‘A Ver Quien Te Toca?’ or ‘Who will you get?’

Therein lies the question and the suspense in this upcoming competition of spontaneity, sensuality and your best improvised Latin moves. The best part of all is you won’t know with whom you’ll be dancing until the very last minute, the moment of truth!

The ladies will randomly pick the name of a gentleman from a hat at La Bodeguita Del Medio on May the 8^th at 9 p.m. the first of two preliminary rounds.  The DJ will then play a randomly picked song from a preselected list of songs that are all around the same tempo.  That person may or may not dance the same style that the woman who selected him does which can be ‘on 1’, ‘on 2’, or Cuban style. This is precisely what makes this type of improvised contest so fun and interesting. Who is going to dance with whom and how is that gonna work out!??

La Bodeguita Del Medio is celebrating its salsa roots which started in Cuba with lots of salsa flavor by celebrating this very theme which made them successful. The event is called FIESTA PATA SALADA.  ‘Pata Salada’ is the term often used for people who are born or have resided for many years in Puerto Vallarta.  The kickoff for this event will be a Jack and Jill contest as commonly called in the U.S. but here we’re calling it ‘ A Ver Quien Te Toca?’

It is open to all levels of dancing and all styles of salsa.  Choreography, technique, costumes and timing are not judged.  The only judging is the sense of connection to your partner, musicality, attitude and expression. The audience will judge the first two rounds by applause and the winners who make it to the finals will be judged by a panel of local media personalities.

A minimum of 5 couples on two different nights will compete to qualify for the finals. The day of the finals different salsa dance schools will exhibit their talent and showcase the different styles of salsa as La Bodeguita will offer Open Bar from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. and then a 15% discount on consumption thereafter. 

This event is this popular Latin bar’s way of extending their hand to the salsa community and saying thank you for being our essence, the ‘heart’ of who we are and the first step for La Bodeguita’s intention to recapture the flavor and Latin vibe that are its origins. They want salsa dancers to consistently be part of the landscape of this popular hangout.  It’s a small place, but anything is possible. And Vallarta dancers are always hungry for places to go Latin dancing.  La Bodeguita has plans to open up more dancing space to accommodate those Latin shakers. The event is a three-day contest. May 8^th and 9^th at 9 p.m. are the preliminaries, and the 11^th are the finals starting at 11 p.m. The winners will be awarded  package  prizes  courtesy of La Bodeguita Del Medio, Pop Diner and Cupocity.com. 

Come be a part of the fun!

Marcella Castellanos teaches salsa and soon bachata at Yoga Vallarta. You can contact her via Facebook or Twitter at Latin Motion PV or at www.latinmotionpv.com or visit her blog at http://latinmotionpv.blogspot.com/.

Who or What is Jack and Jill in Salsa?

Have you ever gone into a dance club or social and sat in awe watching different couples dancing like professionals moving so fluidly to the rhythm and timing of the music as they  demonstrate a close connection with one another. You’re mesmerized and pretty certain they have been dancing together for years and that’s why they look so good. Oftentimes, this is not the case. Sometimes it is, but more often it’s not. Salsa dancing by nature is a social dance which means that you are constantly switching partners to interpret music differently, dance to a different salsa beat-On 1 or On2,  and just plain vary your dancing.  Sometimes a dancer connects better with a certain dancer more than another and has almost nothing to do with how well they know each other or how long they have danced together.

 Because salsa dancing has such an international following, there are times that people, strangers, just show up at any given salsa venue and dance with willing partners with what has been determined to be  more or less their level of dance ability.  When this pairing happens, the result can be an incredibly spontaneous, improvised, awe-inspiring dance that looks like it had been practiced for weeks or months.

This is what Jack and Jill contests are all about.

Jack and Jill is the term used for a popular salsa contest in which dancers –leaders and followers, are randomly matched. Unlike most conventional, professional competitions in which the dancers are judged on choreography, costumes, technique, timing, and a string of many other qualifying criteria, this type of dance is judged based on how well you improvise-social dance. It is a lot more light-hearted by nature and is spontaneous and fun to participate in as much as it is fun to watch.

Basically, salsa dancers are randomly paired with each other and the new paired couples are asked to do an improvised salsa dance to the DJ's selection of the music right on the spot. No preparation can be had and no choreography allowed. Costumes are often not judged and usually anything goes in your dancing.

The term Jack and Jill commonly used in the U.S or Dance with a Stranger as it’s called in the UK comes from the popular nursery rhyme, Jack and Jill and also from Jack Carey the format innovator who is also a Swing Dance Hall of Fame dancer, choreographer and judge. 

Jack and Jill will be appearing in Puerto Vallarta soon and you won’t want to miss this exciting event of spontaneity and sensuality. The new contest name is " A Ver Quien Te Toca?" and will be held at La Bodeguita Del Medio this Sunday the 8th, 9th and then the 11th. 

Marcella Castellanos teaches salsa and soon bachata at Yoga Vallarta. You can contact her via Facebook or Twitter at Latin Motion PV or at www.latinmotionpv.com or visit her blog at http://latinmotionpv.blogspot.com/.