Bonobos: Official pants of Los Salseros de Stanford
Marshall Roy — August 27, 2009 @ 8:31 pm
Bonobos pants have a reputation for being so comfortable and flattering that they allow you to do things you normally wouldn’t in a pair of really nice trousers. Like salsa dancing—the men of Los Salseros de Stanford, Stanford University’s competitive salsa dance team team, are dressed exclusively in the Savage Verde and do them phenomenal justice onstage. Their president, Christian Perez, explains why after the photo:
BNBS: How did you first hear about Bonobos? What made you think they’d work well for Los Salseros?
CP: I was desperately searching the internet for men’s pants that we could dance in. Up to that point, our only option had been hideous pleated dress slacks you get at department stores. They look bad when standing still, and even worse when you dance. I also found ballroom pants that go up to your belly button and would never get worn outside of a performance setting. I was desperate… until FINALLY I found the magic search terms and Bonobos popped up with the Savage Verde. I was dumbfounded and giggling madly. These were exactly what I wanted! The sleek and slimming cut and wonderfully light fabric show off the lines of the body and drapes beautifully past the knee, not to mention you can finally see the guys on stage have nice butts! About time we get a little recognition for all our hard work.
The Savage Verde are transformative: while wearing them I feel ten times better when I dance, simply because I know I look ten times better than I did before. They formed the foundation of our men’s costumes and were part of the best performance season and spring show the team ever put on.
BNBS: How would you describe salsa dancing? Do Bonobos fit the vibe?
CP: Salsa dancing can range from sultry and smooth to powerful and energetic, but it’s always sexy. It’s lyrical, high energy, and all about flare. Bonobos provide the combination of style, comfort, and flexibility to dance without inhibitions. People love our outfits—every detail makes a difference, and when you’ve got the whole group in Bonobos is takes our professionalism to the next level.
BNBS: How did you personally begin salsa dancing? Are most of the guys/girls in Los Salseros seasoned dancers?
CP: I started dancing ballroom styles at the end of college. After a 9-month hiatus while traveling in New Zealand, I started salsa again in 2006 with Los Salseros de Stanford. Since last April, I now dance for Afinkao Dance Company out of Oakland.
Many people that start with the team as students have only danced socially, and some not very much at all.
BNBS: The black/pink coordinated outfits are pretty fierce. Do you guys ever get asked about your outfits, or get positive attention because of what you wear?
CP: Absolutely, this year we got tons of great feedback from people about how professional we looked on stage. Our costumes carry the theme of the choreography we’re performing, but it’s ultimately up to the dancer to convey the feeling of the piece. (Bad costumes are the ones that stick out; good ones seem to melt into the dancing.) I think the costumes are as much for the performers as for the audience. We all feel hot in those outfits, and the audience feels that, too.
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Thanks for feature, guys! Looking forward to showing them off again this year at the San Francisco International Salsa Congress at the end of November.
To all the guys: add dancing to the list of things to learn but were too scared to try. It’s well worth the effort, and gives you something else to do in your favorite pair of pants
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