chuckles and tension: going into the unknown, not knowing...

The phrase, "shake what your momma gave you" has found new meaning ever since our first Latin dance class with Flaco Best. we were forced to let go, give in and learn. We were all treading in new territory with this Latin dance class. Most of us had never taken a dance class, let alone an intensive 2 hour a day/5 day a week Latin dance class.

we were a group of mostly women with a smattering of 2 men and Flaco. The odds were stacked against the gentlemen from the beginning. We were learning salsa, and this particular dance is a partner dance. The men had to work extra hard to dance with all of the ladies in the class, sometimes they had to dance with 2 ladies at a time. Attempting turns, hand gestures, leading, and moving their feet all at the same time. I have to give it up to the men in the class for dancing with gusto and grace. They were wonderful!

This dance class was more than a dance class. Flaco imparted his gems of dance wisdom, which more often than not, applied to life in general. We were eager to learn, challenged from the very beginning and determined to dance.

I am so proud of this particular group of dancers. On the first day we were all a bit clumsy and clueless. A little inhibited and nervous. By the end of our time together we knew how to dance salsa, cha-cha-cha, bachata, meringue. We knew about the 1,2,3 and the 5,6,7. We knew about different kinds of latin music and where certain dances are danced in Mexico and South America. We knew how to surrender to the dance. We found our rhythm.

learning to salsa (and chips)