Comments on The Unlikely Salsero - Don Baarns: I Should Smile More

Some of us do suffer from clown face. (I guess it&...

2010-09-03T18:17:12.624-07:00

Some of us do suffer from clown face.
(I guess it's 'cause we like dancing so much.)

Any remedies therefor would be much appreciated.
Don't want to scare the good leads away.
:-)

One of my favorite lady to dance with at the Grana...

2010-01-25T12:31:03.831-08:00

One of my favorite lady to dance with at the Granada (I've pointed her out.) not only smiles a lot, she's actually laughing too. She always seems to be having fun, even with me.

Part might be flow - I'm trying to think, but ...

2010-01-12T22:29:46.890-08:00

Part might be flow - I'm trying to think, but would likely say full attention demanding flow you'll not get smiles. Isn't it likely to have the need to have "salsa dancing capacity" to spare to be able to be smiling etc (naturally smiling, not pasting something on)?

It may mirror your dancing to an extent of how much back and forth, or comedy or playfulness is in your dance? Is there a lot of surprise in the dancing for example. I wouldn't know beyond an assumption from reading your articles, and seeing there's a lot of thought, training and talent your way!

Maybe there's mileage to the phrase "dancing in your head"? Maybe comedy, or surprise is a script or dialogue that is slightly orthogonal to the traditional musicality dialogue you'd have when being in keeping with a song?

Hi Don, Just been doing some solo practice at home...

2010-01-12T16:24:06.253-08:00

Hi Don,
Just been doing some solo practice at home using a video and I remembered your words. Wow, it make a huge difference smiling, really quite astonishingly so. Without changing anything else it transforms the appearance of the dance work.
Gotta put that on the dance floor now.
Joe

Anonymous: Thanks for the kind words... Some other...

2010-01-07T13:49:53.113-08:00

Anonymous: Thanks for the kind words... Some others have thought I'm funnier looking than I write, but we'll leave that for now.

Maybe I just had a bad song, but I realize that my partner won't know WHY I'm not looking happy. The last thing I want is my partner thinking my sour expression is because of them.

Nobody has gun to my head saying, "Dance with this woman!" Usually I asked them. I feel I owe my partners a better expression.

I suspect a few others should think about their expression too.

Last night I danced in the same club again and I felt good about my progress. Of course, there were no photographers around to confirm/deny that feeling.

I didn't look like a clown, but I certainly didn't look like the doctor just asked me to cough.

I was thinking about being happy every dance last night. I want it to simply be my norm over time. Once I can't keep a decent expression, I should go home.

Say hello when we're in the club. Obviously I don't know who you are from this posting. Hopefully my face will be plugged into my brain that night.

I have danced and seen you in the club. I am lau...

2010-01-07T13:23:55.491-08:00

I have danced and seen you in the club. I am laughing as I read this article; you are much funnier in writing than you look. I think you are a great lead, may be you were just so pre-occupied about what to do with the next lead and trying to protect the followers not to get stepped on or kicked; therefore smiling is not your priority. I always smile when I am dancing, unless the guy has the following traits:

• Bad lead, but I will still try to smile if the partner looks happy; don’t want to spoil his fun.
• Strong body odor or bad breath. Double whammy goes on my black list.
• Soaking wet is acceptable as long as no foul smell come with it.
• Too many turns and non-stopping fancy lead. Not as if I don’t enjoy it, but it makes me feel like taking a final exam to show how much I have learned. I really have to focus and not to mess it up; after all I only have couple years of Salsa dancing experience. I can look very serious or start to laugh at the end of the song, because I made through it, hopefully didn’t make a fool of myself.

Joe: You have it right; our whole face should refl...

2010-01-06T10:20:20.199-08:00

Joe: You have it right; our whole face should reflect we are happy to be dancing rather than typing at the computer. I guess I use "smiling" as the starting point for a positive expression.

DezertDiva: In my case I'm only social dancing...

2010-01-06T10:18:17.419-08:00

DezertDiva: In my case I'm only social dancing these days, so I have no excuse not to smile. In a performance, smiling is part of the rehearsal (or should be), so I'd expect that to be a given.

I've noticed how most of the girls that I real...

2010-01-06T07:57:41.538-08:00

I've noticed how most of the girls that I really like dancing with smile a lot, and there are some that I don't like dancing with, simply because they don't smile or make eye contact and it makes me feel almost insulted. I'm sure its the same for them too and I try to remember to smile.

But that's only part of the bigger picture of what you do with your whole face. How to use the eyes, overall expression, concentration, vocalisation movements - all have a powerful effect on the emotions created - great tools if used well.

I guess even the face should be dancing too.

Joe

Having only followed you through your posts, I fin...

2010-01-05T20:35:16.045-08:00

Having only followed you through your posts, I find it hard to believe in a facial expression unlike your posted avatar snap.

Is there a different motivation perhaps when you're dancing at a club vs. dancing in a performance?

Like you though, I've become more conscious recently about the very same thing. Thanks for vocalizing it.