Relationship / Salsa Similarities

Learning how to salsa has been one of the most enriching experiences in my life. I have learnt so many new things that can be applied to so very many area of my life. Not to mention the new friends and also the increase in self confidence that has come out of it all!

I have realised that dancing salsa and being in a relationship have a lot in common.

Salsa begins with two individuals who both are able to dance and be on their own. The man then approaches the lady and asks if she would like to dance. The lady now has the choice of accepting or rejecting. Protocol usually dictates that lady says yes the first time that she is asked by a gentleman, but she ALWAYS has the option of saying No. IF she says yes, then there is a dance about to happen.

During the dance, it is the man's job to lead and for the lady to follow, but it is not so rigid. The man actually proposes a certain move or step and the lady has the choice of whether or not she agrees and so chooses to follow his lead. The couple looks the best if he leads well, giving her ample time to prepare herself, and if she follows well. This would mean that the couple would be moving in sync with each other and they would look fantastic.
I have also been taught the principle that it is the man's responsibility to make her look good. More so, the two people dancing learn to accommodate one another and to cover up for each other's mistakes. This means that though there may be disagreements confusion or miscommunication, only the couple are aware of it. No one outside, looking at the couple would be aware of it.

It is so cool that this kinda mirrors my philosophy of a relationship. I love it!!!!

Salsa! Salsa! Salsa!

I have been feeling so insecure about dancing salsa that everytime I go to Union, I am unwilling to dance with new poeple. I always take the safe route and dance with people I know.
Each time I get on the dance floor, I keep making mistakes and it sucks! I also have a huge problem remembering all the cool moves that I learnt at class. Hate it! Hate myself for it!

I was so affected by these two points until two wonderful young ladies set me straight.

1. Eileen said - "Sometimes even I don't notice the mistakes that you make, how much less will the people looking at us know that there was a mistake at all. Only you know when you make a mistake, but just carry on and dance"
2. Jona said - "Jo, the ladies are not looking for someone who can do all the complicated moves. We don't mind doing the simple moves so long as the guy is confident in what he knows and he makes the lady look good. No need to be so complicated."

I kept thinking about these two points and went down tonight prepared to do the simple things but focussed on making sure that the lady looked good doing it. I had an amazingly wonderful time. I even asked one lady that I hadn't met yet to dance. She said no coz she was really tired (and you could see it in her face!).

Then the band played this fusion piece mixing latin/big band/swing/rock n roll all into one song. Danced with Jona (read her views) on this one and I don't think I have ever had more fun dancing salsa! There was alot of space around us so we could move around more and we kept doing all kind of crazy stuff to suit the music. We spent alot of time dancing apart but trying to still complement each other as we danced.
The coolest part was that there were people around that we just watching us two having fun. I hope to ar that music piece again!!

I am beginning to like dancing salsa all over again!!!

Insights From A White Flare Skirt

Went Salsa-ing last night. Saw a young lady there that danced really well. But more than that, it as hat she was wearing that was amazing to me.

She was in a baby blue top and a white flare skirt. Everytime she made a turn, the skirt would 'float' and the sight was amazing (now for those of you ho think otherwise, the skirt had an inner lining that DID't flare). The coolest part as the fact that she looked amzing while still being very modest. In my opinion, that is the best combination.

This episode got me to thinking. If I was the guy dancing with her, would I actually notice how amazing she looked hen she danced? I mean, I would get a real good look at her face but not the whole picture would I?
The guy who was watching from afar now, he had an opportunity to behold the complete beauty of the situation.
All this said, I would still rather be the guy dancing with her!

Here is the insight that I had. As much as I would love to be the one dancing with her, I would then be the guy that doesn't get to see the whole beauty. How true is this of the things that we have with us.
Do we hold our jobs, friends, relationships so close that we fail to see the whole beauty in it?

Sometimes we should just take a seat and watch. Wait and see. The whole beauty of that, of whom, we hold in our hands.