Salsa

Since it seems everyone here knows how to move and it's clear that I have no real dancing talent, I decided to sign up for dance lessons. This past week I began salsa lessons along with some of the other auxiliares, Kendra, Debra, and Alysha. I heard about the opportunity because it takes place weekly at my second home in Ubrique– the Hotel Ocurris. The instructor, Juan, is a native of Cuba (those Cubans know how to move!) who lives in Arcos de la Frontera and commutes to Ubrique three nights a week to teach salsa. FYI I have never taken a single dance class in my life. When I go out with my friends, I often bust out cheesy moves like the Crazy Leg (see Atun Con Pan) and the classic Aqueous-move-that-has-not-yet-been-named (see below). However, I love music and I like to think I have a little rhythm, so I put aside my shame and decided to attempt to learn some legitimate (and fun!) dance moves. It’s only the first week, but I think I’ve got my work cut out for me!

...that's why I need dance lessons.

The class for beginners is on Monday nights at 8 in the Ocurris basement. Before and after, and on Wednesdays as well, there are several more advanced levels (which I hope to move up to before my time is up here in Ubrique!) My first lesson went surprisingly well. Though it was a lot of information to take in all at once, we learned the basic steps first solo and then with a partner. There weren’t as many men as women who signed up, so we had to pass the boys around and share. There were some adorable grandpas that were surprisingly really great dancers! It’s essential to have a good partner because basically the male leads the dance while the female spins and swirls around and looks pretty.

Then there are Fridays…. Juan doesn’t actually teach a class on Friday; it’s more of a free-for-all kind of dance party. Pepe opens up the bar downstairs, Juan puts on a wicked playlist, and people of all levels of experience come to dance the night away, practice their moves, and have a little fun. Though we had only taken one class, Kendra and I thought it would be a good idea to at least go check it out and maybe learn something from watching the pros. Boy, did we learn something.

I’m pretty sure we were the only ones there from level 0 and, as per usual, the only foreigners making it even more difficult to understand when people tried to talk to us. Fortunately, everyone was super nice and really helpful. All of the expert dancers grabbed us by the hand, one after the other, and kept teaching us more and more dance moves. Not only had I only taken one class of basic salsa, but I had never been exposed to the bachata or chacha music that I heard that night either. Somehow, I managed to learn quickly enough on the spot not to embarrass myself too badly. Similar to learning a language, or anything else for that matter, I believe it is most beneficial to throw yourself out there, not be afraid and just practice practice practice. The pros ended up spinning and twirling and throwing us around, and I don’t think I could tell you exactly what moves I accomplished today. Here’s what I know I did learn, though.

1)      Don’t think about it too much. Though you have to have a basic understanding of which direction to move your feet, if you over think the dance moves, you will likely tense up and therefore screw up. It’s important to breathe and relax!

2)      Feel the music. This goes along with number one. Once you clear your brain a little bit, you can really listen to the music and let your body move along with it. This is extra important because sometimes the music is fast, sometimes it’s slower, and sometimes it even changes in the middle of a song. You and your dance partner have to be on the same page as the music at all times.

3)      Trust your partner. Salsa is a type of dance that heavily relies on the male to lead. Though the man is not always moving or twirling as much as the woman, the small gestures he makes with his hands, feet and body in general actually control the woman’s dance moves.

4)      Wear good shoes. If you want to do it right and look elegant while dancing, it’s necessary to have a good pair of tacones (high heels). However, tonight I learned the hard way that my black stiletto pumps were not a good choice. This weekend will definitely consist of shopping for a new pair of comfortable, safe dancing shoes.

5)      Have fun! If you want to be a pro, you will probably have to put in at least 7 hours of practice daily. Lessons once or twice a week plus a little practice in the mirror will probably suffice if you are just aiming to get decent. Regardless, it is important to remember to have fun with it, because that’s what it’s all about!

Kendra dancing with our instructor, Juan

All in all, it was a good first week and I’m eager to learn more. I’d like to take it kind of seriously and maybe potentially be somewhat good at something. Perhaps I’ll even continue to dance in the future, who knows! For now, I’m just having fun. Here’s to hoping I don’t injure myself or anyone else in the process J