Salsa

Last night I went salsa dancing. I went with 2 friends— one has over 8 years of salsa experience and the other is a salsa teacher. We went to a salsa club in Lima known for people who are genuinely obsessed with being there. I really did not know the moves very well, and I was surrounded by people who were professionals. Salsa music is one of the most fun, energetic, opening things I know. The teacher friend taught me the steps, and the intuition of it makes a ton of sense to me.

Dancing publicly in front of other people means letting go of shame, knowing respectful moves, and sharing a human experience in mutual and agreed form. It is an exercise in careful and considered movement. When dancing in this way, one puts a bunch of huge yet careful energy out there. It´s not a pushy situation. It is not too sexy. It is so satisfying that I can hardly put words to it.The energy just keeps getting elicited out of you, however, it still requires a level of both knowledge and attention that makes it all beautifully possible. To me, this kind of salsa is an exercise in careful considered movement. I also get to move, to share, and to relax.