Reaching my mid-twenties, I knew I had to find a way to combat this. So, when a near-simultaneous change of career and end of a relationship left me wanting to gain confidence and make new friends, I had the perfect incentive for learning to dance.
My mum and dad had been practising ballroom dancing for a few years, but that wasn’t what I was after. I wanted something livelier, something freer, something to help me come out of my shell. Latin dancing had to be the way to go. Turning to internet, I came across the Tiempo Espana website. I remember being reassured to see that there was no need to bring a partner, no heels necessary and classes were on a drop-in basis, meaning that I wouldn’t have to commit to a course I potentially wouldn’t enjoy. Beyond that, I can’t really say why I chose to start with Tiempo Espana, but I can give you plenty of reasons why I stayed!
As my decision was spur of the moment, I hadn’t given too much thought as to what to expect. This was probably a good thing, as I could easily have been intimidated out of it by the thought of being in a close ballroom hold with someone I didn’t know. If I’d done my research, I would have found that Cuban Salsa is classed as a street dance and although some moves require a closed hold, a large part of it is danced semi-open (i.e. hands are connected but there is more space between couples) or even completely apart. The other thing I hadn’t realised was that the focus is not on performance (although performances of Cuban Salsa certainly can be and are done). Instead the focus is on learning the moves and skills to be able to dance socially.
My misconceptions erased, I took to the dance well and found it to be an instant addiction. I was so thrilled that I was finally learning to dance that soon I started going to classes as often as three times a week. I was humbled and grateful for how quickly I was included into our ‘salsa family’ and delighted to find a passion that has become such a large part of my life.
Though it’s been a relatively short time since I began Cuban Salsa, being able to identify as a dancer has brought me so much confidence and joy. (As it happens, I still don’t know how to dance to non-salsa music, but I’m pleased to say that at least some of the awkwardness has abated!) Teaching is a new adventure too and one I intend to pursue happily and whole-heartedly.
To close, if I may offer one piece of advice to someone thinking about learning to dance, it would be this: don’t delay your dance journey waiting for an incentive. There is no better incentive than simply wanting to dance.
