Interview with Abel Peña Three-time undefeated ESPN World Champion (On1 category) By Laureano Ralon Facchina

 

You are three-time undefeated ESPN World Champion. For those in Canada who do not know, what can you tell us about the ESPN Annual World Salsa Championships? How is this world salsa competition different from other competitions, and how long does it take you to prepare yourself for such a competition?

The ESPN world salsa championships is one of the most prestigious competitions at the moment, because it is the one that mostresembles the World Cup (Soccer) Championship: there are qualifying rounds taking place in every country throughout the year, and at the end of the year the finalists battle it among themselves. That is why I say it is the most prestigious competition right now; I’ve been dancing salsa for 18 years and I’ve never seen a world championship of such a caliber.

With my dance partner, we usually start training 3 to 6 months before the competition takes place, which can be challenging when everyone has families, jobs, businesses and to attend to! Organization is key: during training you need to be mentally focused and physically fit.

What is a typical routine? How many hours per week are we looking at?

A lot of hours! My dance partner and I usually schedule 2 to 3 hours a day, but usually end up practising 4 to 5 hours a day, Monday through Friday. Time flies when you are working hard!

Speaking of dance partners, how does one go about choosing the right person to compete with?

First you need to look at yourself, at your own individual style, and then look for a dance partner whose style is compatible with yours. There has to be a perfect match between styles.

If the gentleman is a stronger dancer than the lady, or vice versa, what happens?

It does not work out, because the competition begins to take place “within” the couple. A good partnership is always balanced.

What’s the role of the gentleman in a competition?

A lot of people think that if the man doesn’t show off, then he’s not a good dancer. In a competition, the man plays the single most important role, which is to make his partner look good. When the man fails, the couple fails. When the partnership is balanced and complimentary in their roles, then the couple looks like a unit – and that’s when you distinguish yourself from other couples! The man can be amazing and turn 10 times, but if his dance partner is not at the same level, the couple will never look good.

What’s the difference between performance dance and social dance?

Social dancing is meant to be about fun, relaxing and having a good time. There are not a lot of rules really, and you can afford to make mistakes and laugh about them. But in a competition, your performance and execution have to be flawless. My partner and I won the ESPN three times in a row, but this last time it was much more challenging than in previous years, in part because there were lot of amazing dancers. Still, we won because we reached a perfect balance and worked as a unit. Ultimately, it is all about teamwork.

Are you planning to compete again?

We’re thinking about competing one more time, but at the same time we would like to explore new horizons: travel to different countries, teach in different countries, etc. Right now we are headed for a European tour: Italy, Germany, England, Spain and Sweden...

What are your plans for the next five years?

Our first goal – taking the L.A. style to the next level – has been accomplished through the ESPN Championships. By this I am not denying the strength of L.A. as a scene, but it’s true that the L.A. style has been stuck on the same level for some time now...

How do you manage to find your own style in a scene where certain influences are so strong?

You need to find it within yourself. You need to let yourself go and be creative, not be afraid of trying new things: play with the way you stand, the way you do your basic, the way you turn, the way you lead the lady. You need to be creative with all these things to produce your own individual style.

 

For more information about Abel Peña, visit his website: ritmoysalsa.net