site.danscents.com Blog

Ashanti Altovese - professional dancer and instructor

Hola Salseros!

I’m an avid lover of the rhythm and dance of Salsa. The feeling it gives me when I’m moving to the music can’t compare to anything else. Whether at a dance studio social, a congress, or at a nightclub, you can feel the energy of the music and expression of that through the people dancing. For me, it’s not just about the music or the dance, but also the style that we bring to it, and by style I mean fashion.

Salsa Fashion is one of my favorite things to talk about because who doesn’t love fashion in some way. It’s an expression of self. And as dancers, we often want to show our personality through our dance fashion. When I survey the Salsa scene, I notice a more casual approach to fashion versus one that brings fashion to fore-front as much as the dancing itself. Now, this isn’t right or wrong, it’s just an observation. Which makes me wonder if Salsa has become more of a casual dance because of the popularity of the dance, commercialization of the music, and casual approach to the fashion side of it. I invite you to share your opinion and perspective if this topic interests you. =)

Fashion is a reflection of culture, socioeconomic status, and other factors, and in dance, this is no different. In the US, our culture is definitely laid back and casual. With jeans and t-shirts, designer and generic store brands, leading the way. And why not? It’s easy to “Throw and Go” and still look good with jeans and t-shirts if you accessorize with jewelry, sun glasses, and other items. For salseros, this is convenient because a dancer may go out around 3 times a week, and with the cover charge to get in the club, the toll to get into the city if your coming from afar, the gas for the car, and maybe a drink at the venue, it can get expensive really fast. But with the casual approach, is Salsa losing finesse, class, and suave that it could have if we upped the ante with our attire? I mean isn’t it nice to walk into a club, a social, or a congress and see people dressed to the nines like ladies and gentlemen while dancing to the hot rhythms of Salsa, Mambo, and Cha Cha Cha?

Now, there’s the other side to this. Some could say, “Well, wouldn’t dressing up every time you go out be damn expensive, make the scene snobby, and intimidate people who are just coming into contact with the scene? Wouldn’t that in fact make the dance more distant and less accessible to other dancers looking to explore Salsa? Additionally, it’s the the music and dancers themselves who make Salsa classy. Fashion has no influence and if so, it’s secondary to the music and dance. ” Hmmmm….these are all valid points. But I would argue that it’s the whole package that makes the difference.

The music, the dance, and the fashion draws you in like a moth to a flame. And once you’re in, it’s addictive! At least that’s been the case for me. So I ask all my fellow salseros, use your creativity and self-expression that you channel through the dance to fashion as well. Let’s be Salsa’s ladies and gentlemen on the dance floor through our dance etiquette, our dance style, and our dance fashion to develop the next generation of dancer’s to be sexy, sophisticated, and Salsalicious!.

by

Ashanti Altovese