CARIBBEAN SOUL DANCE COMPANY WORKSHOP
HELD AT MONTAS INTERNATIONAL LOUNGE ON MAY 3RD, 2003
The workshop consisted of 4 different classes, the first one being “Leading and Following Techniques”. “My favorite class” Ismael said, “and the most important”. He demonstrated with Grisselle his talking with the hands theory and then demonstrated a few drills to help students with arm tension, action/reaction, and hands contact. After the demonstration, all the students had a chance to try it with different partners moving all over the dance floor, which was very fun since you had to watch out for oncoming traffic (other couples). This exercise was very effective targeting many different aspects of leading and following. He also explained more techniques for different situations as a leader and follower, and stressed to pay attention to the music, which a lot of people don’t do. Ismael and Grisselle covered a lot during the class; it was so much that I just can’t remember it all and it will probably take me all day to explain. After the class we went to a 15 minute break.
The second class was “Beginner Intermediate Turn Patterns”. At first, they would demonstrate a couple of moves and the students would decide which one they would like to learn! At one point, they demonstrated so many cool moves trying to find the one that would catch the students eyes that when he was finished with his demonstration everyone could not believe how many moves Ismael has under his sleeve. He chose 4 different moves. They were very clean and funky at the same time. I was very impressed in the way he would explain and break down each moves and how he would emphasize the technique. Ismael has tons of cool moves and great leading technique and he is not afraid to share it with his students. After the class ended, the DJ played some music and everyone was practicing the “Million Moves Man” turn patterns.
The third class was “Intermediate Turn Patterns”. This class was a little more challenging. He first demonstrated the difference and similarities between dancing On1 and On2, explaining that every single move, turn pattern and/or footwork taught at the class can be danced to either style or count. They followed the same format as the previous class, but the moves demanded more footwork from the leader and more precision on the follower. He also included double turns in the middle of the turn patterns. One thing about Ismael and Grisselle is that they were always paying attention to each and every one of the students. During the next break, the students once again were practicing the moves, and it was impressive to see how well most of the students had them down.
We were running a little behind on schedule since the first class started about 10 minutes late, due to some late students. I was trying to control the time because Ismael and Grisselle love to teach so much and get so into it that they lose sense of time. No one really cared though because you can’t have enough from them!
During the break he grabbed the Congas, told me to get the Palos, and I also took the liberty of grabbing the Campana, he called everyone in and started sharing his stories and his philosophy on dancing. He also played these instruments and broke down the clave and the tumbao of 3 different rhythms: Cha Cha, Bomba y Plena and Mambo with Grisselle demonstrating the basics of each one…..man can she throw down to a Bomba! She told me before that she has the drums in her blood! She wasn’t kidding!
So our last class was starting late, no one seemed to care. They wanted more Ismael and Grisselle. This last class was “Shines” for the men and “Ladies Styling” for the females. I had been helping them with the class by playing the music since Mike Delucia (The promoter who brought them here) was busy at the front desk taking care of the business together with Pilar and Roberto Montas (Montas International Lounge owners). We learned 4 different shine combinations, they went from sexy to syncopated, to very funky and finishing up with something playful. Ismael told us to make little sound effects on certain moves to get the battle of sexes started. The girls were getting ready for a shine showdown as well. While we were working on our routine, we could hear the ladies giggling and whispering little secrets. They were doing very sensual movements and also making sound effects including a ‘hhhhoooowwwlllll’ when they did a body roll and a ‘Toma’ when they did a whip back!! They were on one side of the dance floor and we were on the other. It was like we were in two rival gangs with Grisselle and Ismael being the gang leaders. We did our first shine, the sexy one, and the girls were ‘like WHOA!’ It was their turn now, and they did very nice combinations of arms styling and body rolls, some of the guys could not resist the sexiness in front of them and broke down having their mouths wide open the others reacted saying WHOAAA!! Then, we went and it was like “WEPA!!” Then they went and it was like “WEPPPAAAA!” And so on until the girls surprised us with a combination of all their moves lucky for us some of them did not remember the whole routine back to back, so we won the Shine battle!
Ismael actually confessed that this was the first time ever that guys have beat the girls. You go guys!
After the workshop, you could see it on people's faces. They had the time of their lives. I think I saw the biggest smiles that I had ever seen that night. Every one loved them for their excellent instruction, professionalism, charisma, talent, energy and last but not least their humility.
I said it before they came down and I’ll say it again, “After you meet them, you can’t help but love them!”. Special thanks to Pilar and Roberto Montas for their support of what was truly a world class event.
Norberto “Betto” Herrera
