Seaon's Eddie Torres Experience!

It may seem like a long story, (font size) but very interesting.....I promise!

The credibility and reputation Mr. Eddie Torres has accomplished, cannot come close to the honor of his true being.  He is absolutely superb at his talent of Dance Instruction, and simply an outstanding genius at this obvious blessing.  Some folks are born with talents and some are born with blessings.  Eddie Torres was given them both.  I remember my very first Eddie Torres class like it was yesterday.  I walked into the room at 56th Street & 8th Avenue in Manhattan, with great anticipation and excitement.  The class was scheduled to begin at 3pm but as I soon found out, Eddie always gave his students a lead-way, so he'd always arrive about 20 minutes late.  I had no idea what Eddie even looked like, so as soon as someone would walk into the room, I would turn to watch and see if they matched his description.  Soon after, however, the master arrived.  He proceeded to the front of the class and started his lesson.  This was always my favorite part of the class, because Eddie would just put on the music, and call all the steps out by name.  The students would drill them again and again, until almost the entire class caught up.  Being a pre-trained Mambo Dancer of the Razz M' Tazz Dance Company, most of the beginner steps were pretty easy.  However, when he started to get into the more intermediate and advanced steps, I was totally lost; I had absolutely no clue as to what I was doing.  I kept bumping into people and stepping on the students toes.  I was a mess!!  I was so embarrassed, that I couldn't wait until the end of this jam session so that Eddie could break down the steps.  After about an hour and a half, he stopped the music and said..."Take a well deserved break ya'll."  Whew!..... I needed it by then, because my legs were about to give way.  I had never danced that much all at once in my life, and I felt like I was about to pass out.  (As I took more classes I began to love it however!)

After about 20 minutes, Eddie requested that everyone come to the front of the class for the breakdown session.  He went around the room taking requests of steps from several students, and mine was "the braid swivel."  He commenced breaking down 5 steps and to be honest......at the end of the day I only remembered 2!  How funny is that!  The two that I knew were "the toe-heal grapevine" (my absolute favorite) and of course "the braid swivel."  (If you are in any of my classes, ask me I'll show them to you!)  As a matter of fact Eddie even called me up-front to demonstrate "the toe-heal grapevine," because he loved my hip twisting mechanism.  I was truly honored, because he must have seen something that he liked in order to call me up-front.  I later found out that this was Eddie Torres' unique way of letting you know that you could be performance material.

After the heavy duty breakdown, of open shines, Eddie proceeded to teach a quite elegant turn pattern.  See if you got this..........It started with a cross body lead into an open break.  After that, with the male right hand holding the female right hand, he gave her a right double turn.  As she landed back on her right leg (her 6 beat) he then pulled her into his direction, under his right arm.  He then proceeded to do one and a half continuous right turns with his had above his head, and placed her right had behind her head.  As he did this he gently allowed her to caress her hair, and then completed the turn with another cross body lead into an open break.  The elegance & finesse of the turn pattern made it extremely dynamic.  Eddie Torres would always say that it mattered not how many turns his dancer knows, but the finesse in which they chose to demonstrate it, meant the most to him.  I totally agree, and carry this motto with me even today as I teach.

At the end of the class I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Eddie Torres for the first time.  I approached him and proceeded to compliment him on what a dynamic professor he was; but he cut me off by asking me a question.  The question went something like this...."Are you working with any team right now..cuz if not, I would love to have you work with me!"  My face lit up with glee, and I then knew that I was on my way to a wonderful experience!

Taking me under his wing, Eddie Torres gave me a part of dancing that I carry to this day.  He has such a strong eye for aspiring talent, and is superb at helping you to excavate it.  Eddie has molded my dancing, not only on-stage, but on the dance floor as well.  He is the kind of instructor that not only teaches you what you should do when performing or social dancing, but what you should never do!  Eddie Torres assists you in developing a dancing technique and attitude that is equally as important on..... as well as off-stage.  I was given the privilege of performing several times with The Eddie Torres Dance Company, and for this experience I shall be forever grateful!

Eddie Torres, I know that I have said it several times before, but please allow me to say it one more time.  I am truly honored that God has chosen you to be the vessel of such inspiration to all of us Dancers and Instructors.  It was a pleasure being a part of your following, and adapting your knowledge.  Thank you so much for such a fun-filled experience, and even though you're already blessed, I pray that the Almighty Father continues to Rest, Remain and Abide with you Always!!

— Seaon Bristol~Stylist.
 

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