The World's a Beautiful Place--All in a Couple's Dance

An article about people who’ve stayed married long term, asked couples for “secrets” of their marriage success. A man who was happily married to the same woman for decades, replied, “we go ballroom dancing once a week. Whatever problems there are in the world or that we’re having with each other, for a couple of hours (dancing) a week we’re relating to each other and the world’s a beautiful place. ”

Interesting, I thought. But then a mental picture of a couple from a long ago generation dancing to the big band songs popped into my head. I couldn’t relate to fox trotting to the big band sounds from the forties, or dancing something as stiff and formal as a waltz. Still, that older man’s comments remained with me.

More recently, my officemate invited several of us at work to his birthday party. I asked him where his party would be and his answer surprised me. “At a Salsa club,” he said. “Huh, I thought?” The birthday guy was in his twenties and not Latin Ameican-he was someone who looked like he be having his party at a hip bar or dance club instead.

Even though Salsa dancing is considered ballroom dancing, when we all got to the club, we were surprised by the energy of place. The eight piece band pumped out pulsating rhythms punctuated by a strong horn section. There were couples of all ages on the floor, from their early twenties to their sixties. Some were incredibly good dancers—the men quickly turning the women, coming into a dip then popping back up as they worked into a fast move with their arms interweaving pretzel-like. Even though most of us from the office didn’t really know how to Salsa dance, the music and watching dancers on the floor got everyone wanting to try.

I asked a girl I worked with me to dance. Luckily, she told me that she had never done Salsa, either. Although we went through times where we both fumbled through the song, we both had a good time with it. One of the things I found so different about this than club dancing was that we danced together, looking each other in the eye. In that awkward try at Salsa dancing, she and I connected. Even though we didn’t know what we were doing, just the effort of working at it together, as a couple, the pulsating music, etc. brought us together for the moment. We broke into spontaneous smiles here and there throughout the song.

From that good experience, I started taking Salsa classes. I found out that most clubs that have Salsa nights give lessons right before the club opens at a price that’s less than the cover charge. Also, there’s no need to bring a partner. Throughout the lesson you change partners.

At my first lesson, I was glad to learn that Salsa is based on–get this-walking. You can learn complicated dance patterns but at the same time be able to do the basic steps by the end of you first lesson. The movements use your hips –which takes time and practice to get used to—but in time and with practice, you get better at it.

Salsa means “sauce” in Spanish. This sauce has many ingredients. One ingredient is that in the dance, men and women have clear roles. Men lead and women follow. It’s the 21rst Century and with so many changing gender roles it’s feels great to be “the man”-at least on the dance floor!

Salsa dancing is energetic and has many turns similar to swing dancing. Like swing dancing, it’s fun and a great aerobic workout (fun and exercise, two more “ingredients” to Salsa.)

Salsa at the intermediate (my level at the moment) and advanced levels also has many sexy movements. These are reminiscent of Lambada (remember that?) or even freak dancing. Some Salseros claim that this is the real meaning of Salsa—something hot. Expressing your sexuality-another “ingredient" in Salsa.

Finally, Salsa is romantic. Doing the many intimate Salsa moves to the music, looking your partner in the eye, often create what my instructor has called, “Salsa moments.” For that moment, you and your partner often can’t help but feeling romantically attracted to your each other. It’s in the dance! You can learn some of these more romantic moves even at the beginning level.

Most woman love to dance. But American guys grow up expressing there physicality through sports, playing thrash “air” guitar, and other masculine ways. Dancing is one thing that can help you with woman. For this alone, the effort a guy puts out to learn to dance is worth it.

But if you want an overall experience- romance, fun, sexuality, I recommend a “ballroom” dance-Salsa. Try it. Bring a girl or meet them at the club. After Salsa dancing myself for a while, I already agree with that older man who said at the very least, for a couple of hours a week you’ll be relating to your partner and the world will be a beautiful place.