Now folks, to give you a little history of
my background, I was basically born and raised in hick-town, USA, Colorado. The only dance
you danced "together" was to good ole "twang" comin' from them
Guitars, some ole' boy singin' with a wad in his mouth, whalin' about some ole' cowboy's
dead dog and ugly wife...
I hated that. I never wanted anything to do with country-western music - much less DANCE
to it for crying out loud. (which is what I would have done, if forced....)
ANYWAY, I was taken away and just thrilled to death watching these people dance to this
jazzy Spanish-Latin type music called Salsa! I thought they were SO GOOD!!! I was just
thrilled to be there, and watched for about an hour, having a great time, by myself.
Then, it happened. Two incredibly beautiful women strutted in the club dressed to the
hilt, with looks to kill, and attitudes to match. One was an entrancing, sexy, sleek
model-type with a figure any woman would die for. The other was a dark, gorgeous Latin
bombshell-type with a long black hair and a lioness prowl about her that every man in the
room noticed.
EVERYBODY watched as they entered the room. Then, walking behind the both of them was this
flat-topped....man, man/boy, boy/man, ..... this Latin ...gentleman, toting a cigarette
and strutting in like he owned the place. He had the "slickest" mannerisms about
him, like someone right out of the Mambo Kings movie. He looked around the room while he
walked, hand in his jacket, smoking that cigarette, checking out the place, the women, the
wine, waving to the DJ, giving a little smile, and making sure the two women he came with
found a table and were well taken care of. He helped the both of them take off their
coats, and ordered drinks for all three of them.
I tried not to stare, but something about them just sparkled. They had something. I
couldn't quite put my finger on it, but they had something that was confident, and very
rare. They had a "feeling"; an aura about them that resonated throughout the
room. The feeling they emanated was a connection with the music and the atmosphere. I KNOW
every single person in that room could feel it that night. They seemed important for some
reason. They seemed they knew ... something. They belonged there, at that moment in time.
My attention went back to the dancers on the dance floor. A couple songs went by, and I
was disappointed that the trio that just came in were not dancing yet. It seemed everyone
else was. A terrific fast song came on, and I noticed the gentleman extend his hand to the
model-type gal as she sat sipping her drink. He took one last puff of his cigarette, put
it out in the ash tray while holding her tiny hand, and both of them walked toward the
dance floor. She seemed reserved and quiet at first, looking almost shy. He however,
looked at her, then turned into a lion, ready for action. The music was reaching the
beginning stages of its climax when they finally started dancing...
My heart began to race. I could not believe what I was seeing. The pair had transformed
this beautiful sound into human movement, rhythm, flair, style, grace, and absolute
passion! I didn't even want to blink my eyes for fear of missing something! During the
song, his hands ran through her hair softly, then he touched her face, grabbed her waist,
thrusted her body and her head lashed back.... it was phenomenal. My mouth was wide open,
my head forward, and my palms sweating. Every beat of the music was struck by a flash of a
hand, an arm, a fast hip action.... every peak in the rhythm was powered by a spin... then
two... then three... then four... then a pause, then what looked like a cross between a
Fred-Estaire / Ginger Rogers Waltz and a fast Break-Dance - I was in shock! The woman had
so much style, jazz, and sex appeal. It was an absolute thrill watching her. I had never
before seen something so fiery beautiful and at the same time partnered so technically
perfect on every beat. The entire crowd cleared the dance floor as they danced.
Everyone made a circle around them, and just watched with just as much amazement as
myself.
When the song was over, the entire room cheered, whistled, and clapped. I just stood
there, paralyzed, not understanding, nor realizing what had just happened. I
remember putting my hand over my mouth and distinctly whispering to myself, "Oh my
God."
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Folks, you have to understand something. I
never saw my mom and dad dance together - ever. I never grew up with dance. The closest
exposure to formal or couple dancing for me was watching the Nutcracker on TV every
Christmas, or catching a glimpse the country-westerners at the local pool hall in town
while driving by. I never really had an interest, nor had any time to go out. I started my
"night school" degree program almost immediately. I had been doing nothing but
going to school, working, going to school, and working.... for the past ten years! I got
my degree at night, and basically had zero social life, nor life of my own. I was so busy
working, that ten years had gone by before I even knew it. I had no idea "Salsa
music" even existed. I had no idea people even danced to this music, much less moved
their bodies in this fashion.....while holding hands.... together ! |
A couple songs went by, and I couldn't understand
why they weren't dancing again! I was getting rather upset, when suddenly, it happened
again. This time he asked the sexy bombshell Latina gal to dance. I was totally ready for
anything at this point. When they started to move, I took a deep breath, looked at them
both dancing, shook my head, and whispered to myself, "I can't believe what I'm
seeing.".
The presence the woman projected was incredible. She was
dancing, what I was needing. She was living what I was missing. She danced with a passion
that I had never seen before. I lived the entire past ten years of my boring life through
her at that single moment in time. The guy led her into a spin, then another, then.....
SHE JUST KEPT SPINNING!! Three, four, five, .... six, seven.... EIGHT TIMES!!! I almost
fell off my chair. It was the most amazing performance I'd ever seen. Then, before I knew
it, the guy disappeared for about 5 seconds WHILE THE GAL WAS STILL SPINNING. I was
completely confused for a split second, thinking, "Now that was real rude of that guy
to just leave that poor woman spinning by herself like that...." Little did I know
that he had suddenly appeared with the first gal, and all three of them were on the dance
floor !
Then, before I knew it, he grabbed both of their right hands, one with each of HIS hands,
and started spinning and dancing with the both of them simultaneously ! He led the first
girl around the second girl, while he danced and held the first girl's hand with his right
hand, and the second girl was being spun by his left hand! It was as if he was only
dancing with one girl, but both of his hands had each girl and was dancing and doing
entirely different moves with each one AT THE SAME TIME - and keeping to the
rhythm!!.
(talk about confusing... try writing about it! )
I thought to myself, "This is the ultimate. I can die tomorrow, because NOW, I have
seen EVERYTHING." "OK God, you can take me now. I have now lived a full
life...."
That night, was when I saw
Salsa Brava's Luis, Joby Vazquez and Janette Valenzuela for the first time.
| That night changed my life forever. That
night, I decided to change ME. I realized I had been missing "life" ... a
"life" that others enjoyed, a life that somehow, I missed. I was missing a
world, a mysterious underground world of this so-called "Salsa" music and dance
that seemed so familiar, from a distant past, from a place that I had been to, but cannot
recall to this day. I needed the rhythm, I needed the passion, I needed my life back again.
I needed to finally
START LIVING MY LIFE. |
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I started going to that club every week.
Unfortunately, the trio never showed up again. I was hoping they would, and was kicking
myself for being too terrified to ask them their names and befriending them. I finally got
the courage to dance a song later on that evening, but I couldn't figure out how my feet
were supposed to go. I was basically a "Disaster on the dance floor". A
"Catastrophe" waiting to happen - I just knew it. I had no confidence, no
rhythm,
no style, no nothing - just a love for the music, and a passion to learn. I didn't know
what the difference was between Cumbia, Merengue, Cha, Cha, or Salsa. I thought it was all
the same - it all sounded alike to me. I was just thrilled to be in someone's arms,
actually coordinating and trying to negotiate steps !
I didn't know the guy was supposed to lead. I thought we traded-off or something. It
wasn't until a kind gentleman in his 50's told me to close my eyes, and just
"feel" the music through his body and motions. He held me close, and started to
slowly guide me through the steps, like my father used to do when I was about 4 years old.
I used to stand on top of my father's big feet, pretending to dance with him.
He could lead me anywhere !
That night, the older gentleman and I only danced one song, but I'll never forget that
kind man. And I will always thank him for being so patient with me, and showing me the
basics of "following the man". I hope he reads this some day. If you do,
"Thank you."
I was starting to go out 2-3 nights a week. Then this jumped to about 4-5 nights per week.
I knew I needed some sort of instruction, but was too shy, and thought I was
"basically good enough". I was a real tight-wad at the time and I didn't want to
spend the money on lessons. I soon began to notice one thing however. VERY FEW of the guys
were asking me to dance anymore. In fact, I had to start ASKING THEM! When I started
getting turned down right and left, and started spending the entire evening in my chair, I
knew there was a problem. I still didn't get it. I HATED IT WHEN THEY TURNED ME DOWN AND
SAID "Uh, maybe next time..." or "Uh, I'm really tired..." or
"Well, I don't really like this song..." and then a couple seconds later, I'd
see them dancing with someone else! This really pissed me off. But I knew
I still didn't understand the rhythm, nor the basic step. Guys HATED dancing with me. I'll
never forget one guy telling me "Uh, you dance very.....uh....interesting."
(thank you JOE - you know who you are!)
One day, I went to the Grand avenue, and I saw the "cool" guy that was at the Cantina
my first night out. My heart skipped a beat, and I stopped everything to watch him dance.
He danced with every woman in the place - but me. I was basically hiding. He made every
woman in that place look like a professional dancer. I befriended a woman who knew him. She
had the nerve to introduce me to him - without me knowing about it.
She called him over to our table and yelled, "Edie, this is Luis. Luis, meet Edie.
Luis, Edie wants to dance with you."
I could have killed her. I DID NOT want
to dance with him. I DID NOT want to meet him. I was afraid. AND TO THIS DAY, I HAVE NO
IDEA WHY. He just intimidated the hell out of me. I was absolutely terrified of this man.
Within seconds, he asked me to dance. I almost passed
out. I almost said no. I almost fell off my chair. I was looking for the door - any
door. I just KNOW my face turned sheet white, because I broke out into a COLD SWEAT and
swallowed nothing but dry saliva. I gave him that "deer in headlights" look, as
he extended his hand to me. I opened my mouth and nothing came out. I tried again, and
finally blurted, "Uh, I'm not a very good dancer." He looked at me with a smile,
and said, "Don't worry about it, I'll go easy on you." I didn't believe him.
Reluctantly, I took his hand, and he led me to the dance floor.
I started getting light-headed. The song came on, and he started the basic step. He then
stopped, and started it over again. Then, once again. He then said "Relax,
relax..." I just knew he felt me shaking like a leaf. I was trying to swallow, but I
couldn't. My mouth was too dry. I finally looked down and closed my eyes, realizing that
EVERYBODY was watching us. GREAT. This is just what I need, ABSOLUTE HUMILIATION, RIGHT
HERE, RIGHT ON THE DANCE FLOOR, IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, WITH THE BEST DANCER
ON THE PLANET AND WHOA, TERRIBLE ME. I stumbled through the song with him
and frankly, could not wait until the song was over. "I blew it." I thought.
"He will NEVER ask me again. "He will cease to acknowledge my existence."
He will tell all his friends that I suck
and to stay the hell away", I thought.
Amazingly, just the opposite happened. He led me by the
hand off the dance floor, kissed me on the cheek, thanked me, then said "I'm an
instructor. I give classes. I will help you become a great dancer."
I just looked at him, gave him a blank look, and blurted out "OK." We then made
arrangements for a class and I started taking privates first with him, then with both he
and his wife Joby. I just loved it. They were both so friendly, and down-to-earth. They
didn't sport snobbish attitudes, or come across as "holier than thou". They
became my friends, and eventually my family. I gave it my all. I treasured every lesson. I
practiced when I got home, I would dance with the dog, I would dance with a broom, I would
do the basic in the shower, I would practice the right and left turn in grocery lines - I
DIDN'T CARE! I just wanted to learn so bad !!!
I dedicated myself to learning solid with them for two months. I took privates and group
classes with them every week, until I felt confident enough to go out again. Guys that had
previously danced with me were noticing how much "better" I was, and were no
longer "unwilling" to dance with me. FINALLY I could enjoy the
rhythm of Salsa,
and not be afraid to dance to it! Because of Luis' willingness to teach me, and his
patience and understanding of what I was going through, I am forever grateful. Thank you
Luis. Thank you for your compassion and patience. You will never know.
Luis and Joby Vazquez are incredible instructors - probably the best husband and wife team
in the country, if not the World. If you would like to get in touch with them, they will
treat you like Solid Gold. I would not be where I am today if it weren't for them. They
can be reached for classes and private instruction at
salsabrava@salsaweb.com
I used to have a terrible allergy, asthma, and weight
problem prior to my Salsa discovery. These ailments have been DOCUMENTED by all my
physicians. I prayed to God for a cure for years. He showed me this dance and music, and
I'M NOT KIDDING, within one month of my Salsa discovery, the asthma and allergies
affecting my body completely disappeared. And because I was so happy (finally), I started
rapidly losing weight. I went from a a size 14 to a size 3 over a period of two years... I
HIGHLY recommend Salsa Dancing as a prescription drug /vaccination for any type of bodily
or mental ailment... It's been almost ten years
since my first basic step. Since then, I've quit
my full-time, boring DAY JOB, and found a brand new
career at the seasoned age of 30, dancing,
performing, and teaching Salsa all over the world.
Tokyo, Japan was country number 26 for me, and I've had
the honor of being the first American to teach and/or
perform in over 15 of those countries.
I thank God
every day for the "second chance" at
life He's given me through dance.
I got a chance to
start over again because He created incredible
sounds and beauty of Salsa music and dance. To
God, I give all the Glory. Amen.
Edie, The Salsa FREAK
wowedie@yahoo.com
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