Not a fan of shows myself at all, I much prefer watching good dancers doing their thing on the dance floor

Hmmmm.....  ah I guess both are good.  Shows allow for flashy flashy moves with super dangerous combos e.g. the flying salsa lotus?  that the crowded dancefloor otherwise wouldnt allow for.  

For newbies, seeing a salsa show can be breath-taking.   Its the bait for the salsa hook a lot of the time imo.

I'd agree though, seeing a really great, perfect improvised dance on a crowded dancefloor can be fun to watch

I've a new found repect for shows.... but nothing beats good socail dancers really letting loose

It's social for me too.