Vinod Vachali

Salsa Salsa Salsa , The first time I saw this exotic dance was at the World Trade Center, NY when they were celebrating a Latin festival. Ever since then I always wanted to feel the music and dance the dance. I had been looking out for opportunities to learn it but never got to it. Then there was this brief 5min secession in Toronto at a party of new immigrants, where my legs did the two left feet on me.

My move to Indy gave me the much needed break. The month of March 2004 at a party hosted by intosalsa at the IL Gargano, I had my first attempt at Salsa dancing on the dance floor, when a great looking gal asked me to dance, flattered and feeling on top of the world, with no previous synchronized salsa training I just went on to the dance floor. And its a different story that 20 secs into the dance she realized that I did not know more than the basic steps, did not know when or how to turn my partner. Wooo!!! I still remember the bored look(s) she gave me and her expressions of despair with every beat of the music. I would not be surprised if she, who like many stuck with a raw beginner, was just praying for the song to be over. Well she was my unwitting first victim. Poor gal!

Then came April, motivated by the insulting looks and to get over the feeling of been looked down by mean_expression, I became a regular at Intosalsa. Visiting the Jazz Kitchen every Thursdays was my favorite hobby (like it was my church). But the mean expressions from some more of my accidental victims (a.k.a Divas) who were used to dancing with bigger and better dancers (BBD) continued. It was near to August/Sep that I was able to dance with a bit more confidence and not get that many bored_expression. Thanks much to Erin and Yang.

Now I am in the beautiful city of Vancouver dancing a minimum of 3 nights a week and getting to watch some of the best dancers in the world flaunt their moves. Yet my heart remains in Indy and the salsa crowd there, like a true lover who never forgets but always remembers the one he fell in love for the very first time. Sweet o'l Indy where I got to meet some great people and made life long friends. More so cause of the down to earth, honest and sincere attitude many of them have. I love you people out there.

Hope you all keep dancing, enjoying every beat, every turn, every dip and have loads of fun. Nothing could beat the feeling of connection and high you could only feel on the dance floor when your steps match, eyes lock and hearts beat as one with your partner.

People watching could easily see and feel the glow of the perfect match and blend of man-women complimenting and completing each other. And often when the connection is so good one could hear “you two look so good together”.

To all the beginners, just go hit the dance floor and have fun. There are always willing victims (for the guys) and teachers (for the gals). You just have to make the first move, be thirsty and hungry enough to want to learn and improve more. And for those above average lady dancers who don’t seem to get “asked to dance” much, what’s stopping you from asking a beginner guy waiting on the side lines of the dance floor to dance, it will help him improve his dancing and confidence. And if he is some one who has any sense of humanity and gratitude in him, he will “Love you till his last breath”. In the end it’s all about enjoying the music and dancing the dance. Enjoy!