MY DANCING SHOES

Dancing has always been a passion.  I took my first dancing class at age 4 and continued with classical dance for several years.  It was a small school and as a member of the school ballet, I had two performances, one at the University of Puerto Rico and the second one at a children's TV program.  The outfits were beautiful, custom made by my mother's seamstress.  I was enjoying dancing and I was very engaged in the classes.  But my father didn't like all that dancing agenda.   Back in those days, no parent wanted her daughter to be a dancer.  So I was taken out from dancing school with the excuse that I was growing up and I needed to dedicate more time to school.

During my childhood I used to watch my mother roll up her skirt way up to her panties and dance rumba around our living room.  She imitated Tongolele, a famous rumba dancer in those days.  Showing off her legs, shaking her butt and skillfully moving her hips from one side to the other, I think I can say today that my mom was a good rumba dancer.  Once she started dancing, then my aunt, who always lived with us, joined her.  I never danced rumba with them, but I enjoyed standing in one corner watching my mom and my aunt dance rumba like two maniacs with the volume of the hi-fi very loud.

Years later and on two occasions, I put together a couple of dances for school graduations.  I remember teaching La Tarantela, a folkloric Italian dance that I had learned in dancing school.  The school kids met at my home and we rehearsed for several hours.  For another school program, I choreographed a Square Dance, which I danced with a cute kid in my neighborhood.

Then in high school, when we were studying the culture of different countries, I danced El Jarabe Tapatio to represent Mexico.  After that, not much dancing. 

Ironically, I married a man that didn't dance at all.  Not even a bolero.  Fortunately, we were close friends with a couple who decided to open a dancing school in San Juan.  I joined the school to support their new business, but mainly I was thrilled to get back into dancing.
  
Everything was going fine, until one day I got home all bruised.  My husband didn't like that at all. What happened was that for the first time, I took a lifting class with a male dancer. Those easy and stylist lifts that we all see at the ballet performances are not easy at all.  It's hard for the guy and hard for the woman.  It requires tons of practice and it can be physically painful.  Anyway, that was my one and only lifting class and I was fine with that.  


As an adult, the passion for dancing continued. After my divorce, I moved to Los Angeles and, surprisingly for me, salsa was very popular.  I became a party animal and did a lot of salsa at Latin clubs in LA. 

Throughout the years, and just for the fun of it, I took different dance classes at community colleges or with private instructors. Prior to moving to Las Vegas, I was taking flamenco.


I hear music and I can't stand still.  My body automatically moves to the beat whether I am at home, in my car, at a store, etc.


To clarify, I am not saying here that I am a good dancer.  I'm just saying that dancing was always part of my life.  I no longer dance or go to dance clubs.  These days I only do Zumba twice a week at the gym.  Zumba has been the greatest invention:  it's fun, you get to dance different rhythms and you burn lots of calories.  It cannot get any better than that.  


Dance can express ideas, emotions or tell a story.  Not only you dance with your body, you dance with your face, you dance with your heart.  You are a character.  For example, the face expression of a flamenco dancer is distinctly different from the face of a hip hop dancer or a tango dancer.  Also, many dances can be sensual and sexy.  If performed artistically, they can elevate an audience.   


In closing, I'm not done with dancing.  At one point, I intend to go back to school to continue Flamenco, my old-time favorite.  Just for the fun of it.  

I love music and dancing.  I am fortunate to have a broad taste for music and the same translate to dancing. From ballet to reggaeton and from Mozart to urban music, I love it all.


Dancing, music and rhythm are in my DNA.  I was born with it and I will die with it. Every time I look at a very old, wrinkled lady dancing, in my mind I'm thinking,'that will be me when I am that age.'  Not that I'm too far from being there. :)


See you at my next post.  One, two, three, cha cha cha.

FLAMENCO SHOES

TAP SHOES

BALLROOM SHOES

DANCING SNEAKERS

YES, I HAVE INCLUDED MY UGLY FEET. I USE THESE FOR THE AFRICAN DANCE.

Dancing quotes:


I would believe only in a God that knows how to dance.  ~Friedrich Nietzsche


Never trust spiritual leader who cannot dance.  ~Mr. Miyagi, The Next Karate Kid, 1994


We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance.  ~Japanese Proverb


Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!  ~Constanze

The truest expression of a people is in its dance and in its music.  Bodies never lie.  ~Agnes de Mille


Dancing faces you towards Heaven, whichever direction you turn.  ~Terri Guillemets



Ok, now, a little fun.  I will dare to share an erotic contemporary dance performed by the famous acrobat dancers Duo Main TenanT, Cirque du Solei style. Masterfully and flawlessly performed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=JGq4k8RMe9o