Salsa on 2

When dancing with someone who is smiling, singing along with the music, and leading gently, it can feel like flying. I love salsa! That said, I am a terrible dancer. My steps are too big. I can rarely spin more than once on the spot without losing balance. And although I don't feel shy to shake and roll my hips in a Latin bar, I feel silly whipping my head and flourishing my hands about in a roomful of serious salsa students.

While I am aware I should learn to follow better, dance with more style and technique- the problem comes with choosing a style and a teacher. I have not yet met a teacher here in Taipei that made me think, "Wow! I want to look like THAT when I dance!" Seeing as I am in Taiwan, I guess I would even settle for a teacher who was nice and focused on helping everyone enjoy themselves. Somehow, it seems so much of the FUN is sucked out by current locale's instructors' infighting and grappling to make money. It seems that even if you are not somebody's paying student, you should still feel welcome in the salsa clubs.

I also don't think people should close themselves to learning new things, trying new styles (especially instructors). Why not learn them all if you have the chance? It can only make you better. Last weekend I had a "salsa experience" that made me want to take lessons in LISTENING!

Listening to music is a whole brain activity. They say that melody is processed in the right hemisphere of the brain and the beat in the left; but that can be broken down even more to rhythm (left) and meter (right). Students who listen to/play music often score better in school. I dance to the melody, but it seems to me, percussion is strategic to understanding. After listening, I tried successfully (!!!) dancing on the 2 and it made such logic! It was fluid and gentle. Can't wait to try again.