Dance class: Beginning Salsa
BY JENNIFER & JOHN BURKHART
Ward away those winter blues, try a new idea for date night, or give a creative gift this season with a dance class! From ballroom dancing to bellydancing, there’s something for everyone, and it’s pretty much guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. It certainly did for us! With its origins in Cuba and influences from mambo,cumbia, swing, and jazz, Salsa sounded like a fun choice for our first dance class experience.
He Said: We got spicy this month and decided to take a salsa He dancing lesson. I totally walked into the dance studio with some false bravado. See, I grew up surrounded by this kind of music and dance. My mom taught Salsa and African dance for most of my childhood. When I was little, I used to fall asleep in her classes and then wake up when the drumming stopped. So I thought all that experience was going to make it easy to learn the beginner salsa steps…wrong! We started in lines learning a simple three step pattern, and I immediately started wishing there weren’t mirrors on the walls. Seriously, I looked like Frankenstein doing the two- step. We practiced a forward step and a side step, and then it was time to partner dance. We decided that I would lead and Jen would follow, which was a mistake because Jen was already way better at this than I was. We got into the groove a few times, but for the most part we were like a couple of awkward middle schoolers dancing offbeat. I stepped on Jen’s foot more times than I would like to admit.This was definitely a humbling experience, but we still had fun! And it was really nice just to be out dancing with my wife.
She Said: I was surprised at how many people filed into the studio. Maybe dance class is the new thing to do because it was FULL. I also noticed that if I had worn the dress I was considering, I would have looked like I actually knew how to salsa. There wasn’t a dress in sight. The wardrobe ranged from Converse and jeans, to dance shoes and leggings. Thank goodness, because I wore converse to avoid breaking my ankle in dress shoes. Our lovely instructor, Sarah, curated a very welcoming space, encouraging the beginner group of various-aged singles and couples to have fun, relax, and “make mistakes here and not out on the dance floor.” She began class with an interesting history lesson on the origins of salsa dance. Her passionate energy for all things dance really loosened up the crowd, so I felt encouraged to try my best and enjoy learning something a bit out of my comfort zone. I loved the music.
It’s the type that your body just responds to – you can’t sit still. John and I were definitely dancing like we had two left feet though (or would that be four? Hmm), but we laughed, and Sarah was there to coach our form in a sweet way with lots of smiles. I felt like I was grooving fairly ok, until a quick glance in the mirror. Eek. My mind and muscles were at odds, apparently, because I looked more stiff than spicy. I’ll just up my collagen intake and keep practicing. I’d like to take a few more classes so we could actually go out dancing at a salsa club. Maybe even try country dance classes as well (seemed like John is a natural at 2-step anyway). It was a fun date night to shake things up (literally!). I’d highly recommend trying a dance class, especially if you get a fun instructor who clearly loves people and dancers as much as ours.
