Four seemingly un-related facts have had a profound influence on how I spend my Thursday evenings.

1. I’m not a good dancer.
2. I have a friend that I don’t see often enough.
3. I need to get more exercise.
4. My art teacher moved to the Netherlands.

 

I’m not a good dancer, but I’d like to be a better one. While ostensibly renouncing the evils of TV, I have even started watching Strictly Come Dancing – and it’s gotten so bad that I laugh at Bruce Forsyth’s jokes for heaven’s sake!

 

I’d like to see my friend K more often. She got back from Cuba 6 weeks ago and her trip has changed her life. K is now in love with all things Cuban; the people, the food, the language and the music.

 

Running two kilometres the other day just about finished me off and I can’t afford a larger wardrobe. Since a glass of wine has the equivalent calories of a bag of chips, and I’ve been known to drink wine while eating chips, I need to do something to get more exercise.

 

And art class, my creative outlet on a Thursday night, has been cancelled since my art teacher moved to the Netherlands.  

 

1 plus 2 plus 3 plus 4 = Salsa at a small Pretoria studio, between 19.30 and 21.00 every Thursday night.

 

I’m painfully aware of my beginner status and uncooperative hips – a legacy of my catholic school days no doubt – but yes myself, and my husband (!) are learning to Salsa! Quick quick slow, quick quick slow…And left 2, 3 pause and right 6, 7 pause… now rumba, rumba and mambo mambo mambo…Catholic school hang-ups or not, it makes me feel, well, kind of saucy and we seem to spend a lot of time laughing and sweating – in  Pretoria nogal, with it’s reputation for stuffy politics and conservative ideals.

 

The basic step involves 3 weight changes in a 4 beat measure and while that Cuban hip movement still eludes me, I find myself wanting to Salsa all over the show – to the photocopier machine, while boiling the kettle, in the aisle at the super market. I’m even typing to that salsa beat!

 

Will I ever master the foot patterns, body rolls and movements, turns and figures? I’m not sure I will or that I really care – because some of my main objectives are already being met.

 

Will I become a better dancer? I will. And more than that, I can now watch Strictly Come Dancing critically and consider it educational. No more need to make excuses for blobbing on the couch.

 

 

Does it count as exercise?  My protesting butt muscles say yes it does. Besides, in salsa, hips are more of an asset than a liability so while it may not revolutionise my body shape, who cares? It’s what you do with those hips that counts! And of course dancing is a powerful way to relieve stress – which also contributes to a healthier lifestyle. You get to shake out that tension that results from day after day at a desk.

 

You also get over the idea of looking stupid in front of a bunch of strangers pretty quickly, which is also healthy I think. Since I can’t walk in heels, let alone dance in them, have difficulty being lead, and a partner who often forgets the steps…it’s good for us. And means I can have a guilt-free glass of wine or two after each class since I’m being so much healthier in general.

 

Does it fill my Thursday night void?  It does. It’s fun, stimulating and energetic. As with painting, I find that moving spontaneously helps me to trust my impulses and opens up new ways of thinking and seeing things. The combination of African, Cuban and Latin music is hard to resist and I feel great after every class.

 

It works in Pretoria too – surprisingly well. The jacarandas are out and the humid summer nights are kind of sexy, with thunder in the distance…If Salsa is good for me, it’s also good for the city, being the antithesis of seriousness and stereotypes. Perhaps we should get more citizens of this city to class and see what Salsa can do for South Africa!

 

Que viva la salsa – it’s good for the soul!