CHI IN SPACE

How you dance, at base, relates to the bodily energies you carry with you, and how you move these energies with those of the song and your partner. We find it useful to get at these energies as elements of Chi, the naturally circulating energy of the Universe. Chi permeates all things, including the human body, and you can feel it as a charge, an actual electrical warmth even between your two hands. Our movement in dance, alone or with an equally charged partner, benefits from important principles for the proper flow of Chi as developed in T’ai Chi, and spread through salsa space as Clave carves the time.

Just as we flow through the changes of life (or not), our Chi flows through us (or not), and through our dance (or not). To dance with Chi means to move in a relaxed, mindful, flowing fashion to the music, with the poise of joyful presence, without stress or blocked energies. T'ai Chi points in the direction of harmony and flow, balance and counter balance, continuity, and mindful delight. Here is a brief list of principles to keep in mind, and body, as you begin to get your clave on.

Relax. First and foremost, relax. Learning something new, we tend to tense up. But check yourself, and let tension go. Not at all weak or limp nor tight and stiff, this is an alert, vibrant condition that promotes fluid gracefulness while enhancing sensitivity. The body is full of potential yet empty: though the Chinese term is, funnily enough, "sung," you are like a song about to happen.

Keep it vertical. The head should feel suspended from above, relaxed and lifted, and the connecting spine upright and open through the back. As the spine flows Chi from head to feet, proper posture deserves close attention.

Sink the shoulders and elbows. Allow the shoulders to shift back and then down, while remaining constantly connected to the elbows. This is especially important in receiving energy correctly from your partner.

The center leads the movement of the energy and the body. The waist area just below the navel is the central axis or hub of the body and the limbs may be thought of as spokes. Paying attention to the center in part through calm, deep, regular breathing helps not only strengthen balance but leads to a more generally meditative ability to coordinate those spokes and focus your energies in the dance.

Where mind goes, Chi follows. Once “sung” and snug in your own body, focus on the circle of energy, that chalice you create with your partner through your points of contact, including your eyes, with a delicious brew between you. Feel that cup constructed of a subtle mix of mental and physical energy. The degree to which you’ll move easily together results from how you both feel those points (the palm, fingers, and eyes) of contact. Allowing hands or gaze to hang limp towards the ground means all Chi will be lost.

Keep it continuous. All expressions from the body have a start and finish, a conscious development and end, and transition to the next. Eyes can draw attention and energy to accent motions of the hands, the hips, a flare of the foot, drawing motion and energy together.

Like any discipline or art, salsa is a practice: the more regularly, and mindfully performed, the more growth and development you will experience. I often get what to me is a funny question, which is “How long till I get Good?” as if one might wake to find, in red magic marker a giant “G” on one’s chest or forehead. And there’s no shortage of teachers to tell you it can be achieved in five easy lessons. But like any art, should you wish to pursue it, it continues to open up an infinite path for exploration. We can constantly improve, and it’s good if we take improvement to mean a deepened appreciation for the subtleties of the dance, of Chi in attentive connection and cooperation with your partner, and of Clave that opens up the possibilities of rhythmic expression.

This is a purist’s approach, I know, and a little abstract, and most people come to salsa with much more pragmatic attitudes, wanting to lose 30 pounds, say, get over a divorce or meet a mate, improve your self-image with the confidence of doing something well, or simply not look too foolish at the inevitable wedding, gathering with friends or tropical getaway. Many people are surprised to find themselves coming for one reason, and continuing for others they didn’t even know existed. But whatever the drive to learn and improve in salsa, there are attitudes and energies which tend to foster a quicker learning curve, just a few worth mentioning here:

1) Patience – Be kind to yourself and your partner
2) Perseverance – You might also call it dedication, this key ability to grow with your own efforts
3) Play – Dancing is an expression of joy, plain and simple, and the self-regard of ego shouldn’t step in the way of this syncopated free-flow of energy, the experience of ClaveConChi