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What Dancing Salsa is Teaching Me About Life
by Guillermo Vidal | Dec 28, 2020 | Becoming Your Best Self
Some of the best salseros (salsa dancers) in the world come from the Caribbean island I call home; Cuba. During my two return visits to my homeland — in 2001 and 2017, forty years after my parents sent me fleeing Castro’s Revolution to the United States — this joyful and sensuous style of dancing was still front and center in Cuban culture. Like baseball (beisbol), salsa rhythms are part of every Cuban’s DNA (or so I am told).
I recognize from all the years playing baseball that I did inherit the beisbol gene. But, somehow, the salsa DNA must have skipped my generation (or just me). More than once have I elicited the following question from those who have seen me dance my native salsa;
“Is that how you dance salsa? Aren’t you Cuban?”
Now a sexagenarian, I decided it was time for me to improve my salsa skills before people from my place of origin disavowed me once and for all. For the past months, I have been partaking in salsa lessons. Last night I dared go to a salsa theme birthday party.
This was not a simple decision. I knew some outstanding dancers would be there, and I feared embarrassing myself. Fortunately, I was able to push my fear aside and go to the party.
