What I learned about myself from salsa dancing

In a former life, I used to be a well-trained salsa dancer. Even to the point where I taught the stuff. Four years ago, my heart was broken and I completely quit salsa. I have danced again on and off with a few friends, but never to the level that I used to. Thus my reluctance to go salsa dancing. I don't enjoy dancing when I know my level is not where I want it to be. The same used to happen with volleyball, although I've been playing fairly competitive in the last couple of months.

My good friend S re-ignited the spark by offering me a free ticket to Atlantis Night Club (on Richards and Drake). I didn't even want to go, but she was so kind and thoughtful that it was almost a sin for me to say no. Thus I went just for a short while. I have learned a few things about myself through this short foray into salsa.

a). I still hate cliques. The salsa 'scene' in Vancouver is filled with cliques. I admit that it may have appeared as though I belonged to one when I danced competitively, but truthfully I was never active part of any. Nevertheless, I could recognize many faces (and I am sure they recognized me as well). It was sort of strange. I bumped into people that I knew from before, some of them were friends (very few), some were former dance partners (eek) and a few others were simply members of the cliques I mentioned whom I saw at dance practices. Awkward.

b). I still got *it*. My skills are by and large nowhere where they used to be, and I am not as good a dancer anymore, but I could see flashes of my former self throughout the night. Granted, it was very helpful that I bumped into my friend Carolina. She is a very good dancer, and I really enjoyed the chance to talk to her and share a few tunes. I am sure that if I were to get back into dancing, I would be able to dance competitively again. I don't have the time right now, nor the energy (nor the money -- dancing does require investment!) but I figure that in the future I'll be able to do it.

c). I am still passionate about dancing and about salsa. I could not tell you how many times I have asked myself whether it is worth it for me to get back into dancing salsa. My professional life is leading me down a completely different road, and thus I am not sure that I can invest the time, money and energy to get up to speed. But the passion is still there.

d). I am very lucky with regards to my friendships. Carolina and I had only talked through our respective blogs, yet the minute we met on the dance floor, we immediately connected. It was like we knew each other for decades. And she's a really good salsa dancer, so we had a really good time. I hope we can hang out more in the very near future.

Volleyball is my passion. So is dancing. Sometimes, I have sacrificed my passions for the sake of my professional development. However, I really look forward to a future where I can pursue these passions freely. It won't be long before that :)

More salsa :)

I should have chosen this as my second thread or overall theme. I am a salsa dancer, it’s in my veins and I can’t stop myself when I listen to tunes such as “La Vida es un Carnaval” (by the late Celia Cruz) or Micaela (by La Sonora Carruseles). Thus, I thought I should show an instructional video from Addicted2Salsa. My skill may have dropped a bit but I’m pretty sure I can still do these combinations. And my very qualified salsa partners (A, L, S and L) would look amazing too!

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Here’s the video

My passion for dancing.

Phew, I almost didn't make it - I needed wireless access and I had to find a place.

I used to be a trained dancer, and abandoning it is something I regret every day of my life. It is something that defines me and that I am actually good at. And now I see all these fun dance-related events and I feel that my heart sinks, because I have been unable to participate in any of them. So I have decided to start anew, and to join several of these events.

• The Robson Square Summertime Dance Series 2007, organized by DanceSport, takes place several Fridays over the summer, from 8:00pm onwards.

• The Sunday Afternoon Salsa at Robson Square, organized (I think) by SalsaVancouver.net, take place on Sunday afternoons during July and August, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm.

I think I need to go back to dancing as part of my weekly routine and my life in general. And these events are free, so they shouldn’t weigh heavily on any of our wallets.

Hope you’re enjoying the blogs. I got to go to work, so I need to find a couple of coffee shops with wireless. I tell you, it’s hard to blog and take the bus!

“Because nobody living with AIDS should live with hunger” (A Loving Spoonful), please consider donating.