. I’ll bring the popcorn.
Thanks so much Tonia!
Man, if we didn’t implement the advice we received there would be no way we could actively evolve at the aggressive pace that we do.
This will always have to be this way. Think of the open source code movement…put a bunch of smart people together and good things result.
The Tango Lesson!?! By far my favorite dance related movie since the ones that have anything to do with Salsa are incredibly lame and cheesy…
Too bad they don’t want to put it on DVD!
Stephanie would watch that VHS over and over again…the Libertango scene was just spectacular and gave me chills all over!
It may have been dramatic, but it is a movie, right?
We’ve had movie nights before at the studio..perhaps it’s time for another!
If only we could get Tango Lesson on DVD