of Houston dancers selected to appear in the VH-1 movie, "The Way She Moves". Did he feel it was a true representation of Houston Salsa life? "I think it captured a small percentage of the spirit of Salsa dancing here in Houston. It was more a love story (than about) the dance." Still, he was glad to be a part of it. Movies, like dance, provide a magic all their own.
But if "The Way She Moves" was not very representative of Houston Salsa, it still helped to shine a spotlight on an area of social dancing which is seldom observed by general audiences. In fact, most people probably don't know there are different styles (usually referred to as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Cuban, Columbian -- named for the areas where they are the most popular and originate from).
How important is it to know the different styles? "As a teacher," Eddy pointed out, "you need to pay attention to every style that exists and to learn from it. I think it makes you more of a complete dancer/instructor."
And Eddy incorporates his knowledge of the different styles into his performances. "I believe it is my duty," he said, "that my performances ...not just entertain, but also educate people in the different styles of Salsa dancing."
Educating the dancers about the dance is important because it can have an impact on their performance. Even social dancers are sometimes judged (by their partners, by the people dancing around them, by the people just watching the dance floor) on their style and technique. Merengue, a very popular dance in Houston which originated in the Dominican Republic, is nonetheless avoided by some Salsa dancers because they deem it too simple and "boring".
I disagree with them. I enjoy dancing Merengue and have watched some Merengues where the dancers really put on a fantastic show. I asked Eddy why he thought some people were disappointed in dances like Merengue, and yet others found it to be very fulfilling.
"It has to do with two things," he told me. "One, a lack of creativity when it comes to dancing Merengue. And, two, not understanding what Merengue is all about. That goes for Bachata, Cha Cha Cha, and Guajira. A lack of knowledge."
Bachata has an interesting history (in this writer's opinion). Like Merengue, Bachata
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originated in the Dominican Republic, but was often danced only in the poorer communities. More upscale dancers considered it a "dirty" dance. Bachata can be danced in two ways, one way more formal than the other, one way more intimate.
Here in Houston, I have noticed an increasing popularity for Bachata. I asked Eddy how much interest he sees in the dance, which was almost unheard of a few years ago. "I love Bachata," he said. "When I moved here in 1998, no one knew what was Bachata -- nor did they know how to dance to it. 1999 is when they played Bachata (in Houston clubs) for the first time, and I showed publicly how it was danced. Now people know the basic and add turns but I dance it very traditional(ly) and I love it very much. I'm glad they play it enough to get my fix!"
Returning to the classes he teaches, we talked a little about a series of workshops Eddy has introduced in 2005. I asked him to explain the difference between a workshop and a regular class. "The workshops are more focused on certain techniques and classes that really don't need to be offered as a four-class session," he explained. "So, I decided to (do the workshops) this year as I become more knowledgeable of what the people want (and need) to improve in their social dancing."
Workshops and dance classes are not the only items on Eddy's menu of dance offerings. He has found time to launch four dance companies: Salsa With Attitude and Timing (S.W.A.T.), The Salsa Eddy Project (both of which demonstrate Mambo, the older, On2 style of Salsa dancing), The Salsa Eddy Dancers, and Salsa Tribe (or Las Tribus de la Salsa), the last two of which emphasize the On1 style of Salsa dancing. On1 is what is currently most popular in Houston, but I recently met a retired teacher who used to teach On4 Mambo....
What we call Salsa today came from Mambo. The musical rhythms call for 8 beats, where the dancer pauses (or "holds") for 2 of the 8 beats. In the "On1" style, the dancer begins moving on the 1st beat and holds the 4th and 8 beats. In "On2" style, the dancer begins moving on the 2nd beat and holds the 1 and 5.
When I asked Eddy if there was a way the average observer could distinguish between the two styles, he pointed out that, "Someone who doesn't know timing or technique can't really understand or see the difference with the naked eye."
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