PAS5 Getting Sultry with Salsa

Is it possible for a guy to be sultry? It certainly couldn’t be an easy feat if I tried, but if I were searching for a man (or a woman) who fit the term, I would begin my search with salsa dancers.

As always, I am tempted to compare new forms of dance to those that I am very familiar with, especially swing. Although a few of the turns and lifts in salsa resemble those from swing, the two dances could hardly be more different. While the torso is very relaxed in swing dancing, in salsa dancing the upper body remains fairly stiff. This forces the hips to move as the dancers weight shifts from one foot to the other, creating the familiar hip movements identified with salsa even by non-dancers. The basic steps of salsa are not hard to master, and the music is generally lively and fast.

There are a lot of spins and turns in salsa. While it is generally the follow who is spinning around like a top, occasionally the lead (that is the guy) can add a few quick spins of his own. I discovered something new about myself while practicing spinning: I get very dizzy quite quickly while doing tight turns, despite a decent attempt at spotting. Luckily, this has not yet proved a major setback, as the lead rarely does more than one or two quick turns in sequence, which is not enough to leave my head spinning. I have gained a lot of respect for the ladies dancing salsa who seem to spin and be spun endlessly without collapsing in a fit of dizziness.

In one way, salsa is very similar to swing dancing. The goal of the dance is really to have fun! Both dances also give the lady plenty of space every once in a while, so that she can show off her unique talents. In lindy hop, the girls like to swivel their hips and get a little sexy if the lead gives them some space to improvise. Salsa is not much different in this regard. Whatever looks good and is fun to do is on the table for salsa dancing, as long as the basic rhythm and count stay intact.

Whether it is the sexy nature of the dance, or the quick and fun spirit, salsa at Penn State attracts one of the biggest crowds I have seen for any form of dance. There is generally about an even mix of guys and girls at the lessons, much to my surprise! I am used to finding an imbalance with too many girls. The large number of people learning salsa is really great for me as a beginner, because I can dance with people of all different experience levels from beginner to relatively advanced.

Everyone has a unique personality expressed through their dancing (though this becomes easier with experience in the dance), so one never knows exactly what to expect when dancing with someone for the first time. Personally, I am most amused by the girls who manage to add a little bit of sass to the dance, and the guys who try to seem suave with smooth movements and clever improvisations. Naturally, both are met with varying degrees of success, but serve as a reflection of the freedom available in salsa for self-expression. Hopefully someday, with enough practice, I too will be able to add a little bit of personality to my salsa dancing.