Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Salsa might be more social than I am.

Went for my first ‘dance party’ last weekend and this is what I did:

- danced with my classmates, very reassuring as they were as lost as I was.

- danced with some of the pro’s thus thoroughly embarrassing myself because I had to struggle to keep up and figure out what to do when they sprang new steps on me.

- Sat down at the sidelines exhausted after each dance and watched mesmerized as the professionals showed just how accomplished they are

- Left early to a much welcome foot massage as my feet were killing me and yes, because I was feeling out of place and out of my depth again

There is much more to learn about the intricacies and dynamics of this very social dance. And I’m not just talking about the dance steps. The dancers are hardly of a certain ‘kind’ or mold, the guys might look like the geekiest sort of people you’d never imagine grooving to anything, but on the dance floor they’re skillful and quick-footed. It’s also great to see how there doesn’t seem to be much favouritism when it comes to selecting dance partners. While it is only natural to expect that people would have their preferences when it comes to whom they dance with, it seemed to me that the dancers were making the rounds and dancing with as many different people as possible. It was all very promiscuous really :p. Ahem, but in all aspects the dancers displayed commendable decorum.

But the party got me thinking if maybe I had overestimated my ability to keep up and master the dance. I know it’s still early days yet and it will take lots of practice to get anywhere near passable but I wonder if I might have chosen an inappropriate discipline for myself. Perhaps a waltz would be better suited to my capabilities.

Hm. Nothing to do now except to see how it goes, at least I’m broadening my horizons and I know a little bit more than I did before and that’s always worth the effort.

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