There are two topics of HEATED discussion right now in the Salsa community... 

1. Number one is the controversy over whether getting paid on occasion to do a show or teach a class or private should make you a "Professional Dancer", or are you only considered "Professional" if this is your sole source of income?  Why should contests force you into that level?
2. The other controversy is whether teachers of the club should be able to compete and judge at their own club's competitions at the Professional level.  There was one judge in particular who judged as a professional twice, and competed in the Professional division, and ended up winning the contest as well. 
   - When there's this much money at stake here, is this morally right? 

I'm getting quite a bit of feedback from people all over the world about this. The following letters are all anonymous and names have been left out to protect the innocent... -  or guilty for that matter...

UPDATE: Wow, I just found out that A LOT of the Amateur competitors got paid to do a small film with Miranda Garrison about a month or so before the Mayan competition! I was told each couple got paid $100 each as an "extra" in the movie.
.... Now what's up with this? Will clubs force them to the Professional levels for getting paid to be an "Extra" in a movie?

"Edie
First, the part about professional/amateur. There should be some limit on how much money someone makes that determines their amateur status; saying that they cannot make any money is way too harsh. It is unreasonable to say someone is a professional if they don't make a sizable portion of their income from dancing. There certainly are some people out there who never get paid but who spend considerable time and effort dancing are they amateur because they make no money? If some amateurs make a little money from dancing, so what. Making $100 to appear in a movie doesn't make someone a professional in my book. If you use sports as an example, someone can make as much money as it takes to cover their expenses and still be called amateur, if they make more - then they are pros?
- San Fransisco

"Edie,
Well, well, well! I see that you are getting mail from all over the world. I have a comment to make about this whole Salsa issue.

First of all I would like to know who sets the standards as to what is Salsa dancing and what is not Salsa dancing? In order to do this one has to know the evolution of Salsa. Let me suggest this, find people who are knowledgeable about Salsa and then form a "Salsa Committee". This Committee will set the standards and define what is considered "a Professional". This committee can endorse the local contest in the area as well as provide information about nationwide contests as well.

You know me Edie I am very critical about what Salsa is really all about. I see too many people who dance like robots and very few who dance with their hearts. Do you remember when we used to dance and I told you that I'm just going to "shut up and dance" Now there is a movie titled with those very words. I wonder if I have some sort of copyright available. I hope that in this movie they address the issue of dancing from inside and not just going through the motions of all the great moves.

I would just like to conclude with this thought. If you want to have a contest with street dancers then you have to let the street be the judge, that is to say the public at large should have the final say as to who really is the best."
- Los Angeles

"Edie,  
I'm really glad you're making this an issue and bringing it up Edie.  You are just about the only person that has actually brought this out of the closet and I commend you for it!  I've competed in the past, and unfortunately, have not done very well because my partner and I are always running up against the same "Pros" every single contest.  It's really discouraging to those of us who don't do this for a a living and I strongly support Pro and Amateur contests as a result.  Unfortunately out here in the East coast, we don't have that opportunity that much.  Anyway, back to my point.  If you're a teacher, you're good enough to be a pro.  Let the others have a chance.  You're just discouraging us all.  Stay out of the contests - you should be running them!  but one thing Edie is that I do agree however that the teachers SHOULD be able to compete at their own clubs if there is a Professional division.  Why not?  However, the thing you mentioned about the person that judged, competed, and taught at the same club, nope, I think that's poor judgment on the Mayan's part." 
- New Jersey 

"Edie, 
What a controversy!  You know, Edie, you're right about "Pro" status.  I do little shows here and there, and have taught only two other "males" how to dance - just the basics.  I got paid $10 each for it - not a big deal, BUT there's no way I consider myself a professional!  I'm a pretty good dancer, follower, whatever, but by no means not STAR QUALITY, like you say in your Mayan contest page...  and no, I think the club was wrong in letting that person(s) judge the same contest they were in.  It's OK if they competed, but judge too?  That's off. 
- New York 

"Edie, 
That's awful.  It gives a bad name to Salsa, and the people who dance it.  I cannot believe the dishonesty that goes on in these contests, especially when there's money involved.  
- Canada

"Edie, 
That's *&%^*@!.  [That instructor] should have never judged at the same contest he competed in.  I cannot even believe that.  Also, you mentioned something about those supposed "Amateurs" competing at the Amateur level, even though they taught at [another club].  It's not the club's fault.  I think that couple should return the money.  It's not fair to the other competitors.  It's sad that people are dishonest like that. 
- New Jersey 

"Edie
They should never let [that couple] compete again. 
- Northridge

"Edie,  
This problem with bogus promises has been going on for as long as I've been involved in Salsa and, I'm sure, much longer.     Unfortunately, this is not, on the whole, an organized, sophisticated network. Maybe it should be but it's not, so it's better not to expect too much. 

    As far as Contest rules: Certainly they need to be followed. If they are not applied equally to everyone, people will certainly feel they are unfair. However, I feel "Professional" should apply only to people who earn a living from dancing. There is no way a person who dances once or twice a week and has no formal training can compete with, say Josie, or someone on her level. 

    One of the main ingredients in becoming an expert dancer (as with anything) is time and experience. So I think it's better to give everyone a chance and let them compete with their peers. 

    Speaking for myself, I did 3 Movies, danced several times at Festivals for channel 52 (and other performances) , and won my fair share of contests but I would never consider myself on the level of a "Professional". I think the bar needs to be raised a little higher than that.     When I was competing no distinction was being made. However, the competitors were pretty much at the same level. Teachers never seemed to compete. I think that making people dance on a higher level than they are ready for discourages them. And, really, there is no need to be discouraged because they are doing a wonderful job with the amount of experience that they have. 

    Saying people are "Professional" when they are not only diminishes everyone." 
- Los Angeles 

"Edie,  
No, they (professionals, teachers, etc...) should not be competing at their own club. It doesn't look correct. But also, [that instructor] should not have been a judge in a contest he was competing in! The week I judged he was participating as a judge and I understand he had done so on other weeks. Not a good decision! 
    When this kind of money is at stake, the Mayan should be more careful." 
- Los Angeles 

"Edie,  
I can't believe they let [that instructor] judge as well as compete!  I'd be surprised if [that instructor] gets first or second place as a result...  This was just plain wrong.  " 
- Toronto 

"Edie,  
The Mayan is in a very difficult situation.  They are the ones who are holding the purse strings, so they should be the ones making the rules...." 
- Los Angeles 

"Edie,  
I don't think it was very fair that [those instructors] competed at the Amateur level.  Even if they teach and don't get paid, they are still "Pros" in my eyes... " 
- New England 

"Edie,  
This "judging" thing is a lot bigger ordeal than I had imagined!  I'm from the Swing community, and we run in to the same problems at nightclubs, but our professional competitions are VERY FAIR.    I had no idea Salsa even existed before I found your website!  Wow!  Any suggestions on where I can get some classes? " 
- Denver 

"Edie, 
I notice that many of the opinions you've received are from out of state. If I had not seen the dancers involved I would probably have the same opinion. However, they probably don't realize that it is possible to sometimes make money as a dancer here but still clearly be on the level of an Amateur. (I hate to say it, but I think that also includes some of the "teachers"!)  

   The problem with this is that when a Ballroom dancer gets into the competition, drawn by the money, they often win because they have more training.  

    There is a certain look to a Professional dancer that takes a lot of time to acquire-technique/polish-and judges will inevitably go for that. An Amateur dancer will get clobbered every time even though they are very good. I don't know that this is fair, but it is the case. 

     I think that here in L.A. people tend to dance in too high of a category rather than too low. There's no shame in dancing as an Amateur because many times you see the more exciting performances in that category. And when people are forced into the Professional category and lose, they feel unnecessarily discouraged.       

Maybe the solution is not to force people into the Professional category unless they clearly make a living from dancing. If anyone else wants to compete at that level, it's up to them.  

    I don't think you will ever make everyone happy about the results of a contest but it certainly gets everyone interested doesn't it!  
Los Angeles 

  Your Comments?  Email me... 

Competitive Controversy at the Amateur Level:   
The 1997 Los Angeles Mayan Competition   Comments?  Email  me...

The following information is just hear-say, none of it is absolute fact. It is what I've been told by many people who claimed to have witnessed what had actually happened:

The 1997 Mayan Amateur competition was very controversial. The competitors danced very well, however many people in the crowd questioned whether the way the winners danced was authentic Street Salsa or Latin Ballroom. Many highly opposed the judging because of this. The Mayan had the same problem last year, but only at the Professional level.  

Additionally, there were rumors going around all night that three of the six Amateur competitors should have been disqualified because they had been earning money teaching Salsa classes both privately and at other dance clubs just months before. Additionally, some of them had gotten paid to be "extras" in a film just one month before. If this were true, They should have been dancing at the Professional level. This is both tragic and very unfair to the other Amateur competitors. Unfortunately, the discovery was made too late.   From what I've been told, the Mayan Management found out about this, just minutes before the Final competition began.  They made one couple sign a document stating that they had never been paid for teaching at that club nor anywhere else.  The couple signed the document, so at least in their minds, they had made it clear that they had not earned any money teaching. One of the couples told me that they taught just to get in free to all the clubs by the promoter. According to The Mayan management, the Mayan management tried to contact the club owners about this couple in particular, but the club owners claimed they did not know what the Mayan was talking about, and could not verify nor deny anything. So it had to be assumed the couple was telling the truth, so the Mayan let them compete.

A few of the Amateur competitors are dancing in the "Shut Up and Dance" movie. They are also getting paid, but sources told me the fortunate thing is that the Amateur dancers did not get paid until after the Semi-Finals were completed. But what about the other movie they did? According to the Mayan competition rules, getting paid to dance, whether to teach or perform, anywhere at any time, constitutes being a "Professional" dancer. According to Mayan rules, it is unfortunate that these competitors will have to compete at the Professional level from now on.  (In addition to the Amateur winners; according to Mayan rules, the winner of the Amateurs must complete at the Professional level the following year...) 

Dancers should realize that when there’s money to be made a competition, people are watching you. They know where you’ve taught, who you've taught, and they know who you are. When you are under a spotlight… you are under a magnifying glass, and people don’t forget.  

It would be different if you helped "assist" a dance class, or were the "example" used by the Professional instructor - as long as you didn’t get a dime doing it. It would also be different if you did a show for free, or for a barter of some sort. My partner and I did this in the stages of our dancing when we were trying to learn. We assisted and helped the regular instructors, in exchange for discounts on private lessons. But we never received a dime for helping with the class.  

The rule defining a Professional dancer is "If you have ever earned any money from dancing"....  

Because of the recent Amateur controversy at the Mayan, if a nightclub is going to have a competition where both Amateur and Professional divisions will be competing, thorough background research, if not, intense questioning should take place with every Amateur competitor PRIOR to allowing them to enter the Semi-Final levels. The reason I say Semi-Finals is that it would be very difficult at the Preliminary level, as a great number of last-minute competitors emotionally jump in to see how well they’ll do against their peers. This "background research" will eliminate any potential impostors and keep the competitions fair.