salsa!

i was supposed to go to a drag show at the queen mary. we ended up going to a salsa party. salsa party you ask? were there enough tortilla chips?

no, no. this was a hardcore, two dance floors, flowing corona and margaritas, hips swaying, people spinning, salsa danceathon. anna is in the salsa club at PCC, and they learn salsa at lunch, do a couple of performances, and also occasionally get invited to cool stuff like this.

i learned the basics of salsa from anna and her friends eric and alexis on the emptier floor. but for most of the party, i watched wistfully as most everyone, including anna, partner up and dance like they were pros. i loved watching people who, if i ever saw them in any other circumstance, i would have never guessed them to be such amazing dancers! i was also surprised at the mix of people there, there were mexican, cuban, chinese, filipino, white, black, all sorts of people. and everyone was there to dance. but my real salsa lesson came when this middle aged guy, jaime, asked me to dance. i said yes, but i warned him that i sucked, and he laughed and said he would take his chances. he took my hand, led me out to the dance floor, and proceeded to laugh as i tried to keep up to the thundering beat, stepped on his toes, and repeatedly turned the wrong way (you're only supposed to make right turns, like zoolander). after the song finished, i was about to flee, when he pulled me back and informed me he was keeping me out for another couple of dances, and sooner or later, he was going to get me to turn the right way. i also learned a little merengue, and bachata.

and so with more explicit directions and a lot more coaching, i was able to salsa kind of decent. and had SO much fun! this was by far one of the coolest parties i've ever been to; everyone was completely gracious, and so nice, and they were all there to dance and have fun. and salsa, as a whole...it's so subtle and precise, but so sensual at the same time...i want to learn more! and not just salsa, but i've always wanted to learn proper dance styles, like tango, rumba, swing, waltz, etc. at least the basics! i'm putting it on my to do list. :)