Sunday, September 4, 2011

Quiero Bailar

Quiero bailar!
(I want to dance!) 

Not your regular club dancing.  I want to dance to Cumbia, Salsa, Bachata!  Los ritmos (the rhythms) make me want to move.....   I'm not sure this will ever be possible.  Let me explain.

1st, Did you know I was on the drill team in highschool?  This involved dancing.  We danced at the pep-rallys and the highschool football games during half-time. Although these dances were choreographed, I consider myself to have some rhythm.

2nd, I've always loved latin music.....before I understood any of the lyrics, before I decided to learn Spanish, before I met my Mexican husband and latina amigas!

3rd, I'm convinced I may have latin sangre (blood) somewhere in me.  I feel a strong connection to the whole "Latin" culture.  My father has done extensive geneology research.  He has yet to find any latin blood in our lineage, but I'm still convinced it is there....somewhere.

With all of the points above I was convinced I'd pick up these latin styles of dancing with ease.  WRONG! Although I can see (in my mind) and feel the moves I want my body and feet to do, my body and feet have other plans. 

Shortly after The Mexican and I met, we started going to a latin club on the weekends.  It was a blast!  The music, the people, the atmosphere.  I loved watching people dance to all these different styles.  I could feel the rhythm of the music running through my veins!  I wanted to move!  I wanted to join in!  I wanted to go out on the dance floor and twirl my self into a frenzy!

I begged The Mexican to teach me how to dance.  He explained to me that he is not the "dancer" in the family... he only DJs.   I'm not sure I totally believe this due to him breaking out some salsa spins on the dance floor once at a party.  He says he learned those dance moves when living in Puerto Rico for a year.  (Uh-huh, sure...)

According to my hubby, his brother is the one who knows how to dance.  Guess who lived with us for about 6 months?  Dancing brother!  It must be true....  He was at a club every weekend.  By this time, my hubby and I were focused on family and work.  We did not have much time to frequent the clubs.  I still had a strong urge to learn.  I wanted to ask "dancing brother" to teach me but was afraid it would be innapropriate plus "dancing brother" was too busy chasing girls in his free time.

Here we are almost 7 years later.  I have picked up a move or two, but that is it!  In seven years!  It looks like I am going to have to resort to learning from a DVD (insert frowny face!) In the meantime, I will continue to blast musica en Espanol (Spanish music), bailar (dance) in my living room como una loca (like a crazy woman), with my husband and son either laughing or joining in.


Check out this previous post that has links to different styles of dances.... Multi-cultural Familia

10 comments:

  1. Good for you Tara! I have always wanted to learn as well but my hubby hates to dance. Maybe when you are done with the DVD you can send it my way.

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  2. My hubby hates to dance, too. Maybe we need a salsa DVD exchange club? I lived in Miami before I had kids/hubby and loved watching las mujeres cubanas fling their arms out after spinning across the floor. So much fun! My hubby only does step-together-step moves. :-( He jokes that he is the only black man around who doesn't fit the stereotype of being a good dancer ;-P So, if you find a good DVD, please post it!

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  3. Tara! Reading this post, I pictured twirling across the dance floor. This post is so energetic, you've made me want to take lessons. Don't snicker at DVD. That's how I've been doing yoga these days. Sometimes privacy isn't such a bad thing when you're trying to figure things out. Growing up, my baby sister was the adventurous one who went to all the Latin clubs. I was the boring one. It'd be cool to see you and your husband dancing! ; D

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  4. Jennifer,
    If I find one, I'll definitely send it your way! =)

    Jen,
    I love the idea of the DVD exchange club. Will let ya know if I find any good ones.

    Ezzy,
    I wish you lived here. We could go take a class together! It's funny you mention yoga....because I have a yoga DVD and it is hard! Definitely a work out! I know you can learn a lot from the DVDs. Now I just need to find some. YouTube actually has some lessons on Bachata and Salsa. No luck with Cumbia...

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  5. Eduardo and I met salsa dancing! I have never been the best dancer at all in my life and my mom suggested I take salsa lessons (with my now ex-husband!). I started and couldn't stop. Then I met Eduardo at a club and we became "partners". I wish we still danced now after all this time. Hopefully when he gets back we can pick it up again. Not to mention it's a great workout!

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  6. Tara, I have two left feet. *LOL* I know, wishing we were all closer together. Wouldn't it be cool to get a tour bus of us visiting cross-country. Imaginate! Hey, before I forget -- you are one of the winners for Esperanza Renace. Felicitaciones, amiga. xoxo

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  7. Kelsey,
    How cool! I went to a Salsa club once and whew! I could tell it is a major workout! That is so neat you guys met that way! Yes, you guys definitely need to pick it back up when he gets back!

    Ezzy,
    YAY!!!! I'm so happy! I'm headed to your blog now. Thankyou!!

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  8. Good for you! Just keep practicing. My better half is an excellent dancer but a horrible teacher. I took a class on my own. I'm so happy that I did. Now I don't have to hide in the kitchen when the dancing starts at parties.

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  9. Estrellita,
    Thats awesome! I would love to take a class. The ones I've been able to find are quite far from my house and usually on the weekends. I think I remember a friend talking about some classes she took in a city a litle closer to me. I may have to look into it... Thanks for commenting! =)

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  10. Oh yes girl...you must learn to dance! It's good exercise and it is sooo much fun. I took classes in Chicago and it is the thing I miss most about living there. It is also the thing I miss most about my life before Bebé.

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