Dancing with Edie

OK, so this is the first of many “Stories from the Floor”, so I think it’s appropriate that it be about one of the most influential figures in the salsa scene. She's known as Edie, the Salsa Freak.

I met Edie at my first West Coast Salsa Congress in 2001. I had only been dancing for a year at that point. Through a friend, she was nice enough to get me a VIP pass to the entire event. We met face to face the first night. She said, “Well, I guess you owe me a dance.” And so we did. She was very nice and let me lead as best I could. Since then every year at least twice a year Edie and I end up at some event somewhere and I always get a dance.

Last year I was in Florida and she and I came across each other on the floor again. I asked her to dance and off we went. Right after the first cross body lead she stops me and lets my hand go. She leans in and says in my ear, “Think of me like a Ferrari. I just need a little bit of gas and I’ll go.”

I could tell that she felt that I was leading too hard. So, that was all I could think about for the rest of the dance. Needless to say, I took it to heart. So, since then I have always been aware of my lead. Making sure that the lead is strong but not rough. Making sure the lead is steady and fluid throughout the dance.

So, we fast forward to this past September when I was in London for the U.K. Salsa congress. I'm dancing with Shelley Cook (the young lady in the first video clip) and I notice Edie. After the dance I get some water and Edie walks over and asks me to dance. I was very flattered because that was the first time ever that she asked me. And so we go. And since it’s Edie on the floor everyone gathers around and the cameras come out.

After the dance we walk off and she leans in to talk to me again.

She says to me, “You're amazing, what’s your name? Where are you from?” I couldn’t believe it. After all these years, all those dances and she doesn’t even remember who I am!!!

“Edie, it's Joe from Philly,” I say. She still has the question mark look. I tell her about the VIP pass in 2001… nothing. I remind her that we had just spoken in Orlando two months before… still nothing. Finally, I tell her the story about the Ferrari and suddenly it all comes back to her. She tells me that my lead has improved incredibly and that she was really impressed at how well I could lead her and how well we danced together. So, needless to say, I was incredibly happy with her words.

The lesson here is that a strong lead is what is remembered the most on the dance floor. You can memorize all the crazy moves you want, but if you can’t really lead them well, it shows. Men, master your leading technique. Ladies, master your following.

A good lead can lead any dancer.

A good follow can follow the slightest of leads.

Thank you Edie for the kind words and inspiration.

- Joe