Cali, Colombia is the world capital of Salsa, a distinct style of Latin American music and dance. In the city it’s no secret at all. The sound of salsa can be heard all over the radio, pouring out of homes in the streets, and echoing from dance clubs in the evening. Salsa from Cali, or Salsa Caleño, has its own special flavors that make it so much fun to dance to.
Salsa Caleño is known for its speed, and boy does it fly. It has lots of energy, which can be seen by both partners moving their feet very quickly. When the energy is really high, sometimes partners will toss each other into the air for a somersault! Muy Chevre. As you’ve probably guessed, I am nowhere near that level.
Dancing has never been a strongsuit of mine, so I try and save myself the embarrasment by ommiting myself from the dance floor. In Cali, I’ve decided to have as much fun as possible without stepping on my partner’s feet. As of today, I have gone out to dance salsa a total of three(3) times. Each time has taught me something new, exciting, and fun.
We first went dancing at La Topa Tolondra, or La Topa. This salsa club is incredibly lively. It has a massive dance floor, great music, and a welcoming atmosphere. At La Topa, I became familiar with the very basic steps of salsa. Salsa isn’t much different from a two-step, but it moves in three, and you only extend one foot at a time.
Two-Step: An incredibly simple dance that you’ll probably see your dad do at the cookout. Rocking and stepping side to side with the beat.
Salsa at La Topa taught me to get out of my comfort zone and dance, despite not knowing the steps. Often times, finding a partner to dance with is pretty simple, and they’re usually friendly, too. It’s okay to let your partner know that you’re new to salsa, especially if you’re leading the dance. Be open and flexible to changing up the steps, the last thing you want is an unhappy partner. The last thing they want is you stepping on their toes, so don’t get too wild. Remember to end the song with a vuelta, or turn, and a thank you.
Nearly a week later, I went to La Mala Maña Salsa Bar. Same great music and atmosphere, but with a tighter dance floor. Here, the songs were a bit faster, so it was great having some experience beforehand. Even though I was still new to salsa, I was able to show the basics to another exchange student. I was able to see how much more comfortable I was, and I stopped worrying. I relaxed, fell in the pocket of the music, and danced salsa.
The third time I went out, we did a lot more than salsa. We went to a rumba class at Elite, where we learned the basic steps to salsa, bachata, merengue, and other Latin American dances. Elite is a dance studio, most known for its classes and world-class performers. Here, unlike the other times, I went dancing, I had a mirror. For the first time, I could see myself–and boy was it bad. I was offbeat, I couldn’t move my hips very well, and I would trip over my own feet. Despite my embarrasment, I pursued, and eventually I got it.
Dancing salsa–albeit poorly–has taught me a couple things. First, its really okay if you can’t dance, just try and have a good time. Secondly, don’t step on your partner’s feet, they really, really hate that.
Donovan's Adventures Abroad 